Three Converts

Part 57

At home I was always up before Sophie, but by the time I woke the next day, she was already at the kitchen table with my friends. Rocco brought donuts, "I don't know what's wrong," he whispered to me, "But donuts have healing powers." I laughed with him, remembering my first donut with Annie. Maybe he was right. Sophie took a plain cake donut and for the first time I saw something besides fear and sadness on her face.

"This is just a round piece of heaven!" she exclaimed. I gave Rocco a thumbs up.

"I actually work at the donut shop. I'll take you there later if you want." It was bizarre to see Soph in real-world clothes. She looked so... normal. Even with her shaved head. I'd seen Misty's fashion magazines and it wasn't unusual to see a bald woman or two in them. I made a mental note to point that out to Sophie later.

Griffin excused himself to work on a project he'd promised to have done today, Misty left for work, and Rocco went to bed, complaining about the night shift. I didn't have to be into the donut shop until the afternoon, and was grateful for some time alone with Sophie now that she'd had some sleep and maybe her brain had settled a bit from whatever she'd been through.

"Want to got for a walk? Get some fresh air?" I asked. She cringed. "We'll go the opposite way of the commune."

"Is this a ploy to get me talking about my bald head?" She twisted her mouth almost playfully.

"A little," I answered truthfully.

She breathed in heavy. "Okay, let's go."

We didn't talk until we were on the same path to Sandston Valley that Griff and I were on last night. The path seemed dustier than normal, muffling our steps. I cleared my throat once to be sure we were still capable of making sound. Soph had never been this way, and I saw her take in the shrubbery that didn't grow on our mountain. She kicked a rock and I kicked it back. We poked it along the path until Sophie began.

"It turns out you were right." I didn't answer.

"About Franklin." I tucked my lips in and bit down on them hard.

"I just didn't realize... I'm so sorry he attacked you. I didn't know." Her voice was tight and she gave the rock a mighty kick. "A 'badger'" she spit the word out. Her fists were clenched. "I'm so stupid!"

"Soph. You are not stupid. You are wonderful. Kind, smart, funny. Tell me what happened."

"I loved him."

"Oh God," I prayed out loud. I knew the rest of the story. I didn't want to hear it from her any more, but it was too late. Her words were slipping out as fast as my tears.

"He was nice. He talked about us getting married and leading the commune, bringing more people to Diety and living happily for f-ing ever." Her anger jolted me so much I almost stopped crying, but not quite. "He said Diety told him the time wasn't right for us to get married, but that we didn't have to wait to live like we were married." We reached our kicking rock. I was ready to abandon it, but Sophie kicked it again. "It wasn't gentle or sweet, or anything like I imagined. After, he asked how I could ever help lead the commune when I was so weak. He was a different person. He dragged me to the council and told them I was shameful and dirty. They shaved my head, Luce! They took my hair." She began sobbing and I was in no position to comfort her through my sorrow. We crumpled to the ground.

"Mom and Dad don't know. I just left!" I held her lovely, prickly head and kissed it. When my tears slowed, the fury moved in.

"We'll figure it out, Soph. We'll get Mom and Dad. Soph, this is my fault. He was using you to get back at me."

"You don't think he ever loved me?"

"Oh God, Soph." My little sister was broken. "I don't think Franklin is capable of love. You are light and love and good and I am going to kill Franklin."

Sophie wiped her eyes. "You shouldn't say that, Luce." But I wouldn't retract that promise.