Sophie's Heart (17 page)

She timed the baked goods so that they would come out of the oven just as the kids were coming in the door. The kitchen—indeed, the whole downstairs—smelled of chocolate, and even Sophie’s mouth watered. Her other work was complete and her grocery list ready to go. She need only wait until the gang arrived.

“Are you going to ask Craig to your party on Friday?”

“No,” Tyler said. “He’s been in a bad mood for weeks. Nobody wants him around.”

“I think you should ask him,” Rick Bennett spoke up.

“You would, Bennett, since your mom forces you to do things with him.”

“You just shut your mouth, Tyler. She does not!”

“As if you would admit it.”

“Forget it, Tyler. I wouldn’t come to your party if you begged me,” Rick then told him.

“Well, trust me, Bennett, I won’t.”

Tyler and the three other boys filed out then, so Rick was alone when he turned to see Craig standing by the gym lockers. His face was furious, but behind the anger Rick could see the hurt.

“It doesn’t matter, Craig.”

“I know.”

Rick didn’t know what else to say. “I better go. My mom’s probably waiting.”

Craig nodded and, after a moment, walked out behind his friend. Tory was already in the van and had taken the front seat. Craig slammed the van door so hard that it didn’t shut properly and he was forced to do it again. This did little for his humor, and his sisters wisely stayed quiet. The ride home was made in tense silence and seemed to take longer because of it. Craig was the first person out of the van, so his sisters came behind him to witness the scene with Sophie in the kitchen.

“I made chocolate chip cookies, Craig. Your favorite. Would you like some milk to go with them?”

“No. I don’t want any.”

Hearing the anger in his voice, Sophie stepped back with the plate.

“I thought you would enjoy—”

“Well, I don’t! And you can stop trying to be nice to me. You’re not my mother! You’re not ever going to take her place, so stop trying.”

Angry tears filling his eyes, Craig turned and rushed back outside. He bumped into Tory in the process and sent her books flying. His own had been thrown onto the kitchen table.

“Oh, no,” Sophie spoke, a trembling hand going to her mouth. “Go after him, Rita.”

“No, Sophie, not when he’s like this. He was mad when he got in the van. It’s best to leave him alone.”

Sophie was so shaken that she needed to put the plate down before she dropped it. She went to the sink and washed her hands. They weren’t dirty, but she needed a moment to think, and the cool water felt good on her skin. She turned back to see the girls waiting on her.

“Are you all right, Tory?” Sophie asked.

“Yeah. Craig’s been upset before.”

Sophie was not comforted, but Rita gave her little time to think.

“I don’t think Tory and I really want a snack right now, Sophie, so let’s just get to Woodman’s.”

“No, Rita,” Sophie protested. “We cannot leave Craig alone. We must stay.”

“I think he just needs his space, Sophie.” She spoke like a sister, not a mother. “He’ll probably be here when we get back.”

Sophie looked so upset that Rita offered to go to the market alone.

“No,” Sophie declined. “Your father wants me to do this. Maybe Tory—” Sophie, not thinking, began, but Rita shook her head.

“Dad doesn’t want her here alone.”

“Of course, I did not thought. We will go then. We will go quickly and come back fast.”

They did go, but in many ways it was a wasted trip. Sophie was so agitated that she kept crossing things off her list before they had found them. They left early and barely remembered to get the items Rita requested for her birthday supper.

Back at the house, Sophie’s worst fears were confirmed. There was still no sign of Craig. Rita searched the upstairs, and Sophie went to the basement. His books were still scattered across the kitchen table, giving testimony to the fact that he had not been back at all.

“Call someone, Rita.” Sophie fought panic. “Call his friends.”

“Sophie,” Rita said patiently, “he’s done this before. I know he’ll be back.”

“Please, Rita,” she begged. “Please call.”

“All right,” she agreed with poor humor and went to the phone to make two calls. The friends she contacted had not seen him, and Rita turned to Sophie with a shrug.

“It’s like I said, Sophie, he’s done this before. Craig is always hungry. He’ll be back before supper.”

Sophie was given little choice but to take Rita at her word. The girls went off to do their homework at that point, and Sophie did her best to work on supper. She also prayed. She begged God to send Craig home, or at the very least to send his father. She wandered to the door often to peek out the window, but it was growing dark before Craig made an appearance. Sophie was still alone in the kitchen and she rushed to him, stopping just short of embracing him.

“Craig.” Her voice was breathless, her eyes searching his face. “You are home.”

“Yeah.” He looked embarrassed by her display, but he didn’t move away.

“Are you all right, Craig?”

“Yeah.”

“I was worry for you.”

Tears filled Sophie’s eyes, and the shame Craig felt now showed on his vulnerable face. Sophie’s hands reached to touch him repeatedly, but she made herself pull away. She did this several times before she gently placed her hands on his upper arms. The contact was broken just moments later, and Sophie’s hands were clasped tightly in front of her.

