Previously...
COME AS YOU ARE - PART 5
Previously...
Sophia’s face fell. The last thing she needed was Joey telling Simon lies about her. She stood there dumbfounded, not really knowing what to do.
And then Simon looked up and noticed her standing there. He smiled and motioned for her to join them.
Sophia swallowed and couldn’t help but feel a bit faint.
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Rodi’s…
Sophia became nervous and reached out, trying to steady herself against the doorway.
Oh God! What has Joey told him? Sophia Pellegrino – oh yeah – she’s from the wrong side of the tracks. She’s a schemer – a liar – all she wants is money – and she sucks in bed! Sophia Pellegrino? She’s a loser – not worth the time of day…
Sophia swallowed. She felt all color drain from her face as Simon looked at her and Joey whispered in his ear. And then she collapsed. She passed right out and fell on the floor.
“Miss Pellegrino! Miss Pellegrino! Are you awl right?” came Simon’s accented voice.
She rubbed her eyes and looked up. A crowed had gathered over her. Simon held her in his arms and Joey was kneeling next to Simon with a sneer on his face.
“I fainted…” muttered Sophia.
“Ah think you did…” said Simon. He helped her to stand up on her shaky feet.
“She’s faking! Looking for sympathy from you!” exclaimed Joey.
Simon looked at Joey and raised an eyebrow.
“Shut up Joey! I really felt…bad!” exclaimed Sophia. Simon escorted her to his table.
Joey stood over the table with his arms crossed as Simon gave Sophia a glass of water. The crowd kind of just faded away.
“Cousin Joey what “wood” make ya say such a thing?” asked Simon in his accent.
“Oh, I know about Sophia’s tricks…” said Joey, “She tried to break Kelly and me up.”
Simon was truly baffled at Joey’s attitude, “Ah don’t think Miss Pellegrino’s like that. Ah saw her today at the hospital…”
Sophia sipped her water and added, “Yeah Joey. I gave blood today for your cousin Starr. Believe it or not I’m capable of doing a good deed in my life…and besides…don’t you know…sometimes you get light headed after you give blood?”
Joey pouted, “I guess. But I wouldn’t trust her if I was you Simon.”
Simon said nothing as he glared at his cousin.
“What?” protested Joey.
“Cousin Joey, Ah know you mean well but ah would prefer to make up mah own mind about Miss Pellegrino. Now maybe you’d ah leave us alone so we can talk?” said Simon firmly.
Sophia’s eyes betrayed her anxiety.
“Yeah. Sure. I’ll see you tomorrow,” said Joey as he walked out.
“Thanks,” said Sophia, “I appreciate you sticking up for me with Joey.”
“Ah take it…you were once involved with mah cousin?” asked Simon.
Sophia nodded her head, ‘yes’, afraid to say the word. Afraid it would…alienate her man of mystery.
“Awl right,” said Simon pausing and leaning back in his seat, “Is there something ah can get you Miss Pellegrino?”
“You can call me Sophia you know. And I’d like a steak. A big juicy steak. And orange juice,” she replied smiling at him, happy that she hadn’t scared him off.
“Such a big appetite…” remarked Simon motioning for a waiter.
“Well, they say after giving blood you should have a big meal…” added Sophia.
The waiter arrived and Simon ordered the meal Sophia wanted. There was an awkward silence between them.
“So, ah, can I call you Simon?” asked Sophia.
“Oh, yeah. Please do Miss…Sophiah,” grinned Simon sipping his beer.
“Where are you from Simon? I’ve never heard someone speak like you,” remarked Sophia. She couldn’t hide her obvious interest in him.
“Ah’m from Louisiana,” said Simon sweetly.
“Louisiana must be cool, huh?” asked Sophia.
Her dinner arrived and she began to devour the food in front of her while Simon watched.
“It’s awl right. Where are you from Sophiah?” he asked attentively. There was something so…raw…so fresh about her that he found himself attracted too. A would-be Cinderella with her life ahead of her. He found her eyes incredibly expressive and haunted with…a touch of sadness.
Sophia shoved a piece of meat in her mouth, “Llanview. The other side of the tracks as people would say,” said Sophia. She felt comfortable telling him this. He wouldn’t judge her or think any less of her. He’d all ready demonstrated that.
Simon bit his lip, “Ummm…”
Sophia paused, “Oh. I’m eating too fast, huh?”
“Well, ah figure yourah hungry,” he said smiling at her. He liked to smile at her.
Sophia made an effort to slow down.
“So Sophiah, where do you work?” asked Simon.
“At the Banner. I’m Dr. Rae Cummings assistant,” said Sophia proudly cutting a piece of meat slowly, “What do you do?”
“Ah work for mah uncle, Asa Buchanan,” said Simon. He was bewitched with her. Mesmerized. Was she a “Cinderella” or a witch…like what was her name? Rhiannon?
Sophia shoveled another piece of meat in her mouth.
Maybe neither.
“Can ah see you again Sophiah?” he asked suddenly.
Sophia’s eyes bugged out, “Ah, yeah…I’d like that.”
“Good,” grinned Simon.
The rest of the evening was uneventful as they filled it with small talk about their lives, their likes and dislikes in an awkward but sincere attempt to get to know each other better.
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That same evening,
Pine Valley, PA…
Rae Cummings walked into her hotel room and shut the door. While she had enjoyed her stay in Pine Valley she wanted to get back to Llanview desperately. She had come to care about a young woman named Sophia Pellegrino and incredibly, that young woman could be the daughter she never had the chance to raise.
Rae took a breath and looked around spying her briefcase in the corner. She went to it and opened it up, pulling out an old and faded picture of…Herb Callison.
She sat down on the bed and stared at his picture. She had been younger then and a bit more impulsive. Foolish. She thought Herb was the one but he was interested in Dorian. Their liaison had been brief and Herb had chosen Dorian but he had left Rae…expecting their child.
Rae had left Llanview, never mentioning the pregnancy to Herb. She stayed in Pennsylvania wrestling with a choice – leave her child up for adoption or be a single mother.
Tears rolled down her cheeks as she remembered how much she agonized with her choice. And then she got an amazing job offer. One that would not benefit a small child. Doing what she thought was best for the child, she gave her up for adoption. A girl. Her child had been a girl.
Rae dropped the photography in her lap and brought her hand up to her face she began to cry.
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That same evening,
Dorian’s mansion…
Dorian sat on her couch and put her feet up on the coffee table. Sophia’s “Nirvana” CD played in the background. Softly. She held Cassie’s picture in her hands, thinking of past events. Before she came to Llanview she had a brief liaison with Victor Lord while he attended a publisher’s conference. That liaison had resulted in a pregnancy. Dorian had carried to term and had given the girl up for adoption. And now when she missed Cassie the most she would give anything to have her other daughter by her side.
Sophia filled a void in her life. Her house was filled with another voice. Laughter! Music! She liked Sophia. Her spunk. Her impulsive nature. She wouldn’t mind if she had a daughter like Sophia. Could she really be…Sophia’s mother?
Suddenly the door opened. Dorian bolted up and saw Sophia walking in with a big hazy grin on her face.
“Guess what Dorian?” beamed Sophia.
“What?” asked Dorian not knowing what to expect.
“He likes me! He really likes me!” gushed Sophia waltzing into the den.
“How do you know?” asked a concerned Dorian.
“He kissed me!” said Sophia blushing.
Dorian’s mouth dropped.
TO BE CONTINUED...
