Sophie's Heart (44 page)

The Rileys’ home was wonderful as well. The rooms were large and airy, and the furniture was comfortable and “lived in.” The meal that evening was delicious, too, but the trip was starting to tell on the weary travelers. They ate with some conversation and even made for the beach when the dishes were washed, but by 9:00 all were headed to their beds to dream of the week in Florida.

Thirty-Seven

T
ory, Rita, and Sophie walked to the Rileys’ souvenir shop first thing Monday morning. It was perhaps a two-mile walk, and the sun on their bare arms and legs felt glorious. The girls pointed out special landmarks along the way and even waved at a few familiar faces.

“Your grandparents have lived here long?”

“Yes,” Rita answered. “They moved down here when I was just a baby, and we’ve visited every spring for as long as I can remember.”

“Not every one,” Tory inserted quietly, but Rita didn’t comment. Sophie didn’t need to ask since she knew exactly to what Tory referred.

The threesome was still walking in silence when a convertible carrying two young men passed by. They didn’t whistle or do anything obscene, but their interest in the women was more than evident. Rita, who was often the recipient of male attention, took it in stride, but then realized that she had been the only one to notice the men. Sophie never even looked in their direction, and Tory was watching two sea gulls fight over a scrap of food. Rita didn’t make any comment, but for some odd reason the scene stayed in her mind.

Riley’s Souvenirs and Gifts was at the Old Marine Market Place at Tin City and only one of 40 shops located there. Built from old boats and warehouses, the Market Place also had cobblestones and plank flooring. Fine dining was offered, as well as many more gift shops and a travel agent. There were constant jokes made that if you were in Florida, why would you want to go anyplace else, but the agent had a steady stream of clients.

Sophie was thrilled with everything and wanted to see it all, but Tory insisted they start in the Rileys’ shop. The shelves were lined with lovely curios of every type, and one entire corner was dedicated to books—Christian titles as well as secular volumes. Sophie wandered through in a delighted haze before she got down to some serious shopping. She chose a book on Florida’s history for Gladys, and for her grandmother she found a wonderful sweatshirt. She also discovered a book she knew her grandmother would enjoy, but since it was written in English, Sophie decided it would be more of a trial than a treasure and didn’t purchase it.

Ben spotted Sophie minutes after she’d started through the books. He came over just as she had a question about a particular title, and they enjoyed a long chat.

It was during this time that Rita, who was standing an aisle away from the books, noticed a man staring intently at someone or something in the book section. Rita didn’t want to stare outright, but after several surreptitious glances, she realized he was studying Sophie. Rita might have been alarmed, but she knew he lived in the area and was well known by her grandparents.

While Rita was still watching, her grandfather moved on, and the other man approached. He opened up a conversation with Sophie right away. Although she was kind, she might have been speaking to Craig or Tory. The man was still watching her intently, his eyes warm as they studied her face, but there was no awareness on Sophie’s part whatsoever.

“What are you doing, Rita?” Tory asked out of nowhere, and Rita nearly jumped from her skin.

“Oh, Tory! You scared me.”

“Sorry. What’re you doing?”

Rita’s face flushed with guilt, and Tory frowned up at her.

“Nothing,” the older girl finally managed. “Did you find something to buy?”

“Yeah. What do you think of this T-shirt?” Tory held it up.

“It’s cute, but is it going to fit?”

Tory looked down at the garment in her hands. “I thought it looked too small, too, but it’s the only one in this color.”

“Let’s ask Grandpa.”

The girls moved off, and Rita missed the final exchange with Sophie and her admirer. He was trying his best to find out if she would be willing to go on a date, but he was being much too subtle. Sophie wasn’t catching on.

Not that it would have mattered. Rita had already decided on a course of action. Had she seen Sophie’s innocent conduct, it would have only strengthened her resolve.

“No one makes her feel like a woman.”

Alec was in his parents’ backyard, lying on a chaise lounge. He laid his book across his bare stomach, pushed his sunglasses back, and blinked at his daughter.

“What did you say?”

“I said,” Rita began again, “no one makes Sophie feel like a woman. Men notice her, but she doesn’t even pay attention. I’ve decided that no one has ever shown Sophie that she’s wonderful.”

Alec studied Rita’s determined face and then motioned to a chair. She sat down.

“When did you decide all of this?”

Rita explained what she’d seen in the store and on the street.

“You could take her in your arms and lay one on her, Dad, and she still might be in the dark.” Rita’s voice was chagrined.

