Sophie's Heart (14 page)

Sophie accepted without hesitation, and in her excitement she almost forgot to say good-bye. She was nearly back to the Rileys’ before she felt her feet on the pavement.

Eleven

I
t was just after 6:30 on Thursday morning when Sophie stood at her living room window and watched the Fraziers back out of the driveway. She pushed the curtain aside as the car moved away and saw Mr. Frazier looking up. Sophie was able to smile her thanks to him, and he answered with a slight nod of his head. Sophie knew it was ungracious, but she was glad to see them go. An hour or so later, when the kids left in the van, Sophie took her key and went down to get back to work.

The first order of the day was her own laundry. She’d been washing things out in her bathroom sink, but knew that couldn’t last forever; she hadn’t felt clean for almost a week. It was after she had finished loading the machine that she spotted them: two very large boxes were stacked in the corner with an old sheet thrown over them. They hadn’t been there before, so Sophie moved the sheet to investigate. As she suspected, they were addressed to Sophia Velikonja c/o Mr. Alec Riley.

Sophie had known that Mrs. Frazier did not like her, but this was a little bit frightening. She knew that no one else could have done this. Again, she was glad the grandparents were gone and then prayed and tried to surrender her fear of this woman.

You have brought me this far, Lord. Help me to keep on believing.
It took a little more than one sentence, but after her prayer the day was off to a much better start. Mrs. Frazier had left the house in great shape, but Sophie found a huge pile of laundry in Mr. Riley’s room. She washed and dried clothes, ironed, organized the linen closets, vacuumed under all the furniture in the living room, then started supper.

The kids came in the door at the regular time, and even Craig seemed glad to see her. They talked about some things that went on at school and, after having a snack, disappeared to do their homework.

Mr. Riley did not make an appearance near dinnertime, so Sophie set the table, adding a fourth place setting for herself. She had come to realize that Mr. Riley was either on time or not in attendance at all. She ate with the children, and for the first time someone asked Sophie a little about herself.

“Sophie,” Tory wished to know, “did you like working at the restaurant more than here?”

“No,” Sophie shook her head. “I like it here.”

“What about in Czechoslovakia?” Unbelievably, this came from Craig. “Did you like your job there?”

“Yes, I did.”

“What was it?” Rita pressed.

Remembering Gladys’ response, Sophie answered carefully. “I worked for the government.”

“My dad says their benefits are the best, but that’s not always a good thing. People become dependent on them.”

Sophie had to agree. She, too, had heard about the benefits of American governmental jobs. “I can see how that could happen, but I think that it is different with the Federal Assembly.”

“The Federal Assembly? What’s that?” Tory asked.

“That is our governing body.”

She could see that they had more questions, but Alec chose that moment to come in the back door. Sophie swiftly stood to clear her place, but he waved her back down.

“I’ll just sit in the other chair, Sophie. I should have let you know I’d be a little late.”

Sophie still rose to lay a place for him, and then made sure all the food was within his reach. She did this silently and efficiently while the Rileys talked around her.

“Craig, we’re going to get to the lawn tractor this weekend. You’ll have to remind me.”

“All right. Are we going to play basketball tonight?”

“I don’t know.”

“I have to go to Tina’s to study,” Rita put in.

“Well, that answers your question,” Alec told his son.

“Couldn’t Sophie stay with me?” Tory asked, and suddenly all eyes were on their housekeeper. Sophie couldn’t know that Craig was holding his breath. Their Thursday night basketball games had been the highlight of their week until their mother died. Craig hadn’t mentioned going to play in the games in ages, and now he was so filled with hope that he could barely take a breath.

“We could watch a tape, Sophie,” Tory said to her before Sophie really knew what was going on. She looked to Mr. Riley for answers.

“Men from the church get together on Thursday nights for basketball,” Alec explained. “Craig and I like to play. Rita is usually here for Tory, but tonight she’s tied up. If you would rather not stay, that will be fine. It’s awfully late notice.”

“I can stay with Tory,” Sophie told her employer and was pleased that she got the words right.

“We’ll watch a tape,” Tory told her, her young face filled with excitement.

“All right, it’s all settled,” Alec interjected. “But I want everyone to pitch in with cleanup.”

There were no arguments about this plan. Less than an hour later, with the kitchen spotless, Sophie found herself planted next to Tory on the sofa of the family room while a movie came to life on the large screen of the set. Tory manned the remote control, and Sophie thought she handled it like a pro. Tory must have noticed the way she watched her since she said, “Did you want to do it, Sophie?”

“Oh, no, Tory. You do such a fine job.”

“Thank you. If Craig’s here, he always holds it.”

Sophie smiled since this did not surprise her in the least. They had a snack about halfway through the film, and since it was 8:30 by the time it was over, Tory took herself straight to bed.

Sophie was a little disappointed that Tory didn’t ask to be tucked in or kissed good night, but the evening had been so pleasant that it was easy to let it go. Sophie cleaned up the popcorn bowls and cans of pop and then went back to the TV. She was having a great time with the remote when Rita came in the door.

“How did it go?” Sophie asked her.

Rita plopped down in a chair. “All right. We were at Tina’s, and Tina’s older brother was there.” She didn’t elaborate, so Sophie pressed her.

