Shattered Perfection

Four

A few weeks went by, the merger plans continued. Siobhan was allowed to go into the nurseries to answer queries, deal with parental complaints or deliver Roger's messages. She sat at her dresser in Roger's mansion and looked at Vivian's telephone number regularly. She was desperate to call, to make that leap but fear stopped her. What if Roger found out? She wasn't allowed out without him accompanying her. The only place she was allowed was the nurseries. She couldn't ring from her mobile as he regularly checked it to see her messages and phone records. He tracked her movements through her phone and complained when she was held up. This complaining often turned aggressive and violent. The first time he had hit her, he had slapped her across the face when she argued back. The next day she came home to a big bunch of white roses and emerald and diamond earrings. He never apologised but threw money at the problem in the same way he dealt with any issue in his life. Siobhan considered leaving at that point, but he had already isolated her from anyone she knew and had sold her flat, putting the money into 'their' account. But she wasn't allowed to spend anything without his approval first. He had control of everything. Vivian offered a ray of hope but Siobhan was terrified of taking the first step. She didn't want to put Vivian in Roger's firing line especially as she had Jamie. He was such a sweet little boy, Siobhan was so scared in case Roger connected the two of them.

Siobhan made her way into Marjorie and Autumn's office. She was there to deliver the Knight Family Halloween Ball invitations. Mia had just dropped Charlotte off to start her shift and had wandered into the office to see what was going on. Marjorie came into the office to see what they were doing.

'Mia' she greeted the red head icily.

'Marjorie' Mia replied, there was no love lost between the two.

'You alright Siobhan?' Marjorie asked in a somewhat kinder voice. She had noticed the change in Siobhan and wondered what the cause was. Siobhan looked weighed down, her face was pale and she was thinner than when she worked in the sister nursery. Marjorie was worried about her but couldn't get past the prickly exterior. Siobhan explained she was dropping off Mia and Charlotte's invitation to the Halloween Ball. Mia smirked at Siobhan.

'Are you going to be donning any of that black latex again this year?' she asked. Siobhan and Marjorie both rolled their eyes at this question.

'Are you going to be donning any actual clothes this year?' Siobhan shot back, Marjorie's eyebrows shot into her hairline. Mia smirked again.

'What's the point? They only end up on the floor.' Marjorie interrupted the pair and asked about an invitation for her. But Siobhan didn't have one. She knew Roger was withholding Marjorie's invite to stress her out. It was a game he liked to play, like a giant spider pulling at the threads of his web which controlled everyone. Marjorie was getting increasingly frustrated with not being invited. She refused to accept that she had to be married to Reece to be his plus one.

'What about you though?' she asked Siobhan, 'you've been going to the ball and you're not married to him.'

'Perks of laying in bed with the host.' Mia replied gleefully. Siobhan was getting cross, she didn't want to justify her actions with Marjorie. Roger ordered her to attend, he picked out her clothes, she had to stand with him all night and listen to his boring business conversations with lecherous men who would try and undress her with their eyes. It made her skin crawl. What's more, it made Roger cross. He accused her of leading them on. The night of the ball was exhausting for Siobhan, she had to walk a very tight line. Having to explain to Marjorie that the Knight family were very old with old traditions was making her cross, having Mia interject made it even worse. Marjorie eventually threw her arms up, 'So that's it, there's no way of getting in?' Siobhan realised that there was one way. She glanced at Mia who raised her eyebrows in an unvoiced question. Siobhan tipped her head towards Marjorie before stroking her hand along her hair. It was a nervous action which betrayed her discomfort. Mia explained that anyone wanting to join had to do an initiation. At this point Siobhan was reminded of her own 'initiation.' It was degrading and painful.