Connexion

Part 55

Smiling broadly, Amanda Harland studied her daughter. "Sophie, honey, why are you acting like a bridezilla?" Amanda Harland asked her daughter, when a week later Sophie's conversation with Jena's second in charge, about the cake was nothing short of a tantrum.

Albeit a fake tantrum. But Sally did not know that. Jena had asked her assistant, Sally to take responsibility for making Sophie's cake, and as per normal Sally telephoned to arrange a meeting in order to start the design process. The meeting was a nightmare for Sally. Sophie made their conversation difficult. To such an extent that Sally left with a raging headache and little more information than the cake would be three tiered.

"I want Ms Silva involved." Sophie announced blithely, more than pleased with herself, having dispatched Sally with such ease. Sophie had a plan. And it had nothing to do with her own wedding.

"Hon, this isn't like you. You know Ms Silva runs a business." Amanda said quietly.

"Yes. I know that, mum."

"Jena's team is perfectly capable of making you a cake the way you want it. That's why she's successful; she has a good team. As Sally explained, she's is the lead at By Design. You should be delighted that Ms Silva has allocated you, the best person on her team." Amanda simply didn't understand her daughter's behaviour today. Not normal for Sophie. Sophie was a bit of a diva, but not like this. This was over the top.

"Yes, I know." Sophie nodded sublimely, and grinned "But that's not why I want her on board, personally." She felt like a fairy godmother. It was just meant to be. She knew it. Caleb and Jena were perfect for each other.

"Ok, so why do you want her on board." Amanda frowned and narrowed her eyes. She knew her daughter, and reviewing her daughter's antics suggested she had a plan.

Her brows rose to help her cause. "Caleb." Sophie announced as if it was perfectly obvious.

"Caleb?" Amanda was now worrying. "What about him?" What was going on here?

Sophie looked at her mother in utter astonishment. But her mother just continued to look blankly at Sophie. Sophie decided she'd have to spell it out, "Mum, last weekend, do you remember how he was with her? At her office?" Sophie asked her mother with expectation.

"At the meeting, in her office when we appeared without an appointment?" Amanda recalled the conversation which showed their arrival was not expected at Jena's office let alone to discuss the cake. 

"Yes, mum, that visit."

Amanda said, "He was his usual laconic self." He was nothing if not self sufficient and self controlled.

Sophie nodded and grinned again expecting her mother to see the situation. Again her mother just looked at her. When her reaction was not what Sophie expected, Sophie grimaced because her mother had not spotted the signs! "Mum! The signs were obvious." Sophie huffed again.

Amanda's lips turned down. "What signs? Sophie, we know you can be a diva, but I haven't the foggiest idea why you are bringing Caleb into this issue. You created a problem, because you frustrated Ms Silva's second in command."

Sophie folded her arms. "That is not true, mum." Then she said, "Anyway, Mum, you must remember what Ms Silva was like with Caleb? And his reaction to her."

 "She seemed professional. She listened to what he had to say, and kept him in place!" Amanda announced with a smile. She'd found Jena proficient, patient and pragmatic. "And obviously Caleb was happy with the situation as he had persuaded her to allow us to stay to talk about your cake." Amanda raised her brows, "She was professional, but not deferential, maybe a touch blunt, which, as expected given Caleb was baiting her!"

Sophie nodded, "Exactly!" She looked at her mother, her eyes emphasizing that point. But the frown on her mother's brow told Sophie she still had a fair amount of explaining to do. "Mum! Ms Silva didn't treat Caleb like a celebrity."

"Good." Amanda said and then frowned. "Or are you suggesting that she was not paying him enough attention because he was a celebrity? That he warranted more because he was a celebrity? And she should pander to him?" Amanda's brow knitted. She frowned at her daughter. "Honestly Sophie, that is silly. "

Sophie sulked. "No! Mum! I am talking about the way Ms Silva spoke to Caleb."

"She treated him with courtesy. She was kind, patient, and..."

"And was normal!" Sophie announced as if she was making a grand statement.

"Honestly darling, I can't understand your...."

"She was not blinded by the fact he is a successful businessman. Or was a celebrity." Sophie was on a roll. "She treated him the way she would with any guy. Caleb, the man. Not Caleb the ex motor cycle racer, or Caleb the millionaire businessman. Just, Caleb the man. Albeit an annoying Caleb!"

Amanda sighed. "Sophie, you can't arrange Caleb's social life..."

"I am not arranging Caleb's social life. I just want him to meet someone who is not baffled or blinded by his money or his celebrity. He told us that he wants to settle down with a good woman! His radar is skewed because his radar missed the fact that Ms Silva is a good woman!"

Amanda sighed as she acknowledged what her daughter was hinting at. "Sof, hon, you're making way too much of this." Amanda knew her step-son, and knew he would not take kindly to Sophie's interference, regardless of her good intentions. "Yes, she is a lovely woman. Ms Silva was patient with all of us, including you! She treated Caleb in the same way she treated us. Just potential customers. Clearly she was not expecting us last Friday, and despite that, she was polite, professional and kind. She demonstrated courtesy and good manners unlike my daughter!" Sophie rolled her eyes. Amanda continued, " Why makes you think, Caleb likes her?"

"Mum!" Sophie scowled when her mother torpedoed her statement. "She's perfect for him. She is lovely. Well, actually beautiful. And kind. And understand Caleb."  She'd spent a fair amount of the last week rehashing the interaction between her brother and Jena. Sophie knew her brother was looking for a wife. But there was a prime candidate standing right in front of him, and Sophie thought he had not registered that.  Sophie's plan was to ensure her brother took notice. "He just hasn't see it!"

Amanda corrected Sophie's statement. "Sophie! You cannot choose who would be perfect for your brother. That is Caleb's decision. He's..."

"Mum! He's great at picking arm candy. You know that. Candy-floss really.  They were stunning. Gorgeous. And no doubt their sex life was fine! But their personalities were practically vacuous!"

"Sophie!" Amanda warned "That is really harsh, Sophie. Caleb's girlfriends were lovely and clever!"

"Fine. So he dated women who were clever and lovely, but they did not meet his real needs.  Mum, you know that is true. " And Sophie pouted, "And they all pandered to Caleb."

"Sophie you cannot choose his prospective partner. He would not thank you for your interfering. Just leave your brother to sort out his own personal and social life."

Sophie just smiled and her mother sighed.