Chapter 4

He kept watching her as he played. She had a soft, almost “Mona Lisa” like smile splayed across her face. She seemed to be truly enjoying his music.

Sophie let her mind drift as it always did while she listened to this particular piece of music. The visuals it conjured up were calming and soothing: soft yellow sand and turquoise water, golden sun setting down slightly above the horizon, bathed in the pink glow; the sound of waves gently lapping at the shore… Ahhh, a Paradise! The music wound down and Sophie opened her eyes. Realizing where she was, she straightened up and smiled at David. “Thank you, this was so beautiful!” she said as she turned to leave.

She was walking away! “No, this can’t be happening! Not like this!” he thought.

“Wait!” said David, getting up and taking few steps in her direction, “don’t you want to hear anything else?” She turned back to look at him, smiled and said “Thank you Mr. Bryan, but I think I already imposed enough.”

He mentally cringed at the “Mr. Bryan” part. “You’re not imposing in the least! But I’m clearly at a disadvantage here”

“Why?” she asked.

“Well, beautiful stranger, you obviously know who I am.” he smiled. “How about telling me your name, so we can even out the bases”

She stood there quietly for few seconds, then extended her hand toward David “I’m Sophie Goldman”

He smiled and took her tiny hand in his, turned it over and brought to his lips, gently placing a kiss on her knuckles “Hello Sophie, please call me David.”

Her mind went completely blank. His lips felt soft, his smile was dazzling, his curls begged to be touched, and his blue eyes twinkled. None of the pictures that she has ever seen has done him justice “O My G-d! What do I do now?”


He took in her stunned expression and had to laugh “You’re not gonna faint on me are you?” She shook her head but remained silent. David looked at the tiny hand that he still was holding. The design on her bracelet was large R and B with a small s sandwiched in between. He glanced up at her pendant and sure enough it was the same letters scrolled across the star of David.

“So, Sophie, are you a Tico’s girl?” he asked.

That question brought her back from her stunned silence. “What? Why? What makes you think so?”

“Well, you’re wearing his jewelry”

“O that!” she laughed. “I like his designs, and I fell in love with this bracelet at first site, so I just had to have it. And last month I found this pendant and decided to get myself an early Hanukah gift. But I’m not a Tico’s girl, as you call it!”

“Really?” he wiggled his eyebrows, still holding on to her hand “So whose girl are you?”

She threw her head back and laughed. The sound of her laughter went straight to his groin! “Down boy, down! What are you? A horny high school boy? Don’t embarrass yourself in the first five minutes!” he thought. Realizing that he was still holding her hand, David took couple of steps toward the bench Sophie was sitting on earlier, sat down and pulled her down gently, to sit next to him. Turning to face her, he pressed on “ So Sophie, you did not answer me. Whose girl are you?”

She sat down next to him on the bench. His gentle hold on her hand, hell, his whole proximity to her was giving her goose bumps! She looked at him, and said with a gentle smile “I’m nobody’s girl David!”