The Secret Life of Daydreams (29 page)

“Don’t worry. I’ll manage.”

“Josh is coming to get you home and he’ll watch you.”

Sofia sat up and her head screamed in protest. She fell back down against the pillows. “I must have not heard you right.”

“Yes, you did. Josh will be watching you for a few days.”

“I don’t need anyone to babysit me.” Least of all Josh. “I’ll be all right on my own.”

“Sofia.” Margarida had her mother-voice on. “You suffered a severe concussion. Paulo talked to the doctor as your ecclesiastical leader. The doctor is only releasing you because someone will be with you.” She paused. “We figured you’d prefer to be at home, but if you don’t, I guess you can talk to the doctor again.”

Sofia let out a long sigh. Of course Margarida was right. “No, I want to go home.”

“Don’t say it like that. It’s not the end of the world if Josh comes to help you. I thought you liked him.”

“Too much.”

“Oh.”

“Are you sure there’s no one else who can come watch me?”

“We tried, but on such short notice, we couldn’t find anyone available,” Margarida said.

A movement outside her door alerted Sofia to someone coming. She lowered her voice. “I’ve got to go. I’m not supposed to use the phone in here.”

“You little rebel. Call me when you’re feeling better.”

As the nurse entered the room, Sofia hid the phone under the sheet.

“Can you tell me your full name?”

“Ana Sofia Marques Monteiro.”

“Do you know where you are?”

“I’m at the district hospital of Braga.”

Sofia glanced at the clock on the wall. Two more hours and she’d be home.

* * *

Josh paused at Sofia’s front door after unlocking it and then stepped into to the foyer. Should he knock or just go in? Just to be safe, he knocked loudly on it before pushing it closed. “I’m back, Sofia.”

She was only supposed to get up to go to the bathroom and he didn’t want to catch her in an awkward situation.

“You don’t have to knock, Josh.” Her voice came from the living room sofa, where he’d left her.

He dropped the take-out food bags on the kitchen counter and stopped at the doorway. “Do you need a drink?”

Sofia lay on the couch, wearing red pajama bottoms and a white t-shirt, and her hair in a very loose ponytail. She gestured toward the coffee table where her glass sat untouched. “I’m okay.”

“Are you ready for dinner?”

“I’m not hungry.”

Josh walked in and sat on the stuffed chair. “You’ll have to eat when you take your medicine.”

Her eyes remained closed. “I know.”

Josh didn’t know what to do. Sofia didn’t want him there but he couldn’t leave her alone; she wasn’t well enough for that. She hadn’t said much when he had picked her up at the hospital. While the nurse read all the instructions, Sofia just sat in the wheelchair with a blank expression. Her head would hurt for a while, and she was most likely in pain. Josh kept the release papers where he could read them, to check on the instructions as needed.

Once they had arrived at the apartment, she’d insisted on walking, when it would have been so much easier for him to carry her. He’d helped Sofia get settled on the couch before he went out to get dinner, but she’d changed clothes and had pulled her hair back in a ponytail. She wasn’t supposed to. What if she’d fallen? Stubborn, independent girl.

He shuffled his feet against the floor tiles. “Okay. We’ll wait.” He walked back to the kitchen, looking for something to do.

“Josh?”

“Yes?”

“Come here and sit for a minute.” She grabbed a pillow and propped herself up.

Josh complied. “Do you need anything?” He waited to help her with the pillows but she waved him off.

“I need to thank you.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“For being here.” She swallowed. “I know this is an awkward situation, but I am grateful for your help.”

He shook his head. “You don’t need to thank me. I’m glad I can help.” Josh shifted in his seat. “I know you’d prefer to have Margarida, but it didn’t work out.”

Her lips quirked upwards. “Paulo told you?”

“He did.”

“Poor Margarida. She’s a mess. The beginnings of her pregnancies are hard.”

Josh nodded. In his opinion, women were amazing for carrying a baby for nine months and for everything they put up with in the duration.

Sofia was quiet for a minute, then turned to him. “Paulo said you were here when the ambulance came.”

“I was.”

“How did that happen?”

How could he explain it? He himself didn’t understand what had happened.

No, that wasn’t true.

Josh knew. He just wasn’t ready to admit to himself, let alone tell Sofia that the Holy Ghost had sent a warning powerful enough to wake him up.

Sofia waited.

“I woke up and had a feeling you needed help.” That was all he could manage for now.

“Do you know what happened?”

“What do you remember?”

Sofia brought her legs up onto the couch and crossed them, her movements slow and measured. “I woke to a loud noise and found Mother in the foyer, but I can’t remember much after that.”

“I think you whacked your head on the wall behind the door. What are these interior walls made of anyway?”

“Pre-fabricated cement brick panels with a plaster coating.”

No wonder she’d passed out. “This morning when I was fixing the door I noticed a small indentation on the wall. Do you know if it was there before?”

She started shaking her head, then winced and stopped. “No, I don’t think so.”

“That must be the spot where you hit, then.”

“Why were you fixing the door?”

Of course. She didn’t know. “Uh.” Josh rubbed the back of his neck. “I had to bust the door open. The chain was still on. It broke the wood where the screws ripped off. But I fixed it well; you can’t even tell see where the damage was.”

