Sophie's Heart (54 page)

“I will ruin my stockings,” she said stubbornly.

“Better those than your feet.” Alec’s voice was reasonable, but unyielding.

Sophie frowned. “I cannot walk through mall without shoes.”

“Of course you can. Now hand ‘em up.”

Sophie did as she was told, but with a long-suffering sigh.

Alec hooked the thin straps over the fingers of his left hand.

“Where did you get these?”

“They were Gladys’ and I thought they were so pretty.”

Sophie shrugged helplessly, and Alec winked at her before catching her left hand with his right. With that they were off. It didn’t take long for Sophie to forget all about her feet.

They talked of dozens of things as they window-shopped through the mall, sometimes walking along and sometimes sitting on the benches and sharing in low tones. The mall was open until midnight because of some sale, and rather crowded as well, but Alec and Sophie didn’t notice. They were too busy learning about each other. At a small shop that sold coffee, coffee mugs, teas, teapots, and everything in between, Sophie commented, “My mother collected china teapots. I do not remember, but my babushka has told me. She keeps them packed away. Someday I will send money to her and she can mail them.”

“Vanessa was never one for collectibles,” Alec spoke thoughtfully. “She was more interested in furniture and decorating.”

“She did a wonderful job; your home is lovely.”

“Yes, she did. I think if she hadn’t married and had children, she might have pursued a career in home interiors.”

“Maybe she would have done this after the children were grown.”

“Maybe.” Alec slanted a look her way. “It really doesn’t bother you to talk about her, does it?”

“No. Did you think it would?”

“Well, we talked about her after the picnic on Wednesday and I just—”

“That was when I thought you kissed her,” Sophie admitted softly, and understanding dawned on Alec’s face. He now looked down into Sophie’s eyes and wished that they were alone.

“But you do understand now who I was kissing?” he asked for her ears alone.

Sophie, feeling trapped by his eyes, could only nod.

“You’re certain?”

Again that sweet nod, and Alec took ahold of her hand. It was moist, and he wondered if he made her nervous. He hoped not, but then thought about their situation. What else would she be? It had all been rather sudden, and she must see him as a person completely in control. Alec grinned when he thought of how many times he’d changed ties. She would have seen the real thing then.

“How old are you, Sophie?” Alec suddenly realized that he didn’t know.

“Almost 29.”

“What do you mean
almost?
”

“Next week.”

Alec stopped, and naturally Sophie stopped with him. “Were you going to tell anyone about this?”

Sophie shrugged. “I was going to bake a cake and put on a million candles to confuse everyone.”

Alec only shook his head and began to walk again. “What day is your birthday?”

“The fifteenth.”

“That’s a Sunday, isn’t it?”

“I think so. Can I watch you build a house someday?”

Alec’s head snapped around at the change in subject.

“Where did that come from?”

“I was looking at that little house-shaped teapot in coffee store, and I had to ask before I forgot.”

“Oh. Well, you can certainly come, but I don’t know how interesting it will be.”

“I would like to watch you pound nails.”

Alec smiled. “It’s not exactly like that, Sophie. You see, I’m a general contractor for a large housing firm. They build panelized housing.”

Sophie stared at him questioningly.

“Panelized housing,” Alec explained, “means that when an order comes in, the walls of the home are constructed in the manufacturing plant. They come to the site where we put them into place. I contract it, but there are men to do all the jobs. I make sure the plumber has us on his schedule, and the electrician. There’s concrete that has to be poured, sometimes landscaping, painting inside and out, and dozens of other jobs. My job in the midst of all that is a little like an orchestra leader. I don’t play the instruments, but I make sure the music comes out in tune.”

Sophie stared at him in delight. “I did not know. It sounds wonderful.”

“What shall we do for your birthday?” Alec changed the subject as fast as Sophie had, and she now blinked at him.

“I do not know.”

“Let’s eat out.”

