Read Online The Harder They Fall by Debbie McGowan - Free Book Online
Authors: Debbie McGowan
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sandwiches. Sophie waited for the woman to unload all of these onto the table, thanked her and then poured the tea. George sat with his arms folded, staring into space.
“I know I’ve asked you this before,” Sophie began cautiously, “and I’ve seen how tetchy the pair of you get whenever somebody brings it up.” She paused to gauge his reaction before deciding it was safe to continue. He knew where this was going, but permitted her to ask. “Are you two actually together now? Romantically, I mean.”
George sighed and shook his head. “I don’t know. I don’t think we are, but you’d have to ask him.”
“If you don’t think you are, then you’re not,” Sophie said bluntly. “Relationships are by consent and negotiation. Both partners have to feel they are benefitting equally and that’s clearly not the case here.”
George was beginning to feel very uncomfortable and Sophie sensed this.
“What did you get me?” He picked up half of his sandwich and peered in between the slices of bread.
“Egg and cress,” she told him, even though he’d figured it out for himself. He glanced up at her and she smiled sympathetically. “I understand that you don’t want to talk about it, so I’ll just be here for you. If that changes, just say. The offer’s open.” She took his free hand and he nodded. Half of the filling fell out of his sandwich and landed on the table cloth with a plop. They both gasped and looked to the woman behind the counter, who was rearranging the cakes and didn’t notice.
“Thanks,” George said appreciatively. “I will tell you about the other thing that’s bothering me though.”
And so the conversation turned to his placement at the prison and how the psychologist was getting him to do all her work for her. Sophie didn’t advise or comment; she just listened, which was precisely what he needed. By the time they had eaten their sandwiches and a butterfly cake apiece, he felt a lot better. They paid the bill and went for a walk through the fields, sticking to the paths and avoiding any overgrowth. George stopped to stroke one of the horses that came over to investigate, amazed at how confident he was with large animals these days, so long as they weren’t of the bovine variety. His time on the ranch evidently wasn’t all a waste and Sophie asked him about it, from a professional perspective, keen to hear how he had overcome his fear of horses, although there was nothing methodical to it. He’d had no choice but to get on with it and the more time he spent with them with nothing awful happening, the less his fear that it might. It was classic desensitisation, coupled with a serendipitous incident involving a stallion (although he didn’t see it that way at the time) that put paid to most of his phobias for good.
When they were ready to go, Sophie dropped him back home and gave him a hug in reiteration of her earlier offer. He kissed her on the cheek and waved her off, then went inside, where the house was still empty, leaving him time to consider his options and deal with the contents of the suitcases. It was Thursday, so Josh would be working late and George would make dinner. Afterwards, if he was still feeling the same, well, he didn’t have a plan really, but one thing was for sure: he couldn’t stand another evening of watching Josh flit up and down the stairs with bathroom cleaner, or washing, or whatever else he decided needed to be done right at that very second, acting as if everything was just the same as always. In fact, he was sorely tempted to take the shredder up to his room and get rid of everything once and for all, because there really was no point in keeping it anymore, not that Josh would appreciate the significance even if he did tell him what was in those suitcases. What he didn’t realise, and never would have predicted, was that Josh had been snooping while he was out and already knew.
CHAPTER SEVEN:
INTO THE MOUNTAINS
Dan was extremely
“I know I’ve asked you this before,” Sophie began cautiously, “and I’ve seen how tetchy the pair of you get whenever somebody brings it up.” She paused to gauge his reaction before deciding it was safe to continue. He knew where this was going, but permitted her to ask. “Are you two actually together now? Romantically, I mean.”
George sighed and shook his head. “I don’t know. I don’t think we are, but you’d have to ask him.”
“If you don’t think you are, then you’re not,” Sophie said bluntly. “Relationships are by consent and negotiation. Both partners have to feel they are benefitting equally and that’s clearly not the case here.”
George was beginning to feel very uncomfortable and Sophie sensed this.
“What did you get me?” He picked up half of his sandwich and peered in between the slices of bread.
“Egg and cress,” she told him, even though he’d figured it out for himself. He glanced up at her and she smiled sympathetically. “I understand that you don’t want to talk about it, so I’ll just be here for you. If that changes, just say. The offer’s open.” She took his free hand and he nodded. Half of the filling fell out of his sandwich and landed on the table cloth with a plop. They both gasped and looked to the woman behind the counter, who was rearranging the cakes and didn’t notice.
“Thanks,” George said appreciatively. “I will tell you about the other thing that’s bothering me though.”
And so the conversation turned to his placement at the prison and how the psychologist was getting him to do all her work for her. Sophie didn’t advise or comment; she just listened, which was precisely what he needed. By the time they had eaten their sandwiches and a butterfly cake apiece, he felt a lot better. They paid the bill and went for a walk through the fields, sticking to the paths and avoiding any overgrowth. George stopped to stroke one of the horses that came over to investigate, amazed at how confident he was with large animals these days, so long as they weren’t of the bovine variety. His time on the ranch evidently wasn’t all a waste and Sophie asked him about it, from a professional perspective, keen to hear how he had overcome his fear of horses, although there was nothing methodical to it. He’d had no choice but to get on with it and the more time he spent with them with nothing awful happening, the less his fear that it might. It was classic desensitisation, coupled with a serendipitous incident involving a stallion (although he didn’t see it that way at the time) that put paid to most of his phobias for good.
When they were ready to go, Sophie dropped him back home and gave him a hug in reiteration of her earlier offer. He kissed her on the cheek and waved her off, then went inside, where the house was still empty, leaving him time to consider his options and deal with the contents of the suitcases. It was Thursday, so Josh would be working late and George would make dinner. Afterwards, if he was still feeling the same, well, he didn’t have a plan really, but one thing was for sure: he couldn’t stand another evening of watching Josh flit up and down the stairs with bathroom cleaner, or washing, or whatever else he decided needed to be done right at that very second, acting as if everything was just the same as always. In fact, he was sorely tempted to take the shredder up to his room and get rid of everything once and for all, because there really was no point in keeping it anymore, not that Josh would appreciate the significance even if he did tell him what was in those suitcases. What he didn’t realise, and never would have predicted, was that Josh had been snooping while he was out and already knew.
CHAPTER SEVEN:
INTO THE MOUNTAINS
Dan was extremely
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