Sophie's Heart (38 page)

The day of the ladies’ tea had finally arrived. The sun was shining brightly off the snow. Sophie’s new navy skirt and white blouse were pressed, and she had found a dark plaid ribbon to tie under the collar and darling little earrings to match the outfit, but Sophie wasn’t content. It was only 9:30 in the morning, but she was not working. She was standing in front of the mirror in the hallway, studying her reflection.

How long are you going to be afraid of this, Sophie? You know you want to. What better day than today to surprise Rita?
Sophie’s thoughts fell silent then, but she didn’t continue to stare. With a determined move she went to the phone.

“Hello.”

“Hello, Gladys, this is Sophie.”

“Hi! I was just thinking of you. What day is your tea?”

“Today.”

“Great. Are you excited?”

“I will be if I can walk over and borrow your car.”

“Of course you can. Are you going to tell me what this is all about?”

“Not yet. I’ll explain when I return.”

“All right, but the suspense is going to kill me.”

They hung up then and Sophie bundled up and headed out the door. The day was wonderful, the air clean and cold. In less than ten minutes Sophie was ringing Gladys’ doorbell. The older woman answered the summons with the keys in her hand.

“Are you certain you can’t tell me?”

“Yes. I will see you soon.” Sophie moved away before she weakened, and very soon she was warming up the car. It hadn’t been driven for a while, so she took her time, but it was only 15 minutes later that she parked and walked into the mall. Once outside the shop her nerve almost deserted her, but she made herself walk in.

“Can I help you?”

“Yes.” Sophie’s voice only quivered a little. “I would like haircut.”

“Shampoo and cut?”

“Yes, please.”

“All right. I have someone open in about five minutes if you’d like to give me your name and take a seat.”

Sophie did as she was asked and sat down, her palms making damp marks on her leather purse. The girl who had been at the appointment desk slipped away, and Sophie was suddenly alone. Doubts assailed her, and she had to force herself to stay seated.

I could leave. No one would know. No one would even care. All I have to do is stand up and walk out that—

“Sophie,” a voice called from the edge of the waiting room and nearly startled her out of her skin.

“Yes.”

“I’m Becca. Would you like to come on back?”

Sophie nodded and rose.
I waited too long, Lord. What am I going to do now?

“Here we go.” Becca indicated a chair. “Why don’t you give me your purse and I’ll hang it here, and you can sit down.”

Becca hung the purse in plain view, and Sophie settled on the seat, her heart hammering in her chest. She automatically raised her chin when Becca placed a drape around her and secured it at the neck.

“Now then,” Becca said with a smile. “What did you have in mind?”

“Well,” Sophie began, but stopped. Becca waited, but she did not continue.

“Second thoughts?” Becca’s voice was kind.

“Yes. I was look at poster in window and thought—”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” Becca exclaimed as she caught Sophie’s words. “She looks just like you.”

Sophie nodded.

“Why don’t you take your hair down for me and we’ll have a look?”

Sophie reached for the pins, and a moment later her hair cascaded down the back of the seat. It wasn’t extremely long, maybe four inches below her shoulders, but it was thick and heavy, and the color was like that of a dark mink coat.

“You have beautiful hair,” Becca told her sincerely as she gently fingered it. “It’s so thick and healthy. I have a firm rule about not talking people into having their hair cut, but I will tell you that your hair’s texture and thickness will do very well with that style.”

Sophie looked at herself. She had always had nice hair and taken it for granted. She now tried to picture herself with the style from the window, but failed.

You are being ridiculous, Sophie. It’s only a haircut. If you hate it, grow it out
.

Sophie met Becca’s eyes in the mirror. “Please go ahead.”

Becca’s smile was huge as she swiveled the chair and tipped Sophie back over the sink. There was some conversation between them, but Becca was intent on her task, and Sophie was too amazed at what she was seeing to speak. Sophie’s heartbeat increased with every snip, but not out of fear. The only thing she could ask herself was why she hadn’t done this years ago.

Thirty-Two

T
he way Rita came into the kitchen that afternoon and stopped in her tracks was very satisfying to a woman who had sweated through her haircut that morning.

“Sophie!” she gasped.

“Did I do right thing, Rita?”

“Oh, yes! Oh, yes!” the younger girl said sincerely. “It’s darling on you.” She was walking around Sophie to see the back.

“Oh, Sophie.” Tory had now come in. “I love your hair.”

Sophie was still smiling in appreciation at the girls when she heard Craig say, “Wow, Sophie!”

Sophie’s eyes shone with pleasure, and Craig smiled at her, looking very boyish and grown-up, all at once. It was then that the housekeeper realized Rita was still standing there staring at her.

“Go, Rita,” she urged. “We are going to be late.”

