"Sometimes in life, a sudden situation, a moment in time, alters your whole life, forever changes the road ahead." Ahmad Ardalan, Baghdad: The Final Gathering

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XV. The Wind Changes

The last time Sophie had accepted a date, she had been seventeen, and Beck had said, "You're bangin', Soph. Let's go out." She had giddily agreed to that. She was not even sure if sitting in a living room of a flat that Beck shared with three of his mates while they all watched football even counted as a date.

She had been asked out on several occasions over the years. Her line of work meant that she was often in the eye of socially lubricated men. But she had never accepted. She had always put Maddie first. Before her career, and certainly before her love life. There had never been room for a relationship before.

She had not expected Noah to ask her out on a date. She had not even realised that he had feelings for her. But perhaps she was just terribly inexperienced at this sort of thing that she wouldn't notice.

Noah wasn't a tosser who got drunk with his mates. He definitely wasn't the sort of man to try to cop a feel while she walked past his table.

Oh, dear, why was she even thinking about Beck and every other loser that she had encountered at a time like this? Noah was standing in front of her, losing heart and confidence with every passing second that Sophie stayed silent, staring at him with her mouth agape like a bloody flytrap.

She knew the man that Noah was. She knew that he was different. Good different. He was ever so kind. The way he had connected with Maddie over the last few weeks had made her heart grow three bloody sizes to the point that sometimes it didn't feel like it could fit in her chest. He was not only good to Maddie, but he was so sweet to her. He had quickly become a very good friend to Sophie, and were it not for him, she would surely have gone mad in the wait to hear of Maddie's diagnosis.

Noah listened to her. She could unload her problems and stressors and he would come back with genuine, kind advice and reassurances.

He was gifted at what he did. Sophie didn't think she'd ever met a more talented person in her life. He liked to call her talented, but she indeed needed to hold up a mirror to him.

And he was dreadfully adorable. She would be lying if she hadn't caught herself smiling as his shaggy, dark hair, fell into his eyes when he concentrated too hard on a piece he was writing throughout the day.

Sophie realised that she liked Noah, too. Perhaps it had started the first time he had played the piano with Maddie. No, Sophie realised. It had definitely begun when she had first watched him connect with her daughter at the piano.

"You know what? Don't even worry about it," Noah said finally, his cheeks flushing as he held up his hands. "I'm really sorry if I've just made you feel really awkward. Forget I said anything. Don't even mention it. It's cool. I don't mind at all. Like, I completely get it –"

"Aren't you going to let me answer then?" Sophie asked suddenly, interrupting him.

Noah shut his mouth.

A smile spread across Sophie's face as a terribly excited feeling begun to swell in her stomach. Was she going to do this? Too bloody right, she was. "I'd love to go out with you," she accepted, "but I must tell you, I don't drink coffee."

Noah let out a staggered breath as he smiled with relief. "Coffee, tea, soda, water, I don't care," he said breathlessly. "Yeah?" he furrowed his eyebrows. "Are you sure?"

Sophie laughed. "Are you trying to talk me out of it?"

Noah shook his head. "God, no, I just ... I'm really glad you said 'yes', Sophie. I think you're something special, and I really like you."

Sophie wondered if it was her erratic anxiety or her moaning that had attracted him, but either was, she was suddenly so bloody excited to be doing something like this for the first time in so many years.

"I really like you, too," reciprocated Sophie. "But if I'm going to have all ten of my fingers on this date, then I had better go back inside."

As Sophie rubbed her hands together, Noah suddenly enveloped them in his own large hands. Sophie gasped, and immediately felt an immediate electric shock of warmth. He was looking down at her with his focussed, blue eyes, and a smile on his mouth.

"Are you free on Sunday?" he asked quietly.

"Y-yes, during the day," stammered Sophie. "I'm working at night."

"Perfect. Can I pick you up at say, ten? The hotel I'm staying at does this amazing looking breakfast brunch set up. I think they do tea. You're a tea drinker, right?"

