The Piano Man

IV. The Big A

"Some of the most wonderful people are the ones who don't fit into boxes." Tori Amos

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IV. The Big A

Sophie manically spread some marmite on a bit of toast and shoved it in her mouth as she threw Maddie's lunch together.

They were late, all because Sophie thought it was a good idea to push her luck by trying to get Maddie to do her reader when she woke up. Maddie, being Maddie, had thrown the monster of all tantrums, and had locked herself in the bathroom, flatly refusing to come out if Sophie was going to take her to school.

After begging, pleading, and bargaining with a bloody eight-year-old for half an hour, Sophie had given in once again, and had promised to take her into the city to spend the morning with Pete while Sophie had her meeting.

That meant a trip into town, and back out again, and if they did not leave soon, Sophie was going to be incredibly late, and she did not want to start that meeting off looking like a bad mum.

It would end that way, but she didn't want it to start that way.

Sophie looked around her tiny flat as she searched for her handbag. God, it was a tip. She hadn't folded her sofa bed back up, and her bedding was everywhere. There were dishes in the sink, and baskets of washing everywhere. It was a perfect representation of the chaos that was her emotional state at that minute.

"Maddie, let's go!" Sophie cried, taking the piece of toast out of her mouth to shout.

Maddie trotted out of the bathroom having just brushed her teeth. She was not dressed in her school uniform and had instead picked out her own mismatch of floral clothing. She had fixed her own hair with butterfly slips and a flower crown headband, though her hair still needed a good brush. Sophie didn't have time to care.

She found her handbag in one of the washing baskets and she fetched her keys from the kitchen bench. Taking Maddie's hand, she locked her front door behind her, and they raced down the stairs together.

What was poor Pete going to say when Sophie arrived? She had never asked him to look after Maddie by himself before, and she did not have courage enough to text him on the off chance he said no. Selfishly, she needed to put him on the spot so that she could get to her meeting on time.

***

At twenty-five past eight, Sophie and Maddie rushed through the door of the West End Piano Bar.

Pete was standing at the till counting the takings from Thursday night, and there was music in the air as Noah sat at the piano, once again surrounded by his mass of sheet music. He did stop to look up at her when she arrived, and he offered her a small smile.

Sophie was too stressed to return the greeting.

"Pete, I'm in a jam!" Sophie panicked.

Pete frowned immediately, before he read between the lines as he looked down at Maddie. "No," he said flatly. "I can't be responsible for a child. There's alcohol in here. She needs to be watched by her mum."

"She's not going to get drunk, Pete!" exclaimed Sophie. "Please, I'm desperate. I've got to get back out to her school for a nine o'clock meeting, and I've already had a bloody terrible morning and I didn't even get to drink my tea!" she guilted.

Sophie did think regretfully to the cup of English Breakfast that was steeping by her kettle undrunk.

Releasing Maddie's hand, Sophie clasped hers together. "Please," she begged.

"Sophie, I've got things to do this morning," Pete said regretfully. "I've got to duck out in a minute anyway as I've run out of limes. Can't you take her with you?"