Sophie's Heart (47 page)

Sophie,

Enclosed is a list of things I noticed needed attention. I was impressed with the way you kept the house, but now is a good time to do those extra jobs that can slide so easily. Knowing Alec as I do, I’m sure he would be hesitant to say too much, so I’ve put together a list for him.

Thank you,

Peg Frazier

Sophie’s hand was steady as she drew forth the list, but it shook slightly when she saw that it was four pages long. She swiftly began to read every item.

•   Pull out refrigerator, clean the coils at the back and the floor below

•   Buy white paint and touch up the wood where the paint has chipped at the back side of the garage

•   Wash all windows, inside and out, including the basement and garage

•   Wash all screens

•   Clean furnace thoroughly

•   Polish the dining room table and chairs

•   Pull weeds along the front border and along the cracks in the sidewalk

•   Clean the patio furniture

•   Wash down the outside of the house

•   Trim the bushes on the north side

•   Clean the garage

•   Wash and rehang all curtains

•   Take apart and dust the lights in the upstairs hallway

•   Scrub the back patio (I noticed many webs and too much dust)

•   Clean out all closets and the pantry

•   Move the washing machine and dryer and clean under and behind

And on it went for three more pages. Sophie had not planned to work that day, but she would have to begin. It was the only way she would get done. For just an instant Sophie’s eyes darted back to the letter.
Knowing Alec as I do, I’m sure he would be hesitant to say too much
. Sophie thought about the other night when she asked if he had any extra work. He had only shrugged and said he would leave a list. Had he been slightly uncomfortable? Sophie couldn’t recall. Mrs. Frazier said he would be hesitant to say, but Sophie didn’t think this was true. However, she had been sent a list, and she wasn’t one to question. Sophie scanned the items one more time and stood. It was a long list, but she would do her best. She was comfortable with this thought until she spotted a small note at the very bottom of the four-page list.

I’m sure you’ll be able to accomplish these in a week’s time without the family there to distract you. I would hate to see Alec and the children disappointed.

The words had a strange effect on Sophie. She clutched the list tightly and moved swiftly out the door and downstairs with an air of urgency. A week without the family had seemed so long. Now she dreaded having them arrive home with the jobs not done.

Alec and Craig left DuBay at 8:30 Wednesday morning. Alec had two houses to check on before stopping at his own home. He hoped they would be back on the road to the lake by 4:00, but they didn’t arrive home until 3:30. When they got there, nothing was as they expected. Alec smelled fresh paint as soon as he stepped from the van, and for a moment he could only stare at the spotless garage. There wasn’t a thing out of place. The next thing he noticed was that his truck had been washed. He thought Sophie might find extra jobs to do, but this was taking things a bit too far. And for some reason, her efforts irritated him.

When he and Craig entered the kitchen, she was nowhere to be found, but things were in total upheaval. There was a can of paint under the table, and buckets, mops, and brooms were stacked against one wall.

“Sophie?” Craig called up the stairs, but there was no answer. Alec waited in the kitchen, his brow drawn into a frown. Craig had joined him when they heard the noise—a slight scrape and then a bump. It came from above, but outside the house. Without comment, Alec moved out the door and to the backyard, Craig on his heels. What he saw nearly caused his heart to stop. Nearly 15 feet in the air, Sophie stood on his longest extension ladder, washing Craig’s bedroom window. His first reaction was to shout at her to come down. But if he startled her, she might fall. He waited until she noticed them.

Sophie saw them, but for a moment she thought she was daydreaming. She looked down and blinked and said stupidly, “Is it Saturday?”

“No, it’s Wednesday. Please come down.”

Sophie finished the window she had started and then did as she was told. Alec had come to hold the ladder. Had Sophie known him very well, she would have seen that he was furious.

“What are you doing?” he asked with a calm he didn’t feel.

Sophie blinked at him. “Washing windows.”

Alec only stared at her. “Come in here, Sophie.”

Sophie followed him back to the kitchen. Alec went to the windows by the table and moved the curtains.

“If you feel you must wash the windows, then do it from inside. These are double hung, and they pull in so all four panes can be reached.”

Sophie’s eyes widened as he demonstrated, and she saw how easy it could have been. Craig’s room was nearly the last. She had done almost all of them from the ladder. A hysterical little giggle bubbled out of her, and Alec turned sharply to give her a keen look.

“I did not know,” she tried to explain, even as she fought tears. She was so very tired, and there were still two pages of jobs to do.

“Don’t worry about it, Sophie,” Craig told her.

