Whispers of Deceit, Echoes of Love

Chapter 14

The beeping sound was annoying and loud, waking Sophia from her sleep. She took the pillow and covered her face, groaning into it. She knew someone was by her door, and if she ignored them, then maybe they would get a hint and leave. Pushing the pillow lower from her face, she glanced at the time display by her bed. Eleven in the morning.

The memories of last night came back in full force, from going out with Mia and drunk calling Eric to spending time with Eric’s dad before he brought her home in the early hours of the morning. She wasn’t proud of calling Eric, and she was thankful that Steven had been there to stop her from making a fool out of herself.

She placed the pillow to the side and stared at the ceiling, thankful that the doorbell had stopped. Her peace did not last, though, as her phone started ringing. “For fuq’s sake! Don’t people get hints that I don’t want to talk to anyone?” She reached for her phone, her annoyance increasing in folds as she saw the name of the person calling.

Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself before connecting the call. “Hello?”

“So, are you going to keep me out here all day, or are you going to come and open this door?”

“Not in the mood for a fight, Mom,” Sophia replied, pushing away her hair from her face.

“Fight? Since when has worrying for my daughter been considered a fight?”

The annoyance in her mother’s voice made her sigh with resignation, “Why now, Mom?”

“What do you mean why now? Come and open this bloody door. Now Sophia!” Her mother disconnected the call before Sophia could say anything else.

Sighing, she got out of bed. She had half a mind for letting her mother stand outside, but she knew that would only inconvenience her neighbors. Running her hands through the thickness of her hair to give it some order, she slipped her feet into her slippers and made it to the door.

Pulling it open, she stepped to the side to let her mother in.

“Is that the way you greet your mother?” She walked in, shaking her head in disappointment.

Sophia closed her door and leaned on it, watching as her mother walked around her apartment with the same look she always had when she dealt with her.

Darcy Collins could have been mistaken for Sophia’s older sister. They looked so much alike, from the dark hair to the blue eyes. But that is where their similarities ended. Growing up, Sophia only got to spend time with her mother when they did family events together, especially if it involved her brothers. Sophia learned to cook and clean from her nanny and the housekeeper that they had because of how tight her brothers’ schedules were.

“How would you like me to greet you?” Sophia asked as she pushed herself from the door and made it to the kitchen. She needed coffee to deal with whatever her mother wanted to say.

Darcy glared at her as she moved the magazine that was on the sofa and sat down, “at least offer me a coffee.”

“It’s instant coffee, Mom,” Sophia replied as she walked to the sofa and sat down. “You won’t like it.”

Darcy made a disgusted sound before sighing, “I just don’t understand why you aren’t like your brothers. They always have the brand of coffee I drink at their apartments.”

Sophia rolled her eyes, “I bought it once but had to throw it away as it went bad before you ever set foot in my apartment. Not going to waste my money on something I know I will throw away anyways.” She blew on the cup before taking a sip. Turning, she looked her mother over. As usual, the woman was well put together. She was dressed in cream linen pants and a silky white blouse. Her feet were in silver high sandals. She had her jewelry adorning her wrist, her neck, and her fingers. The jewelry that got her the name Jewels, because, in her attempt to get closer to her mother, she used to try on her jewelry. “Why are you here, mom?”

Darcy frowned, “I came to see how you are doing. I know it must be tough, your first heartbreak, and as your mother, I wanted to know how you are doing?”

Sophia studied her mother for a few seconds before nodding, “I am fine.”

“Surely, you are not,” Darcy shook her head. “I spoke to Eric yesterday, and he was worried about you. That’s why I came to see you.”

“Wait, what?” Sophia placed her cup down and turned to her mother fully. “What do you mean you spoke to Eric? Why are you speaking to Eric?”

“Just because you broke up, it doesn’t mean we should all break up with him,” Darcy shrugged as if she saw nothing wrong with it.

“Are you being serious right now?” Sophia could feel her anger growing. “So you are only here because Eric sounded heartbroken and you wanted to come and see if I was wallowing in my tears?” She narrowed her eyes. “So not because you, as my mother, was worried about me. But because the boy who cheated on me with my best friend called you?”

Darcy rolled her eyes, “don’t be dramatic, Sophia! I am only saying that he called, asking me where you were and if I knew that you were with another man.”

Sophia scoffed, “Are you for real, Mom? Like really! It’s none of his business who I am with, and for him to call you is just ridiculous! He is not my boyfriend anymore, so he shouldn't worry about me. And you, as my mother, were supposed to be on my side! The guy cheated on me throughout our relationship with a girl I considered a friend, and here you are talking to him as if his feelings mean more to you than mine!”

“See! This is why I can never talk to you! You always blow things out of proportion,” Darcy shook her head as she collected her bag and stood up. “I just wanted to come and see how you were doing, but I guess you are well enough if you are already hooking up with someone else. You know, thinking about it, maybe Eric had no choice but to cheat on you.”

Sophia froze. She stared at her mother for a few more seconds, trying to understand what she had just said. Shaking her head, she stood up and walked to the door. Opening it, she pointed to it, “Please just go, Mom.”

“Sophia-” Darcy started.

Sophia stopped her with a shake, “You have said what you wanted to come and say, and now I would like you to get out of my apartment- please!”

Her mother approached her, “I will call you later when you are calmer.”

“Don’t bother. Call Eric instead since it seems you prefer boys to your own daughter.” She closed the door and leaned on it. Slowly, she sank to the floor, resting her forehead on her bended knees. She could feel tears falling, but she did nothing to stop them. Her mother has always been a sore spot for her, and to think that she was still talking to a man who has broken her heart even though she knew her mother’s support was nonexistent when it came to her, it still hurt her to know how she thought.

Sophia lost time sitting where she was. She silently cried until tears stopped falling. Taking a deep breath, she stood up and returned to her room. Throwing herself on the bed, she closed her eyes, hoping to erase the five minutes that she spent with her mother.

Her phone ringing made her sit up. Though she had hoped to ignore it, she knew the person would keep on calling. Sighing with relief when she saw the name, she connected the call.

“Hey, Mia!”

“Girl, you good?” Mia asked. There was a bit of shuffling in the background as though she was getting out of bed.

“Yeah, I am ok,” Sophia sighed as she turned and rested on her back, staring at the ceiling. She was starting to sound like a parrot with the same answer over and over. “You? Did you get lucky with the guy you danced with last night?”

Mia chuckled, “You know your girl. I am actually in my bathroom talking to you. The guy has zero knowledge of a night stand. He is still sleeping on my bed.”

Sophia laughed, “Well, if you give it to them good, why should they leave?”

“It’s the rule!” Mia huffed. “Anyway, I will deal with him later. Now tell me, who was that man you left with last night?”