Jerry picked up the phone pretty fast.
"Hey Jerry, got a sec? Where did Nell end up going? Which shelter?" Tomas asked, hitting the speakerphone button on his cell.
There was a pause on the other end, with Jerry sounding a bit thrown off. "Why's that coming up all of a sudden?"
"Director Yearwood's asking," Tomas explained. "She's heading back to the West district for a couple of days and she's a bit worried about Nell, so she made a point to check in."
"Oh, gotcha." Jerry chuckled. "Tell her to rest easy, Nell's doing just fine. The cops are in touch with a shelter back in his hometown, working out the details to send him back."
"Where's Nell from exactly?" piped up Sophia.
"He's from a little village in the hills, quite a trek from here, so it'll take the police a bit to sort things out," Jerry explained with an easy tone. "Don't fret, the cops are on it, nothing to worry about."
"Wasn't there talk of Nell wanting to stay around here? Maybe we could just get him an ID card, get him officially registered and all."
"That might be a bit of a stretch," Jerry replied, his voice dipping in spirits a bit. "The police are trying to locate his family back home. Sounds like there are still folks there, so they've got to confirm everything. Nell's getting on in years - he's got this 'returning to his roots' vibe going on. To be honest, Nell's been with me for quite a spell, and all of us have gotten pretty attached. But you can't just think of yourself in these situations. If he wants to go back, then we should let him. Once he's settled in, I'll give you a ring."
Chiming in with a laugh, Tomas added. "Yeah, once Nell's got his feet on the ground, I'll buzz you too. No worries."
Sophia cracked a small smile and nodded. "Alright then."
After a bit more small talk, they hung up.
"Well, we should head back now. I'll swing by in a few days. If you hit any snags with the construction, just give me a ring."
Sophia turned to say her goodbyes to Tomas.
"Sure thing, drive safe, and drop by whenever you get a chance," Tomas said with
a grin, arranging for someone to drive Sophia and her companions, Augus and Cindy, to the high-speed train station.
"If only there was a way to be dropped off right at home," Cindy sighed, eyeing the long staircase at the train station entrance. "Too bad I can't drive. I could come and go as I please, no need to race the clock to catch the train."
"Driving isn't as convenient as the high-speed train, you know," Augus quipped, glancing at her. "What you want is a chauffeur, not to drive yourself."
Cindy pouted. "Same difference."
Sophia watched their banter but didn't join in.
Cindy's comment did remind her of something, though - she really should get her driver's license. Getting around was a real pain without it.
Back when she was juggling pregnancy, work, studies, and child-rearing, she was too slammed to even think about taking the driving test.
Once back in the West district, she passed the nearest driving school to her home and decided to sign up on the spot.
Stepping out of the driving school as the sun dipped below the horizon, the rush hour traffic was in full swing.
Her decision to return was a spur-of-the-moment thing, and she hadn't told Theresa about it. Partly due to the lack of time, and partly to surprise her.
The past week had been a whirlwind of work and errands, leaving no room for thoughts of Theresa, let alone anything else. Before she knew it, nearly a week had flown by.
This had been her most fulfilling and relaxing week since coming back to the country.
Work was hectic, but her mind felt enriched and full.
The thought of facing Brandon once home gave Sophia a flutter of uncertainty.
Before, the knowledge of Theresa waiting for her would have her rushing home, but now the idea of coming home to a Brandon who felt like a stranger, someone she hadn't seen or contacted in a long time, turned that eagerness to return into a subtle hesitation.
She hadn't spoken directly to Brandon over the phone in almost a week.
She didn't reach out to him, and he didn't to her.
She would call Theresa through Grace, mostly during the day, and occasionally at night.
Brandon was there, but they both tacitly avoided mentioning each other.
With this growing estrangement, Sophia wasn't quite sure how to face Brandon, especially after a few days of freedom on her own.
With a long sigh, Sophia steeled herself and pushed her luggage into the residential complex.
The closer she got to her front door, the stronger the nerves kicked in.
At one point, she even felt the urge to turn around and leave.
But that was fleeting. The longing for Theresa drove her step by step towards the front door.
Standing at the threshold, Sophia took a deep breath to steady herself and then reached for her keys.
As she aimed the key at the lock, her heart raced uncontrollably.
She didn't know when coming home started feeling like going into battle.
After another deep breath, Sophia inserted the key into the lock. Almost at the
same moment, the door was yanked open from the inside.
There stood Brandon, one hand empty, the other holding a trash bag.
Sophia's hand, still clutching the key, froze mid-air as her mind went blank.
Brandon paused too, his gaze shifting from her frozen hand to her slightly upturned face.