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She nods, and I resist the urge to do a victory fist pump. “I guess so.”
“So, tell me what you’re thinking about so seriously.”
“I just thought Dad might not be so busy today.”
Something constricts in my chest. “I’m sure he’d rather be here with you.”
“I guess so,” she mumbles. “I hate it when he’s busy.”
“Does it happen a lot?”
She shrugs again pitifully. “Sometimes. His job is stupid.”
“Ah, come on, it’s not stupid. He’s gotta work so he can buy you more video games, right?”
“I guess.”
I scoot up to sit beside her, and she glances at me from the side.
“It just...” she starts. I can tell she’s wrestling with her words, her voice softer now, like she’s embarrassed. “It makes me miss my mom when he’s gone a lot.”
“Oh, honey.” I extend my arm to press my hand on her back, rubbing a slow circle. “Of course it would.”
Her soft sniffle breaks my heart, the first sign of vulnerability she’s shown since I met her. “She was awesome.”
“I bet. I mean, she’d have to be, since she made a cool kid like you.”
“She was so funny,” Sophie tells me. “She told the best jokes. And she used to read me stories every night.” A single tear rolls over her lower lashes, trickling down her cheek. “Dad works late a lot, so.”
“You know, I’m a pretty good reader.”
Sophie reaches to wipe her nose, still trying her best to look stoic. “I’m too old for bedtime stories.”
“Says who?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, I’m super old, and I still like bedtime stories.”
She perks up minutely. “You do?”
“Yep. I was just thinking the other day how much I wish I could read a good story. Maybe you could help me out with that?”
Sophie bites her bottom lip to keep from grinning, avertingher eyes as she tucks her chin against her knees again. “I guess I could. Since you want to.”
“You’d definitely be doing me a favor.”
I’ve only known this little girl for two weeks, but I’m starting to think there isn’t much I wouldn’t do to make her smile. Especially since I get the feeling she could use as many smiles as she can get with everything she’s been through.
“Okay.” She nods into her knees. “Sure.”
“Hey, did you know that you can’t hum while holding your nose?”
Sophie’s lips press together. “What?”
I pinch my nose, making a ridiculous face as I give it a go. I feel my eyes bugging out and my cheeks puffing, and Sophie giggles. “See? Impossible.”
“Nuh-uh,” she argues. “I can do it.”