“You look all done in,” Alec now commented, still slightly irritated at what she had taken on. “Just forget the windows, all right?”

Sophie nodded. “I guess is best. I have not done inside windows. I would not have been able to finish list if I go on.”

“The list?”

“Yes,” Sophie answered and began to turn away. Alec gently caught her arm. It was then that he was close enough to see her exhaustion.

“I didn’t leave a list.”

“Mrs. Frazier did for you.”

Craig, who had been silent during this final exchange, now stepped away from the kitchen table with the sheets of paper in his hand. Sophie didn’t even notice. As soon as Alec released her, she moved to work on the hall closet. She had cleaned it two weeks ago, but she wanted to check it and mark it off her list.

“What’s this?” Alec asked.

“It’s from Grandma.”

Alec scanned the pages. Words leapt off at him.
Clean out all closets….Wash all bedding and air all quilts….Clean Alec’s truck— inside and out….Clean furnace.
Alec had to stop.

Watching his father’s face, Craig knew what Sophie did not: Alec Riley was just barely holding his fury. Craig wanted to ask his father why Grandma Frazier would do such a thing, but he knew that now was not the time.

Alec put the list on the counter and went in search of Sophie. He found her in the living room taking down the drapes. These were not washable, but the sheers were, and Sophie had decided to remove everything to get to them.

“Sophie,” Alec spoke as soon as he came into the room.

“Yes, Mr. Riley,” Sophie answered, but did not stop working to even look at him. She was too busy concentrating on taking down the curtains. Alec’s hands suddenly joined hers, but to Sophie’s surprise he was replacing the hooks, not bringing them down. Sophie stepped back in surprise, but didn’t speak. When Alec was finished, he looked at her and again saw her fatigue.

“I want you to go up to your apartment now and clean up. When you’re through, come back down and we’ll talk.

“I cannot,” she surprised him by saying. Tears rushed to her eyes, and her breath caught. “I must do the list.”

Alec shook his head. He was glad Peg Frazier was not present, for he would surely have said something he would have been sorry for.

“Don’t worry about the list. Go now and come back down when you’re ready.”

Sophie still looked crushed and hesitant, but Alec urged her with a hand to her arm. He walked her to the kitchen door and watched as she climbed the stairs. His heart winced when he saw bruises on her legs and could only guess how she had received them.

Two hours later she was still not back down. Alec was praying about his next move when someone came to the door. It was Mrs. Nickelberry. Alec gave her the key and asked if she would check on Sophie. He was not surprised to hear that she was sound asleep on her bed. Alec thanked Gladys, saw her out, calmly ordered a pizza for Craig and himself, and called up to the lake to say they would not be back until the next day.

Forty

S
ophie woke very slowly and was completely disoriented. She was in her bathrobe and lying on top of the covers. The clock read 7:15. She remembered lying down after her shower at about 4:30. Could it be that she had just slept for over two hours? She got up and wandered into the other room and even opened the front door. She didn’t usually do this before she was dressed, but was glad she had since there was a note taped to it.

Sophie,

Craig and I spent the night here. We’ll go back to the lake later today. Come down when you’re ready to talk.

Alec

Sophie read it twice and shook her head. She hadn’t been asleep for a few hours, but for over 12. No wonder she felt so strange and fuzzy. Sophie shook her head again and rushed to get dressed, but in the midst of putting her socks on, her pace slackened. It finally occurred to her what was going on. She was being rescued. She now recalled the way Mr. Riley’s hands had joined hers on the curtains, and then she was being told to go and clean up.

Sophie suddenly realized that he was not happy about her “to do” list and wanted to talk to her. Guilt washed over her when she realized they had stayed in Middleton just for her, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it now. Not rushing this time, Sophie went ahead and showered again and dressed in navy shorts and a crisp white blouse with white tennis shoes and socks. They were not work clothes, but she knew somehow that she wouldn’t be working.

Her guess was correct. She talked with Alec and Craig for a short time and found that they had cleaned up behind her. She was not to do another thing from the list. Even though Alec didn’t order it, he recommended that she not come down to work at all in the days that followed. After all, it was already Thursday and the whole family would be home on Saturday. After that, the summer stretched before them.

Craig and Alec were back on the road to DuBay by 9:30, and Sophie’s only instructions from her boss were to take life slow.

Alec waited until his kids were all in bed that night before he walked over and knocked on the door of Jim and Peg’s cabin. Jim answered and calmly let him in; the men had talked earlier in the day, and Jim knew what to expect. Peg however, looked very strained. She had begun to look uncomfortable as soon as Alec and Craig arrived back, but now she looked ready to snap.