Save Her

had transformed into something unshakeable, twenty-four years later. Although they loved the same colour, in looks and personalities they were polar opposites. Flora was shapely and brown-haired and still obsessed with the colour green, her wardrobe reflected nearly every shade of green available. Sophie was stick thin and blonde and favoured suits and dresses in muted creams and blacks. She was sophisticated and spent a lot of time making sure not a hair was out of place. People were drawn to Flora as she was kind, chatty and trusting whereas they found Sophie was reserved and ruthless. But they had been inseparable since that day and their friendship grew with them, leaning on each other throughout the journey to adulthood through the good times and the bad. They’d even married brothers, which made it all the more devastating that Flora would not have discussed with her something so momentous as moving away.

Sophie felt like the world had shifted around her. Nothing looked quite the same. Flora was her entire world: their friendship was all that got her through the day. People envied the close bond between them, it was a profound connection. Or so she had thought.

Flora would not meet her eye, even after Alistair had leapt from the table and yelled at Reginald to call an ambulance. Greg and Sam hovered uncertainly around their mother as Alistair cradled her head in his lap. Cecelia looked serene, like she was sleeping. But Sophie could not focus on them. She kept looking at Flora, willing her to meet her eye. But Flora’s head stayed resolutely down, as tears spilled onto her pale green dress, leaving blotchy stains. Sophie was about to give voice to her stormy thoughts, to force Flora to look up and meet her eye when Reginald burst in, followed closely by two paramedics.

The next few minutes were a blur. Greg’s hand on her back pushed Sophie roughly out of the house and into a car. The chauffeur pulled away and they were following the pulsating lights of the ambulance to the hospital. Greg was holding her hand so tightly it hurt, but Sophie could not really feel the pain. For Flora did not understand the damage she had just done. But she was going to.

5

The doors to the waiting room burst open. Each door slammed against the wall making everyone jump, such was the force of Greg’s push. Greg was two years older than Sam and although they both had a similar giant build, Greg exhibited none of the gentleness that Sam possessed. Brash, loud and ruthless he was the polar opposite of Sam. When Sophie first introduced her to Greg, Flora thought she was joking. But apparently their shared ambition and passion made them a formidable couple. They both worked in the family firm and despite Cecelia’s protests, Sophie had risen up the ranks and played a vital role in securing new business for the company. Flora would have thought it would have garnered Sophie some respect from Cecelia, even grudgingly. But if anything, it made Cecelia hate her more.

Sophie headed straight to Flora and took the seat next to her. Greg walked over and sat at the other side of Sam.

‘Bad news, she’s going to be fine. Just a panic attack. Drama queen,’ whispered Sophie. Sneaking a look at the men to check they weren’t listening, Sophie continued, ‘Shame, though, I was really hopeful for a while. Can you believe she tried to make it look like a heart attack? Bloody actress.’

Flora looked at Sophie for the first time since she had revealed their plans. In lashing out at Cecelia she knew she had badly hurt Sophie. There had never been a time in her life when she had not told Sophie something. Every time something happened to her, no matter how trivial, Sophie was the person she wanted to tell. Sophie was the one she cried to when the parent-shaped hole in her life became too much to bear. Sophie was the one she turned to when she had her first period and thought she was dying. They had grown together, two damaged little girls grappling with their traumatic childhoods and who only had each other to rely on. But that was exactly why she could not tell Sophie she was moving. How could she admit to her best friend that she was no longer that broken little girl who needed Sophie as much as oxygen? That she was now a married woman ready to embark on the beginning of her ‘happily ever after’? Sam was so patient and kind when it came to her relationship with Sophie. But a few little hints here and there had told her he was ready to start coming first in Flora’s world. Flora gave Sophie a weak smile but said nothing.

A flicker of emotion passed over Sophie’s face, but Flora could not decipher it before her face became expressionless once more.

Flora opened her mouth to speak but Sophie took her hands. ‘Let’s talk about it later.’

Flora opened her mouth again, but Greg stood up. ‘Sophie, let’s go.’ His tone brooked no argument. Sophie stood obediently and walked to his side. As soon as she got close, he grabbed her arm and led her out of the room. Flora could have sworn she saw Sophie wince in pain. But the thought was driven from her mind at the feel of Sam’s arms wrapping around her. This always happened: whenever he touched her the world disappeared around her and she was consumed by the feel of his skin and his smell. She had been resistant to him at first, put off by his money and status.

She had thought everyone that had a life of privilege, who had things handed to them on a plate, could not possibly share her values. But she soon came to see that although Cecelia embodied everything that she hated about those with wealth, Sam was the one apple who had fallen far away from