Soak Up The Sun

A Wonderful Christmas Time

December 2023

"This is madness...I'm eating Christmas Dinner with Liam Gallagher. Liam. Fucking. Gallagher."
Holly whispered beside Sophie as she squeezed her hand with wild glee in her eyes. Sophie bit her lip to contain a laugh from her expression.

When she looked at their situation and the past 6 months of her life it seemed mad. Impossible even. Yet here they were. Her life looked completely different from a year ago and she was grateful. They were all at Liam's place which Sophie had just recently moved into. A big step. Lennon and Gene and Molly, their girlfriends, Holly and her mum, Peggy, Paul. An almost full house with one significant absence.

Sophie looked around the house it was full of warmth and laughter. Liam looked relaxed and happy. He had been astounded with how easily she had become a part of his world. Sophie in the past 2 months had been spending time with Liam's kids. Not in a forced way. But small outings together. Shopping. Lunch. Walks. She really, really wanted to get to know them not just for Liam but for herself.

Gene smiled at her as she removed his now empty plate.

"Thanks. You're still doing OK you know."

Sophie smiled warmly at him. Thinking back to when they'd first gone a walk together alone. Liam had offered to come but Sophie wanted to let all of his kids know she would be patient in getting to know them and earn their trust.

"You're mad you know. Getting with my dad. You seem nice." Those were the first words other than hello he'd spoken to her.

Sophie laughed. Despite the difference in their accents all his children resembled him and possessed some of his mannerisms. But Gene...really reminded her...of Noel. Blunt. Slightly spiky. Witty. It made her chest ache. She missed him.

"Thanks for the advice. But I'm not going anywhere. Guess if that makes me mad then I'll accept the title proudly."

He smiled and nodded at her. Reassured by her resilience. They spoke about music and fashion and the world. He was opinionated like all Gallaghers and Sophie liked that. She didn't feel to afraid to disagree with him or speak her mind on their first meeting.

They got back to the house, and he surveyed her for a moment before uttering.

"You're doing OK you know." And in that moment as he began to accept her in his own simple way she could have cried.

He'd stayed for dinner. She enjoyed seeing him and Liam together they were always teasing each other. He was a bit softer with Molly as all father's of daughters are. And he and Lennon were so similar that he only really had the playful bickering with Gene.

They both saw him out and she'd given Gene a tentative hug which he returned.

"See you soon. Don't fuck this up." He said pointing to his dad.

Liam held her closer to him as he stuck the fingers up. There's no way he would.

Liam looked at Sophie gently and she smiled up at him.

"You've made amazing humans by the way." She said genuinely.

Liam smiled feeling his heart burst with pride.

"Fuck knows how. He liked you. They all do. That's the first time they've all agreed right away. No wonder. You're amazing you know."

Sophie shrugged as she leant up to kiss his mouth lightly.

She pulled back waving off Gene as he drove out.

"Gene he's so like..."

"I know. It's like seeing him from when we were growing up together all over again. It's mad." Said Liam smiling sadly.