The Secret Life of Daydreams (5 page)

It was raining again and lately her car didn’t do well in the wet weather. She should have taken the bus and skipped the hassle of parking at the university campus. When she arrived late, the meeting was cut short and Sofia had to reschedule the rest for a different day.

When she put the key in the ignition, a sputtering sound reached her ears. Then nothing. She tried again and again, each time more and more impatient with the lack of response from her old car. It was useless, and at the worst possible time.

Sofia hit the steering wheel with her palm. Frustration and anger didn’t lead anywhere and, as the old saying went, what couldn’t be fixed was already fixed. At this very minute, there was nothing else she could do but find a way home somehow.

She called her neighbor to tell her she was walking and would be late, apologizing for the inconvenience. Before leaving, she exited the car and opened the hood. The rain pelted the umbrella and she stood there for a few moments, looking at all the parts, with the smell of old leaks and motor oil, and wishing it could be an easy fix. How would she get the money for the repair? And where would she find an honest garage that wouldn’t overcharge?

Balancing the umbrella on her shoulder, Sofia let the car hood down and wrestled with the latch. One more thing that didn’t work.

“Sofia?”

She yelped and dropped the umbrella. Her hand flew to her chest, and she leaned against the car with a heaving breath. When she turned around, she breathed in deeply. It was Josh. Only Josh.

He picked up the umbrella and handed it back to her. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” He spoke in English.

She inhaled, trying to steady her jumping heart. “It’s okay. I was distracted.” She was an idiot too.

“Is everything all right?” Josh turned his eyes to the car.

He wore the same navy rain jacket from when she’d seen him downtown, the camera bag on his back, and a small black umbrella in his left hand. He looked more casual than the day before at the school, but not any less attractive. Quite the contrary, if she was being honest. She was still not used to the lumberjack-type beard on his face, but it didn’t hide his good looks one bit.

“Everything’s fine.” She sighed. “My car has been dying a slow death for some months and it chose now to be done.”

His mouth quirked, a slow smile tugging at the corner of his lips. His bottom lip was slightly fuller than the top one. What was she doing, looking at his mouth? Her cheeks heated at the thought, and she turned to face the car as well.

Josh handed his umbrella to her. He fiddled with the latch for a few moments and then drew something from his pocket. After inserting it, the hood unlatched and he propped it up.

“What is that? A magic key?” Sofia asked. “I always struggle with the latch.”

Josh opened his hand. “Just a Swiss army knife. It comes in handy at times.” He smiled as he returned the key chain to his pocket. “A gift from my grandpa Conrad.”

Josh leaned in and Sofia stood close, holding his umbrella over his back, even though it wasn’t working at keeping him dry.

He poked around for a few minutes. “How old is your battery?” His voice came muffled from his position under the hood.

Sofia leaned closer. “I’m not sure. Five or six years, I think?”

He straightened. “Can you get behind the wheel and give it a try?”

Sofia closed the umbrella and did as he asked, with the same results as before. She turned off the engine.

Josh bent over the battery for a few minutes, then closed the hood and rubbed his hands under the rain and shook them.

“The connectors are corroded. I tried cleaning them but that didn’t work. Looks like your battery’s dead as well.” He took his umbrella back. “It’s a simple fix but I’ll need to get some parts first.”

Sofia halted, her first impulse to say no. Just a minute before, she’d been ready to pray for help, and now that help had come, did it matter that it was Josh who offered it? She cleared her throat. “I wouldn’t want to inconvenience you.”

“You wouldn’t. Like I said, it’s easy and it won’t take too long.” Josh reached in his pocket and drew his cell phone. “Is there a place nearby where we can buy a car battery?” He tapped on the screen. “How do you say battery in Portuguese?”

“Bateria.” She’d told Josh five or six years but she couldn’t remember the last time she bought a new battery for the car.

“I think I got a place not too far.” He turned the phone for her to see.

Sofia took a glance then checked the time. “I can’t leave the car here for too long. The campus parking has some restrictions.”

“I’ll be right back.” Josh set out across the parking lot at a light jog, his umbrella bobbing between the cars.

Within a few minutes, he pulled up to Sofia’s car and had the jumper cables connected to her battery. He instructed Sofia to get behind the wheel. After a few tries, the battery started. Josh disconnected the cables and replaced them in the trunk of his car.

“I don’t know how to thank you.” Sofia exited the running car and stood by the open door. It had stopped raining, thank goodness.

“Don’t thank me yet; I haven’t replaced the battery.” Josh retrieved the cell phone from inside his car. “Why don’t you give me your address? I’ll go find a battery and meet you back at your apartment.”

Sofia didn’t know what to say for a moment. She should go with Josh and pay for the battery. But if she went home now, she could send Dona Luísa home and help Mother with dinner and her bedtime routine.

Josh picked up on her hesitation. “You have something to do at home, don’t you?”

She exhaled. “Yes, I do, and I’m already late.” She retrieved her purse from between the front seats and got her wallet out. “Here’s €20. I think it might be enough.”

Josh shook his head. “Keep it for now. I’ll let you know how much it is.”

In the end, common sense and convenience prevailed. Sofia gave him her address and he followed her to her building to make sure she arrived without further problems.

When Sofia entered the apartment, she paid her neighbor for the hours she’d watched Mother, went to the kitchen, and started dinner.

