Sophie's Heart (11 page)

“Craig, help Tory with the dishes,” Alec spoke as soon as they rose from the table.

“Sophie will do ’em.”

Alec turned to face his son. His tone was so matter-of-fact that Alec felt amazed. A little voice niggled in the back of his mind that he was not spending enough time with this boy. But just as swiftly as the thought came, Alec justified it with the reminder that winter was coming and business would be slower then.

“She’s not here as a personal slave to you, Craig. Help Tory with the dishes.”

“You just said she was here to help.” Craig’s voice was outraged. “And now I’m being put to work to do her jobs!”

Alec walked up to him, pinned him with his eyes, and spoke calmly. “You will do the dishes without another word or you can call Rick and tell him you can’t make it tomorrow night.”

Craig turned away with ill-concealed anger and began to clear the table. Alec stayed long enough to see that he wouldn’t take his anger out on Tory and then went to help Rita with the computer as she’d asked. Again he felt compelled to do things differently, but didn’t know exactly how. As he often thought, Alec surmised that there weren’t enough hours in the day. Either that, or there wasn’t enough of him to go around.

“I wish I could stay home with you today, Sophie.”

It was Friday morning, and Tory was talking to Sophie at the breakfast table.

“Why is that, Tory?”

“We could watch ‘The Price is Right.’ ”

“A show on TV?”

“Yeah, don’t you have ‘The Price is Right’ in Czechoslovakia?”

“I do not think so. Maybe it was on during the day and I missed it.”

“It’s so fun. I always bid right with the person, and sometimes I’m pretty good. One time I won a car!”

Sophie smiled lovingly into the little girl’s eyes, but didn’t bother to mention that she did not have time for TV in the middle of the day. She silently continued eating her toast.

The morning had begun in a normal fashion, and Sophie was amazed that they had already settled into a routine. All in all it had been a good week. When the three trooped out the door for school, Sophie got out meat for supper and then began work on the house and laundry. As in the previous days, the time flew by. Sophie did not take time for lunch or to sit down at all, and before she knew it Rita and Tory were home from school. Craig had taken an overnight bag with him that morning, and Sophie had been relieved to see him go. He was not often very friendly, but this morning he’d been brusque to the point of rudeness. It was rather nice to have the girls come in alone.

“Did you watch ‘The Price is Right’?” These were the first words out of Tory’s mouth.

“No,” Sophie had to tell her. “I forget.”

“Oh, Sophie, one of these days you’ll just have to see it and tell me who wins.”

“All right. How about some apple slices and cheese?”

“You mean eat the cheese with the apples?”

Rita laughed at her sister’s horrified expression. “It’s good, Tory. Try some.”

The little girl looked clearly skeptical, but ate some anyway.

“How was your day, Rita?”

“All right,” Rita said as she tucked some hair behind her ear and reached for the cheese. “I got a test back that I thought I’d aced and only got a B. It was a real letdown.”

Sophie nodded while her mind worked on
aced.

“Were you busy today, Sophie?”

“Yes. Mostly with laundry. I was going to iron your blouses, but I could not find the ironing board.”

“Oh, Sophie, it’s right there in the laundry room.”

Rita rose and Sophie followed.

“It’s the type that folds out of the wall.”

Rita flipped the catch on a long oak panel and pulled a full-sized ironing board from inside. Sophie had never seen such a gadget.

“It is so convenience.”

It was the wrong word, but Rita agreed with her anyhow. They were on their way back to the kitchen table when the back door opened.

“Hello,” a soft female voice said.

“Grandma!” Tory shouted and jumped up to hug her. Rita went forward to hug her also.

“Hi, Grandpa,” Tory spoke again and embraced her maternal grandfather who had come in behind his wife.

“Grandma,” Rita began after seeing her grandmother’s pointed look at Sophie, “this is Sophie. Sophie this is my grandmother, Peg Frazier, and my grandfather, Jim Frazier.”

“Hello,” Sophie said softly and smiled at both of them. Jim returned the smile, but Peg’s eyes were cold.

“How long have you worked here, Sophie?”

Her tone and eyes caused Sophie’s palms to grow moist. “Just this week. Just days this week.”

“Well,” Peg spoke almost regally now, as she surveyed the kitchen with censoring eyes. “Things look clean enough, but
I’m
here now. You won’t be needed for a while.”

If Peg had taken time to look at her granddaughters, she might have stopped. But she barreled on without thought for anyone.

“I will see to Alec and my grandchildren.” Her tone implied that Sophie couldn’t possibly do a proper job. “You may be dismissed until further notice.”

Sophie nodded to the woman and moved to the door. She looked at no one, or she might have noticed other things as well. Jim was red in the face with shame over his wife’s actions, and the Riley girls were so shocked that their mouths hung slightly open.

