The Ecstatic Life Of Sofia

Chapter Twenty-Two: Black and Blue

"Sofia!" He grabbed her into a hug and kiss. "I can't believe I missed you waking up."

Sofia felt a little uncomfortable acting like that in front of her family, she could feel her mom and brothers staring at her. "Don't worry, from what they've told me you've spent a lot of time here waiting for me to wake up. How are your parents?"

Anthony frowned. "Not real good, my dad got sick, that's the reason I left today actually. My mom called and asked me to walk down and visit him."

"Is it real bad?" Sofia felt her heart being squeezed.

"He's going to be fine." Anthony said firmly.

Sofia looked at him sadly, then wrapped her arms around him. At that moment her dad walked in. He looked like he wanted to say something, but he stayed quiet.

"Martin, sweetheart, why would you bring that in here? The girl hasn't eaten in months and the doctor said she needs to fast these first days." Her mother scolded her father.

"Oh Melissa, you worry too much. She's been on stricter diets before." Her father, Martin, turned to look at her. "Isn't that right?"

Sofia stared back at them, remembering all she had felt before she'd left them so long ago, and why she hadn't told them about this place. She always felt attacked around them, at least her parents, and her middle brother Clark when he was younger. They always had some insult or fault they pointed out in her. She felt a great deal of hostility towards them.

Anthony seemed to notice and he spoke up. "Could Sofia and I have a few minutes alone?"

Martin glared at him. "N-"

Melissa grabbed his arm and Clark picked up Marcus. "We'll be outside sweetheart." Melissa said.

"Thank you." Sofia said after the door closed.

Anthony smiled. "I'm glad you're okay." His hand caressed her face.

Sofia smiled, then it faded. "Tell me about Mr. Sala."

Mr. Sala had a heart attack and was in the ICU. He had woken up, but the doctors were still unsure what would happen.

Sofia herself had to stay under observation a few days, they were spent talking with Anthony and her family and figuring out what exactly she had missed.

Finally, the day she was released came, but she didn't leave the hospital. The first thing she did was visit the ICU, she asked for her family to wait for her at the inn, where they were all staying. She walked in and glanced down at him, he looked pitifully weak not at all the strong man she remembered. Sofia felt tears falling down her cheeks, she wiped at them furiously. As they continued falling, she gave up and sunk to her knees. Mr. Sala's hand came up to her head and rested there, she cried on the edge of his bed. She felt a strong hand on her shoulder, she caught a glimpse of Anthony and Mrs. Sala, when had they arrived?

Mr. Sala took a raspy breath. "I love you, wife. My sweet Margaret I love you."

Mrs. Sala gave a sad smile. "I love you too Thomas." Her voice was thick.

"Sofia," Mr. Sala began. "Since you arrived you've buzzed through our families life. You've made my wife and I so happy, you've become the daughter we never had and I am so proud of you."

Sofia smiled and stood up.

"Anthony, son, you have always been my greatest pride. I was hard on you. But I want you to know I've always loved you and everything you did filled my with pride and joy. I love you so much son." At that moment, as he said those words and squeezed Anthony's hand, he flat-lined.

The doctor rushed in, Anthony's face took on a look of devastation. Mrs. Sala cried and turned to hug Anthony. Sofia walked over and put her arms around them. She sobbed more, harder than before.

"I'm so sorry for your loss." The doctor's words were barely heard by Sofia that day, but in the next few days, they'd ring through her mind, reverberating almost like a curse.

Mrs. Sala and Sofia planned the funeral with much bitterness. How else could you plan a funeral, but with bitterness and sadness? The service was "lovely" as many people described it. Sofia had never thought of anything more ridiculous, a funeral wasn't "lovely" it was sad, filled with tears, and an air of depression and desperation hung around all who attened. Afterwards, many people who you've seen around town, but who never talked to you will come and tell you they're sorry for your loss and that the mourned was a great person who was very loved and in a better place. They'd place their hand on your shoulder or take your hand and give you a "reassuring" smile. Sofia only stared at those who greeted her, from far away she could hear herself saying something like "thank you" to them, but her mind and her spirit looked around with scared eyes, as though she had no idea where to go.

After the funeral, the worst part comes. You no longer have anything to avoid thinking and accepting what happened, the funeral was over, all you could do was go home and sit and think. Think about what had happened, think about the fact you'd never see the recently passed again, think about what to do with your life. Think, think, think! How Sofia had once loved the word, now she despised it with the same passion. She could almost say she hated it, but even with all that had happened, she couldn't make herself hate anything.

After a few days alone in her room, not eating, not sleeping, not even getting up, she finally moved. She stood, she had awoken and felt a little less sad, her heart hurt a little less, this gave her hope that someday the grief would be gone, that little by little it would shrink, it would hide itself and one day she'd realize she had learned to live with it.

She walked out, still dressed in black, her hair pinned up with a clip, into the living room. It was quiet, her family had left after the funeral, and Mrs. Sala and Anthony hadn't come to try and get her up. She guessed they were off mourning in their own way. She got worried when they were nowhere to be found. Sofia tentatively knocked at Anthony's door, she opened it and Anthony was sitting there, elbows on his knees. In his hands was a bottle of tequila, it hadn't been drunk, but it was open. She thought about sitting next to him, comforting him, but instead she closed the door and walked away.

She walked outside and a horrible smell hit her.