Page 22
Story: Sophie’s Second Chance
“I want ice cream,” I responded with a shy smile. He grinned gently. “Of course, honey.”
He pulled over to the side of the road a few minutes later, and there was an ice cream truck not far away.
“Which flavor?” he enquired as he took off his seatbelt.
I said, “All three flavors in a cone: strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate.” He didn’t understand what I wanted. “Do they even sell that?”
“Yes, they do! Just ask them.”
“OK…” He mumbled as he walked towards the truck, and I could hear him say it. “I don’t want to be embarrassed.”
I shook my head and laughed at him.
He’s adorable.
He came back with two cones two minutes later. In one cone, strawberry ice cream, and in the other, what I asked for.
He sat back down and gave me my cone, appearing shocked. “They do sell this just for you. That guy knew you.”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Yeah, I always buy from him. And I always buy this, and I’m the only one who asks for it, so yeah, he knows me.” I licked the ice cream.
“Nice…” he said quietly as he took a piece of his ice cream. I inquired, “Have you come up with any names for this child?”
“You are only a month pregnant, Sophie. We still have eight months.” He rolled his eyes.
I made a face. “I was just thinking.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll name the child,” he added casually.
“No. I will name it! You won’t!” “I am the father,” he said.
I said, “And I am the mother!” “I’ll name it, that’s all!”
“No,” I said in a whiny voice. “I will!” “I will.”
“I will.”
“I will.”
“I will.”
“I will!”
I turned my head towards the window and huffed furiously. “I hate you!” and then she licked the ice cream a lot.
He stopped talking right away and took a long breath. “Sophie?” he murmured in the lowest voice he could.
When I didn’t answer, he softly caressed my hand. “Hey? I’m sorry.” I puffed again and didn’t say anything.
He let out a long sigh. “OK. You get to name the baby. Are you happy?” I looked at him with a smile. “Thanks!”
He grinned, but when he saw something, he laughed, and I grimaced. “What?” “There’s some ice cream on your nose,” he said.
He went forward and cleaned it off with his thumb before I could do it myself. Then he sucked it off his thumb.
Damn.
Being that hot should be a sin. The heat climbed up my neck and made my cheeks crimson.
He winked at me in a funny way before going back to eating his ice cream.
I turned my head away from him so he couldn’t see how upset I was with what he did. I didn’t even glance at him again.
He finished his ice cream before I did since I eat ice cream slowly. Then he cranked the motor and drove away while I was still licking my ice cream.
When I asked him about the book sitting on the nightstand, he told me to finish it. I was astonished. But yeah, he told me to do it right, and this time, I was happy to cooperate.
Liam came out of the restroom and moved up to me when I was lying on the bed later that night. He leaned down and kissed my forehead slowly. “Goodnight, sweetheart.”
I was able to mutter, “Goodnight.”
He smiled, bent down, kissed my tummy, and then walked back to his bed, making my heart skip a beat.
I can’t believe I used to detest this guy.
He was being a jerk to me, but… He’s a great guy. I think I have to agree with Saffron.
I gazed at him calmly with my back to him.
My heart raced, warmed, and skipped a few beats, and a beautiful feeling settled in me.
I love him.
Oh, no!
Damn! Oh no! Damn!
What the hell? I smashed my face. I can’t believe I fell in love with him. Oh God.
OK, I’m going too far now. But—
I love him!
Stop it! Stop it!
Relax! It’s fine… It’s OK.
All of a sudden, my hands wanted to hold him fiercely. I tried to control it, but I couldn’t. I simply wanted to hold him. One embrace is all.
I carefully sat up straight on the bed and thought about whether or not it was a good idea.
I bit my lips and softly got off the bed, and moved up to him. You will terrify him.
Oh, get lost!
I carefully slid myself into his bed and embraced him passionately from behind. He tensed right away because he was shocked by what I did.
“Wow, Sophie?” he replied in shock.
I gripped him tighter, praying he wouldn’t push me away. He gently turned towards me instead, which made me fall back lightly onto the bed.
He stroked my cheek with his thumb in a gentle way. “Are you OK?” I nodded, feeling embarrassed. “Yeah…I just…I…umm…I…”
He grinned like he knew what I was trying to express. “It’s all right.”
He put his arm around my waist and pulled me closer before I could say anything further. I placed my head on his chest and cuddled with him.
He kissed my forehead and said something. “Goodnight, Sophie,” he said, and then he closed his eyes.
I sighed gently in contentment and fell asleep peacefully.
. . . When I woke up in the morning, Liam was nowhere to be found, and my bed was empty. I was upset that he wasn’t there with me.
He may be downstairs.
