Finding the Piece That Fits

She never wanted to be one of those girls, the ones that couldn't walk away from a boyfriend when things weren't right. Not once did he lay a hand on her, but the emotional abuse day in and day out really did a number on her. Sonya had always been an independent child and that stayed with her for her whole life. She had met Matthew in college in an early English class. She had been planning to take later classes that way she could sleep in, but she didn't want to drop the class and she just didn't feel like crashing the class in hopes of getting a spot. They became partners for a project and after that things clicked. Things were going so well that she even brought him to her best friend's wedding. She had know Melanie for her whole life and although she was older, they were still extremely tight.

When Melanie and her husband got back from their honeymoon, they had gone to dinner as a double date kind of thing. The only problem was that Melanie didn't like Matthew, she thought he was a jerk and she had been right from day one. Her husband agreed, but only said so when Matthew wasn't around. Sonya had wished she listened to Melanie the first time she told her to get rid of Matthew, but she just couldn't.

That's how she found herself in the guest bedroom of Melanie's home in North Carolina. It hurt thinking about Matthew and sure it had only been a few days, but she couldn't get over how things seemed to change so suddenly. She wanted things to change, but how could things work when she did all the work and all she got in return was insult after insult. When she finally got the strength to leave him, she did and she refused to look back. That was how she ended up on Melanie's doorstep late in the evening. Sonya had been surprised that she was still awake, but didn't say anything besides that she had left Matthew and didn't know where else to go.

Without a second thought, Melanie brought her into the house and let her stay in the guest bedroom. Soon after she had gotten settled in, Sonya heard the front door open and close. “Cam has been on a road trip. The team came back tonight. Get some sleep. We'll talk tomorrow.” Melanie told her. There was no lecture for staying with Matthew for as long as she had, there was no I told you so. All there was was, was a friend opening her house and heart to a friend in need. It was one thing that she needed more than anything else.

Waking up the next morning, she had to remember everything that happened and that she had finally left him. The reason she hadn't talked to some of her friends in months. She hadn't been herself when she was with him, it was like she had changed to be with him. What she didn't understand was how she let it get so far. Melanie had warned her, but Melanie had the perfect life. She was married with a career as an advice columnist for a magazine and she was pregnant with their first child. Sure Cam was away a lot, but they loved each other and were good for one another. Why couldn't she find the guy that would treat her like a princess, like the way Cam did for Melanie even when she hated it. What they had was something special and she wished that she could have something like that, she wanted that with Matthew, but she knew that would never happen.

Sitting up in bed, she was still wrapped in the covers when Melanie walked in holding a large cup of coffee in her hands. “Hey sleepy head. Tanya and Eric are here, you remember them, right?”

Sonya wrapped her arms around her knees and hugged them to her chest and nodded her head. “Well they are over and so is Jared. He's Eric's youngest brother. He just got traded to the Hurricanes. He's about the same age as you.”

“Melanie...” Sonya sighed.

“I know everything is fresh in your mind, but you need to forget about him, he was never worth your time or your energy.”

“It didn't stop me from loving him.”

“There is a shower down the fall and some clothes that are in the closet that should fit you. Come downstairs when your ready. If you feel up to it.”

“I think I'd rather just be alone for a while, Mel.”

“Okay, if you need something, just ask.”

Sonya smiled at Melanie's retreating back, she knew that she'd be a great mother when her own came, which in reality couldn't be soon enough. Cam thought she looked beautiful while pregnant, but she disagreed. She'd always been good with kids, even when they were kids themselves. It was one of the things that set her apart from the others that were constantly surrounding her with promises of friendship. Melanie had a hard exterior and at first it was hard to figure out how to make it crumble, but once it did, you would be able to see the great person she was. It had taken Cam awhile to get her to open up to him, but his persistence eventually paid off in the long run.

After a shower and getting dressed she made her way downstairs. Her hair was pulled to the side and she was in some of Melanie's clothes before she had to switch to the maternity clothes. She had seen and met Eric and Tanya Staal last year at Melanie and Cam's wedding, but she hadn't met the younger Staal before. Lifting her eyes, she met Cam's brown ones and he smiled as he handed baby Parker Staal back to Melanie. As he went to get off, Sonya walked towards the kitchen and walked out the back door and sat at the pool edge with her feet in the water.