Sophie frowned. "You want to pick me up at my flat, and then travel all the way back into the city to your hotel?" she clarified. "I could just take the train ..."

"Do you think my mother would ever let me sit at her table again if I didn't pick a lady up on the first date?" Noah admonished comically.

Sophie giggled. "No, I suppose not." She immediately thought back to her conversation a couple of weeks ago with Noah's mum. Lord, she would be having conniptions if she knew about these events, Sophie theorised.

"Can you text me your address, and I'll be there on Sunday?" Noah asked.

"Oh, sure." Sophie nodded, managing to hide her sudden panic at needing to manically tidy her flat. It was even more of a pigsty now that she was working weekends. That was when she usually caught up on tidying, dishes and washing. So long as Maddie's school uniform and her work uniform were clean, she counted that as a win. "I ought to get back inside. Pete will be wondering where I've disappeared to." Sophie pulled her hands from Noah's and skipped back inside to pub. Noah followed her, passing her at the bar as he went back up on stage to resume his normal playing.

Just as Sophie was about to pick up a tray of drinks, her phone vibrated in her back pocket.

Pulling it out, she saw that she had a text from Noah.

Can't wait.

He wasn't looking at her, but he was grinning as he began to play again for the customers. Sophie couldn't help but sheepishly smile herself as she lifted her tray into her arms. Not even Beck and his mates sitting in her section could spoil her mood.

***

Sophie checked her appearance right before she went into Pete's the next evening. She felt really silly for wearing makeup. She hoped it wouldn't appear as though she was trying too hard, but she wanted to make an effort to look nicer. Sophie didn't own much in the way of expensive makeup. She did have some products from way back in her teenage years, but they were all so horribly expired that she was certain she might contract a yeast infection from using them.

Sophie was wearing a tinted moisturiser, some mascara, and lip gloss, the latter of which had immediately fascinated Maddie. As she had strawberry blonde hair, her eyelashes were naturally fair, and so she liked the look of them with mascara. Perhaps she might continue to use it.

As soon as Pete saw Sophie, he noticed her appearance, and a sly grin spread across his face. "Oh, now, don't we look gorgeous this evening," he remarked.

"Shut it," Sophie whispered.

Noah looked up from the piano as soon as he heard Pete's comment. His eyebrows rose when he saw her, and he smiled, too.

And now Sophie felt ridiculous. It probably did look as though she was trying too hard. She just didn't want to look like a tired mum for once.

Sophie dashed into the backroom, where she found both Holly and Amy sitting on their break before the evening shift.

"Oh, Sophie!" cried Holly. "Look at this fittie I matched with on Tinder today." Holly leapt off the sofa with her phone, quickly shoving it in front of her face.

Sophie was not greeted with the face of a good-looking man, but a Tinder profile featuring his eight-pack abdomen. "You could grate cheese on those things!"

"I know right," Holly bragged. "His name is Eamon. He's a swimmer. I didn't even know you could be a swimmer outside of the Olympics but apparently you can. We're hooking up after work tonight." Holly suddenly noticed Sophie's face, and she gasped excitedly. "Well, don't you look pretty, Mummy dearest!" she cried.

"The whole point was to not look like a mummy dearest," mumbled Sophie as she hung up her bag and her coat.

"I love it, Sophie," complimented Amy. "You look really nice. And what even are you wearing anyway? A dash of concealer and some mascara? Me? I've still got my puberty acne and I'm twenty."

"I still get acne and I'm twenty-six, but thanks, Amy." Sophie smiled at her, and then felt a pang of guilt considering that Amy had liked Noah initially. She hadn't tried anything with him since her failed attempt at a date a few weeks ago. She hadn't even mentioned him. "Hey, I hope this doesn't upset you, but I've sort of agreed to go out with Noah tomorrow."

