PART OF HER WORLD

CHAPTER 8

The early morning sun was lighting the room as they sat at the table eating breakfast. Sophia looked even lovelier today and Asher wondered what it would be like doing this every morning. He googled up the local news on her laptop while she’d made breakfast and now he was going to read it to her; she seemed to look forward to it. Well, except for the sports section, she didn’t seem too keen on listening to the final scores, so he tended to read that section at a later time. 

As he scrolled over the first page, he paused, there was a photo of the police officer who shot him in the leg during the failed bank robbery. Jason Jackson was set to be released from prison today apparently. As he read the article to himself, he learned that the former officer had been convicted of the attempted murder of his wife. A local woman, Elizabeth Jackson, formally Williams of the prominent Williams and Shroud Investment Firm. Jason was given a shortened conditional sentence based on a mental breakdown he suffered at that time from the loss of his partner. Apparently, the other man died in a bank robbery gone wrong.

Even though there was no mention of the names of the criminals in the bank robbery, the guilt washed over him for his part in the case. He decided to skip it. Instead, he jumped directly to the story about the gala tomorrow night and watched her face light up.

“You’re really looking forward to this dance,” Asher said as he held her hand after he finished reading the article.

“Yes ... it’s been far too long since I was out,” she said with a big smile.

“I um, I never went to a gala before, so I hope I don’t embarrass you,” he told her suddenly.

“Asher, don’t talk so silly it just like any other dance,” she told him with a large smile on her lips.

“Yeah but I’m not a very good dancer,” he said.

“That’s ok neither am I ... I tell you what, I won’t complain when you step on my toes if you don’t complain when I step on yours."

“Alright deal,” he said and leaned in and kissed her long and passionately. The moment their lips met became clear to him was where he should always be, with her, loving her, protecting her and kissing her.

The chiming of the doorbell caused the kiss to end too soon and she rose to answer the door. His eyes followed her as she left, he sighed wishing he had the time to take her back upstairs and make love to her again. Unfortunately, he needed to leave soon or he would be late for work, they had already had plans to have lunch together this afternoon and he thought that maybe they might skip the food for her bed instead.

Asher could hear the voice of a man at the door and he became curious as whoever it was, talked in a low voice to Sophia. Curious, he ventured to see who her early morning company was, and as he made the hallway to the living room. He froze as Dave stood just inside the door. The man’s eyes immediately went from Sophia standing in her bathrobe before him, over to Asher standing in the living room in only his jeans. The look Dave gave him was a mix of shock, surprise, and slight embarrassment.

“I really should get Clarissa her wrap, thanks again Sophia ... and if you need us at all today just call ok,” he said, looking tense.

“Thank you Dave,” she said and Asher could tell she was upset just by the inflections in her voice.

* * *~~~* * *

Sophia had been on edge all morning, Jason was being released today and her nerves became increasingly short. Every loud sound had her nearly jumping out of her skin. Sitting in Bentley's office, she waited for him to get off the phone with the pharmacy about her prescription dosage. He wanted to up the strength as he believed it would help during this stressful time for her.

“There, now all you need to do is pick it up. Is there something else going on that you want to talk about Sophia?" he asked her as she twisted the edge of her dress in between her fingers.

“Well, I have been having this feeling of being watched. It seems to only happen when I’m home though,” she told him.

“It’s most likely because of Jason being released. Your mind is working overtime and it has you paranoid,”

“But this started about a week ago,” she told him.

“Just after you met this Asher person?" he asked her, and Sophia noticed the tone in his voice had changed.

“Bentley it’s not because of him."

“I don’t trust him, Sophia. I'm sorry, but I believe he is using you."

“For what?” Sophia said a little louder and a little harsh sounding.

“s*x, money, whatever he can get from you!”

“Bentley I never said we were having s*x, and he doesn’t know about my money!”

“You are having s*x with him are you not?" he asked her flat out, and it took her off guard. Her cheeks grew heated as last night’s events filled her min, and she didn’t know how to answer him.

“I don’t want to talk about my personal life,” she finally said after several long quiet moments.

“I’m your therapist remember. You're supposed to talk to me about your personal life,” he scolded her.

“It's  ... well ... yes,” she mumbled, her face hot from the embarrassment of telling.

