Disregard the Lies

Sadie walked into the store, getting ready for yet another autograph session. She still couldn’t wrap her mind around the fact that there were people out there that wanted her autograph. She saw Kyra standing in the corner of the store, and she made her way over to her. “So, how was your night last night with Hank?” Sadie asked her.

“Nothing happened,” Kyra stated immediately. “I’m not a whore like some people and try to hook up with the players,” she said without thinking. She looked over at Sadie, wide-eyed, as she realized what she had just said. “Sadie, that’s not what I meant,” she tried to backtrack. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that about you. I know you’re not a whore, and I didn’t mean it that way,” she rambled.

“Kyra,” Sadie interrupted, and Kyra looked up at her. “It’s fine. I know what you meant, and I wasn’t offended with what you said,” she assured her. “And, I was wondering more about how Sophia was last night. I mean, she was a little shaken after last night, and I wondered how she was around Hank,” she clarified.

“She was still a little shaken up, but she seemed perfectly fine around him. He was amazing with her last night, and I owe him a huge thank you,” Kyra told her.

“You know he would have helped you no matter what. He would have helped anyone,” Sadie pointed out as Maria called out that everyone needed to get to the tables to get ready to sign autographs. “Well, that’s our cue to go,” Sadie said. “Can you remind me again why these people want our autographs.”

“How many times do I have to tell you?” Kyra asked. “It’s all about our outfits,” she told her as she motioned towards their clothing.

“Oh, how could I forget?” Sadie asked sarcastically, making her way to the table and taking a seat between Ivy and Kyra, looking up at the long line of people and fighting the urge to roll her eyes at the people.

***

Over the next couple of weeks, Sadie and Kyra noticed a big change in Sophia’s personality. She was no longer the friendly, outgoing person she used to be when it came to interacting with male adults, not that either of them were too surprised. It seemed that she was herself when she was around Kyra and Sadie, but as soon as a man came up to her, she instantly turned into a shy, little girl.

Kyra and Sadie had tried to figure out what to do, but neither of them had a solution. “I think we should just give her time,” Sadie told her. “I mean, she went through a pretty traumatic experience, seeing her mom get hit by her boyfriend and then him try to attack both of you. Maybe she just needs some time,” she suggested.

“And, what happens if that doesn’t work?” Kyra asked, at a loss for what to do.

“I know you’re not going to like this idea, but you could always take her to a therapist,” Sadie told her. “Maybe they can help her get over this fear of men?”

“I’m not sending my four year old daughter to a shrink!” Kyra cried. “God, why did I ever get involved with Lance in the first place?” she asked, putting her head in her hands. “If I hadn’t ever started going out with him, Soph never would have been exposed, and she wouldn’t be scared around men any more. I can just see it now. She’s going to be twenty years old, and she’s going to be blaming me for all the problems in her life! Why am I such a bad mother?” she rambled.

“Okay, Kyra, you need to calm down,” Sadie told her. “First of all, you are not a bad mother. Lance was a terrible guy, but there was no way you could have known that. And, as far as Sophia goes, I think she just needs to gain the trust back. One day, you’re going to find this amazing guy, and he’s going to treat you and Soph like goddesses, and she’ll learn that all guys aren’t dicks, and she’ll be okay,” Sadie promised her.

“That’s never going to happen,” Kyra told her, and Sadie gave her a look that told her she didn’t understand. “I’m never going to date again,” Kyra explained.

“Kyra, stop being so dramatic!” Sadie laughed.

“No, I’m not even kidding,” Kyra told her seriously. “I’m never going on another date again.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. You’re going to go out this weekend,” Sadie told her. “I’m going to set you up with a guy that’s the complete opposite of Lance, and who will treat you and Sophia amazingly, okay. All you have to do is show up. I’ll watch Sophia for you.”

“Sadie,” Kyra began.

“No,” Sadie cut her off. “You’re going, and that’s final.”

***

“Hey,” Sadie said, opening the door to her apartment to reveal Kyra and Sophia on the other side. “I hope you don’t mind, but I invited Jonathan over here tonight. If Sophia’s uncomfortable with him, he’ll go, though,” she added.