“Oh! Right!” She snapped out of her trance and dashed for the stairs to change.

“You look so pretty, Sophie.”

“Thank you, my Tory.” She gently touched her soft little cheek and then got down to business. “I left cookies and muffins here for you and Craig. Take good care for each other.”

“How long will you be?” Craig wanted to know before he shoved half a sugar cookie in his mouth.

“I am not sure, but oven will come on at 4:15 for casserole, so don’t worry for supper.”

“All right. What kind is it?”

Sophie was digging in her purse and didn’t hear him. Another few minutes passed and Rita appeared. She looked wonderful in a skirt and blouse, too. With just a few more words to the other kids, they were on their way.

Alec finished obtaining building permits downtown and debated with himself about going out to one of his sites. He didn’t think anyone would have been there that day because of the snowfall in the night, so he opted against it. He had been forced into a few late nights that week already. Since it was Friday, he thought it might be nice to start the weekend a little early.

Feeling slightly preoccupied and functioning almost on automatic, he drove toward home and turned into his driveway. Alec usually parked in the driveway, but the garage door started up just then, so he came to a stop and waited. Suddenly, all preoccupation and fatigue fell away.

As the door raised, a pair of the most shapely ankles and calves he had ever seen walked across in front of him. The woman was wearing high-heeled navy dress shoes, and he didn’t think any of Rita’s were that high. And anyway, Rita’s legs were much slimmer. Who was that? The door continued to raise, and first a navy skirt and then a white blouse were revealed. Alec blinked when he recognized Sophie. He had certainly seen his housekeeper before, but never like this. When had she cut her hair?

“Hi, Dad,” he heard Rita call and forced himself to wave and not stare at the woman standing innocently with his daughter. He parked out of the way and slowly climbed from the truck.

“We’re headed to the tea,” Rita spoke as he slowly walked toward them.

Alec dragged his eyes away from Sophie’s face and asked his daughter, “What time will you be back?”

“I don’t know. Probably a few hours.”

“Well, have a good time.”

“Thanks, Dad. See you later.”

“‘Bye.”

Both women said good-bye and climbed into the van. Rita started the vehicle, but Sophie spoke and stopped her from backing out.

“Rita, I do not know if my clothes are good for this tea.”

“You look wonderful, Sophie.”

“No, Rita, I do not think. Your father looked at me oddly. I think I am dressed wrong.”

Rita stared at her. Her skirt was a simple A-line with a narrow waistband and hemmed just below the knee. The blouse was plain, but the ribbon at her collar gave it just the right touch, and Sophie’s figure was able to fill the front out in a nice curve. With the new cut, Sophie’s hair now hung halfway between her jawline and shoulder, and Rita didn’t know when she had seen anyone more lovely. The new style seemed to frame her face and make her already-stunning eyes leap out at people.

Rita was suddenly feeling things that she didn’t know how to handle. Her father
had
looked at Sophie, but then who wouldn’t? Rita had to admit, however, that his look had not been casual.

“I do not want to be all wrong, Rita,” Sophie admitted, and the teen came back to the present.

“Trust me, Sophie, you look great. My dad must have thought so, too.”

Sophie still looked uncertain, but Rita smiled and put the van in reverse. The younger girl had momentarily stuffed away some of her more conflicting feelings, but when this tea was over, she knew she had some serious thinking to do.

Sophie, sitting so quietly at Rita’s side, was already in deep thought. It never once occurred to her to make sure Mr. Riley thought she should attend this tea. Maybe he thought she was trying to push in where she did not belong. True, he had seen the invitation, but maybe he hadn’t known how to tell her it wasn’t her place to go with his daughter to a mother/daughter tea. Sophie determined to give Rita a wonderful time this day, but also to make very sure in the future that she did not step in where she did not belong.

“Dad!” Tory cried the moment she saw her father and ran to hug him. “Rita and Sophie just left. Did you see ‘em?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Isn’t Sophie’s hair pretty?”

“Yes, it is,” he told his daughter, managing to keep his voice calm when he felt the very opposite.

“I wish I could go to a tea.”

Alec picked her up and marveled at how far she hung down the front of him.

“Your time will come, Tory. Don’t rush away from the age you are.”

Tory hugged his neck for a moment, and then Alec put her down. He greeted Craig who was in front of the TV and moved into his office. He had some things he needed to look up in his files, but after sitting behind his desk he could only stare straight ahead. His gaze was on the wall opposite him, but all he could see were huge, exotic eyes and a perfect fall of dark, silky hair. Why had he never before noticed her full, pretty mouth? Was this unawareness what it was like for all widowers? In all the months since Vanessa died, Alec had not even been remotely interested in persons of the opposite sex. It was as if his feelings had died with her. And then in one flash he was ready to take his housekeeper into his arms and kiss her.