Sophie's Heart

by Lori Wick

  "Oh." Light finally dawned for Sophie. "You want to know if I want to buy some of your old clothing?"

  "Not buy, Sophie, take. I'm going to be giving them away, but before I hand them over to charity, I wondered if you might be interested in anything."

  "You will give these dresses to me?"

  "Dresses, shoes, pants, blouses, sweaters-you name it. I've cleared out every drawer and closet."

  "Oh, Gladys, this is too much." In Sophie's mind it was a dream come true. "I could not-"

  "Yes, you could," Gladys cut her off. "Now come with me, my girl. You're about to go shopping."

  Two hours later Gladys drove Sophie home and helped carry her new things upstairs. It had taken some talking, but Sophie had taken almost everything Gladys was disposing of.

  "This is very nice," she commented about the apartment.

  "It is nice. I am very comfortable. Rileys have been kind to me.

  "I'm glad, Sophie. You work hard for them."

  It was nice to have someone notice.

  "I have enjoyed these two days so much, Gladys. Thank you for all your work."

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  "You're welcome. Shall I pick you up on Sunday?"

  Sophie hadn't even thought of it. "Yes, please, but when Rileys return, I think I will ride with them. I would rather go to the early service, but for some reason I think I should take their offer."

  "All right. If it's ever a problem, just call me, even on Sunday morning."

  "Thank you, Gladys."

  The older woman had some other errands to run that day, so she didn't linger. Sophie walked her as far as the driveway and then returned to stand before her closet door for many minutes where she simply stared in wonder at her new things. Although they didn't really look it, she and Gladys were almost a perfect match. Even Gladys' shoes fit Sophie.

  Sophie couldn't help herself. She had to take her new suit down and try it on again. It was a boiled wool in a dark rose, and Sophie had never seen anything like it, let alone owned such a suit. The skirt was rather straight and the jacket was short. It buttoned to the neck with large black buttons and did not need a blouse because it had a black Peter Pan collar. Gladys had also given her high-heeled black pumps and a matching bag. The whole outfit was stunning. Sophie paraded back and forth in front of her full-length mirror for many minutes before she realized what was wrong.

  "I need panty hose," she said out loud. Her legs were shaved (the waitresses at Tony's had made so many comments that she had felt forced into that), but such a dressy outfit did not look nice with white, bare legs.

  Suddenly Sophie sat down on the side of the bed.Why have you never shopped for clothes before, Sophie, when you like them so well? Why have they never mattered? You have been critical of those who put too much stock in their appearance, but you have gone too far the other way.She now walked back to the mirror and studied just her face.

  It might be time for a change, Sophia. You don't have to do this overnight, but you need to be more open to the idea. You were so hurt when you thought that Rita was ashamed of your appearance. Would it really hurt to change a little?

  It was a question that Sophie thought of off and on for the rest of the day. And when she woke Saturday and felt very burdened again over her grandmother, she dressed warmly and walked to a bus stop. It took some doing, but she finally made her way to

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  the mall, crowded as it was, and purchased a pair of panty hose, two pair of underpants, and a bra. She spent the bus ride home figuring out how much she could put aside at the end of the month for her grandmother's flight to America. It might be sooner than she had hoped if only she could convince her to come. She would write another letter and tell her grandmother all her thoughts. It was time for the women in her family to make a few changes.

  ***

  Over four hours had passed in the van before the Riley children all settled in with books and tapes. Tory had taken the front seat and had chattered continuously to Alec, but now that the headphones rested on her ears, she sat quietly. Both Rita and Craig had books. Alec was thankful for the respite, and his mind shot immediately back to his last run-in with Peg.

  "Tory tells me that woman is still working for you," she had accused, and Alec was thankful she had at least waited until after Thanksgiving Day.

  "Yes. We're very pleased with Sophie's work."

  "I can't think what Vanessa would say." Tears had sounded close to the surface, but Peg had been known to use tears in the past, so Alec was not particularly moved.

