Page 11 of Never Without You
“Nah.” She shrugs. “Not my thing. Matt and Idance in the kitchen. He likes to slow dance.”
“I bet he does.”
She grins. Huge. “Why do you ask?”
“I heard about what happened to those youngwomen and I wanted to make sure you’re being safe.”
Sofia puts her hand on the table palm up andwiggles her fingers. I take my cue and put my hand in hers. “I solove you. Thank you for worrying about me.”
I smile and squeeze her hand. “I so love youtoo.”
“You know what, though?” I don’t answer,knowing she’ll go on. “Amy was out with those girls thatnight.”
My head jerks back. Amy is Sofia’s bestfriend, and has been since they were little girls. I’ve met Amy atDi Caro family functions, and she’s larger than life. If anythinghappened to her, Sofia would mourn for the rest of her life.
“Really? Is she all right?”
“The girls go to BU and Ames is friendly withone of them. Sky. Anyway, they’re in a class together and hit itoff. Sky likes to party, and the other girl is a friend of hers.They all went out together, but Amy had to get up early to work ona paper so she split about a half hour before Sky and her friendgot doped. Ames didn’t hear about it until the next day, then shefreaked.”
In my professional opinion, freaked is a damnappropriate reaction. “No doubt. Is she okay now?”
“Better. She comes over to eat with us acouple of times a week. Says it’s the only real nutrition she gets.Anyway, she was over on Tuesday and she seems to be dealing. Skywent home. Her folks insisted she take a couple of weeks off.” Iwould’ve made her transfer schools. “The other girl, I think hername is Jessica, she had a heart attack, and is still in thehospital, but she’s out of ICU. I don’t know how she’s doing sinceAmes hasn’t talked to Sky in a couple of days. I call Amy at leastonce a day, and I text her all day long. Matt told me to get herback over for dinner tomorrow night and make her stay the weekend.She agreed to dinner, but I don’t know if she’s going to stay. I’mworking on her.”
Sofia might be young, but she found a goodman to be her life mate. Both of them are wonderful, decentpeople.
“I hope Amy takes you up on the offer.”
“Me too, but she’s stubborn, and says shedoesn’t want to be a cock blocker.” I smile, and Sofia smiles back.“As if. Matt is not easy to deter. Trust me.”
“I do,” I say, chuckling.
She smiles. “Anyway, our room’s on the otherside of the apartment. If we want privacy, we can hang there.”
“I’m banking on you convincing Amy to staythe weekend.”
“I hope.”
“Has the school offered counseling to anyonewho wants it?”
“I don’t know since I don’t go to BU, but itmakes sense. And before you tell me to tell Amy to talk to someone,I did already. Again, stubborn. But if I think she’s bugging, I’llmake her go.”
“I know you will, Soph.”
***
I’m glad I went to the hear music. It took mymind off those girls. My friend and her Klezmer band are amazing –passionate and accomplished. I appreciate their expertise, but Idon’t think I could listen to that music on a regular basis.
On the drive home, I couldn’t shake thefeeling that I want to talk to Ross about Amy and the wholeincident at BU. He’s in law enforcement, and, unfortunately, whathappened to those girls happens all too frequently everywhere.Maybe he knows someone in Boston who can find out if that poor girlwho had the heart attack is going to be all right.
I know, I know. I’m empathizing with anothervictim. But truly, what woman wouldn’t? I remember that feeling ofbeing in college: halfway between being a kid and an adult. Worrieswere limited to academic pressures and dating woes. Sure, therewere assholes around, and my friends and I avoided them, and wewere careful when we went out. But no one expects to have theirdrink spiked by a random predator.
Ten years after college, and four years afterreceiving my PhD, I still don’t expect to be dragged out of a clubhalf out of it because I’ve been drugged.
Ross “yelled” at me for sleeping on acommuter train. Now I know why. He gets what being a woman aloneand vulnerable means in a sinister way. The things he must see andhear. I wonder if he sleeps at night.
I pull into the garage, click the door down,and sit there for a minute. I’m going to do it. I’m going to askRoss about the girl who had the heart attack, but I’m not going tobring up Amy. That’s too personal, and I don’t want to sharesomething Sofia told me in confidence.
After I dump my bag on the table in the fronthallway, I let Boo out of his crate. Poor dude, he’s been cooped upall day. Typically, I come home for lunch, take him out and playwith him, and I make sure I go straight home after work, even if Ihave something on that evening, so Boo can eat his dinner, and heand I can have some time together.