"WHAT?" Holly all but screamed. She practically tackled Sophie onto the Sophie, holding her down, before she exclaimed, "Tell me everything!"

Amy quickly followed. "No, it's alright!" she promised. "Nothing happened there. I've sort of started seeing someone else anyway."

"She's shagging Tony," Holly translated. "Haven't you noticed them making gooey eyes at each other? It's so cute." Holly was finished with that story and had moved back to Sophie, not giving Sophie any opportunity to ask Amy about bouncer Tony. "So?" she pressed. "When did this happen?"

"Last night," Sophie admitted. "He's taking me out for breakfast/brunch type thing tomorrow." She felt her cheeks warm. "He's just been so sweet to Maddie, and he's such a nice guy. He's a good person, and he's close with his family, and he's ever so talented –"

Holly suddenly gasped as she jumped up from the sofa and ran over to her hanging handbag. She pulled out her purse and rifled through it, coming back out with a business card. She held it out to Sophie. "This is my salon. As for Olga. She does a Brazilian that you can't even feel. Incredible!" she promised.

"Oh my God, Holly, we're going out for breakfast. You're about twenty-seven steps ahead of me!" Sophie hissed. She couldn't even think that far ahead, let alone plan for it.

Holly leaned around Sophie and slipped the business card into her back pocked. "Well, for when you need it then!" she insisted.

"Get your head out of the gutter, Holly," Amy playfully scolded.

Holly poked her tongue out. "Whatever, you loved Olga. Now, what time am I coming over to babysit Mads?"

Sophie softened. "Thank you," she said gratefully. "He's picking me up at ten."

"I'll be there at nine to make sure you're looking to die for, babes."

"Are you three done gossiping, or can I join?" Pete asked as he entered the backroom. "What's this I hear about our Sophie dusting out the cobwebs?"

"You're terrible," Sophie accused, blushing.

"The piano man has asked Sophie out for breakfast tomorrow," Holly reported flirtatiously. "Pete, I need the day shift off so I can babysit Maddie!"

"Are we meant to be surprised by this?" Pete asked. "Every straight man knows the way to a mum is through the kid. Boy's got game," he praised. "Sure, Holly," he added. "Sophie needs a man."

"Oh, hush!" hissed Sophie, slapping Pete lightly. "Noah's not like that at all and you know it. Now if you lot don't mind, perhaps we ought to start getting ready for tonight."

Sophie stepped out into the pub and found that Noah had left the stage and was walking over to her. She couldn't help but smile at him, and she sucked in an excited breath as he reached for her. Sophie hugged him, wrapping her arms around his waist as she rested her head against his chest. She felt him rest his chin on the top of her head. Holy hell, this felt really nice.

But she ended it, pulling away so as not to be caught and teased by her gossipy colleagues.

"Thanks for sending me your address," he uttered quietly.

"Do you know which train to take?" Sophie asked.

"I was just going to get a cab," he replied.

"A taxi all the way out to Gunnersbury?" Sophie frowned. "That's an expensive fare."

"I'd probably need a local to teach me the subway," he murmured slyly. "Maybe for our second date, you could show me the ropes."

Sophie's heart flip-flopped. Her phone suddenly started to vibrate, indicating a phone call. Sophie immediately started to panic, thinking that there was something wrong with Maddie. But as soon as she looked at who was calling, she saw that it was Elaine Woodley calling.

"It's Maddie's psychologist," Sophie whispered. And she was calling on a Saturday. Sophie immediately knew she was about to hear news that would change everything.

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Luckily as my commute to work tomorrow is my kitchen table, I could stay up past midnight to get this up for you all! I felt bad for leaving you on a cliffhanger, but then I gave you another one, so I guess I'm just mean hehe.

I binge watched Outer Banks today on Netflix and oh my god I loved it!!! I haven't loved a show that much to binge watch the whole thing in ages. If there isn't a season 2 imma flip out! Highly recommend!

Alright, better get to sleep. Online teaching continues tomorrow!

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