“Thank you. I’m sure you did a great job.” Two fat tears streamed down her cheek and she turned her head away from him, wiping her face with the back of her hand.

Josh moved from his seat and sat by her. “Hey.” He raised an arm and brought her closer to his side. “It’ll be okay. I’ll install a new chain.”

At first she resisted but then she snuggled up to him and smiled. “It’s not that, silly.” She poked him in the ribs and he twitched.

The only tickle spot and she’d found it already. “What is it?” Josh asked.

Her warm body molded next to his and her breath fell against his chest. “It’s Mother.” She sighed. “I’m worried about her.”

“I’ll take you to see her when you’re feeling better.”

Sofia rested a hand on his chest. “You will?”

“Of course.” Josh dropped a kiss on her head. He’d do anything for her and he’d stay for as long as she needed him. So much for his plan to leave soon and his resolution to stay away from her.

She was quiet for a while and started relaxing against him. He could stay like this all night, with her in his arms, but just because it felt right and natural, it didn’t mean it was a good idea. She was emotionally vulnerable and his attraction for her was too strong. It would be better to stay vigilant of both their feelings.

Josh indulged a few more minutes. But her pain medicine was due soon and she needed dinner with it.

He touched her arm. “Sofia. It’s time for your medicine. I’m going to warm up your dinner. Do you want it here or in the kitchen?”

She straightened away from him, then found the pillow on the other side and fell against it. “Can I just stay here? My head hurts.”

Josh stood and turned on the lights in the kitchen. Sofia covered her eyes. He got the container with the vegetable soup from the refrigerator, filled a bowl, and stuck it in the microwave. He returned to the living room a few minutes later with the soup, a small roll, and a glass of water on a tray, along with her medicine.

She reached for the pill first and drank the whole glass of water. Even half-asleep and with a headache, Sofia ate most of the soup. When she was done, he carried her to her bedroom.

“I can walk, Josh,” she said. Her words were slow.

“I’m sure you can, but I’m not taking any chances.” He sat her on the edge of the bed and placed his hands on her shoulders for support. “Do you need help to the bathroom?”

She tried to straighten and swayed a little. “No. I can do it by myself.”

“I meant to the door.”

“Okay. Just to the door. But then leave.”

“If you promise to call me when you’re done.”

She nodded.

While waiting, Josh cleaned the few dishes in the kitchen sink, wiped down the counters and table, and swept the floor. When he heard the bathroom door unlock, he hurried to help Sofia back to her bed.

She settled against the pillows and her expression relaxed, her eyes closed. “Where are you going to sleep?”

“On the couch.”

“It’s too small for you.”

“It’s okay. I don’t want to get too comfortable.”

“Why not?” Her voice was low and a little slurred.

Josh knelt by the bed and brushed her hair away from her eyes. “Because I have to wake you up every hour to make sure you’re okay. Doctor’s orders.”

Her eyes squinted at him. “No.” He nodded and she squeezed her face in displeasure. “Why?”

“Because I care too much about you.” Josh brushed a beijinho on her cheek.

Sofia’s lips curled in a little smile. “Okay.”

Josh left her bedroom door open, and the one to the hallway as well. With the warm temperatures during the day, the apartment was hot. He pulled the rolling blinds halfway up on all windows and sliding doors for the night breeze to cool the air inside, like he’d learn to do when he was on his mission to compensate for the lack of air-conditioning units.

After changing into shorts and an old t-shirt, he found an extra pillow in the linen closet, put a pillowcase on it, and laid down a flat sheet on the couch. Then he got his cell phone and set alarms for one hour apart until five o’clock in the morning, when her medicine was due.

Josh folded his arms behind his head and watched the sporadic lights of cars passing by on the street below fall in long patterns on the ceiling.

Sofia lay in her bed a few feet away, and he yearned to be with her.

Josh let out a deep breath. It was going to be a long night.

Something pinned Josh down on his right side and arm. Something warm and soft and very comfortable.

Josh’s eyes shot open and he sucked in a breath.

Sofia.

Tentatively, he reached with his left hand and touched her hair and arm, confirming what he already knew. He was in Sofia’s bed, separated from her by a thin white sheet.

Oh crap.

Josh scrambled out of bed and Sofia fell against the mattress. “Ow. My head,” she said.

The digital clock on her dresser read six twenty-three. Almost an hour and a half past the time for the medicine. Josh sat on the bed and touched her arm. “I’m sorry. I’ll bring your medicine right over.”

When he returned, Sofia was slowly walking back from the bathroom, with a hand to the wall. Josh set the glass down and hurried to her side. “Hey, you’re supposed to call me.”

She sat against the pillows, closed her eyes, and took a breath. “I couldn’t wait any longer.” She opened her eyes. “Did you have to push a glass of water at me every time you woke me up?” Hands trembling, she took the pill from his hand and swallowed it.

“The release papers said to keep you hydrated.”

Sofia nodded slowly. “How did you end up in my bed?”

His neck heated. “I’m so sorry. You must know I’d never take advantage of you.”

“I know, don’t worry. I’m just curious.”

“You were crying in your sleep when I came in around three-thirty.”

Sofia cracked her eyes open and gave him a puzzled look. “I can’t remember.”