A mute, foundling girl hides from her pursuers with the help of a reluctant recluse. The two of them have nothing in common except deep emotional scars. Who is she? How did she end up unconscious and scantily clothed on Evan's isolated property? Why...
Sophie rarely asked me for anything, so her earnestness in requesting a special favor intrigued me. "What do you want?"
She picked up the iPad, opened the Amazon ap, and touched the icon to pull up an item in the wish list. She wore a devilish expression when she handed it to me.
"An electric blanket? You want an electric blanket?"
Her expression turned serious, and she crossed her arms.
"I'm sorry I slept through the night and forgot to keep the stove fired up. I didn't think it was that cold when I woke this morning."
She stomped her foot and cocked her head.
"Okay, okay, maybe I wasn't cold, but I guess you were."
She jabbed her finger toward the iPad, an emphatic gesture telling me she really wanted it. Two things came to mind. First, the ap had a default credit card assigned. Sophie didn't presume to place the order without asking me first. I appreciated her good manners. My other thought had to do with delivery. If we ordered tonight, the blanket wouldn't arrive for a week. Did she intend to stay past the weekend?
I considered my reaction before speaking. "I have all my orders delivered to my work address, because I don't like visitors to the cabin. It'll take several days."
She wrote: I can wait, but I'm going to nag you about the wood stove in the meantime.
Sighing, I said, "If you get one of those electric blankets, you won't need me to tuck you in at night."
Her expression softened. With or without an electric blanket, I won't be able to sleep unless you tuck me in.
"I have an idea. I work three more days. On my first day off, which is Friday, we'll make another run to the Target store. We can buy an electric blanket there and you'll have it faster than if we order online."
She took a moment considering what I said before nodding. She wrote: I'll clean the oven while you're at work tomorrow. Thanksgiving is the following Thursday, and I want to roast a turkey and make us a big Thanksgiving meal. We can buy everything we need on the next shopping trip.
Her meaning was clear. She meant to stay long term. What was she thinking? "Sophie, how do you see this ending?"
She wore a puzzled expression.
I held her gaze but said nothing. I knew she knew what I meant.
After an uncomfortable silence, she broke eye contact and wrote: How do YOU see this ending?
I ignored her tactic of answering a question with a question and continued staring at her in silence.
Once again, she broke eye contact and wrote: Do you want me to leave?
"I want what's best for you."
Her face flushed in anger. She pressed hard on the tablet. Shouldn't I be the one to decide what's best for me?
"It's not that simple. You're underage which makes you my responsibility. I'm allowing you to stay until you can confront your demons. Sometime soon, I hope you can return to your life. Besides, shouldn't you still be in school? You're missing a lot of days."
She jumped off the sofa, hands fisted at her side, her lower jaw quivering.
Gosh, the girl had such a short fuse. "Don't be angry. Think it through and I'm sure you'll agree with me."
She wrote: Now you're telling me what to think? How very chauvinistic of you. She threw the pad to the floor and stormed toward the bedroom.
I reacted by chasing her and overtaking her before she reached the door. I grabbed her wrist and spun her around.
A gasp escaped her lungs.
I grabbed her other wrist with my other hand, pressed them to my chest, and held her in place.
She went still and didn't struggle. She met my gaze, her eyes wide, but I didn't register fear or anger there. She wore a hint of a smile.
"I would never presume to tell you what to think. Don't you get it, Sophie? I just want to help you. Look, I really do enjoy your company but be realistic. We're just two people whose paths have crossed for a short while before we both move on."
Her jaw relaxed and her lips parted.
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