“How long?” Bentley demanded.

“What?" she asked, now uncomfortable.

“How long have you two been sleeping together?”

"Is that really important Bentley?" Sophia was taken aback.

"Sophia, I'm worried about you,” he said, his tone softer this time.

"I'm fine and we were only together once,” she said softly.

"Have you had him looked into?"

"Looked into?" Sophia knew what he meant, but couldn't believe he would suggest she spy into someone's life like that.

"Yes, had one of the local private investigators do a background check on him,” he advised, eagerly sounding.

"That's not something I do. I mean he has no reason to lie to me; he doesn't even know who I am." She said it a little shrilly.

"Sophia, how can he not know who you are? You were the talk of the city for over a year. I find it hard to believe he is that ignorant!" Bentley's voice was getting a bit of an edge to it.

"Because I never told him my entire name!"

"So you lied to him! Why?" Bentley asked pointedly.

Three and a half hours they talked and when she left she was even more on edge than when she’d gone in. Now as she waited for the taxi, she sensed someone watching her again and she tried to remain composed. A shadow fell over her, blocking the sun's warmth on her skin, and she knew someone was standing there.

"Hello?" she said nervously.

"Sophia, what's wrong?" Margret's soft voice asked.

"Oh Margret, I forgot about lunch,” Sophia had missed lunch all together as she was in her session with Bentley.

"It's ok but I figured I'd come back and offer you a drive home. I know it's going to be one of those days for you,” she told her.

"Actually, do you feel like taking me shopping?"

"Yeah, we could do that."

"Good there is something I need your help picking out" she smiled as she thought about what she wanted to wear under her gown tomorrow night.

* * *~~~* * *

Pulling into his sister's driveway with his first load of belonging, he asked Mike again about cheap suits.

"Look if you want to impress the lady get a tux!" he exclaimed as they began to move the boxes inside.

"A tux for what?" Crystal asked as she opened the screen door for them.

"Oh! Why hello there!" Mike said his voice a little deeper than needed.

"Hey, she's my little sister!" Asher jokingly growled and watched as Crystal rolled her eyes in her head.

"So does Little Sister have plans later?" Mike asked, still not moving from the doorway and making it impossible for Asher to carry his load of boxes in.

"No, I don't, how does coffee and a slice of apple pie sound? After you two are done offloading the truck that is,” she said with a smile.

"Great!" Mike said, his excitement evident in his voice.

"So what's this about a Tux?"

"Loverboy has a hot date for The Gala at the country club and needs a fancy suit,” Mike answered for him.

Crystal eyed him suspiciously for a moment and then smiled.

"We are going shopping then I take it."

"We?" he asked.

"Oh, there is no way I'm letting you pick out a suit for a hot date," Crystal informed him.

“I think I can handle it.”

"Ah, no you can’t. So when do I get to meet her?" she asked.

"Um well, I don't know. This is sort of our first date,” Asher explained.

"First date my as...my bottom. You have lunch with her every day!" Mike piped up.

"Oh really?" Crystal said.

"Yeah well, that's different."

"Ah-huh,” his sister said in a tone that told him he was about to get the fifth degree.

Asher listened to Crystal as they drove to the mall. She had tried to talk to him about Sophia but thankfully Mike, who had so graciously volunteered to help and had tagged along, was busy putting the question to Crystal.

"So you're a widower, that's too bad. Sorry to hear that and you never remarried?" he asked.

"No, never really had the time to actually get involved with anyone."

"Well how about we go to a movie sometime?"

"Well I don't know. I mean I hate leaving Hallie with a sitter."

"Oh, no worries ... I'll watch her so you two kids can go out sometime,” Asher said with a grin. Crystal needed to get out and enjoy life some. All her time was spent working and taking care of Hallie.

As they walked along the busy shopping center, Asher could tell that there was an instant connection between his sister and his friend, and he began to feel like a third wheel.

"Look there is the perfect place to get a suit,” Crystal said as they rounded the area near the food court.

"That place looks expensive!" Asher said, eyeing the richly made suits hanging on mannequins in the display window.

"You're not going to be buying it; you're going to rent one silly,” his sister smirked up at him.

"Oh,” is all he said, feeling kind of stupid.