Life was forever changing, she knew that, but how was she going adjust was the real worry. She knew eventually she would have to go back and at least get her stuff out of the apartment they had shared. It had been less than a day and she already missed him. She missed the way he smelled, the way he held her at night when they were sleeping, the grin on his face as if he had said something funny. There were things she didn't miss, like the way he talked down to her, how he made her feel stupid and sometimes even inferior to him. There were a lot of bad things about about Matthew, but she accepted the bad and the good in a package deal. She could have been in a worse situation although hers was pretty bad, she only wished that she had been able to see it before everything else happened. Listening to Melanie in the beginning would have saved her a lot of trouble and many tears along with a broken heart. One that she didn't even know where to start looking for all the pieces.

The water on her feet felt good, it felt like she was a kid again and she had no worries. She was back home with her parents still married and Melanie was hanging with her in the summer and life was easy back then. She didn't understand why life had to become harder as you got older. It should have gotten easier, but that was the way of life.

“I gots floaties for da pool. Auntie Mellie says that I can go in da pool wif her afters we eats lunch.”

Looking to the side of her, she saw a little boy. It had to be Eric and Tanya's son Parker. Melanie had told her last year when the little boy was born. She had sent them an outfit in a friendly gesture. She had received a hand written thank you card from both Mr. and Mrs. Staal. They didn't have to do that, but she appreciated the gesture.

Taking her feet out of the pool, she looked at the little boy. He was a replica of his father, at least in the way of looks. He was a cutie, no question and very friendly. After about ten minutes of listening to Parker talk and ask questions, she heard someone yell the little boy's name in panic. “I think someone is looking for you.”

“Uncle Jar.” Parker told her and soon enough a guy with a pair of beautiful blue eyes and red hair rushed out of the doors and caught her own eyes before noticing Parker sitting next to her.

“Parker, where have you been?”

“I be here. Auntie Mellie gonna goes in da pool after lunch.”

“Are you bugging people, Parker?”

“No.” Parker told him drawling out the o sound.

“I thought he was with Melanie, I didn't mean for him to bother you.”

“He hasn't,” Sonya told him. “He's a cute kid.”

“Yeah, its a Staal thing.”

Sonya couldn't help but laugh as she watched Jared take a seat behind Parker. Sonya wasn't sure how she was supposed to respond to that. Was he just joking or was he being cocky?Lowering her eyes, she looked at the water and stayed silent. Had it been that long that she had been the company of another man that wasn't Matthew? Everything felt foreign to her and she hated it. She hated him for what he did to her, but she also hated herself for letting it go on for as long as it had.

“So your Melanie's friend that's staying with them for a bit?” the guy asked.

“Yeah, I'm a friend of Melanie's.”

“I'm Jared.” He said offering his hand and she reached over and shook it.

“There you two are. Hey Jared, the four of us are going out for awhile. We're going to take Parker to a water park.” Cam called out from the patio door.

“Aren't you a little old for that kind of stuff?” Sonya called back to Cam who had a grin on his face.

“You are never too old. Melanie is mad cause she can't go on any of the slides.”

“Well she is pregnant.” Sonya said as she used her hand to shield her eyes from the sun.

“Not for that much longer,” Cam grinned. “Oh and Sonya, would you mind showing Jared around since he's new and all?”

“Well I was gonna-”

“Please?” Cam asked.

“Yeah, sure,” she told Cam before looking at Jared. “I'll go grab my bag.”

Getting up, she walked inside the house. Cam gave her a hug before she passed by him and headed up the stairs to her temporary bedroom.

After a few hours of driving around and showing Jared things in Raleigh, they found themselves at a cafe having a bite to eat. “Am I really that bad of company?”

Sonya's head snapped up and looked up into his eyes. “I'm sorry?”

“Well I've cracking jokes any chance I had and I have yet to see a smile on your face. And I bet when you do smile its really pretty.”

“I'm just going through some stuff at the moment and I guess I'm not all here.”

“He must have done a real number on you,” Jared said. “I just hope that he hasn't ruined your trust in all men.”

“No,” Sonya said. “I have a brother and I love him dearly.”

“That wasn't what I meant.”

“It wasn't?”

Jared shook his head. “No, I'm just hoping that this douche bag hasn't ruined you for guys in the future.”

“Calling him a douche is being nice about it.”

“So it there a chance a nice guy like me stands a chance to put your heart back together?”

For the first time since she realized what a mess her love life had become, Sonya smiled. A true smile and she knew she didn't have to worry for too much longer about what life had in store. She knew that since she closed the door on Matthew another one had opened up and Jared Staal was holding the door open for her.