Nine

T
hat was a great meal, Peg. Thank you.” Alec spoke across the supper table to his mother-in-law, and Tory stared at her grandmother for the space of several seconds. When the older woman only smiled, Tory said, “Grandma, aren’t you going to tell Dad that Sophie made supper?”

Peg looked uncomfortable for just an instant before saying, “Of course, dear. My mind was just wandering.”

“Oh,” Alec spoke matter-of-factly. Not having seen the encounter Sophie had had with his in-laws, he thought nothing of this. “I hope Sophie had some,” he finally commented.

“Do you mean to tell me that she eats your food?” Peg’s strident voice cut across the table, but Alec met her look without flinching.

“Yes, she does, Peg,” he said easily. “But since it’s our food, let’s say we let me worry about it.”

“An excellent idea, Peg,” her husband asserted. He was glared at for his efforts and sighed to himself. There had been no stopping her. She had begun packing as soon as she hung up the phone with Tory the day before. At one point Jim had told her he wouldn’t go, but when he saw that she was determined, he caved in. It was what he always did and, after 42 years of marriage, Peg knew that better than anyone.

“Do you girls have homework?” Peg asked into the moments that followed, and Alec now sighed to himself. There was no need to nag the girls. They were very responsible when it came to their studies. And even if they weren’t, it was his place to remind them, not Peg Frazier’s.

She had always been a little too anxious, but since Van’s death, she’d been nearly impossible. Alec was openly relieved that they lived way up north in Superior, which meant he could avoid most confrontations. He and Peg went toe-to-toe at least once every time they visited, and Alec asked himself how long he had to wait before they were at it again. Whenever he told Peg to stay out of it, she backed off. But given enough time, she would return with guns loaded and blazing. The scene at the table had been unfortunate and uncomfortable, but Alec knew that for Peg, it had been mild. If he knew her like he believed he did, she was not finished. He found himself dreading the next few days.

Sophie’s watch read 10:00 when she decided she couldn’t make it until morning before eating. It had been utterly foolish of her not to stop for lunch that day, and now she was so hungry she had a headache. Added to that was the fact that she had less than a dollar in her purse.

“You should have walked from the bus station when you first came here,” she said to herself in irritation, but then knew it wasn’t true. It would have been miles, and she had been carrying her heavy cases. The taxi ride over had cost her a small fortune, but without knowing the bus system, she had had little choice. She had bought three items the first night she was here, but that food was long gone.

“Maybe I should not have given Janet so much to mail the boxes. Oh, stop it, Sophie!” She now grew impatient with herself. “Did you expect her to pay your way? Don’t be ridiculous.”

With that Sophie walked to the door and peeked down her stairs. The kitchen—indeed the whole house—looked dark and asleep. But she was capable of being very quiet, and she
had
to have some food.

With key in hand, she left her apartment and moved quietly down the stairs. There were no lights on in the kitchen or in the whole downstairs, so Sophie pressed the switch to put the light on only over the stove. She then moved to the refrigerator and began to make a meal with the leftovers. She had a hotdog and a piece of cheese on her plate when she heard movement. She looked up to see a dark shadow that so startled her, she nearly dropped her plate. Mr. Frazier silently watched her for several seconds, and then spoke conversationally.

“That’s not enough to eat,” he said as he came forward. Sophie backed up a step, the refrigerator door still hanging open.

“Oh, here we go.” He was at the open door now. “You need some applesauce to go with that.” He unscrewed the lid and plopped a dollop on her plate.

“This looks good,” he said as he reached for the leftover peas. “We’ll just pop this into the microwave and you can take the whole dish. Oh, and we’ll add this last pork chop as well. Now for some dessert. I understand you made this pie. It was delicious. You’re sure to want a piece of that.”

Sophie stood mute and watched him. He had grabbed a cookie sheet at one point and was piling it high. He had even taken the plate from Sophie’s hand and now presented the “tray” to her, laden with food.

“There now. I think that about does it.”

“Thank you, Mr. Frazier.” Sophie spoke softly and then moved to the door.

“Here, let me get that door. Do you have your key?”

“Yes.”

He opened the door, but not wide enough for Sophie to leave. She turned and found him watching her.

“I wish I could tell you to return to your regular duties tomorrow, but I can’t do that.”

“I understand, Mr. Frazier.”

He still didn’t fully open the door. “It’s foolish for someone to apologize for someone else. Only the person who offended can really do the job, but I’ll try anyway. I’m sorry for the way you were treated tonight.”

“Thank you, Mr. Frazier.”

The door was finally opened. “Good night, Sophie.”

“Good night.”

Jim shut the door behind her, but didn’t move. He pushed the curtain aside and watched her climb the stairs. Not until he’d seen her door open and close did he check the lock, hit the light, and head through the kitchen and for the stairs.