I took a shower, brushed my teeth, and walked down to the kitchen, but I was unhappy that he wasn’t there.
I questioned Helen, who was doing the dishes, “Where’s Liam?” “He went to work,” she said.
I muttered, “Oh…”
Is he trying to avoid me? Again?
He usually leaves for work considerably earlier when he wants to avoid me. Please don’t stay away from me, Liam. It aches.
Helen asked, “Why are you still standing there?” “Come. Sit down.”
I sat down for breakfast, but I wasn’t hungry, but she served me anyhow.
I somehow ate enough to get Helen to allow me to go to the restaurant.
When I got to the restaurant, I hurried up to Alley and hugged her firmly. “Is everything OK?” she questioned, seeming frightened as I backed away.
I shook my head. “I love him!”
At first, she frowned, but when she understood what I meant, she grinned. “So, what’s wrong with it?”
“I am so scared! You don’t get it!”
She laughed. “Calm down, Sophie. It’s OK that you love him.” “But I think he’s avoiding me…”
“Why?”
“I don’t know… he used to leave for work much earlier than usual when he didn’t want to see me,” I informed her, and she started giggling.
“Come on, Sophie. You’re overreacting. Nat told me they had a very important meeting this morning. That’s why he left so early; Nat left too.”
So I didn’t need to worry? I grinned shyly. “Oh…”
Someone behind me said, “Sophie?” I turned around and saw Lila.
Oh my God! I basically ruined all of her dreams about Liam.
I thought Mom would yell at me, but instead, she hugged me and said, “I am so happy for you, Sophie.”
She said, “Congratulations,” and then hit me on the hand. “But you could have at least told me you were seeing him!”
I said I was sorry. “I’m sorry…I wasn’t supposed to tell you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, of course. I have to say, you are a great actor.”
“But now I want to know everything!” she said with excitement. I grinned. “Of course.”
When I got home, I put my purse on the couch and sat down on the couch. It was late at night, and I worked a little longer, even though Alley said she would fire me if I didn’t leave.
I didn’t see Liam all day, so I couldn’t eat supper with him.
I heard some commotion in the kitchen, so I quietly walked in and found Liam standing there with his back to me, drinking water.
He must have heard me coming because he turned around to look at me, and my pulse raced as I saw him. His hair was a mess, which made my heart skip a beat.
He looked tired and spoke gently. “Hey…”
I got closer. “Hey…”
He pulled over to the side of the road a few minutes later, and there was an ice cream truck not far away.
“Which flavor?” he enquired as he took off his seatbelt.
I said, “All three flavors in a cone: strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate.” He didn’t understand what I wanted. “Do they even sell that?”
“Yes, they do! Just ask them.”
“OK…” He mumbled as he walked towards the truck, and I could hear him say it. “I don’t want to be embarrassed.”
I shook my head and laughed at him.
He’s adorable.
He came back with two cones two minutes later. In one cone, strawberry ice cream, and in the other, what I asked for.
He sat back down and gave me my cone, appearing shocked. “They do sell this just for you. That guy knew you.”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Yeah, I always buy from him. And I always buy this, and I’m the only one who asks for it, so yeah, he knows me.” I licked the ice cream.
“Nice…” he said quietly as he took a piece of his ice cream. I inquired, “Have you come up with any names for this child?”
“You are only a month pregnant, Sophie. We still have eight months.” He rolled his eyes.
I made a face. “I was just thinking.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll name the child,” he added casually.
“No. I will name it! You won’t!” “I am the father,” he said.
I said, “And I am the mother!” “I’ll name it, that’s all!”
“No,” I said in a whiny voice. “I will!” “I will.”
“I will.”
“I will.”
“I will.”
“I will!”
I turned my head towards the window and huffed furiously. “I hate you!” and then she licked the ice cream a lot.
He stopped talking right away and took a long breath. “Sophie?” he murmured in the lowest voice he could.
When I didn’t answer, he softly caressed my hand. “Hey? I’m sorry.” I puffed again and didn’t say anything.
He let out a long sigh. “OK. You get to name the baby. Are you happy?” I looked at him with a smile. “Thanks!”
He grinned, but when he saw something, he laughed, and I grimaced. “What?” “There’s some ice cream on your nose,” he said.
He went forward and cleaned it off with his thumb before I could do it myself. Then he sucked it off his thumb.
Damn.
Being that hot should be a sin. The heat climbed up my neck and made my cheeks crimson.
He winked at me in a funny way before going back to eating his ice cream.
I turned my head away from him so he couldn’t see how upset I was with what he did. I didn’t even glance at him again.
