Chapter 2- Santa Claus never liked me, I was always on his “Embarrassed of list.
“Gosh! Soph, you are the craziest whacko ever!” Trish laughed, holding her stomach as she heard my entire “Wrong Number”
fiasco.
“You…..rambled to a complete stranger?!” She shrieked and burst into a fit of laughter.
I rolled my eyes. “Very mature Trish.” But she laughed harder, till tears were starting to form in the corner of her eyes. So, I
whacked her stomach to shut her up.
“Ow! That hurt, you i***t!” She complained hitting my arm which earned her a smack on her head.
“Stop!” She chuckled and got up going to the kitchen as the oven’s timer rang indicating the souffle’s were ready, but before going
she hit my shoulder.
“Hey!”
“That, was for flicking me on my head.”
I muttered profanities under my breath.
“I can hear you!”
1 don’t care!”
1 played with Tango while Trish puttered around the kitchen.
Trish and I though twenty five, weren’t the most mature people on the planet when around each other or our loved ones. She was
a chef, she ran her own bakery and catering business, while I was an editor at a famous publishing house. For us, maturity was just plain overrated.
The smell of freshly baked chocolate chocolate souffle’s got me salivating. Did I mention they were my favorite things in the
world? Next to tandoori chicken?
e as she was wiping the plate’s, I decided
I sneaked up inside the kitchen with Tango behind me, and when I saw Trish’s back to me as
to steal one soufflé of the tray.
“Nu–uh–uh, don’t you dare pick that up, you sneak, or you will earn a spank from me for being naughty.” Trish warned. My eyes.
widened.
How did she know? Did she have eyes at the back of her head or was she this freaky twin who could read my mind?
But, meh, I’m still taking the soufflé.
As if on cue.
“know what you are thinking, you are not picking anything. You don’t want Santa to put you on his naughty list. Trish chastised,
like I was her kid.
Her being a mother must’ve been resulting in her obsession in being creepily right, and let’s not forget the entire kid talk she was
giving me. Trish often gave her “baby talk” to me, subconsciously.
I rolled my eyes.
“Hey! In my defense Santa never liked me, I was always on his “Embarrassed of list.
Trish turned around and sighed dramatically.
“God, Soph, my son, is better than you.”
I grinned at the mention of my godson Marvin. He was an adorable little guy. At five years of age, he was my
world.
“Yeah, yeah, I know, I should be setting examples yada yada yada.”
Trish rolled her eyes and smacked my hands away and took the souffle’s from me.
“Wait till Marvin gets home. Alex said he was picking him up.”
favorite guy in the
I pouted, though I agreed.
Alex was our best friend and Marvin’s godfather. Alex and his boyfriend Blake often babysat Marvin. They were engaged and being around Marvin only prepared them for the future as they were planning on adopting a kid, once they get married this fall. Alex was a fashion designer and Blake was a model, so those two guys met courtesy their jobs. Now, before you start imaging them as the gay best friends that chick flicks liked to stereotypically image with lip gloss lips and painted nails, nu- uh, I’m killing the image, right now. Alex was almost always sharp and dressed business like, while Blake gave out the gorgeous bad boy look, till, this date, half the female population mourns them being gay. Alex had been our friend since college and Blake too joined our little gang after we graduated and they started dating. They were amazing, kind people and I loved both of them to bits.
I walked to the living room and pulled out my editing work from my bag. Ryan’s picture in my purse made my heart sink like titanic. I blinked back the sting of tears and crumpled the picture, sighing.
I grimaced at my weakness. Jerk or not, I still was hurt, It’s not nice when your favorite dream comes crashing down in the end…
Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang and Alex entered with a bouncy Marvin hanging by his pinky finger.
Alex hugged me.
“Hello love, how’s your little heart? Do you want me to kill Ryan? I can make it look like an accident.”
I chuckled, “No need, he’s better off alone, Anyway, you better freshen up. Trish baked souffle’s. I’m dying to eat.”
Alex laughed and pinched my nose.
“You glutton.”
I winked. “Forever”
Marvin was removing his shoes, his grey eyes lit up when he saw me
“Aunt Soph! I got a big star in recitation!” He squealed, emphasizing his point by waving his hands around.
I smiled and ruffled his blonde hair.
“That’s my boy! Come on, mommy cooked something to celebrate!”
