Sophie's Path by Catherine Lanigan Page A

Unless they relocated far from home, it was as if they were all stuck in a vat of molasses. Fleetingly, she wondered if this inertia, this lack of “normal” growth into adulthood, had any effect on the rising drug problem in their town.
    Katia was still beaming a megawatt smile. “So, do you mind if I sit here, or were you waiting for someone? Knowing you, the next handsome hunk walking through that door doesn’t stand a chance.”
    Sophie winced. Katia wasn’t being catty or petty. She probably thought she was being complimentary. The old Sophie would have agreed with her. Bring ’em on. That had been Sophie’s motto for years. But not anymore. “Uh, I don’t think so,” Sophie replied, squirting ketchup onto the side of her plate.
    Katia eyed her as she signaled the waitress. “I’ll have an iced tea and a romaine salad. Dressing on the side.”
    Katia propped an elbow on the counter and turned to Sophie. A shower of auburn hair fell over her shoulder, acting like a privacy curtain. “It’s pretty coincidental that I ran into you today,” Katia said. “Jack and I were talking about you only this morning.”
    Sophie sucked in a breath. “Really? Nothing good, I’m sure.”
    Katia put her hand on Sophie’s shoulder.
    Great. It’s that bad.
    Since the accident, Sophie had been so busy with her job and battling her own demons that she’d almost pushed Jack Carter from her mind. Almost.
    â€œTo be honest, Sophie, I’m worried about him. He’s taken Aleah’s death very hard. Austin and I went to her service with Jack. I’d expected him to need our help to get through the day, but he was...well, I’ve never seen him like that. He’s always been the strong one in his family, you know? None of us had even known her more than a few months. But Jack is acting like she was his sister or daughter or something. I don’t have any idea what to say to him.”
    â€œThere’s nothing you can say, Katia,” Sophie reassured her. “Grief is its own timekeeper. Some people move on in a few weeks. Others never quite get there.”
    Katia examined Sophie’s face. “And what about you?”
    â€œWhat about me?” Sophie parroted with more sarcasm in her voice than she’d intended. She was instantly defensive.
    How could Katia really know her when Sophie was in the process of regrouping? Reinventing herself?
    â€œI don’t need a medical degree to figure out that those dark smudges under your eyes are not from too much mascara,” Katia whispered compassionately.
    â€œOh, that.”
    â€œAnd that’s a lot of comfort food on your plate.”
    â€œYeah, well.” Sophie sighed, feeling like the culprit in a sinister caper.
    Katia frowned. “Mashed potatoes was my go-to food. That was when I left Indian Lake heartbroken over Austin.”
    Sophie followed Katia’s eyes to the burger. “Hmm. Not very original of me.”
    â€œNo.” Katia leaned back as her salad and iced tea were served. “I’m guessing you’re as upset about Aleah as Jack is.”
    Sophie needed to bob and weave. She didn’t want Katia running back to Jack with some tale of woe that he could use against her. If Sophie told Katia anything that resembled guilt or wrongdoing, Jack could sue her and the hospital. Sophie didn’t really know Katia that well. And she was in the insurance business, after all. What if Katia’s friendliness was an act? What if she’d been sent to spy on Sophie? “You’re very observant, Katia.”
    â€œI think I can help, Sophie,” Katia said, spearing a cherry tomato with her fork. “Spend a day in the city with me?”
    â€œWhat on earth for?”
    â€œFor fun. We’ll go to lunch. Window-shop and pretend to buy clothes we can’t afford. It’s the kind of thing you do to take your mind off your