  "Considering that every creature comfort is being taken care of, I would think she'd be very pleased."

  "How can you say that?" The tears were gone and the words were spat in angry rebuke. "I tell you, she's not good for the children. Why won't you listen to me?"

  "Who did you have in mind, Peg?" Alec disarmed her with one reasonable question. The older woman stuttered and stammered to a halt, and then just stared at her son-in-law. He knew she wanted to sayme,but never would. Soon after Vanessa's death she had suggested that the children actually come and live with her and Jim, but Alec would not even discuss it. And then when they'd visited in September, she had been all ready to stay.

  "It's like I thought, Peg. You're attacking Sophie, but there isn't anyone who would please you. I have no doubt that no matter who I marry, you won't approve."

  "You're getting married?"

  Alec's eyes closed, sorry that he had even mentioned it. She looked ready to come undone, and he didn't even know where the thought came from.

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  "As a matter of fact, Peg, I'm not. But should the time ever arrive, I've got to think of myself and the kids, not you and Jim. You don't even approve of me, so I can hardly expect you to approve of anything I do."

  Peg had the good grace to look ashamed, and Jim chose that moment to come back in from hunting. Craig had gone with him but was still outside. It was just the adults when he said, "You broke your word to me, didn't you, Peg?"

  She wouldn't answer.

  "And now you're too ashamed to even admit it."

  "I'm not ashamed of anything I said!" she jumped back at him. "Youalwaystake his side."

  "I always take his side because he's alwaysright!"Peg gasped, but Jim kept on. Alec had never seen him this way.

  "You never approved. Not even when you saw the love in our daughter's eyes did you think he was good enough. Well, let me tell you something, Peg Frazier: Alec Riley is the best thing that ever happened to our daughter. She was a self-centered little brat before she met him, and it's time you face the facts."

  Peg came to her feet at that point, all color now drained from her face. Her hand groped in the air for a moment. Collecting herself, she rushed from the room, real tears now filling her eyes. Alec and Jim were quiet for a long moment.

  "I'm sorry about that, Alec, but by now you're used to my apologizing for Peg."

  "It's all right, Jim. I know how hard it is."

  "I loved my daughter." There were tears in Jim's eyes as well, and he looked as if he'd aged 20 years. "But I'm not blind to the facts. I'm glad you've found someone to help out, and if ever you make someone a permanent part of your life, I'll be glad for that, too."

  "Thanks, Jim, andI'msorry I was the cause of words between you and Peg."

  He only shook his head. "That's not true and you know it" was all Jim said before he went to check on his wife.

  The weekend had not been completely ruined, but there had been some strained moments. The closest Peg came to an apology was to remind Alec, just as they were leaving, that she had reserved the cabins at the lake for the first week in June.

  "Put it on your calendar" were her last words, and Alec said that he would.

  Now the whole scene had played out in Alec's mind, andhe felt

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  very tired. A quick glance in the back told him Rita was asleep and not able to drive or he would have turned the wheel over. Instead, he flexed his shoulders and reached fo
r his can of pop. Another hour and a half to go. He did his best to stay alert and mentally prepared.

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  Brad Marshall could not keep his eyes off Sophie in Sunday school the next day. He had decided not to pursue a relationship with this woman-after all, she had missed Sunday school just to sleep, and the week before she had been in pants. But now she was in a pink and black suit that set off the color of her hair and skin, and he was having a hard time concentrating on the lesson.

  He told himself that he was not acting logically, but he moved after her when class was over and caught her in the hall.

  "Hello, Sophie."

  "Hello, Mr. Marshall."

  "Brad-please call me Brad. How are you?"

  "I am well. I drive now," Sophie told him, glad that she must have imagined his reserved behavior the week before.

  "Great. Have you been out much?"

  "No, not really at all."

  "Well, you'll have to get some time in. What service do you attend, Sophie?" Brad asked, trying to sound casual, and all the while hoping with all his heart that she would agree to sit with him in church.

