Bad Desire: New Beginnings - Fast Forward

Part 6 - biggest mistake

As the taxi drove through the streets of Brighton, Sophie felt the anxiety within her building by the second. She didn't know why but being back here wasn't giving her any sense of joy and instead felt like she was taking 10 steps backwards. 

After not stepping foot in England for the past 3 years, being here now gave her the most unusual feeling. Part of her felt like she had never left but at the same time, she felt like a complete stranger to this area.

"You okay?" Jace's voice captured Sophie's attention, as his hand rested against hers.

Turning around to face him, Sophie let a small smile fall over her face. As much as being here was not her first choice, she did still want her husband to have a good time. His first trip to Brighton didn't need to be full of drama, or a disappointed Sophie wandering around with a face like thunder. She wanted him to see this place for the one she had once loved and called her home.

"Yeah, I'm just a little nervous about catching up with everyone. It's been so long." Sophie explained, in reference to the little gathering her dad had organised.

What had originally started out as an evening with her dad only, had turned into a bigger invite list being handed out. Sophie's sister was coming along and her brother with his family too. Even Estee was flying over from France just to see them. Then to add to that, Elliot and his family had also been invited along, more at the request of Sophie than anything else, as she wanted him to meet Jace.

Elliot had been the only friend she had kept in touch with from Brighton, surprisingly. He had been the one she had found easiest to turn to after everything that happened. Although they had a troublesome past, they had managed to reconnect in the most unlikely circumstances. Apparently they were much better at holding down a friendship when they were countries apart, than when they lived under the same roof.

"They're all going to be so excited to see you. You don't need to be nervous." Jace reassured as he lifted Sophie's hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to the back of them.

"I can't wait for them to meet you." Sophie replied honestly as that had been her main motivation for this trip to Brighton; being given the opportunity to show her husband off. 

She wanted people to meet and appreciate the man that she had fallen in love with. While her mum and dad had already met Jace numerous of times, Sophie's siblings alongside Elliot hadn't got the chance to visit her in New York yet. Therefore, this was a huge deal and even more so as they were not only meeting some new boyfriend, he was her husband; a man she had been with for the past 2 years.

"I can't believe how quiet it is over here. I've barely seen anyone around on this whole journey." Jace laughed as he peered around Sophie to look out of the window.

"You really need to get out of New York more. Most places don't have hundreds of people swarming the streets twenty-four-seven." Sophie teased, forever enjoying pointing out Jace's lack of travelling over the years.

He had grown up in a family that had always struggled financially, so that had held him back during his younger years. However, once he had a stable job and could finally afford to get out of the city, he decided not to. He always claimed he was content and happy where he was however, Sophie liked to insist it was because he was too scared.

"This trip is the start of my world adventures Sophie Rivera! You just wait and see!"

As Jace flashed her a cheesy grin, Sophie couldn't help but laugh. She wanted to believe him, she really did, but this true New Yorker was unlikely to stick to his word.

...

"We're here, we're here!" Phoebe suddenly yelled, wakening her little sister and making her two brothers jump from the daydreams they had been lost in. "Look! Grandad put up a sign."