Through It All

THIRTY TWO

Sophia arrived home thinking of the fruitful evening. After having lunch at the Lancaster house and letting Mrs. Lancaster know, or guess, her pregnancy, she felt a weight being lifted off her shoulders. They hadn't thought of making an announcement, they were satisfied with keeping it to themselves but now that someone else in the family knew, it makes her giddy with excitement. Gilda greeted her with a basketful of baby clothes. They sat on the baby's room's floor admiring the small clothes and spoke for hours about Sophia's childhood. How Sophia admired Gilda for being able to use the stove, or how Lucia used to pretend she was a doll so Sophia could play with her doll like hair. Keeping the conversation light and cheerful, nothing could bring her down.

Gilda left to the market and Sophia lays on the floor looking up at the ceiling, her mind free from trouble, from any pain. She takes a deep breath and allows herself descend in this happiness.

But there is a knock on the door.

Lily can't answer, she's outside doing her chores. Sophia answers the door with a broad smile on her face.

"Oh," Sophia's smile fades. "Daniel?"

Daniel stands before her, hair disheveled, clothes crumpled, eyes glazed, hands trembling. "Forgive me, I just really needed to see you."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Sophia says slightly pushing the door closed.

"I know, I know, but I saw you walking through town, and seeing you with him, made me so angry."

"Daniel, you've been drinking."

"That doesn't matter!" he exclaims. "I saw you with that man and it killed me. Do you know what it's like to die a little inside?"

Sophia nods pretending to be sympathetic. "You should leave, you are not well and I think you should go home to your wife and son, and..." Daniel steps forward firmly making her jump.

"We can't talk about it? I feel like we have to talk about it," he says miserably.

"We have talked about it, and we agreed to move on, move on with our marriages, and I..." but she's interrupted when he pushes through the door and she's forced to step back.

"I don't understand," he says. "No one can love you as much as I love you."

Sophia takes a look at her surroundings looking for some kind of weapon, for Daniel's state scares her and his unpredictability makes her shiver. "Leave this house this instant," she orders trying her best to sound firm but at the sight of Daniel closing and locking the door behind him, she realizes that there's nothing she can say to make him leave.

"Mrs. Lancaster?"

Sophia turns around and finds a fearful Lily standing timidly by the kitchen door. "Go get help," Sophia replies rapidly. "Go!"

Lily nods and rushes out, Daniel attempts towards Lily but Sophia grabs and chucks at him, the nearest thing she could find, but he ducks just in time, making the candleholder crash against the door.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he says taking slow steps towards her. "You belong to me, don't you understand? I was the first to kiss those lips," his eyes water and his voice breaks making her almost feel sorry for him, until he reaches out for her arms and attempts to kiss her.

Sophia pulls away rapidly and tries to run towards the book shelves which conceal Adam's rarely used gun, but Daniel's surprisingly fast and grabs her by the waist and pushes her against the wall strongly, he slams her hands against the wall and immobilizes her.

"You are mine," he whispers in her ear. Sophia pulls and pushes trying to free herself but Daniel's too strong, he turns her around roughly which gives her a chance to kick him on the chins and push him away. Again she tries for the gun but Daniel turns and holds on to her dress making her trip on the floor. She crawls as fast as she can but she feels his weight on her taking her breath away. He turns her and holds down her arms with his knees. "Why are you fighting this? Why?" he says almost crying. Her rejection frustrating him. "I haven't been with another woman, not even my own wife because I want you!"