Mother padded across the hallway and into the kitchen, and sat at the table. “I don’t want her coming again, Sofia.” She sniffled. “She was mean to me and followed me through the apartment all day.”

Sofia chopped an onion and added it to the bottom of a pot with some olive oil. She turned to Mother and gave her a pale smile. “We have a small apartment, mãe.” There was more she wanted to say, but it would be pointless. How could you reason with someone whose reasoning abilities were beginning to be compromised?

Sofia’s thoughts flew to Josh. Was he already on his way back? She should have asked him for his number. But then that might seem like she was just looking for an excuse to call or text him.

In the bottom drawer of the refrigerator she found two carrots. She washed and peeled them, then chopped them evenly into little cubes and added them to the pot as well. Carrot rice would go well with the fish fillets and a light salad.

One hour later, Sofia sat at the kitchen table, finishing up the lesson plans for the next day’s classes. She’d served dinner to Mother, who had complained about Dona Luísa until the meal was done. Sofia agreed with everything she said. It might not be the best thing to do, but she didn’t have the mental energy to deal with the opposite. Mother was now in bed and hopefully sleeping.

Every few minutes, Sofia glanced at her cell phone screen, willing it to ring with a call or with the tone of a message, but Josh hadn’t texted or called. Maybe something had happened and he couldn’t come tonight. Which was okay, even if a little bit disappointing. She just wanted to know. Waiting for a reply that didn’t come was not something she liked to do.

She walked to the sink and filled a tall glass with water. She was half-way done drinking it when her phone pinged. Sofia set the glass in the sink and rushed to the table.

Sofia, this is Josh. Sorry I’m so late.

No need to apologize.

His reply came quickly.
I’m down here by your car.

Okay, I’m coming down. Do you need anything?

Just you and your keys.

Yes, of course.
Sofia straightened.
Be right down.

He’d come after all. Sofia grabbed the keys from her purse, put on her shoes, and locked her front door behind her. Once in the elevator, she caught her reflection smiling. It was a rather silly smile, but she had a hard time stopping it.

Josh met her at the building’s door. “Sorry it took so long.”

“Please, don’t apologize. You’re doing me a favor.” He had no idea how much he was helping.

He held the door open for her. “I found the battery but then I realized I needed some tools and a flashlight, and that took me longer than I thought.”

Sofia stopped on the sidewalk. “You didn’t buy tools, I hope?” Father had left her some tools in a wooden box she kept in the hallway closet. She didn’t know if they were the right kind, but it was worth checking.

He shook his head. “No, I borrowed them from Paulo. That’s why I was late. I had to wait for him to get home.”

She resumed walking and he followed her to the car. At least Sofia had parked it under a street lamp. “That’s good. Paulo has a nice collection of tools.”

Josh chuckled. “Yeah, you can say that.”

She unlocked the car. “Okay, what do you need me to do?”

He propped up the hood. By his foot sat a small tool chest and he retrieved a flashlight, then handed it to Sofia. “If you could hold this light while I work, that would be a great help.”

Sofia stepped closer and shone the large flashlight in front of his hands. Josh had shed his jacket. The green t-shirt he wore fit him well across the shoulders and back, and she spent a moment appreciating his defined biceps and toned forearms. When the temptation to prolong the examination became stronger, she brought her eyes up and turned them to the work he did instead.

Was he one of those guys who liked to work in silence? Given his position bent under the hood, a conversation might be hard to keep. He had replaced the battery and kept working at a steady pace and Sofia tried to follow his actions. After a while, he straightened. He reached for a rag in the toolbox and wiped his hands.

“Okay, let’s give it a try.” He took the flashlight from Sofia’s hands.

Sofia sat behind the wheel and turned the key. Instantly, the car roared to life, the whining sound gone. She smiled wide.

Josh leaned near the window. “It sounds great to me.” He gave her the thumbs-up signal.

Sofia turned off the ignition and exited, while Josh closed the hood and put all the tools back in the box. A feeling of gratitude swelled within her. What a blessing it was that he’d been able to come to her aid, first at the university’s parking lot, and afterward getting a new battery in the car. He’d saved her time and money, both so hard to come by these days.

Josh straightened, the toolbox and old battery at his foot. “You’re all set. You shouldn’t have any problems.”

She looked at Josh. “I want to say thank you but it doesn’t sound like enough.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t mention it. I’m glad I was able to help.”

Sofia extended her hand to shake his, but he held it up. “It’s okay. I’m all dirty.”

“Please, come to the apartment and wash up.” She couldn’t let him go like this, not without a proper thanks. The hesitation played in his eyes. “And I didn’t pay you for the battery yet.”

For a long minute, Josh just looked at her, saying nothing, as if he wrestled with the decision.

“Por favor?”

At last, he nodded. “All right. Thank you.” He pointed down. “Let me just put these back in my rental car.”

On the way up, in the elevator, they stood awkwardly apart, and Sofia began to question her invitation. She remembered exactly the last time she’d had a guy in her home, and that was not a pleasant memory. She brushed it aside. This was a different situation and Josh was not that man. It was time to replace those memories with newer, more enjoyable ones, and Josh was just the person to do that.

When Sofia unlocked the front door, she drew it wide and then stepped aside for Josh. “Benvindo à minha casa.”