  "Today I came to early."

  "Do you always come to the early service?" He rarely did, and worked at hiding his great disappointment.

  "It depends on my ride, or if I walk."

  "You sometimes walk to church?" His heart was pounding again, since this would explain the pants he had seen her wear.

  "I have, but is cold now, so I have ride."

  "Good, good," he said absently and wondered how to move the subject along. He shifted his gaze to the floor so he could think and finally said, "Will you have dinner with me Friday night?"

  Sophie blinked. She had assumed he was married.

  "Out to dinner, on date?"

  "Yes. I mean, if you're free." He finally looked at her.

  Sophie thought a minute.It might be very nice,she concluded.

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  "I would like that. What time shall I come?"

  Brad's smile nearly stretched off his face. "I'll come for you at 7:00. Is that all right?"

  "Is fine. I will be ready."

  "Great. Well, I best get upstairs and find a seat. I'll see you Friday night."

  "Good-bye," Sophie said and watched him walk away. She was fairly sure she had done the right thing. Only Friday night would tell.

  ***

  "Sophie! Where did you get that blouse?" Rita asked the moment she saw Sophie on Monday morning.

  "Do you like it?"

  "Yeah."

  Sophie smiled. She had been playing with her new clothes since Friday and decided to come to work in her new jeans and a dark purple cotton blouse Gladys had given her.

  "The color is wonderful on you, and you look so-" Rita cut off, hand to her mouth, looking horrified.

  Sophie said gently, "You can say, Rita, whatever it is."

  "I was just going to say that you look so American," she admitted softly, "but I thought that might be offensive."

  "I like looking American."

  The playfully smug expression on Sophie's face was so cute that Rita laughed. Tory's reaction was just as satisfying, only she noticed Sophie's shoes.

  "I didn't know you had cool tennis shoes, Sophie."

  "Friend gave them to me," Sophie told her. "Blouse, too."

  "You look great!"

  Sophie beamed. "I look American."

  This brought the same laughter from Tory, and then it was time to rush since the kids had all come to breakfast a little late. But it was still a great start to the day. It got even better when Sophie saw that Mr. Riley had left the Sunday paper for her from the day before. She had read some of it at Gladys' house after church, but she now sat down and finished. When she was done, she took time to pray for her grandmother. Never had God asked for her trust in this way. Not knowing was the most painful thing of all.

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  Craig needed shoes. The ones on his feet were in horrid shape as well as too small. He didn't need them for basketball since he had decided not to join the team, but Alec had said he needed shoes, anyway. When Tory learned of it, she climbed on the bandwagon as well. Suddenly her Sunday shoes were in horrible shape and pinching her toes. This was the very reason that, on the last day of November, the Rileys were headed in their van out of Middleton to the small town of Black Earth in search of shoes. Sophie had taken the van out once, but today Rita was driving with Tory and Sophie in the back. Craig had taken the front seat, and he looked rather excited about new shoes.

  "You know what you want, Craig?" Sophie asked.

  "Yeah, but I have a price limit, so I may not get those. The Shoe Box has good prices, but the best athletic shoes are always high."

  "And you, Tory-you have shoes in your head?"

  "Not really. I just need something in black. I can't spend as much as Craig because I have a lot of other shoes."

  "How about you, Rita?"

  "Mine are in such good shape that I would have to spend my own money." She chuckled softly. "What I have in the closet at home doesn't look bad at all."

  Sophie understood the joke and laughed as well. The shoe store was quite large for a small town and right off the main highway, so they were parking almost before Sophie had time to see they had arrived. They moved into the store as a group but were swiftly separated. Sophie and Tory stayed together, but both Craig and Rita went off on their own.

  Tory led Sophie into the bargain room at the back and began to look through boxes. She found one pair that fit, but they weren't quite what she had in mind. However, the girl tucked them under her arm as she continued to look. When it seemed that she could find no others she tried them on again.