“It’s fine,” Kyra told her. “And, by the look of things, Soph’s just fine with him,” she said with a laugh as Sophia ran over to Jonathan, grabbing a book out of her backpack she was wearing and giving it to him before jumping up into his lap to have him read it to her.

“Yeah, I think she’s okay with him,” Sadie laughed. “It must be because she knew him before the whole Lance fiasco or something,” she said with a shrug of her shoulders. “Okay, well, you need to get going before you’re late for your date,” she said, pushing her towards the door.

“Do I have to?” Kyra whined.

“Yes, and you’ll have an amazing time,” Sadie told her. “Remember, when you get to the restaurant, just say you’re there for Tim Manton,” she reminded her, and Kyra nodded her head as she reluctantly walked out the door.

Jonathan stopped reading for a moment, looking up at Sadie. “How do you think it’s going to go?” he asked her.

“I’m hoping okay, but honestly, I have no idea,” she admitted, walking over to him and Sophia, and sitting down next to them. She listened as Jonathan finished the story, and then she looked over at the two of them. “So, Sophia, are you hungry?” she asked. Sophia quickly nodded her head. “Okay, well what would you like to eat?” she asked.

“Sketty,” she told her, meaning ‘spaghetti’.

“Hmmm…” Sadie hummed, looking over at Jonathan. “I think we can manage that, can’t we?” she asked him, and he nodded his head. “You know, Jonathan makes like the best spaghetti in the world, and I bet if you asked him, he’d let you help,” Sadie told her with a smile.

Sophia quickly whipped her head around to look at Jonathan. “Can I help?” she asked, her big green eyes staring up at him.

“Of course,” Jonathan told her, causing a huge grin to spread across her face. “Come on, let’s go,” he said, and they both jumped off the couch, running into Sadie’s kitchen.

An hour later, Sadie was in the kitchen, trying to clean up the mess from the spaghetti. Somehow, a food fight had broken out, and there was spaghetti sauce all over the kitchen. She had just changed Sophia’s clothes, and she and Jonathan were now in the living room watching television. Sadie heard the doorbell ring, and she walked out of the kitchen to find Jonathan already standing up and walking towards the door.

“Kyra, what are you doing back already?” she asked, looking at her watch to see it was still early, and Kyra still should have been out on her date. “Was the date that bad?” she asked cautiously. She had picked Tim because he was the brother of one of her coworkers at the paper, and her friend had promised that he was a great guy.

“There was no date,” Kyra told her, picking Sophia up when she ran towards her mother.

“What do you mean?” Sadie asked, confused.

“He never showed up,” Kyra explained. “I waited at the table for an hour, and the waiter actually told me that I should give up on the guy since he was positive he wasn’t going to show,” she said, setting Sophia back down so she could go back to watching her cartoons. “Seriously, Sadie, I’m never dating again,” she stated.

“That’s a lie,” Sadie said, laughing.

“No, it’s not,” Kyra told her, shaking her head. “Why are you covered in food?” she asked, suddenly taking in Sadie’s appearance. “Is that spaghetti sauce?” she asked, taking a step towards her.

“Um, yeah,” Sadie told her with a small laugh. “There was kind of a food fight in my kitchen,” she admitted.

“What?” Kyra asked, her eyes going wide. “Did Sophia start it?” she questioned.

“No,” Sadie spoke up immediately. “Jonathan and I were messing around, and it kind of got out of hand. Well, you can see for yourself if you go to my kitchen,” she told her, and Kyra quickly walked to the kitchen to get a look.

“Oh my God,” she said slowly, seeing the food everywhere.

“Yeah, you should have seen it like twenty minutes ago,” Sadie told her, walking back out into the living room where Sophia was curled up next to Jonathan.

“How was Sophia for you?” Kyra asked, taking a look at the two of them on the couch and internally awing at the scene.

“She was a doll as always,” Sadie said with a smile. “Her and Jonathan got along well, and she had a blast helping him cook.”

“Seriously, if you weren’t dating Jonathan, I’d probably marry him right now,” Kyra said out of the blue.

“What?” Sadie asked with a laugh, glancing at Kyra.

“It’s just, she’s so comfortable around him,” Kyra explained. “I just wish I could find a guy that she’s comfortable around. But, no, every guy that comes near her that likes me she’s scared of.”

“Just give her some time,” Sadie told her. “You’ll find your Jonathan.”