Two hours it took the guy to find a presentable suit that Crystal liked. It was hard to fit Asher as he was not only taller but broader than most of the rentals they had. Once he had his suit, they headed toward the food court. He was starving, and as he missed lunch with Sophia today, he had forgotten to eat.

The familiar laugh of a woman caught his attention from behind them and when he turned around he was surprised to see Sophia walking with an older woman. Both had a ton of shopping bags.

"Sophia!" he exclaimed, and both Crystal and Mike stopped and turned to look.

"Asher? Oh my god, I'm so sorry about lunch!" she began to say.

"I was about to say the same thing!" he laughed and she looked confused.

"I had to take the day off to do some stuff, so I sorta missed lunch too,” he explained.

"We're just about to grab a bite if you would like to join us,” his sister piped up.

"Oh yeah Crystal, this is Sophia, Sophia this is my sister Crystal. Oh and Mike's here too,” Asher told her, and a quizzical look came across his sister's face. Sophia had an arm linked through the woman beside her and didn't have her cane.

"A pleasure to meet you. Mike, you're quiet,” she said with a smirk.

"Oh you know me, I don't say much,” Mike responded.

"This is my friend Margret, Margret, this is Asher.”

"Oh it's a pleasure to finally meet you," the older woman said, and Sophia turned red.

As Asher took Sophia's other arm, she smiled and her friend let go so he could guide her to the table.

"Thank you Asher,” Sophia said softly as he helped her to a seat and caught his sister trying not to stare.

"So where did you two meet?" Crystal asked.

"The Park,” Asher answered, not filling in the details of it.

"Where you did your—" his sister started to say.

"Where I was working part-time, yeah that's the park.” He interrupted her so she couldn't finish her statement and he glared at her. This was what he was afraid of, Crystal nearly spilled the beans on him, and now he would be on eggshells until Sophia left.

* * *~~~* * *

Sophia sat in the passenger seat of Margret's minivan and buckled up. They had just said their goodbyes at the shopping center's main doors, and Sophia was excited to see what Margret thought of Asher.

"Ok so what do you think?" she asked sounding like a nervous teenager.

"About what?" Margret tried to play coy but Sophia could hear the smirk in her voice.

"About Asher ... come on spill the beans what does he look like?" she asked nervously.

"Honey he's as handsome as they come."

"His hair is a dark brown and his eyes are a sea blue-green. He has a dimple on his chin and a bit of a boxer's jaw ... if he wasn't so head over heels for you, I think I'd make a play for him!" she laughed.

"Yeah, I'm sure your hubby wouldn't mind if you bring him home,” Sophia giggled.

"Do you really think he likes me?"

"Oh and then some, he couldn't take his eyes off you. The man watched your face when you talked and every time you turned red he smiled,” she told her and Sophia could hear the happy tone in her friend's voice. It made her smile even wider, and now she couldn't wait for the ball tomorrow night.

As Margret pulled into Sophia's driveway, they were still discussing Asher and his spending the night. Sophia at first was embarrassed to tell her friend about her little indiscretion, but once she’d finished telling her how wonderful it was to have a man just hold her; she realized she wished she didn't have to spend tonight alone.

After Margret left Sophia went upstairs and ran a hot bath and turned on the radio to listen to some of her favorite oldies. Slipping into the tub, she stretched out and relaxed letting the hot sudsy water soothe her tired feet. Shopping for most of the evening had left them sore, but it had been so much fun. With her slightly out of tune voice, she sang along to a song playing on the radio in the bedroom it was one from her high school years, and it brought back lots of fond memories.

A slight sound from downstairs filtered into her bathroom and she strained to hear. Listening extremely carefully, a soft creak whispered its way up the stairs and she knew someone was here. Her heart raced out of control in her chest, it made it hard to hear anything other than the roar of her heartbeat in her ears. She was naked in the tub and someone was in her house. Had she not set the alarm, she thought to herself desperately. She couldn't remember and now panic was setting in as she gingerly made her way out of the tub. Wrapping her bathrobe over her dripping wet body, her hand shook as it crept out seeking the door handle, and paused to listen.

She heard nothing as she tried to slowly close it to lock herself in a hand grabbed her by the arm.

"Sophia," Jason said and she screamed.