The evening stars

In the car

The evening was coming to an end. The noisy bustle, the laughter of children, and the conversations of adults gradually faded away, giving way to a calm silence. The guests began to leave, taking with them the remnants of good cheer. The house was filled with a sense of pleasant fatigue when the last door finally slammed shut, and Sophie, who had been sitting on the edge of the sofa, got up to help Rachel with the cleaning.

— Oh, what a busy day, — sighed Rachel, taking off her shoes and tossing them into the corner. — Thank you for staying. I really need this right now.

— Yes, of course, — smiled Sophie. — The celebration turned out to be wonderful. Sam was so happy. I saw how she shone all evening.

Rachel nodded, picking up the plates and cups from the table. She looked slightly tired, but content.

— Yes, I tried to make this day special for her, — she said. — And it seems that everything worked out. Moreover, all these decorations and the cake are thanks to Alex. He suggested the theme for the party himself.

Sophie noticed that when Rachel mentioned her husband's name, there was a certain special feeling that slipped into her voice. She couldn't understand whether it was happiness or something else. But, looking at Rachel, I saw a slight smile on her face, as if the memories of the celebration were pleasant and dear to her.

— Alex really put in the effort, — Sophie supported her. — Everything was perfect. Even I, at one point, felt like a child.

They continued to clean up the remnants of the party, putting away toys, smoothing out napkins, and gathering up gift wrappers. The work was progressing quickly, and the conversation flowed effortlessly.

"Thank you for introducing me to Alex," Sophie suddenly said. — He... he seemed to me like a very pleasant person.

Rachel stopped and looked at Sophie, her eyes became serious.

— Yes, he is like that, — she replied. — But... You know, it's not always straightforward with him. Work takes up too much of his time. Sometimes it seems that his company takes first place in his life. And yet, he is a wonderful father to Sam.

Sophie felt a growing desire to learn more about Alex's life, but she held back, hesitant to ask personal questions. She just nodded, continuing to clear the remnants of the treats from the table.

At that moment, Sam peeked into the room, having been playing with her new toys in her own room before.

— Mom, Sophie, can I help you? — she asked, yawning.

— No, dear, go to sleep, — Rachel replied gently. — Today was a long day. Sophie has already helped me enough.

Sam smiled, approached Sophie, and hugged her.

— Thank you for coming to my birthday, Sophie. It was the best I could have imagined.

Sophie hugged the girl in return, feeling her heart fill with warmth.

— It was very nice for me to be here too, Sam, — she said. — Good night.

Sam wished them both good night and, yawning, trudged off to her room.

When Sam disappeared behind the door, Rachel turned back to Sophie, her face serious yet calm.

— You were there for me when I needed it. Thank you, Sophie. I really appreciate it.

— You can always count on me, — Sophie replied, feeling their friendship grow even stronger.

They finished cleaning, and Rachel suggested to Sophie that they have a cup of tea to end the evening on a calm note. Sophie, although she wanted to stay, understood that she needed to get some sleep to avoid feeling worn out at work after the long party, so they agreed to meet with Rachel as soon as possible.

Sophie began to pack up to go home, feeling a slight fatigue mixed with a pleasant satisfaction from the evening spent. She took her coat, neatly folded over the back of the chair, and put it on, feeling the cozy fabric wrap around her shoulders. Rachel watched her with a smile, but a hint of fatigue was evident in her eyes.

— Thank you for your help, Sophie, — she said, leaning on the table. — I don't know what I would do without you.

— You're always welcome, — Sophie replied with a warm smile.

She took her phone out of her bag and opened the taxi-hailing app. However, as soon as she entered her address, the screen displayed a long wait time. It was likely that the whole city was bustling today, and finding an available taxi turned out to be quite a challenge.

— Oh, it seems we'll have to wait a little, — Sophie said with a hint of disappointment, showing Rachel the phone screen. — Apparently, the evening was busy not just for us.

At that moment, Alex walked into the room, finishing a phone conversation. He looked slightly tired, but still energetic, as if after a long day, work was still spinning in his mind. He glanced at Sophie and Rachel standing by the door and immediately grasped the situation.

— Do you have problems with the taxi? — he asked, raising an eyebrow.

— Yes, I can't call a car, — Sophie admitted. — Apparently, the evening traffic in the city is taking its toll.

Alex paused for a moment, then said resolutely:

— Why don't I just give you a ride? It's not a problem.