The Touch of Her Voice by Sara Scott

Author:Sara Scott [Scott, Sara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Lesbian romance novel
Publisher: Word Craft, LLC
Published: 2022-05-23T17:00:00+00:00

Fifteen

Sophie and I worked to restructure and rebalance our lives and recommitted to the things that had initially defined us. We danced every Saturday evening. Thursday evenings, I arrived at Baxter, Cragen & Reed and worked on school projects until Sophie was ready to go home. All household chores were done in one frantic frenzy on Sunday mornings, which freed us for time together in the afternoon. The structure worked well for us and kept us connected.

We instituted a weekly check-in that had no time limit or dedicated structure beyond open and honest sharing. I worked on tempering my tendency to use sarcasm or flippancy to mask my deeper emotions, and Sophie worked on sharing her fears and letting herself be vulnerable. When Sophie first started to share some of her deeper feelings and fears it was as though a dam had burst, spilling everything.

The only feelings that Sophie continued to keep close to her heart concerned her father. Her outward display regarding William remained thoughtful and composed. Occasionally she mentioned her desire to please him and her confusion about his attitude toward her, but that was as much as she shared. My only real glimpse into Sophie’s need for a father-figure was what I had seen with Henry Baxter. Henry had nurtured and affirmed her and had given her the father-daughter relationship she had never had.

However, one early autumn day as we made an infrequent pilgrimage to the “Barnes Family Farm and Creamery,” Sophie surprised me. We were a few miles from the farm when Sophie shared, “I’m about at the end. I’m not sure I can keep doing this.”

I knew immediately she was talking about her father. I didn’t respond right away, but I had been at the “end” with William Barnes since the first time I met him. His treatment of Sophie was demeaning and despicable and made me furious. I wanted to say something affirming, but I wasn’t sure I could guarantee a neutral tone. I simply touched Sophie’s arm, hoping she would continue.

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about this visit. Things just seem to get worse with my father.” She looked over at me, and I nodded my silent affirmation. “Dad and I never really talked all that much in the first place, but now we don’t talk at all. For more years than I can count it’s been a case of diminishing returns.” Sophie sighed. “Every time we visit, my stomach’s in knots for days before and after. I’m caught in that definition of insanity — doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results.”

“The rest of your family always seems glad when you visit. They certainly love you.” My eyes opened wide as I realized my verbal gaffe, and I hastily tried to cover my mistake. “I didn’t mean that your father doesn’t love you.”

“Jensy, it’s okay.” Sophie looked out the window as the farmland rolled by. “You know, I used to think I had just disappointed him as I

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