Save Her by Abigail Osborne (novel books to read .txt) 📗

to Duncan, coaching him for their meeting with Tesco, when Flora’s message came through on the iMac in front of her.

Someone tried to drown me at the pool. Need to see you.

‘Sorry, Duncan, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you back.’

She didn’t wait to hear his reply. Instead, she picked up her bag, threw her phone into it and left her office. Sophie pulled up outside her house ten minutes later, having broken every speed limit on the way. She ran out of the car and let herself into Flora’s house.

Flora was on the sofa, wrapped in both a blanket and Sam’s arms. Sophie gave herself a moment to absorb how utterly adorable they were before she swooped into the room. At the sight of her, Flora burst into hysterical tears.

Sam moved away, displaced by Sophie who took Flora in her arms. He hovered over them awkwardly, watching as Sophie rocked Flora gently and made soothing noises. It triggered flashbacks to all the nights she had done this when they were children and Flora was crying in tormented pain at the loss of her parents. She raised her eyes questioningly at Sam.

In a low, gentle voice he explained. ‘I came home and found her like this. Wrapped in a blanket, hair still damp, crying her eyes out. She said she went to the swimming pool and someone pushed her head under the water and held her down, but when she resurfaced no one was there.’

His eyes said what his words didn’t. That he did not believe Flora. He thought, like with the cards and the dead rat, she was being oversensitive and latching on to the worst-case scenario. Sophie could see why: in her experience, most men only saw in black and white. Also, it did sound a bit ridiculous to think someone would hold Flora’s head under the water. Poor Flora. She must have been so scared.

‘It’s okay, Flo.’ She rocked her friend until she began to calm.

Wiping her face on her sleeve, Flora looked up at Sophie with a small smile that slipped off her face quickly. ‘Sophie. What’s happened to your lip?’

Sophie brought her hand to her split lip. It was still tender but not as painful as it had been. ‘Oh this. It was stupid, I slipped in the shower. I looked a right state in my meetings today, I can tell you.’

Sophie moved closer to Flora and manoeuvred her until Flora’s head was lying in her lap. She stroked her chocolate-brown hair slowly until Flora’s breath evened out. After another five minutes, Sophie moved Flora’s head, got up and placed a cushion underneath. Flora didn’t even flicker, she looked catatonic. Sophie motioned to Sam and they both crept out of the room.

Sophie made them both a cup of tea and they sat facing each other across the kitchen island. It felt strange to be alone with Sam. It had only ever happened a handful of times.

‘Sophie, I don’t know how to handle this. It doesn’t make any sense: first the nonsense with the cards and now this.’ He shook his head slowly, seemingly at a loss for words.

Sophie was almost as hurt as Flora would have been had she heard this. There was always a part of Sophie that prayed Sam was different to the rest of the family. That he had absorbed all the decency that was sorely lacking from his parents and sibling. But no, he was just as bad as them. How dare he make it sound like Flora was going crazy. ‘Sam, she’s not crazy. I’ve known her almost my whole life. If she says these things are happening, then they are happening.’

‘But why would someone take her bank cards and money and then put them back in her purse? It is just so ludicrous. Who would even have access to her purse to do that?’

‘I think we both know the answer to that.’

‘Oh, for Christ’s sake. Not you as well.’ Sam got to his feet suddenly and started pacing up and down. ‘My mother is not evil. She does not hate you and she does not hate Flora!’ His face flushed red. He drew a deep breath in before continuing. ‘You say you’ve known Flora almost your whole life. I’ve known my mother all of my life. She would never do something like that. It wouldn’t even occur to her.’ Sam ran his hands through his hair. ‘She doesn’t even own a purse. My father buys everything for her and everywhere she shops she has an account.’

Sophie stayed quiet, not trusting herself to speak.

‘It makes much more sense that Flora lost track of her cards; and she bumped into someone swimming which caused her to panic. That makes much more sense than someone vindictively trying to scare her and drive her crazy.’ He slumped back down in his seat. He looked up at her with sadness in his eyes. ‘Please, don’t misunderstand me. I love Flora. I love her so much it overwhelms me sometimes. I would never want to hurt her, but I can’t lie to her and agree with her when I know in my heart that it is not true. My mother is not terrorising her. No one is. You have to see that.’

Sophie got up, intending to go back and be with Flora, more determined than ever to stop this family from causing her any more pain. Sam had proven he was not worthy of Flora. Loving someone meant being there for them no matter what the circumstances, even if what was happening couldn’t be fitted into a neat little box. It meant withstanding the uncertainty and putting that person’s feelings and needs first, not your own desire for everything to make sense to you. Flora was better off without him. Sophie just wished she had seen it long before now. Then maybe she would have kept her baby and vanished with Flora after all. The thought caused physical pain in her heart.

She turned back to