He finished his ice cream before I did since I eat ice cream slowly. Then he cranked the motor and drove away while I was still licking my ice cream.
When I asked him about the book sitting on the nightstand, he told me to finish it. I was astonished. But yeah, he told me to do it right, and this time, I was happy to cooperate.
Liam came out of the restroom and moved up to me when I was lying on the bed later that night. He leaned down and kissed my forehead slowly. “Goodnight, sweetheart.”
I was able to mutter, “Goodnight.”
He smiled, bent down, kissed my tummy, and then walked back to his bed, making my heart skip a beat.
I can’t believe I used to detest this guy.
He was being a jerk to me, but… He’s a great guy. I think I have to agree with Saffron.
I gazed at him calmly with my back to him.
My heart raced, warmed, and skipped a few beats, and a beautiful feeling settled in me.
I love him.
Oh, no!
Damn! Oh no! Damn!
What the hell? I smashed my face. I can’t believe I fell in love with him. Oh God.
OK, I’m going too far now. But—
I love him!
Stop it! Stop it!
Relax! It’s fine… It’s OK.
All of a sudden, my hands wanted to hold him fiercely. I tried to control it, but I couldn’t. I simply wanted to hold him. One embrace is all.
I carefully sat up straight on the bed and thought about whether or not it was a good idea.
I bit my lips and softly got off the bed, and moved up to him. You will terrify him.
Oh, get lost!
I carefully slid myself into his bed and embraced him passionately from behind. He tensed right away because he was shocked by what I did.
“Wow, Sophie?” he replied in shock.
I gripped him tighter, praying he wouldn’t push me away. He gently turned towards me instead, which made me fall back lightly onto the bed.
He stroked my cheek with his thumb in a gentle way. “Are you OK?” I nodded, feeling embarrassed. “Yeah…I just…I…umm…I…”
He grinned like he knew what I was trying to express. “It’s all right.”
He put his arm around my waist and pulled me closer before I could say anything further. I placed my head on his chest and cuddled with him.
He kissed my forehead and said something. “Goodnight, Sophie,” he said, and then he closed his eyes.
I sighed gently in contentment and fell asleep peacefully.
. . . When I woke up in the morning, Liam was nowhere to be found, and my bed was empty. I was upset that he wasn’t there with me.
He may be downstairs.
I took a shower, brushed my teeth, and walked down to the kitchen, but I was unhappy that he wasn’t there.
I questioned Helen, who was doing the dishes, “Where’s Liam?” “He went to work,” she said.
I muttered, “Oh…”
Is he trying to avoid me? Again?
He usually leaves for work considerably earlier when he wants to avoid me. Please don’t stay away from me, Liam. It aches.
Helen asked, “Why are you still standing there?” “Come. Sit down.”
I sat down for breakfast, but I wasn’t hungry, but she served me anyhow.
I somehow ate enough to get Helen to allow me to go to the restaurant.
When I got to the restaurant, I hurried up to Alley and hugged her firmly. “Is everything OK?” she questioned, seeming frightened as I backed away.
I shook my head. “I love him!”
At first, she frowned, but when she understood what I meant, she grinned. “So, what’s wrong with it?”
“I am so scared! You don’t get it!”
She laughed. “Calm down, Sophie. It’s OK that you love him.” “But I think he’s avoiding me…”
“Why?”
“I don’t know… he used to leave for work much earlier than usual when he didn’t want to see me,” I informed her, and she started giggling.
“Come on, Sophie. You’re overreacting. Nat told me they had a very important meeting this morning. That’s why he left so early; Nat left too.”
So I didn’t need to worry? I grinned shyly. “Oh…”
Someone behind me said, “Sophie?” I turned around and saw Lila.
Oh my God! I basically ruined all of her dreams about Liam.
I thought Mom would yell at me, but instead, she hugged me and said, “I am so happy for you, Sophie.”
She said, “Congratulations,” and then hit me on the hand. “But you could have at least told me you were seeing him!”
I said I was sorry. “I’m sorry…I wasn’t supposed to tell you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, of course. I have to say, you are a great actor.”
“But now I want to know everything!” she said with excitement. I grinned. “Of course.”
When I got home, I put my purse on the couch and sat down on the couch. It was late at night, and I worked a little longer, even though Alley said she would fire me if I didn’t leave.
I didn’t see Liam all day, so I couldn’t eat supper with him.
I heard some commotion in the kitchen, so I quietly walked in and found Liam standing there with his back to me, drinking water.
He must have heard me coming because he turned around to look at me, and my pulse raced as I saw him. His hair was a mess, which made my heart skip a beat.
He looked tired and spoke gently. “Hey…”
I got closer. “Hey…”