“Yay!” He cheered and we raced to the kitchen with Tango hot in our heels, barking.
Trish nearly knocked down the plates in surprise.
“Hey! No running in the house! Soph? Teach my son something good, will you?”
“Aw, man you’re no fun. I pouted.
“Aw, man you’re no fun.” Marvin mimicked.
Trish narrowed her eyes at him, before glaring at me.
“Well, I’m your mommy, and with a crazy aunt like Sophie around, someone has to be the less fun person,” Trish defended
herself.
“Anyway, peanut, how was your recitation test?”
“I got a star!”
Trish’s frown replaced a smile as she kissed his cheek, bending down.
“Good boy, now, I want you to
ant you to wash your hands. I made chocolate souffle’s”
“Yummy! Come Tango, let’s wash!” the little guy squealed and dashed off.
“You’ve got your hands full, with hyper people. Alex commented, giving Trish a hug.
Trish sighed, wiping her hands in her apron.
“Marvin’s fine, Soph is the one I worry about.”
“Hey!”
They chuckled. I helped Trish remove the souffle’s from the tray as Alex set the plates.
“So.. Where’s Blake?”
“He had his fitting for the upcoming Vogue fashion week, I just finished my first set early and this time Blake isn’t walking for my designs, so it’ll take him time. He’ll join us for dinner though.”
“Okay, then dinner it is.
We all lived in different houses, but we made it a point to have dinner together once a week or plan something out, it used to always be Alex, Trish and I but since Blake moved in with Alex, the tradition included him too.
Alex nodded.
“Anyway, I still can’t believe the Ryan and the entire foursome thing. That boy has a nerve, I would totally kick his pea sized balls for you Sophie, just let me.”
The tug returned, but I masked my hurt.
“No, he’s…he’s just not worth it Alex, I mean, whatever, I didn’t mean anything to him, I’ll move on.. find, someone better, bet successful in it and have cute little babies, while he’ll continue being the sick person that he is, right?
Alex leaned from the counter and gave me a hug.
“I’m proud of you sweetheart!‘
Trish smiled.
“Okay, Ryan aside, Alex, you won’t believe what this silly billy went and did that night.” Trish started.
Alex’s eyes grew wide.
“You cut yourself? Did a one night stand? Got pregnant?”
I rolled my eyes, what was it with people jumping into the worst conclusions with me?
Maybe, perhaps because you are the century’s biggest disaster magnet?
Let’s ignore my conscience.
I smacked Alex.
“Have some faith! I’m not like that!”
Alex calmed down.
“You’re not, I’m sorry.”
my eyes.
I rolled my eyes.
“No, she went and ranted, to a complete stranger on the phone. She whined all about her heartbreak and made a complete fool of herself, A plus for Soph on the embarassment test.”
I narrowed my eyes at her.
“Gee, thanks Trish.”
Alex was laughing his ass off, I glared at him murderously.
“What, exactly did you do Soph?”
Trish completed the story and in the end both of them were laughing their asses off.
“Wow, guys thank you for that shot of self esteem 1 snapped, glaring at them.
They sobered up.
“Sorry love.” Alex apologized.
“Whatever.”
Trish looked behind me.
“What’s taking Marvin so long?” As if on cue, Marvin came down all clean, with Tango.
“What took you so long, peanut?
Marvin gave her an innocent look.
“Tango wanted to play with soap.”
Trish facepalmed. “I don’t even want to think of the mess I’ll have to clean in there, and I’m pretty sure it was you who wanted to “play” with soap, not Tango!”
“Not!”
Trish shook her head.
“Nevermind. Go in and uncle Alex will plate your soufflé and do not drop one bit on your new shirt, otherwise mommy won’t be happy, peanut.”
Marvin nodded and followed Alex to the dining room.
Trish turned to look at me.
“Look, I’m sorry, Soph for teasing you, Ryan is a w***e, he wasn’t the one for you. You always have hit some rock hard’s, but not once did I see you fall in them, you always come out stronger and that’s what I love about you. Be it your dysfunctional family, your embarrassing days or Ryan, you always shine Soph, you don’t let it affect you, and I admire that, you should know, that I’m there for you no matter what.”
I smiled at Trish, no matter what, no matter how hard life could get, I had her and Alex and I could count on them. Thugged Trish blinking back the tears I had promised to not spill.
1 was not going to waste another tear drop on Ryan, and that was it.