“Lay one on her?” Alec questioned, and Rita grinned.

“You know, kiss her. I think it’s the only way to get her attention.”

Alec shook his head. He was still getting used to having these conversations with his 17-year-old daughter, but she was absolutely right.

“That’s undoubtedly the last thing I would do right now, Rita, but I’m glad you pointed this out to me.” Alec slowly shook his head. “Sophie
doesn’t
see herself as she—”

Alec cut off when they were joined by Tory and the very woman they were discussing. Alec recovered nicely and asked to see what they’d bought at the harbor. Tory took a long time explaining and twice Alec caught Sophie’s eyes on his bare chest. He nearly reached for his shirt and, indeed, would have if he had not just talked to Rita. But maybe this was one more area where Sophie needed to alter her thinking. It didn’t seem that she really saw herself as a woman. And in light of that, it would make perfect sense if such a view ran to men as well. He was her employer, nothing more.

Alec would have dearly loved to talk to her on the spot, and then to take her in his arms and kiss her until she had no doubts. But as usual, the timing was all wrong. With a determined mental move, he focused his mind back on his youngest daughter. He had been looking forward to this week ever since Sophie had agreed to go. He now wondered if it might be as much work as staying at home.

It was growing late in the week when a game of keep away took place on the beach. Sophie and Tory were in the middle for what seemed like years, but Alec misjudged at one point, and Sophie finally got her hands on the Frisbee. Both Rita and Craig had to go into the middle this time, and it was some work on Sophie’s part to stay on the edge. Alec had just headed into the middle when things began to fall apart.

Sophie found the Frisbee in her hands, but suddenly there was no one there to catch it. They had all spread out, and Sophie knew she could never throw it far enough. And to top it off, Mr. Riley was headed her way. Not thinking, Sophie turned and ran. The kids followed, so no one was within earshot when Ben turned to Kay and said, “I don’t think the Frisbee’s being chased any longer.”

And indeed it wasn’t. Alec was moving as fast as his long legs could carry him, and he would have pursued her even if Sophie had thrown the Frisbee down.

Knowing he was almost on her, Sophie swiftly turned and began to plead. The hand with the Frisbee was behind her, but the other was palm out toward her pursuer, while she tried to reason with him.

“I do not have it,” she lied. “It dropped on beach.”

Alec wasn’t listening. To Sophie’s amazement, he captured her wrist and then he began backing toward the water.

“You look a little hot, Sophie.”

“No, I am not.”

“Come along, Sophie,” Alec coaxed. “Come into the water.”

“I cannot,” she tried to reason and regain her wrist at the same time. “I am made of sugar. I will melt.”

This brought laughter from Alec, but he did not let go.

“I will admit that you’re sweet, but I don’t think you’ll melt.”

“Rita, Tory, Craig! Help me,” she yelled up the beach.

Alec only laughed again and continued to pull her ever closer to the tide.

Craig was the first to reach her, but he only pushed from the back, and she went toward the water even faster. From there the girls attacked Craig, and within just a few moments all five of them were in the ocean.

Sophie came up laughing and sputtering, and when she saw Craig close by, she bonged him in the head with the Frisbee that was still tightly clutched in her hand.

“We win,” she told Alec when she got the hair from her face. “I still have Frisbee, so we win.”

Her comment was a mistake. A wrestling match now ensued in the water. Before Rita got the Frisbee and charged back up the beach, Sophie thought she would drown.

“Are you all right?” Alec asked as his arm supported her until her feet could touch the sandy shore.

“Yes,” Sophie gasped. “Craig took me by surprise.”

The kids were long gone, so the adults followed more slowly. Alec was in his swimsuit and Sophie’s was under her shorts and top. Not having planned to get wet, she was a little bit in shock. They walked very slowly, Alec thinking about Rita’s words at the beginning of the week, and Sophie thinking about how swiftly the time had gone.

“Do we go home soon?”

“Yes. Sunday, right after the service.”

“I love Easter,” Sophie reminisced. “I would go with my grandmother to church and then have ham dinner. Was best of the whole year. Some Easters we would talk whole day of Christ’s sacrifice. Is all so wonderful and amazing.” Her voice was a mixture of wonder and reverence.

Alec was silent. He was spending more time in the Word than he had for years, but he now had to ask himself:
When was the last time I was awed and amazed over what my Savior did for me
? It was a sobering thought.

“Have I said wrong thing?”

“No, I was just thinking of Easter. We’ll go to the Good Friday services tomorrow. It’s always a special time.”