“Your mother,” she whispered in an attempt to explain her emotions, “she has only just left, and I did not know how I would tell your father if you were to go also.”

It was time for Craig’s eyes to fill with tears. Up to this moment he hadn’t thought about anyone except himself. He swiped at the tears with his hand, but Sophie still saw them.

“Please, Craig, please do not run again.” Her voice was still breathless with fright. “I am all right with your anger, but please do not leave home again.”

He nodded and mumbled something about his homework. Sophie moved to let him pass. The episode was not mentioned at supper, but things were subdued. Sophie would have been glad to have Mr. Riley home so that she could go to her apartment and have a good cry. But he was late as usual.

Fourteen

H
appy birthday, Rita,” Sophie spoke as the teen came into the kitchen that morning. “You look so pretty.”

“Thank you, Sophie. Aunt Janet sent me these,” Rita told her and gestured to the beautiful rose-colored sweater and a pair of dark denim jeans she was wearing. Rita had pulled her hair back in a ponytail, and the whole effect was lovely. In truth, it was still too warm for the outfit, but Rita could not resist wearing it.

“Janet has good flavor,” Sophie now commented.

Rita laughed. “Good taste.”

“Yes, this is word. Good taste.”

“Oh, Sophie, I just remembered. Janet included a letter to you in the box.” Rita ran back upstairs for the note, and when she returned she saw the blueberry muffins.

“Oh, blueberry! These are my favorite, but then you knew that,” Rita said with a smile. “How did you know?”

“I asked Tory.”

“Thank you, Sophie.” Rita impulsively hugged her, and Sophie’s heart nearly burst.

“I also have gift for you, Rita.”

“Sophie,” Rita said with surprise, “you didn’t have to do that.”

“It is little thing,” she explained.

Rita opened the small wrapped package to reveal eight hand-painted note cards and envelopes.

“They are painted with hand by my cousin. He lives in Bratislava near Austrian-Hungarian border.”

“They’re beautiful, Sophie. Thank you.”

Again they hugged, and Sophie held Rita for just a moment longer. Her heart swelled with happiness when she saw that the new 17-year-old was not embarrassed or swift to pull away.

It was early yet, so Craig and Tory were slow to join them. But when they appeared, they both remembered to wish their sister a happy birthday. Tory informed Rita that she would have to wait for that evening to see her presents. What she didn’t tell her sister was that they hadn’t been shopped for yet, and her little heart was still praying that her father wouldn’t forget to come and get her from school as planned.

They went off to school in great humor, especially Rita, and Sophie went to work on the special meal she had planned for the evening. She was still familiarizing herself with the American system of measurements and the Rileys’ kitchen, so baking the cake and making the frosting was an adventure. However, the task was completed in good time. With most everything caught up in the house, Sophie went out to start the small lawn mower in order to cut the grass.

“I thought you forgot,” Tory spoke to her father as she climbed in his truck.

“No, I didn’t. I’m not sure what we’re getting, but I didn’t forget.”

“I have an idea. A long time ago Rita saw this little stuffed bunny at the Hallmark store. I thought we should see if it’s still there.”

“All right, but I also want to get her something that will make her feel 17. We can’t be all day about this, Tory. You have to go back to school and I have to get to work.”

“But, Dad,” Tory argued logically, “you work every day and I go to school five days a week. Rita’s birthday only comes once a year.”

They were stopped at a red light, and Alec turned his head to look at his youngest child. “That’s very true, Tory,” he spoke gently. “Thank you for reminding me.”

An hour and a half later Alec was regretting his words. In truth, he didn’t mind shopping, but they simply could not find anything they could agree upon, and Tory was determined to stay out until they did.

“Tory,” Alec tried to reason with her, “I really think she would enjoy a gift certificate. It would allow her to pick out anything she wants in the entire mall.” It was not the first time he had suggested this, and Tory now looked like she might consider it.

“I know it would give her lots of choices, but it’s just so cold, Dad. I mean with a sweater or a purse or
something
, she’d have more than a piece of paper to hold on to.”

“Well, Tory, she will have the bunny you got her, and you told me Sophie gave her note cards. And Janet and David sent her the sweater and jeans. It’s not like she won’t have anything.”

“But this is from you,” Tory countered. “Craig could get her a gift certificate, but from you it’s got to be special.”

Alec had no argument for that, so he walked a little farther and sat on one of the benches that lined the middle of the mall. Tory sat beside him, the bunny in one bag and Rita’s favorite candy in the other. He wasn’t really looking at anything in particular, but his eyes suddenly caught something in one of the shops.

“What’s your sister’s winter dress coat like?”

“She doesn’t have one.”

Alec now turned to look at her. “What do you mean she doesn’t have one? What happened to it?”

“Well, she had a green one, but it’s way too small now, and last winter she just wore her ski jacket to church and stuff.”

Where have you been?
was the only thought that would come to Alec’s mind even as he gestured with his head and drew Tory’s eyes to the store as well.