Broken Promises

Chapter 6

December was made up entirely of rain, Christmas loomed around the corner with little respite. Stuart and Sophie took it in turns to have to Christmas with their respective parents, Stuarts parents lived in Lyme Regis, both quite elderly now, having had Stuart later in life they rarely ventured out of the county. Much to Sophie's dismay it was their turn this year.

'Could I just stay home this year? You go to your parents?'

'Come on Sophie, I haven't really seen them all year,'

'I know, I just don't feel up to it, I'd rather just stay with mum,'

'We had Christmas with your mum last year Sophie, you haven't seen them either, when did you last speak to them?' asked Stuart, Sophie pulled a face in return and shrugged her shoulders,

'I don't know,'

'Exactly, they're getting old Soph, we might not have long left with them,' Stuart moved towards his wife and gently rubbed her shoulder,

'I know, I know, of course we have to, I'm not exactly feeling the life and soul at the moment so don't expect too much of me,' she replied, Stuart frowned at her, but Sophie didn't see, returning instead to stare into her half-drunk cup of coffee.

'We had better do some Christmas shopping, it's only 2 weeks away, I haven't got anything yet,' said Stuart,

'What? Oh no me neither, what do you want,' asked Sophie, she swirled the remains of her coffee watching the sediment at the bottom lift,

'The usual socks and pants, always need those, there's a book I fancy, what about you sweetheart?' Sophie wasn't listening again,

'Sophie, stop pouting, we said we would take it in turns for Christmas, I know things are a bit different this year, but you'll enjoy it once we get there,'

'I'm not pouting, I'm just thinking,'

'About what?' he asked back, Sophie paused, she hadn't really been thinking about anything but needed something to say,

'What to make for dinner tonight,' she replied quickly,

'It's my work Christmas party tonight isn't it, so you can have whatever you fancy, talking of which when was yours?'

'Oh god of course it is I totally forgot!,' said Sophie rubbing her forehead, 'Oh we didn't have one this year,' Sophie lied, they had she just hadn't wanted to go.

'Well, that's a shame, have a think about what you want for Christmas sweetheart, I'm going to jump in the shower,' Stuart kissed her on the head as he got up from the sofa, she heard his mug chink as he put it down in the sink, and the familiar creak up the stairs to the bathroom.

'Bloody Christmas,' mumbled Sophie.

Christmas eve upon them, the only saving grace for Sophie was that Stuart couldn't be away from the store for too long. He left his junior to close up shop on Christmas eve, they packed the car and joined the thousands of other making their Christmas commute. Stuart put the radio on as they left the driveway and by the time they joined the queues of red lights on the A35, Sophie had heard 'Driving home for Christmas' 3 times, she turned the radio off.

'Hey, I was listening to that' said Stuart,

'Sorry it's just we've heard this song already,' she replied,

'It's Christmas, they all play the same songs on repeat at this time of year, Sophie please tell me you aren't going to be like this all weekend?'

'Like what?' she replied turning from her gaze out of the window,