Free Me...

The Call - 2

Up on the boardwalk a pair of eyes watched closely, smiling with amusement as the girls laughed with the kids. A tightening in the chest of the owner of the eyes made him take in a sharp breath. This girl was becoming dangerous, but in a good way. Kyle had an uncanny flash of her with what could be their kids. He shook his head. This was too fast, but as he continued to look straight at her, he felt an almost tangible twist deep down. This was something he hadn't felt before. "What if..." he thought to himself. "What if."

***

He was in his office, trying to focus on the spreadsheet in front of him. But he was having more difficulty than he'd ever had before, keeping his mind on the work. He'd never had this problem. He was usually very self-controlled when he was working. His thoughts kept drifting to the beauty that he saw the Saturday after the braai. It was true, flashes of well toned, bronzed legs and lithe dancing entered his mind's eye. But more than often than that image, was her smile and the way it lit up her eyes. He kept seeing the way she laughed, not a polite laugh, but a wholehearted laugh, like her whole being was in it. She seemed to wear her heart on her sleeve. But it was an honest heart he thought. 

He didn't intrude the day he watched her on the beach. He knew she had been hesitant at the braai to get too close to him. He had a gut feeling that he shouldn't push her. That she needed a little space. He sighed heavily, running his hand through his hair. He glanced at his phone and decided it was time. It was Tuesday. Any longer and she would be thinking he wasn't serious about calling her up. 

He picked up his phone, scrolled through to her name and called. It rang once, twice, then a third time. He was just beginning to think she wasn't going to answer, and beginning to get nervous at that, when he heard a laughing, breathless voice say distractedly, "Hello!" More laughter. This was interesting he thought to himself. 

"Hello. Sophia?"

"Ssshhh!" the voice hissed on the other end. "Stop it. Ah, hi! This is she. To whom am I speaking?"

"Hi Sophia. It's Kyle." 

He heard a thud on the other end of the line. "Damn!" he thought to himself. What if that was the boy? He seriously hoped not. An almost irrational flash of anger rose in him. 

"Em! Stop it!" He breathed a sigh of relief. He felt more relief than he should have felt. How did this girl get under his skin so quickly and so deeply? "Sorry Kyle. Em is being a retard!"

"Ya, no problem. What is going on there?"

"Pillow fight," he heard her grin through her answer.

He smiled. "Right." He really wanted to ask why. "Pillow fight. Everyone has to have those with their best friends at least once a month," he lamely joked. 

"Ah, I guess." 

Smooth Kyle, smooth man, he thought to himself.

"So what's up?" she asked.

"Well, I'll get right to it. I just wanted to find out about dinner." 

Pause.

Damn, he hoped he wasn't going to be put off again!

"What about dinner?"

Yes! He wasn't out of this yet. Not by a long shot! Be straight about this man. But give her a choice. 

"Would you like to go out to dinner Saturday night?"

Another pause. A longer one. 

"Soph? You still with me over there?"

***

She knew he was going to ask her. He had said he would call. She was glad that he had enough balls to stick to his word and do what he said he would do. But she had the same sense of anxiety that she had at the braai. She knew she shouldn't, but she couldn't help it. Come on Soph! Pull yourself together. This is a good thing, right?