Chapter 5

Chapter 5 ( sneak peak)

The next morning Sofia finally mustered up the courage to leave her room. The smell of bacon, eggs, and grits tingled her senses. Her mother knew just how to draw her  further out of her room.

“ Hey mommy,” she said gruffly.

“ Good morning my love, hungry? “ her mother more so stated than asked. She placed a huge plate in front of her. Sofia’s eyes widened at the amount of food.

“ I can’t eat all of this, “ she said in a depressed and defeated voice.

“ Eat as much as you can baby, I gotta put some meat on your bones,” her mother smiled in response. She gazed upon her daughters frail and disappearing frame. 

As Sofia attempted to pick up her spoon her hand shook. She was weak from sleepless nights, and fringed nerves. Her mother took her spoon from her and fed her as if she were the infant she had brought home 26 years ago. She blew gently on the hot spponful, cupped her hand underneath it and slowly fed Sofia bigger spoonfuls than the one she was feeding herself.

“ Mommy....” Sofia groaned.

“ Shhh... just eat,” she said to her daughter.

As her mother continued feeding her, Sofia heard her front door close. Her ears perked as she quickly said, “ Charles?!” 

“ No baby it’s daddy,” he father entered the kitchen. With one look Sofia’s sobs returned. He rushed over to his daughter’s side. Both he and her mother held her.

“ It will be okay baby I promise, “ he father said.

Sofia wiped her eyes, “ I can’t keep doing this,” she sniffled, “ He isn’t crying over me so why am I wasting tears on him?” she snuffed.

“ Babygirl I’m sure he is crying somewhere, regretting every second of the past few weeks,” He father reassured her, “ If not he damn sure will when I get a hold of him.”

The night Charles broke the news Sofia’s father went on a man hunt determined to make Charles feel the pain he put his daughter through..

“ Has anyone seen the boy?” Sofia’s mother asked.

“ No, no one knows where he is,” her father responded.

“ That bastard,” her mother whispered, “ Come on babygirl let’s get you out of this dress, and freshen you up, it will make you feel better.” 

Sofia’s father started to clean the kitchen as she and her mother walked slowly up the stairs. He mother carried the train of her dress lifting the weight off of Sofia’s back. When they entered her room her mother ran her a bath and began clearing the wreckage that was once Sofia and Charles’ master bedroom.

Once the tub filled with hot water, she put put eight drops of lavender oil to help soothe Sofia as she soaked.

“ Thank you mommy,” Sofia said meekly. 

Sofia sat in the tub and stared into space. She looked like a zombie, completely zoned out and unaware that her mother was bathing her.

Her mother hummed an old lullaby as she washed her daughter’s back. She squeezed a sponge full of water on top of Sofia’s head and began gently washing her hair. The water brought Sofia’s senses back to life. She inhaled for the first time in weeks.

After her bath Sofia went downstairs to sit on the porch with her parents. They both sat on the chair swing sipping a cup of tea. She sat in between them and laid her head on her father’s shouldered.

“Feel better? “ he asked.

“ A little,” she responded.

“ Each day will get better,” he responded.

“ I know daddy I ....I just want my other half,” she whimpered, “ I want to feel whole again.” 

“ You were whole before him and you are whole after him,” he father said strongly, “ He was an addition to your magnificence.” 

Sofia sighed as she closed her eyes, and inhaled the comforting smell of her father’s after shave. 

The phone ring,  as she motioned to get it, her body flopped back into the chair, too weak to raise itself.

“ I’ll get it,” her mother gently patted Sofia on her thigh. 

“ Ok,” Sofia said, she snuggled closer to her father.

Sofia’s mother returned to the porch with a stern look on her face. The same look she wore when Sofia told her that she was moving in with Charles before they got married. 

“ Who is it?” her father asked.

Her mother looked at her father then at Sofia.

“ It’s Charles,” she said.

**** To purchase the book Sofia’s love please email Kyndall at kbp0227@gmail.com***