06. The Cave

I PUT A FLOWER on Sophia’s right ear.

It’s been three summers since her mother died and so many things had happened. Gran wanted so much to adopt Sophia but Sophia’s father got mad when he heard of the plan. He went to our house and snatched Sophia away. I didn’t see Sophia for a week after that incident. He just locked her up in the house.

I started to dream strange dreams of Sophia during that time. I was scared and worried that her father had done something bad to her. We even considered bringing a police. But Sophia got out of the house after that horrible week. I tried to ask her what happened but she didn’t say anything. She just said she’s happy she’s finally out of the house.

And now, we are here in this cave. The one that we discovered before her mother killed herself. This is now our new haven. We even made two separate swings for the two of us made of vines and strong plants.

“James, what do you plan to do in your life when you grow up?” Sophia asks, disturbing me from my thoughts.

“I want to marry you,” I reply, beaming.

She frowns and throws a pebble at me. “Stop being such a moron! I’m serious.”

I laugh at her. “Well, I want to be like Papa.”

“You want to be a fisherman?”

I nod. “I don’t want to leave this place.”

She falls silent. Hesitantly, I ask, “What about you? What’s your plan?”

“I want to get away from here,” she says.

My shoulders drop. Of course she does.

“I want to get away from my father.” Sophia starts to sob. “I-If it’s not a sin to kill your own father, I probably would’ve killed him.”

I reach out to her and sit beside her on her swing. She makes a space for me as I snake my arm around her shoulder.

“It’s okay, Sophia. I’m just here.”

“I’m tired, James.”

“We all get tired.”

“Sometimes, I want to do what momma did to herself.”

I stiffen. “What?”

Silence.

I heave a sigh. “Your momma wouldn’t like that, Sophia.”

“Then she should’ve not left me alone!”

“You are not alone, Sophia. I’m here—my family’s here for you!”

She sobs on my shoulder. My heart feels a pang of pain seeing her face stained with tears. “I’m here for you,” I whisper, “I will not leave.”

Silence.

“James,” she says after a while. “Thank you so much.”

“For what?” I ask.

“For taking care of me.”

We sit together on this swing, hugging each other—feeling her frail body against mine. How I wish I could be of more service to Sophia. But right now, all I can do for her is be her friend and hold her close whenever she cries.

“I like this cave,” she says, sniffing.

“This is our cave,” I reply.

“Momma will like this cave.”

Yes. I bet she will.