Chapter
Twenty-Six
Mel pulled back the covers. “Noooo,” Sophie moaned.
“I told you I would give you yesterday to sulk around and not get out of bed but now it’s a new day.” Mel walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower before she grabbed Sophie’s toothbrush and slathered it in an obscene amount of toothpaste. “Here. Brush your stank teeth and wash your stank body so we can go out and grab some breakfast while I tell you what John said when he called this morning. He had some important information about a certain business that we’re trying to start.”
“Okay, Mom,” Sophie moaned sarcastically before she rolled out of bed.
“Did you just make a joke? Thank the lord she isn’t completely lost to me!” Mel cried out dramatically.
The hot water soothed Sophie as it ran over her; it did not wash away her sadness but it gave her enough to conjure the strength to get dressed and start the day. Sophie couldn’t help but smile when Mel blasted “Single Ladies” by Beyoncé. It made her want to be happy again but the road seemed so long. Mel hadn’t pressed for details but she knew it was only a matter of time. She just hoped she would be ready.
Sophie stared at her reflection in the mirror. The dark circles under her eyes spoke of her inner torment. Her face seemed strange to her, her skin looked pale and her lips were dry. She powdered her face with some color and rubbed some gloss over her lips, hoping it would disguise her emotions that seemed to seep through her skin.
***
Sophie looked at her plate of food. She was hungry but the food didn’t taste like it should. It left an aftertaste in her mouth that made it hard to swallow. She realized her broken heart affected every part of her body. She felt like a stranger in her own skin. It was a version of herself that she didn’t care for. She fought the urge to call Ashton and beg him to take her back. Though, if it hurt this much only after their short time together, she wondered if she could survive when he would grow tired of their relationship and leave, like so many men had left her mother over the years. Flames eventually burnt out. I wish I could go back to my safe boring life when Ashton was in the past and I was wonderfully sane. At least I think I do…
Sophie tried not to think about Ashton and Lucinda and the way things looked in the coffee shop. Do I believe Ashton? Should I believe him? Can people die from emotional turmoil? He made her feel too much and it terrified her. Am I insane? I feel like it.
“Do you want me to kick his ass? You know that I can,” Mel said bluntly as she reached over and took a hash brown off Sophie’s plate and popped it into her mouth.
“No. I just want to move on and learn from my mistake.” Sophie sighed. She pushed her plate away and leaned back in her chair.
“Was that Lucinda bitch involved, because I would love to take her down?”
“All I want is for you to tell me what John said when he called.” Sophie rested her chin in her hands.
Mel sat up straighter, a brilliant smile on her face. “John said that the investor he has been in contact with is keen on investing in our business. We just have to put a proper business proposal together and then he plans to finance it completely. John wants to meet with us to go over the details but this is perfect for us. We can get started right away. Nothing can stop us now.”
“That is amazing.” Sophie felt a real smile touch her lips. This was just what she needed to distract her. She would focus everything on establishing their company and eventually she hoped that her heart would heal.
“The more you love them the harder it is to let them go. That’s how I know I have never been in love yet because I was always glad to walk out when the time comes.”
“What about Dustin?” Sophie furrowed her brow. “I thought you guys were a thing?”
“Maybe…he wants to take it slow and see how things go.” Mel let out a long slow breath. “When I’m with him I feel really good but he’s too…”
“Safe?” Sophie added with a raised brow.
Mel smiled and shook her head. “Yeah…it’s strange for a guy not to want to jump my bones as soon as he can. It makes me question if he’s really into me. Does that seem weird?”
“You’re used to idiots, so of course it will be strange to be with someone who’s looking for more than a free ride, but you have to want to be with him for it to work.”
“I really like him and maybe that’s what’s making me nervous. I keep waiting for him to turn on me or something. He took me out to eat the other night and he didn’t expect anything in return. I’m not used to it.”
“That’s what you need and deserve, Mel. You need to get used to it. No more losers from loser town. That was the old Mel. You are now a businesswoman with standards. No more turning back now.”
Mel reached over and grabbed Sophie’s hand. “You’re the best friend in the whole world.”
“I know.” Sophie squeezed back tightly.
“We are all colors of messed up, you know. I don’t know how to recognize a good man when I see them and you’re scared to let yourself fall in love, so you run away from it even when it comes in the hottest package known to man.”
“But we’re going to make the best business partners,” Sophie encouraged.
“Damn fucking right. Let’s kick it.” Mel jumped to her feet. “We have lots of shit to do before we can start selling our cookies.” She winked.
***
Sophie felt drastically better when her mother arrived that afternoon. She knew there was no way she could hide it from her. The truth of her broken heart was written all over her.
“Sophie, darling! This is the most beautiful dress.” Her mother’s face lit up as she looked down at the dress; the fit was almost perfect as her mother spun around in front of the full height mirror in Sophie’s apartment. Her mother ran her fingers over the material and her smile shone brighter than the sun. Sophie placed a couple of pins into the material for some minor adjustments but she was very pleased how well it fit. Tears started to fall from her mother’s shining eyes. “I love you so much. This is more than I ever imagined.” She gathered Sophie in her arms and squeezed tight. “Are you going to tell me why you’re so sad?” her mother whispered in Sophie’s ear as she kept her arms secure around her shoulders. She pulled back and looked into Sophie’s eyes that were also filled with tears.
“Mom? How do you know that it is different with Peter than with all the others?” Sophie kept her hands busy fussing with her mother’s dress. When her question left her lips her mother reached for her hands.
“There are no guarantees in life but I know that my heart wants to be with him even with the risk. He makes me happy and I want to spend whatever time that I can by his side. All I can do is hope that we will have the rest of our lives together.”
“Don’t you think it would be easier not to risk it? Why would you want to give someone so much power over your life? What if your heart gets broken and you can’t put the pieces back together again?”
Her mother tucked Sophie’s hair behind her ear before lifting Sophie’s chin to look into her eyes. “It doesn’t mean that you give someone power over you. It’s opening up your heart to someone and finding a connection. To find meaning in our lives that makes us happy and stronger. I like my life with love even if it meant I had to suffer many failed attempts. If you don’t take the risk because you’re scared of getting hurt, then you could miss out on something beautiful. Our hearts are strong, even if it doesn’t always feel like it. Don’t cheat yourself because you are afraid.”
“What if I can never really forgive Ashton for what he and Lucinda did to me? What if I can’t get past it? Seeing him with Lucinda makes me feel like the vulnerable girl I was back in high school. I run as fast as I can in the opposite direction, literally. I’m just waiting for them to reveal this has been a joke the entire time but…when he looks at me I feel loved. He makes me feel alive.”
“I wish I had the answer for you. I don’t like how he treated you. I hate that he made you suffer but if you love him you have to figure out if it’s worth the risk to make it work. Eventually you have to stop running and face it. You are no longer that little girl anymore. You are a strong, independent woman. Take control of your life.”