A Storm Is Brewing

Impressing Mum

Leah didn't take her hands off me for the entirety of the flight back to London; when she heard me sigh, she squeezed my hand tightly to let me know she was there. As we arrived at the airport, it had very clearly been leaked that we were going to be there; the exit of the airport was lined with journalists. I tried to drop Leah's hand, not wanting her to be pictured supporting me and what I had done. Leah gripped it tighter than ever before, wrapping me into her arms and walking me to her car, gently putting my hood up to cover my face. Her light whispers of ignore them, focus on my heartbeat were the only thing stopping me from dropping to the floor.

Leah placed me on the passenger side of her car, even buckling my seatbelt in for me as she placed a gentle kiss on my head. My eyes were glazed with tears, but I knew that I had to hold them in. Leah placed her hand on my leg as we drove, letting me play with her fingers. She asked me at least three hundred times if I was sure about going with her to see her Mum. Truthfully, I was terrified—terrified of Amanda not understanding, terrified that she would reject me, terrified that Leah's mind would be swayed by her opinion.

We pulled up to the house, and I noticed the outside light had been left on in anticipation of our arrival. I turned to open the car door, but I was stopped by a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Can I have a cuddle first?" Leah whispered.
"Of course." I turned to cuddle into her chest.

Leah held me for quite some time before she spoke again.

"Do you remember I was sad about leaving Ireland that Christmas?"
"Yes. You said you liked just being Leah."
"And what did you say?"
"That as long as you were happy being you, you'd always be happy because you're always being yourself." I recited.
"Never change, Soph. Always be you; always be the Sophie that I fell in love with." Leah whispered.
"Always, Le."

I walked behind Leah, hearing every beat of my heart in my ears. Before she opened the front door, she reached back for my hand.

"Together." Leah smiled.
"Together." I repeated.

Amanda was gentle, kind, and attentive. She loved nothing more than her children, and I appreciated that. What I hadn't accounted for, what I hadn't allowed myself to believe, was that Amanda also cared for me. She cared for me as the person who had made Leah so happy. The shouting, dismissal, and rejection that I had expected were not what I received. She listened carefully as I explained what had happened and why I had taken the case. Amanda's smile grew as I told her of the decision Rhys and I had taken to ensure that I rectified my mistake of denying the Biggs family justice.

"Sophie, you are so brave!" Amanda said as she wrapped her arms around my shoulders.
"I know I was foolish; I know I should've been able to see right through him, but I was so taken by the idea that he was just misunderstood that I wanted to help him. I became a solicitor because I believed in justice and didn't want the Biggs family to get false justice. I thought if I could clear his name, the police would have to search for the actual person." I continued.
"What happens now, then?" Amanda asked with a concerned but understanding tone in her voice.
"I don't know. All I know is that I love Leah and would never do anything to hurt her. I am so proud of everything she is and everything she will go on to be. Everything in my brain is telling me to let her go, telling me to let the world think she left me when she found out that I defended that man, but the truth is I don't know how to be me without her." I sighed, watching as Leah smiled to herself at my words.
"Family." Amanda said firmly.
"Huh?" Leah raised an eyebrow at her Mum.
"Family. Families stick together. As a family, you included Sophie, and we put on a united front. You're going nowhere, Sophie. So tell that brain of yours to stop telling you to run; Leah needs you, and you need Leah. Follow your heart." Amanda pulled the two of us into a hug.