Sophie's Heart (39 page)

Alec shook his head. It must have been a passing thing. Nothing else could explain his sudden burst of emotions and passion. With another shake of his head, he determined to put her from his mind. He opened one of the file drawers in his desk and pulled out a folder, completely forgetting about starting the weekend early. His plan worked beautifully for the next two hours. He accomplished more than he had expected and didn’t give Sophie a thought. Not until Tory told him that supper was on did things start to go to pieces.

He rose from the desk, mind still on work, and walked into the kitchen. There he found Sophie working at the table and still in her dressy outfit. She looked so beautiful and “right” in his kitchen that for a moment Alec seemed incapable of breath. When he finally recovered, he knew in a flash that his feelings earlier had been no passing whim.

For weeks now Sophie had been like a college student in their midst—one who needed to work part-time for school and who had naturally become a part of the family. Too young to really be a mother to his kids, but old enough to be responsible. Now all at once Alec saw her in another light. He had always known she was mature, but now she was womanly as well. He was sure if he tried to explain that to someone, they would think he was nuts. But that’s the way he felt. He would have loved to disappear until he had his thoughts in order, but his kids would never understand why he skipped the meal.

Sophie had been eating suppers with them since right after the first of the year, and tonight was no different. For Alec the meal lasted forever. He was certain that Sophie had not changed in the last few hours, but suddenly he noticed everything she did: the graceful way she moved her hands; the fun faces she made at the kids just to see them laugh or smile; the warm, attentive eyes she had for anyone who spoke to her; and the way she was given to touching someone’s arm, hand, or head with such ease. All of this and so much more came leaping into Alec’s vision as the meal progressed. He could hardly wait to get alone and do some very real soul-searching.

“Are you ever going to date again, Dad?”

Alec, who had been bent over picking up something off the family room floor, straightened very slowly and stared at his oldest child. He thought he had been doing very well in the last week, but maybe not.

“I don’t know,” he told her honestly, studying her as she was him.

“I think you should,” Rita told him, and Alec knew it was time to sit back down. It was late, past 10:30, and they were alone. Tory had gone to bed, and Craig was staying at Rick’s.

“Did you have anyone in mind, Rita?”

Rita’s eyes dropped for a moment. “Well, I think it would be nice if you’d ask Sophie out.”

Alec sighed. “I thought I’d been more careful.”

Rita looked thoughtful. “I think you have, but I know you better than she does.”

“When did you notice?”

“Last week, before the tea.”

Alec shook his head. “She sure took me by surprise.” Again he fell silent. “Do you think she’s noticed?”

Rita shook her head without hesitation. “She noticed that first time, but I watched her tonight. She doesn’t have a clue.”

“Well, that’s good.”

“Why, Dad? Why is it good? Don’t you want Sophie to know you’re interested?”

“No, Rita, because I don’t know if I am. I mean, I am, but I don’t know if it’s right. I’ve still got a lot of thinking to do. Plus, I don’t see any interest on her part. If I were to approach her, she’d probably quit on the spot.”

“I don’t think so, Dad,” Rita started to say, but Alec held his hand up.

“Please don’t go on, Rita. I appreciate your coming to me and listening to what I have to say, but if there’s anything here, I need to find it on my own.”

Rita nodded. He was right.

“I will ask you one thing, however,” Alec continued. “If something did happen between us, how would you feel?”

“You mean something permanent?”

Alec shrugged. “At this point, it’s impossible to say.”

Rita looked across the room at nothing and then, after a moment, back at her father.

“I think if Mom could tell me right now what type of woman would be acceptable as your second wife, she’d probably say that the woman would have to love and care for us kids as much as she did for you. She’d also want her to be strong in the Lord, fun, and have everyone’s best interest in mind. I don’t know a lot of single women your age, Dad, but even if I did, I can’t imagine anyone coming closer to the mark than Sophie.”

When did you grow up on me, Rita?
was all Alec could think about for a moment. He didn’t share his thoughts, but nodded and thanked her.

Within the next five minutes Rita stood, kissed and hugged her father good night, and went to bed. Alec wasn’t far behind her, but before he left the family room he had a talk with the Lord. He told God that he was leaving this completely in His hands.

I can’t keep fretting this one, Lord. Please help me to know the way. I know what I want. I want Sophie in my life, but down deep, I want what You want more. My whole family’s welfare is at stake here, so I can’t act for myself. Please help me to be wise. And above all, Lord, don’t let me hurt her. Don’t let me do anything to bring Sophie pain.

Thirty-Three

T
ory started the first day of March with the flu. Alec called just after 9:00 to say that the school had tracked him down to say that she had been sick in the bathroom. Alec called to see if Sophie had the van that day; she did not. He then told her that he would be leaving the work site right then and bringing Tory home.

Sophie didn’t know how long they would be, but she did not waste any time. She prepared Tory’s room, turning down the bed and using a heating pad to warm the sheets. She also brought a bucket from the laundry room. Alec brought Tory in just 15 minutes later and Sophie, who met them in the kitchen, took the child in her arms. The kind act brought on tears.