Trish pulled back smiling.
“Now, Ryan aside, let’s pig out on souffle’s”
I grinned at her.
We walked in to find Marvin gobbling up the souffle’s with Alex. Trish grimaced at the chocolate smeared across her son’s shirt.
“Why do you have to feed your shirt too Marvin? Eat properly, or today, you’ll earn an earful from me. Trish scolded, I winced knowing she had called him “Marvin” not peanut, so she was getting worked up
Alex rolled his eyes, knowing Trish was getting mad.
“Cut him some slack Kristina. He’s a little kid, he’s allowed to do that. Loosen your disciplinarian side.”
Trish glared at Alex, she didn’t like being called by her full name.
“But-”
“Shut up and get your mama bear ass on the chair and eat, I don’t need you terrorizing my Godson.”
Trish muttered under her breath how we were spoiling Marvin but sat down anyway.
The souffle’s were delicious. Trish was just the next Donna Hay.
After we finished eating. Alex left for home but promised to join us for dinner, as Trish went to clean Marvin’s shirt and the soapy mess he had made after sending him to do his home work.
The little guy was a handful.
I decided to not go back home and stay till night, so I took Tango for a walk and came back to finish my editing work.
I sat in the balcony finishing my last editing set, when my phone flashed.
It was a text message from an unknown number. I frowned at the screen.
Hi, how are you holding up?
I pursed my lips, the only person I knew with that letter “A” was Alex but he just met me so it wasn’t him plus I had his number saved. How dense was 1?
Who is this?
-Sophia
My phone beeped again.
Oh pardon me, I’m Austin. Austin? The guy you dialed by mistake last night? I don’t expect you to remember me though.. My eyes widened. Austin? Why did he message me? I was the girl who very embarrassingly ranted herself to him. And forget.
him? Hell no.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I mean, your’s was a wrong number and all but why would you text me? Do you usually text girls who call you by mistake? I mean, I’m just an awkward person who rants her heartbreak to strangers…don’t get me wrong, I usually don’t do that, mean, duh, who does. Except me, I guess. But not usually, and thank you for asking about me, I’m holding up fine…I guess, I mean, heartbreaks are difficult to get over. That is, if you are a person who likes having long term relationships..anyway Hi.
Sophia
Less than a minute passed and my phone beeped, wow, he was fast.
You rant in text too?
-Austin
I blushed. Why do I keep doing this to myself?
My phone beeped again.
Oh, I don’t “usually” text girls who dial me by mistake, but in your case, I was curious, and I bet my hat you are blushing)
-Austin
S–How did you guess? Are you a spy?
A–Maybe. Beware xD
S- Stalker.
A–Psh..you wish, I would stalk you.
I grinned s
stupidly at the screen,
S–So, Austin, are you on kak
A–No.
S–F******* Twitter, Snapchat?
A–No, no and no. I find those a waste of time, though I am on E–book sites.
S- -So you are a book worm?
A–Yes, you can call me that..I guess.
I grinned, wider, if that was possible, another we had in common!
S–Well, good to know you are one of my kind.
- *cough* Your kind?” cough*
S–You know, the nerdy person who reads books and stuff.
A–uh, no. You are sadly mistaken, yes, I do enjoy reading books. But I’m not nerdy, I never was
S- How old are you?
I suddenly felt like a teenager on a chat site, hoping that the other person was close to their age.
A–Like, I’d tell you!
I pouted, what did he think I was? A pedophilic stalker?
S-1 feel offended.
That was such a lie, I was still grinning like a fool.
- Liar, I can feel your cheesy smile through the screen.
I gasped at the screen.
S- Now, who’s the stalker? I mean. Seriously, what’s with you being so creepily accurate? You are like my best friend Trish at being right, though she chastises me like I’m her son Marvin, my godson.
A – You speak a lot, don’t you?
S- Maybe..
A- Anyway, it was nice talking to you, I’ll talk to you later, but I have to get back to work now or else my staff would think that I’m lazy.
My stomach fluttered a little for no reason, then I realized he said “work” which meant he was as old as me or perhaps older, but he mentioned staff so he was an owner, probably an entrepreneur or something like Trish, I wanted to ask more, but I didn’t want to over step my boundaries.
S- Goodbye 🙂
I shut my phone with a wide grin on my face.
Something told me, that this was a beginning of a new blossoming friendship.
