Sophia
Listening to the waves lap against the shore, I soak in my surroundings. The sun is glistening off the sea and the sound of children laughing is floating up and down the beach. Squeezing my eyes closed it hits me how lucky I am. 4 months ago, my life changed forever. A drunk driver smashed into the side of our car and changed my life in a spilt second. Flipping over on my sunbed to watch the waves bouncing into the shore, destroying sandcastles as it does, I need a distraction, but my mind wonders instantly back to that day.
It was late autumn, the sun was so low in the sky it made seeing difficult on those country roads but we couldn’t resist a late afternoon Sunday drive to ne of our favorite pubs. When people say an action or event changed their lives dramatically and forever I was always really cynical of that saying, surely nothing that happens changes us forever, surely we adapt and find a new way of living? But in the weeks that followed I understood, I got that saying more than I ever could explain. I remember the song on the radio so clearly, Stereophonics ‘Have a Nice Day’ one minute we was singling along and next the sound of crunching mental and screeching tires and the feeling of floating around, although I couldn’t possible be as I was strapped in, and all I can see is him, him and blood, lots and lots of blood.
My eyes feel so heavy but I’m desperate to open them, I can hear voices and hear beeping noises. My throat burns and I have the urge to gag and cough, pulling at my throat I can hear someone call what sounds like the word ‘nurse’. Nurse why would I need a nurse that’s when my eyes flung open and my life crumbled. I thought I was dreaming, a bad dream? No this was turning out to be a complete nightmare. The first face I recognise is Ava my wonderful Ava, all auburn hair and freckles she starts to tell me I’m in hospital and that I’ve been here for the last 4 weeks. I hear beeps of monitors and nurses pulling and removing various bits of equipment, my head aches as Ava explains that I’d taken a huge blow to my head and they had put me in an induced coma to monitor the swelling – I couldn’t comprehend it all but I got the gist, I know she said I’d bang my head but my thoughts were crystal clear and it was obvious that someone was missing from this scene. Ava’s still talking her face kind and smoothing but it’s not stopping the utter dread that is building up inside of me.
‘Where is he Ava?’ My voice croaky and quiet from the tubes, her face changes in a split second and her smile is gone. ‘Where Ava, where?’ I’m trying to shout but I can’t tears flood my eyes.
A crying toddler breaks my thoughts and I’m inwardly grateful, I try not to think about those days or the days and weeks that followed – closing my eyes I drift back off the hot sun beating down on me.
‘You’re crazy!! Soph you can’t just pack up and leave!!!’
‘I can I am!!’ I respond defiantly to Vic my oldest and most grown up friend, she shakes her head and rises her arms to the sky in what must be disbelief it makes me giggle. ‘Stop bloody laughing’ She scolds me ‘this is not a laughing matter; you can’t just go! The world hasn’t stopped you have a job and bills to pay and friends and family that need you..’ she trails off and stares at me blankly waiting for a response waiting for me to stop packing I don’t, she huffs and turns and walks away. Vic is so intelligent, but she sees everything so very black and white, the middle ground is for dancing on briefly before you move on with normal life, not my way of looking at life but very handy when you’re a criminal barrister! I glace up to see her coming back towards me, ‘Seriously Soph you can’t just go, life has got to go on just because…’ the look on my face tells her not to go there and quietly she scoffs ‘well you know what I mean’ I do, I really do know what she means, and this is the reason I have to go.
Ava gets up from my sofa and flings a protective arm around my shoulder giving it a little squeeze. I take a deep breath, I seem to be doing that a lot lately. ‘It’s all sorted Vic, please don’t worry..’ She goes to cut me off I know she is worried, I rise my hand which stops her in her tracks and she lets me continue ‘ I work from home the majority of the time and Justin agrees there’s nothing I can’t do from anywhere in the world, zoom is a thing now you know’ I’m teasing her and her face softens a little anyway. ‘Justin said he would rather me work from Rome then not work for him at all, I’m good at my job and he knows it and so is happy to accommodate me leaving for a little while. So that’s what I’m doing, it’s what I need to do Vic.’ I put down the bikini I’ve been holding and fling open my arms ‘Please support me, and give me a bloody hug!’ Vic almost runs into my arms knocking me slightly off balance, ‘I do bloody support you, you donut I’m just going miss your terrible cooking and taste in wine!!’ Laughing the hug in gulfs us all and the tears begin.
Propping myself up on my elbows I take in my surroundings, the crystal blue water lapping at the sand, sand that is almost white a cool breeze ripples through the parasols dotted up and down the beach. Its paradise!!! I’ve been here a few weeks and I couldn’t be happier, don’t get me wrong my thoughts are a million miles an hour and take me by surprise daily, the situation I left behind hasn’t changed, but this is just what I needed.
The sand squelches between my toes as I make my way down the beach, the sun has started to go down and beach is beginning to clear. I stop as I hear my name being called, I know instantly who it is. His warm Greek tones so friendly as he beckons me to come, Nikos has fast become one of my favorite people.
‘Miss Sophia, drink?’
‘Not this evening Nikos, I have work to do’ A sad expression crosses his face, ‘tomorrow I promise!’
He smiles, wide and bright ‘Ah yes we will save you your table, favorite table for my favorite lady’ I smile and nod as I turn away as he waves me off. It’s like he knows my truth even though I’ve never told him, I’ve never told a sole I’ve met. The suns on my back all the way back to my little apartment, kicking off my sandals I drop my beach bag, grab a beer from the fridge and head to watch the sun set.