“Oh, we do not have to do that. I was going to make something I liked and have a cake.”

“You can’t make your own birthday dinner or bake your own cake.” He sounded very adamant, and Sophie’s eyes widened charmingly.

“There are rules about this in America?”

“Yes.” Alec spoke with mock seriousness. “There are rules. First, you must not bake or cook that day.”

“What if I enjoy doing these things?”

Alec shook his head sadly. “You’re missing the point. Your birthday is a day for you to take off and enjoy yourself.”

“You were off work on your last birthday?”

She had him there, and for a moment he didn’t answer.

“The rules are different for men,” he finally managed, and Sophie laughed.

“What are the rules about telling your date she may have dessert and then not giving it to her?”

“You’re ready?”

Sophie nodded, and Alec pulled her around with him to walk in the opposite direction. They headed back to the food court in the mall and, in their dress clothes and Sophie’s bare feet, ordered sticky buns and coffee. They talked until after 10:30, and Sophie couldn’t have dreamed up a better end to the evening.

An hour later, when Alec made his way slowly upstairs for bed, Tory came into the hall. She was the only one to waken, and Alec hunkered down in front of her for a moment.

“Did you have a good time?” Her voice creaked a little with sleep.

“Yes, Tory. I held her hand,” he whispered. “Is that okay?”

Tory smiled sleepily at him. “Yeah.”

Alec stood now and, with a hand to the middle of her back, saw her back to bed. He didn’t linger because he was tired and knew that the morning was going to come way too soon. Of course, it was going to be Sunday, and he could spend the day with Sophie and the kids. Suddenly it wasn’t at all hard to set his alarm. Trying to get comfortable, Alec shifted around under the covers until he had one arm stretched out across the bed. He could still feel Sophie’s soft hand in his; it was a wonderful way to fall asleep.

Forty-Six

S
ophie’s birthday is next week,” Alec told the kids the next morning.

“What day?” Tory asked.

“Sunday, the fifteenth.”

“What’ll we do?”

“I’m not sure,” Alec told her. “Any suggestions?”

“The Dells,” Craig said immediately. “Sophie’s never been to the water slides.”

“Yeah!” Tory was all for it, but Rita looked dubious.

“I don’t know. We need to pick something Sophie would like.”

“She will, Rita,” Tory told her with conviction. “Sophie likes everything.”

“It might not be such a bad idea,” Alec put in, and Rita looked at him in surprise. “This next week and through the weekend it’s supposed to be in the 90s, with the humidity just as high.”

The kids all made faces. It was such a muggy summer, and the bugs had been dreadful.

“Let’s just ask Sophie what she wants to do.”

Everyone agreed with Rita, but it wasn’t that easy. Sophie ate lunch with them after church, but she looked very embarrassed over being the center of attention. When asked what she wished to do, she answered them, but it was no help.

“I want to do what you want to do.”

“But it’s your birthday,” Tory said. “You have to choose.”

Her cheeks flushed, Sophie only shrugged and put her eyes down to her plate. Tory was ready to press her, but Alec came to the rescue.

“Sophie doesn’t have to decide today. We’ll just let it go for now.”

Sophie’s shoulders slumped with relief, but she didn’t look up to thank him. She knew they didn’t understand, and an explanation would be so difficult. She might have tried, but Alec stood up right then to help the girls with the dishes. He told Sophie not to help, and she found herself in the living room with Craig. She had only gone in to look at a book, but Craig was clearly following her. He wasn’t too obvious, picking up a magazine and paging through it as if he had nothing on his mind, but after a moment Sophie looked up to find his eyes on her.

“What is it, Craig?”

“Why don’t you want to do anything for your birthday?”

“I do, Craig, but it does not have to be out of ordinary. If I am with the family that I love, what we do is not important.”

“What would you do in Czechoslovakia?”

“Something with music,” Sophie answered without hesitation. Alec joined them now, sitting in a chair off to the side, but the two took little notice.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, my grandmother and I like music. We might go to a concert or an opera.”