  "How are they, my Tory?"

  "I think they're all right, but Dad said not to buy something I didn'treallylike, so I'm still not sure."

  "Should we look out front?"

  Sophie was referring to leaving the bargain room. Tory agreed but kept the shoes with her, telling Sophie she had to watch the price. Sophie realized for the first time that Mr. Riley and his wife had done a fine job of making their children aware of the costs of living. She wondered whether this might be a rare thing

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  in this day and age, and counted this as an added blessing to working for this family.

  When Tory and Sophie moved from the back room, they found Craig with new shoes on his feet. A salesman was talkingto him, and Craig was moving around as he studied his feet before going to look at the new shoes in the mirror. Sophie heard Rita say something about getting black shoes because white get so dirty, and then Tory was pulling her toward the girls' dress shoes. She found the perfect pair, but they were over twice what she could spend.

  "Maybe they will go to sale, Tory."

  "I don't know. I mean, I can wear my good white tennis shoes with two of my dresses, and I know I can't spend this much."

  "How about these?" Sophie referred to the pair from the bargain room.

  "I don't know. The red doesn't really match my clothes."

  Sophie smiled tenderly at her. "You are so grown up, Tory. I am proud of you."

  The little girl beamed and then marched back into the bargain room to replace the shoes. She explained to Sophie when she came out.

  "I'm going to shop some more and talk with my dad. I think I'd feel better about that."

  "Well, be sure to look at everything," Sophie gestured to the dozens of shoes on the shelves. "Then you can tell him all you saw."

  Tory did as she was told, and Sophie moved toward the older children. To her great surprise, Craig spoke to her as soon as she neared.

  "What do you think?"

  "They look good, Craig. How are they feeling?"

  "Good. They're a little big, but after the others, I wanted extra room."

  Things moved swiftly after that, and soon the four of them were standing at the checkout counter. There was a couple ahead of them, and they waited patiently for their turn at the cash register. Sophie was s
till looking around her when she caught some of the conversation from the couple ahead. The clerk was looking very flustered because the couple did not speak English. Without thinking, Sophie stepped forward and spoke to the man and woman in flawless German.

  "May I help?"

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  The woman looked so relieved that she sagged a little. The man began to explain in his native tongue, and Sophie never missed a beat.

  "We are visiting and the woman we're staying with, who translates for us, is sick. We go home tomorrow, and we need to exchange these shoes," he pointed to one box, "for these."

  Sophie nodded and swiftly related the situation to the cashier. That woman asked a few questions that Sophie translated and just minutes later the transaction was completed. The cashier thanked her, and Sophie moved off with the couple. They stood by the door talking in rapid German until the Riley children paid for Craig's shoes and joined her. Seeing them, Sophie said her good-byes and the couple thanked her for the fifth time.

  No one in the Riley family spoke until they were in the car. Tory then asked, "Is that the language you speak in Czechoslovakia, Sophie?"

  "No, Tory," Sophie answered her quietly. "That was German."

  Craig, who had thought the same thing as Tory, turned in his seat to look at Sophie for a moment. Rita, who had understood what was happening from the first word, was utterly speechless. No one mentioned it on the way home or during supper preparation. They would have asked Sophie at the dinner table, but their father came home. They didn't see Sophie again that night.

  ***

  Friday morning dawned and Sophie was awake earlier than usual. Her first thought was of her date with Brad that night, and again she wondered if she had done the right thing. Brad hadn't said where they were going, so Sophie decided to wear a skirt, but not anything too fancy. She thought maybe panty hose would be best, but not high heels. Then she laughed.

  Ihave become a monster, Lord. First I give no thought to my clothes, and then I wake with clothes on my mind and not You. Help me to be balanced, Lord. Help me to be wise.It was just what she needed to start the day on the right foot. With a song of praise in her heart, she headed for the bathroom and a long, hot shower.