“I feel awful, Sophie,” she cried.

“I know, my Tory. Come up to bed and Sophie will make you comfort.”

Alec’s heart melted at her tenderness and the gentle way she divested Tory of her outer garments. Alec’s hands came forward to take the coat, mittens, and hat. When Sophie led her away, he hung them in the laundry room.

By the time he got upstairs, Tory was sick again in the bathroom. Sophie stood outside the door, looking uncertain, but Alec went right in. When they exited, Alec helped Tory into her nightgown and Sophie stood back. With Tory comfortably under the covers, Alec stepped back into the hall, gently catching Sophie’s elbow and taking her with him.

“Does vomiting bother you, Sophie? I mean, it’s not a problem for me to stay if you’d rather not clean up after her.”

“No, no,” Sophie assured him. “When I am sick I do not want company, so I did not go in the bathroom.”

“You’re certain?”

“Yes. We will be fine.” Sophie smiled at him, and Alec gave her arm a little squeeze.

“All right. I’ll go and say good-bye and check in with you later.”

Alec was gone ten minutes after that, and Sophie did her best to make Tory comfortable. She was sick throughout the morning, but by afternoon was holding down clear fluids. She slept most of the day and through the night, but the next day she still had no color in her face.

“Am I going to school?” she asked her father, who had stayed home that morning to check on her.

“No. It’s already Friday, and I don’t see any reason to push it.” He stopped talking and just looked at her face against the pillow. “You’re white as a sheet.”

Tory reached up and touched her cheek. “I haven’t thrown up for a long time. Do you think I could lie in front of the TV downstairs?”

Alec nodded. “Let me check with Sophie.”

Sophie had no problem with the idea, so when everyone else went off for the day, Tory could be found in the family room ensconced in pillows and blankets, and Sophie stood in front of the shelf reading the titles of videos. Tory picked one after several suggestions and Sophie went to work, but not before she had agreed to come back in time to watch “The Price is Right.”

In fact, Sophie was back and forth many times. But when the music began and the first four contestants were called down to play, Sophie was at the end of the sofa with Tory’s feet in her lap.

“We’re going to win big today, Tory,” she predicted and earned a sleepy smile.

The action was fast for the first few players, but Sophie was fairly quiet, her sick patient in mind. However, when the last contestant came up, Sophie jumped in with both feet.

“Go for the car,” she encouraged the woman on the TV. “Go for the car! She is not going to do it, Tory.”

Tory who had spent more time watching Sophie’s animated profile than the show, only grinned.

“Maybe the money would be best,” she suggested.

“No.” Sophie was adamant. “She should go for the car. Look! Her husband is telling her, too. Listen to him,” Sophie shouted at the TV, and Alec chose that moment to come home. He came silently into the room, took a chair, and just watched his housekeeper. Sophie had seen him, but was too busy advising the woman, Bob Barker, and even the cameraman.

“Oh, no! Look, Tory. It is as I told you. She took the money, and the last letter was C. She could have had the car.” She flopped back in disgust, and then noticed Alec’s scrutiny. That he found her amusing was more than obvious, and Sophie had to smile at herself. She shrugged helplessly.

“She could have taken the car.”

“So you said.” His deep voice was nice. “How are you, Tory?”

“I’m better. I had some toast and apple juice.”

“Good.”

“I think is 24-hour fly,” Sophie announced then, and Alec only stared at her. Her brow furrowed. “Is called flu fly,” Sophie explained. “I think this is what Rita said.”

Alec didn’t even try to hold his laughter. Even Tory’s shoulders shook silently.

“I think you’re trying to say flu bug,” Alec explained, and Sophie frowned.

“English is so different.”

“Don’t you have odd phrases in Czechoslovakia?”

“Yes, but here is worse. Here bag and sack are same thing, but not always. I tell Craig that I see football and watch quarterback bag. He laughs at me and says is not bag, but sack, quarterback sack. So, you see, is worse here.” She gave an elaborate shrug, and Alec’s eyes glinted with merriment.

You’re not one in a million, Sophie Velikonja, you’re one in ten trillion
, Alec thought tenderly.
She’s been right here under my nose since last fall, but I never saw her. You don’t mess around, do you, Alec?
he now asked himself.
When you fall, you go hard and all the way
. Alec shook his head slightly when he realized that he wanted to marry this woman. He didn’t know how he could be thinking this when he still missed Vanessa, but it was there.

A moment later the end of the show came back on. Both Sophie and Tory turned back to the TV without a care, since none of Alec’s thoughts had shown on his face. He looked at the TV as well, but in actuality was asking the Lord how long he was going to have to wait before he could safely declare his feelings.

For the most part he was a patient man, but surreptitiously watching Sophie as he was doing now, seeing her so lovely and natural in his home, made Alec believe that his patience was about to be tested to the limit. All he could do was pray for strength, which was exactly what he did as he grabbed a bite of lunch and went back to work.