Sofia: Phoenix Rising - Fire and Water Book 2
Chapter 27

CHAPTER 27

I would like to say that the rest of the week flew by, but it didn’t. It dragged on as though tied to a leash and pulled by a snail. Finally, the bell rings though and we all hurriedly drop books off at our lockers and then grabbing our jackets, quickly leave the building.

Ash had told Charlie to meet us at my house in The Nest at 3:30 today which gave us approximately fifteen minutes to get over there. “Dude! Slow down. You don’t need to speed. If we’re late to my house, we’re late. Charlie can wait,” I say as Ash takes a corner just a little too quickly for my liking causing me to grimace and clutch onto the ‘oh shit’ bar. He chuckles but slows down. Glaring at him, I pick up my phone and shoot Lori a text making sure she is still able to meet us and then Ash is driving through the barrier and into my driveway.

After last weekend’s trip, I am wise enough to wear warmer clothes, plus a winter jacket, gloves, beanie and scarf. While I am up in my bedroom grabbing these extra items, I can hear Ash open the front door and then I hear Lori and Charlie’s voices. Knowing they are probably waiting on me to come down, I hurriedly finish up and dash down the stairs to replace them all hanging out in the kitchen. “Would anyone like me to make some tea before we go,” Charlie offers as I enter.

“No!” I say quickly. I’m not sure why, I just know I do not want to accept anything further from her. I seem to replace myself in crazy situations after drinking her beverages. “I mean, I told Diana we would do our best to be in Ashtabula as close to five as we can be. She wanted to make dinner for all of us before we venture out to the lake tonight.”

The drive feels like it takes us four hours, but it is the same two-hour drive as before. Trying to keep the silence from settling down around us, I begin to talk about random things with Lori the top subject though is Diana and Jacob. “So, tell me more about these two?” Lori says out loud as I sit next to her in the back seat. However, she leans over to me and whispers, “tell me more about this Jacob guy. Is he cute?” I roll my eyes at her but grin and nod my head yes.

“He’s hot,” I state so that just she can hear. “Not Ash hot, but hot. You will definitely replace him attractive.” I hear her sigh and see a wistfulness flicker in her eyes. I know she wants to replace ’true love’, and even though this trip is about replaceing and rescuing my parents, I would not be upset if she found love too! I give her as much detail about Jacob as I can remember but trail off as I hear Charlie talking with Ash in the front seat.

“I feel like a teenager again,” she says giddily to him. I can hear excitement in her voice as she speaks. “I haven’t felt this exuberant since... well, in a very long time.” Charlie giggles and I hear what sounds like an awkward, forced laugh coming from Ash. Is she torturing you? I laugh telepathically at Ash and his response is a quick one, shut it! This causes me to burst out loud in laughter and I bite my lip to stop myself, so no one questions me as to why. Lori looks over at me confused as to why I just burst out in laughter. However, I just shake my head and try hard to suppress my laughter.

Diana’s stone covered driveway comes into view before I am able to tease Ash any further, but I catch his eyes in the review mirror, see them twinkling as he looks at me and smiles. I hear him in my head, but I also see him mouth the words, ’I love you’. As he puts his Jeep in park, he winks at me before turning the engine off and getting out. He walks quickly around to the front passenger door, opens it and helps Charlie out of his vehicle.

Spotting Diana standing in the doorway to her home, I jump out of the backseat and run swiftly up her sidewalk and into her embrace. “Sofia dear, it’s so good to see you again. Shall we all go inside?” She asks as she peers behind me and notices Lori and Charlie standing at my back. Nodding my head yes, Diana steps to the side and we all walk into the foyer.

“Jacob is in the kitchen working on dinner for all of us. We can all go sit in the living room and get acquainted. Jacob will join us soon, I’m sure.” Diana has a wide smile upon her face as she says this, and we all follow her to her sitting room. As we all take seats, I look around the country-style room; it reminds me of how a farmhouse from the 1920’s might have looked.

“So, you of course already know Ash,” I say as I place a hand on his thigh. “This is my best friend Lori,” pointing to my right I smile widely at Lori. “And over there is Charlie. A good friend of my parents and now a friend to me as well.” I feel like I am being forced to say that so that Charlie won’t take offense because really, I have felt less and less like a friend to her of late. I glance at Diana briefly but turn my eyes from her for fear she can sense my thought.

“It is nice to meet you both. Odd though, I thought there was going to be a fourth person with you. What was the name that had popped into my head? Oh yes, Blake. Where is your friend Blake, Sofia?” My mouth falls open in shock. How does she know Blake’s name? And why in the stars would she think he would have come with us?

Before I am able to question her as to why she has this thought though, Jacob saunters into the room. I hear Lori gasp and then sigh in appreciation as her eyes fall upon his being. Leaning close to her I whisper, “close your mouth before a fly ends up landing inside it.” She automatically clamps her mouth shut, clenching her jaw and then gives me a glare which causes me to giggle.

Just as I go to introduce Jacob to Lori and Charlie, Diana steps in and does the introduction for me. I watch as Jacob and Lori’s gaze locks on one another and am quite intrigued to see sparks ignite in both their eyes. My soul soars as I look at the two of them and I wonder if maybe Diana and I can’t collaborate with each other to hook them up.

Jacob says he hears the oven beeping and that we should all gather at the kitchen table because dinner is ready. I do not hesitate and jump to my feet immediately because if my sense of smell is correct, they have made us lasagna which happens to be one of my favorite meals! Having all taken a seat, I notice that the only open seat left for Jacob to take when he brings the casserole dish out to the table is directly in between his mother and Lori. Excitement!

“Oh my gosh,” Lori gushes as she gazes at Jacob. “I think hands down, that is the best lasagna I have ever had, and my parents are Italian!” Jacob is grinning from ear to ear as she states this, and I can’t help but bounce my head back and forth between the two. Is anyone else noticing their connection? Moments like this is what has me a believer that everything in this world happens for a reason. I turn my eyes to Diana who looks at me just now and I see a knowing smile glimmering in her eyes too. Their spark has not gone unnoticed by her either.

Everyone chimes in though that Jacob really had made an amazing meal and we all thank him and Diana. Slowly all depart from the table, but I choose to stay behind. I want to help Diana clean up the dishes and I have an ulterior motive as well. I want to chat with her about her comment regarding Blake from after we arrived and of Lori and Jacob and if she senses a true love connection between the two of them too. So carefully I pile dishes in my arms and follow Diana into the kitchen.