Craig made a face, and Sophie laughed.

“You see, Craig, it is much more fun for all of us if you decide. I will like anything.”

“Even a water slide at the Dells?”

Sophie’s eyes widened. “They have pool to swim in?”

“Uh-huh. Several, in fact.”

She sat up a little straighter. “And we could swim for hours?”

“All day,” he told her, forgetting her birthday was a Sunday.

Sophie sat back with contentment. She looked at Craig and then at Alec. “I have decided what I would like to do on my birthday.”

“Is that right?” Alec was clearly amused by Craig’s tactics.

“Yes,” she said with conviction. “I will swim all day at Dells.”

He turned to his son. “I hope you know you talked her into this.”

“I didn’t, Dad.” He held his hands in the air, quite sure of his innocence. “You were here. She wants to.”

He looked at Craig for a moment and then stood. He moved to sit next to Sophie on the couch, and Craig took his leave.

“It’s your birthday,” he began. “What do
you
want to do?”

“Just be with your family,” Sophie said simply, but Alec was not satisfied.

“Why do I have the feeling that you’re not telling me something?”

Sophie looked across the room for a long time. She could feel Alec’s eyes on her profile, and she prayed that she would be able to say the words.

“We cannot be too settled on this earth, Alec, because our home is heaven, but I was happy and at peace in Czech Republic. The Lord Christ was my God and He kept me. He also kept me in Chicago, but it was not a happy place to live. Middleton is not paradise, but every day here in Wisconsin is special. My birthday is just another day. If I can be here with your family, it does not matter where.

“You all have so much here, but you do not know. Every day is something to be thankful and praise, but the children all want more. I am sound so critical, but you ask what I want to do, and I tell you and you will not accept.”

She now turned to look at him. Because he had sat in the middle of the sofa, their faces were very close. Sophie studied his eyes, and Alec studied hers right back.

“You don’t sound critical, but you did make an honest observation. We are spoiled, and we don’t even know it. We would like to see you delight in something on your special day, but if you just want to be with us, and the Dells really is acceptable, then that’s what we’ll do.”

Sophie nodded and continued to study him.

“Are you angry?”

“No,” Alec shook his head. “I was just thinking about what you said.”

Sophie watched him in silence, but after a few minutes she spoke again.

“It is all choices and attitude. I have jobs I must do that are not my favorite. I do not love to clean the bathroom, so I can clean the bathroom with anger or I can be thankful that we have indoor plumbing and clean with peace. I have choice.”

Alec did not look at her or respond. Her hands were in her lap, and he reached for one and held it on the sofa between them. Sophie wanted very much to ask again if he was angry, but kept silent. His thumb absentmindedly stroked the back of her hand, and Sophie waited. Still he was quiet.

“Hey, Dad,” Tory called from the other room. Alec answered her, and when it was obvious she was headed their way, he let go of Sophie’s hand. She put the hand back into her lap, feeling strangely rejected.

“Dad, I just remembered that I’m supposed to go to Anna Mickelson’s birthday tomorrow. I don’t have a card or anything.”

“Meaning what?” Alec asked, but he already knew.

She looked at him pleadingly. “Can we please run to the mall? I have a little money set aside, Dad, and I swear it won’t take long.”

Alec looked at her and then at Sophie. “Want to go with us?”

Sophie shook her head no and smiled a smile she did not feel. Alec, not noticing her disquiet, stood.

“All right, Tory, get your shoes. I’ll see you later,” he said to Sophie, and she watched him walk from the room. Questions raced through her mind, but no answers followed. Sophie was not happy with the direction of her thoughts, so she made herself stand. She had changed into shorts and tennis shoes before lunch, and was now thankful for the comfort. She still had quite a few things left to move from her apartment, and she might not have another day until the weekend. Reminding herself that it was her choice to be joyful, Sophie started up the stairs.