“This is bad thing?”

“It is if you’re trying to get something done and Angie can’t keep her eyes off him.”

“Is he interested in her?”

“No.” Rita’s voice now became soft. “Tina says he’s interested in me.”

“This does not please you? Maybe you cannot date boys yet?”

“I can date. I’ve been able to for a whole year, but I just don’t want to.”

“Can you tell me why?” Sophie asked gently.

“I would if I knew myself, but I don’t,” Rita admitted. “Since my mom died, I just haven’t felt right about it. I’m not sure I ever want to marry.”

Sophie could easily see how she would feel this way. Was marriage worth the pain of separation they were all feeling now?

“I think maybe you are rush yourself,” Sophie finally said.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that why must you date now? Maybe you are not date for many years, and I think that will be good. If your friends pressure you other way, then maybe you should find other friends.”

Rita stared at her. Her friends were the very problem. Rita was a petite, very attractive girl with a sweet personality. She was asked out on a fairly regular basis, and her friends always gave her a hard time when she said no. Some of the guys she refused couldn’t handle it either—they would call her a snob. But the worst problem was the girls who were supposed to be her closest friends. They didn’t understand at all. The only one who never acted that way was Tina. In just a few short sentences, Sophie had given her plenty to think about.

“Are you all right now, Rita?”

“Yes, Sophie, I am.” Her voice held new resolve. “I don’t need to do this until I’m ready, no matter what anyone says.”

Sophie smiled at her. She didn’t think a fear of intimacy was a good thing, but maybe they could talk of that later. She stood to go, but knew she had to say one more thing.

“I do not wish to push in, Rita, but I want to have say. If God has a mate for you, it will be a most wonderful thing in your life. No matter how long or short a time we have with someone, our life is bigger than if we had never had them at all.”

Rita nodded, her mind still busy as they bid one another good night. Sophie walked from the room, but Rita never moved from her place. When Alec and Craig came in just after 9:00, she was still sitting there. Craig went directly upstairs to shower, but when Alec came through, he spotted his oldest child and joined her in the family room.

“How did the studying go?” he asked as soon as he sat down.

“It was all right. Dad, do you wish you’d never even met Mom, rather than have to say good-bye like we did?”

Alec did not answer immediately—not because he didn’t know the answer, but because her question seemed to have come out of nowhere.

“If you remember, Rita,” Alec began, “I met your mother at Bible school.”

Rita nodded, and Alec continued softly.

“I had been here at the University of Wisconsin, struggling with my studies and wanting someone to date. But I didn’t know any other believers, so I constantly kept my guard up with the women on campus. By the time I got to Bible school, I was convinced that I would have a Christian-girl smorgasbord on my hands.” They both smiled at the description, and then Alec went on. “I wish I could tell you that I was interested in your mother for her spiritual qualities, but the truth is I thought she was pretty. When she smiled at me across the table over lunch one day, my heart turned over.

“We began to date the second week of school, and I asked her to marry me a month later. I gave her a ring at Christmas, and we were married the next July. It was a long engagement, but not a long courtship, and I believe there is a difference. Was it the right thing? Yes, I believe it was, but it was all a little too fast. We had a rocky first year of marriage since we really hadn’t taken enough time to get to know each other, and we were both very selfish. Neither of us spent much time in our Bibles or at church.

“Now she’s gone, and you want to know if I’m sorry for ever having known her. The answer is an unqualified no, I’m not sorry. But, Rita,” Alec leaned forward in his chair, “I
am
sorry that I didn’t handle things differently. We should have courted longer, set up standards for our whole marriage. I feel we floundered spiritually far too much, especially in the last few years before she died. We had really drifted from church activities, and our hunger for God seriously waned. There were so few people outside of the family who came around when your mom died, and the reason is obvious: Our world had shrunk down to just the five of us.

“My closest friend is your Uncle David, but he lives in Chicago. Your mother had been getting more involved with the women’s Bible study and such, but both of us preferred going to the lake to sitting in church. That was wrong. I know I’ve strayed off your question, but it’s not as easy as yes or no. I have regrets and I’m working to repair what I can, but there is no remorse whatsoever that I knew and married your mother. She was beyond precious to me and will always live in my heart. Does that make sense?”

“Yeah, it does.” It was amazing that they both weren’t crying, so Alec said, “Why did you ask, Rita?”

“Because Sophie and I were talking, and she said that whenever we have someone it doesn’t matter how long or short, it’s just good that we had them at all.”

“She’s right, but it’s perfectly normal to wonder if maybe it wouldn’t have been easier to have skipped the whole thing. I might be feeling that way if it wasn’t for you kids. I feel like part of me is missing with your mother gone, but the thought of never having you kids is simply not to be considered.”

Rita nodded, obviously still thinking. Alec thought she looked tired.

“To bed, Rita.”

“All right. Are you coming up?”

“Yes, I’ve got to get to Craig before he takes all the hot water.”

It was a comfortable note to end on, and with it Alec and Rita made their way upstairs for the night.

“Rita’s birthday is in a few days. She’ll be 17,” Alec told Sophie. He had come home in the middle of the day on Friday. “Let’s see,” he reached for the calendar in the kitchen. “It’s next Wednesday, September 27, and I wondered if you could bake a cake.”