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Later, Sophie crept out to her car and pulled the photograph of her father out of her glove box. She was so used to digital pictures and the ability to pinch the screen to zoom in. She was now interested in the figure behind her father and Lisa. Something about the way she was standing was familiar. Sophie knew that she was making things up in her mind. The woman was probably just a passerby. If she weren’t, it really wouldn’t matter.
Sophie’s problem was that she made a big deal out of small things. She needed a bigger life so the small stuff wouldn’t be such a big deal. She had obsessed over a photograph when it didn’t matter. Her father was sadly dead, and any affairs he had were inconsequential. It was certainly nothing she would ever tell her mother. It made sense to let Vera live with her idyllic memories of her husband and blissfully unaware that he was a cheat.
Then there was her ex-husband. Sophie cared too much about what happened in his life. He was getting married, and instead of focusing on that, she should be focusing on her own personal life. Laden had been a safe person to date for a few months, but maybe she should accept Nina’s help. He seemed to be going where, and Sophie didn't get butterflies in her stomach when he walked into the room.
The fact that she was spending so much time analyzing her own life was a problem. A knock at the door surprised her, and Sophie figured it was someone for Malcolm. She wasn’t used to having a roommate.
“Laden, hey. Did we have plans?” Sophie said. She wore pajama bottoms and the top she had worn to Pilates. Thank goodness for ponytails because she couldn’t have looked too bad.
“No, we didn’t. I’ve tried setting something up, but you were always busy with your mother or working at the wine bar. I thought I’d take my chances this way,” Laden said.
“I like the spontaneity. We can see if there’s something good on Netflix if you want to stay. My day has been long; otherwise, I'd be available to go out."
“I'm just here to talk," he said.
She offered him a beer, but he opted for water instead. Sophie thought he probably wanted to talk about taking their romance to the next step. She wasn’t sure how she’d react because Sophie liked the new spontaneous side of Laden.
Sophie sat cross-legged on the couch.
“I’m listening,” she said.
“I think you’re great and beautiful and thought you were everything I was looking for, but we seem to have stalled. You’re content living in Hempstead with your one friend and not really stepping out of your comfort zone. I want more and I guess that’s what I need in a woman. I was hoping you’d agree that we amicably go our separate ways.”
Sophie had decided on a beer, and she was glad she did. A few slugs later, and it was nearly empty. She and Nina had been trashing Laden for being boring, and that was the exact reason she was being benched. Her life had gotten away from her. Laden would have been interested in dating the old Sophie. She was an extrovert who would have done anything to avoid a small town on Long Island. She had let her divorce and the tragic death of her father change who she was.
Sophie shook her head. “I hear you and give you credit for not coming right out and saying I’m boring. Being dumped tonight was not what I expected, but it was just what I needed. There was a time when I ran through life, and lately, I've been walking at a snail's pace. Maintaining a friendship is generous of you, and I hope we can make that work.”
“I’m glad I came by then. This went much better than I imagined, and I’ll have that beer now if you’re still offering it.”
“I’ll grab a bag of chips, too,” Sophie chirped as she hopped into the kitchen. This experience had been much better than having been dumped by Roger. Maybe twenty-three years versus a couple of months had something to do with it.
Sophie and Laden talked and drank beer for over an hour before Malcolm joined them. Margeaux was still sleeping soundly. Sophie hadn't drunk much lately, so a few beers had quite an effect on her.
“I have a top-secret meeting tomorrow with my lawyer. I am not supposed to tell my mother, so I can’t imagine what’s going on,” Sophie said with slightly slurred words.
“I always wondered why Grandpa flew internationally. He could have been a Russian spy, and your lawyer wants to tell you before it hits the paper. Grandma can’t know because it might cause a heart attack,” Malcolm said.
“Maybe your mother was an accomplice, and they don’t want her to know they’re on to her,” Laden said. “What if he was a drug smuggler? I guess you're not so boring after all."
“I thought it was something like my dad was a secret billionaire,” she said. "Now, I'll be up all night worrying."
Malcolm chuckled. “I don’t think there’s a chance of you being up all night considering all the beer you drank.”
Sophie’s phone rang just as they were wrapping up the night. It was Nora Gladstone.
8
“It wasn’t a problem coming in at all, Clive,” Sophie said to her boss at the wine bar. “I was supposed to have a meeting, but my lawyer postponed it until tomorrow. Working here tonight is better than going to bed early and wondering what the heck is going on. I don’t know why I’ve been called into her office because I thought my father’s estate was settled.”
“Sounds mysterious, and good luck with that. I appreciate you coming in on short notice because I’m hitting a Broadway show tonight. They’re tickets I’ve been hoping for all year,” Clive said.
“Speaking of Broadway, how are auditions going for you?” Sophie asked.
“They’re going okay. I had a couple of second looks and was offered a part in a soap opera,” Clive said. “I’ve done it before when I’ve stood in the background, but this time, my character has a name, and I have two lines.”
“Good for you. You’ll have to tell me which one because I’m sure my mother will watch. Before you go, have you noticed the man at the end of the bar? He won't stop staring. It's like he knows me.”
“Go ask him if he wants a pour. I’ll stay in case you find him creepy because I’ll have no problem showing him to the door. It’s my place, and I have the right to refuse service to worms.”
