Crossfire Queen

2.

Work felt like a welcome respite from my thoughts. It always had served as a good distraction, and today was no exception. It did help that I had two suits to finish stitching before the groomsmen came in next week. Whilst I didn't have Leo pegged as a complainer, he always looked exemplary and it worried me that he wouldn't settle for anything but perfection.

"You look lost in thought again" Mary beamed at me as I stitched a sleeve together for one of the boys suits. "Just thinking about how much I have to finish" I smiled softly as she nodded. "Don't forget you have my party tomorrow." She said happily as the sinking feeling returned to my chest. "But Mary" I whined. "You've already made me go to one social event this week, you know I don't do well with them" I groaned at her and gave her my best puppy dog eyes. "Meeting Alessia was hardly a chore. And neither is my party. It's only my close friends and family, you'll be safe I promise" she said with understanding in her tone.

"Mary" I sighed. "Just come for an hour, I'll get Lenny to drop you home after" she said sweetly. "It's your party Mary, you don't want me stealing your husband away from you" I pointed out as she shook her head. "You're like a daughter to me Sofia, I want you there just as much as I want Lenny" she said begging me. "I know, it's just a lot" I sighed feeling like the worst person in the world. "I know sweetie, but I promise you, you can leave whenever you're ready. I'd just really like to see you there." She said as she placed a warm hand on my shoulder. "If I get these jackets done then I'll come. If not I'll be stitching till midnight" I said trying to strike a deal with her. "Okay, in that case hand me the other." She said with bright eyes. "But you haven't stitched in four years" I said dumbfounded. "I haven't worked at Dior for four years Sofia, of course I still sew. Lenny always has scuffs on his jackets that need stitching" she smiled at me warmly as I handed her the fourth jacket.

"Whose is this one" she asked warmly. "Erm, I think it's just the groomsmen's. This is Marcos and I did Leo's first" I shrugged. "I don't know the names of the other two" I said indifferently. "And how was Meeting Marco" she asked me with a raised brow. "Ok, I guess. He seemed a bit pushy though" I found myself telling her. "How so" she queried. "He just seemed to order the waiters around. He didn't say please or thank you and it just seemed like everything happened on his terms" I shrugged once more. "And he had the most intimidating eyes" I added as I accidentally pricked my finger with the needle. "Stare into them did you" she joked with me. "No, he just seemed to stare a lot in general. Not necessarily at me" I said screwing my face up slightly as I resumed stitching.

"He sounds a bit..." she paused. "Up tight" I finished for her as she chuckled. "Coming from you, he must have had a stick up his ass" she laughed as I scoffed. "I'm not up tight" I protested to her as she just smirked. "Sofia, you're wound so tightly I think you'd give a bobbin a run for its money" she chuckled at my offence as I pondered over it. My silence probably showing my disdain for who I was.

"I don't mean to upset you dear...it's just you rarely let your hair down these days" she said looking at me sympathetically. "Can you blame me" I said glumly as she pulled a tight grimace. "You need to move on Sofia. You've stopped living these last months. Existing is a waste of time, you need to make the most of life" she said as she kept stitching the sleeves onto the bespoke jacket. "I don't think I can move on" I confessed honestly as I kept looking at my work in an attempt to stop my mind from wandering down its dark path and my eyes from glossing over.

"You can, and you will. You just need to get out more and experiance life again. It's like you're in auto pilot at the minute Sofia and it's upsetting to see" she explained as I dipped my head further. After speaking with Alessia last night, and Mary today, it was obvious that everyone found me depressing and challenging to be around at the minute. It was a devastating realisation and one I wanted to amend quickly.