Page 2 of A SEAL’s Vigilant Heart

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll take Beth and Rebecca; you go with Sophia to her fitting.” Before anyone could even blink, Ashley had Beth, and young Rebecca Barnes rushed out of the dressing area. Lydia turned to Sophia.

“Are you okay?”

“I don’t know,” Sophia answered honestly. “I should be excited, but now I’m scared.”

“Of getting married?” Lydia asked gently.

“God no,” Sophia said vehemently. “I’d marry Mason tomorrow if possible. No, but what happens if I still don’t like the dress? What happens if it doesn’t fit right? I can’t find a new one now.”

“Honey, it’s fine. Every woman worries about these things.”

“It can’t be worse than ruffles,” Margie yelled over the top of her dressing room door.

“Or my boobalicious dress,” Frannie called out. “Someone rescue me for God’s sake, I’m going to need CPR soon.”

Everyone, including Evelyn, started to laugh. “Sophia, how about I go down to the fitting area with you,” Lydia suggested.

“That would be great.” Sophia breathed a sigh of relief.

“Do you know the way?” Evelyn asked.

“Yes.” Sophia walked with Lydia.

“Margie and Frannie are crazy, you know that, don’t you?” Lydia teased. “I thought I might wet my pants when I saw Frannie in the dress. I’ve never been around older women who were so much fun. It’s great.”

“You know, most of the time I don’t even think about them being senior citizens,” Sophia responded. “They’re just my friends. Of course, then they’ll refer to my laptop as a typewriter, and I do a double take...” Lydia laughed.

“So tell me more about Ashley,” Lydia requested.

“You mean my stepmother?” Sophia said tongue in cheek.

“I wasn’t going to go there.”

“Then allow me. Ashley is so much better off now she dumped my father. But I worry about her,” Sophia said as they reached the bottom of the stairs and turned towards the fitting rooms.

“What do you mean? Why do you worry about her?”

“She’s acting out a lot.”

“You mean pretending to have sold wedding dresses?”

“Oh no, that’s minor. She’s been serial dating and almost reverting to teenager behavior. It’s like she wants to do everything she can to erase the time she was subjugated by my father.”

“How is it impacting your little sister?”

“When she’s with her, she’s a great mom. But Louisa is spending a lot of time with her grandparents. Dad was such an asshole. He ruined a lot of people’s lives.”

“There’s no way Louisa will end up with your father, will she?”

“God no! Mr. Richmond, Ashley’s dad, has Louisa protected every which way. He’s amazing. I’m thankful dad won’t have anything to do with raising her.”

“From everything you’ve told me about your father, I agree. I think even though he’s Louisa’s daddy, she’s better off without him.”

“Billy and I would have been better off without him, that’s for sure,” Sophia said. She suddenly smiled. “Lydia, it’s the first time I said it without being bitter. I think I’ve finally put the past in the past. God, I love Mason.”

“What does Mason have to do with it?” Lydia was confused with the abrupt change of topic.

“He’s helped me so much to get past my bitterness. He’s helped me, in so many ways.”