Upon entering Sophia’s room, John saw her lying on the bed with her back to the door. He hurried to her while asking, “Was my mother being difficult?”
Sophia was feeling a little groggy. “No, she wasn’t.”
However, John didn’t believe in a word she said, as from prior experience, it was impossible to put the two together without inciting some sort of conflict. Besides, Matilda seemed a little upset when she left the room. John circled around the bed to observe Sophia from the other side.
“My mother speaks more harshly than necessary, so please don’t take it personally. If she said anything that offended you, please allow me to apologize on her behalf.”
Sophia cast John a glance before closing her eyes. “As I said, your mother didn’t do anything to offend me.”
Propping a knee on the bed, John leaned in to caress her forehead. “What’s wrong? You seem a little dispirited these days. Are you feeling unwell anywhere? Why don’t we go to the hospital for a checkup?”
Sophia flipped herself over to look at the ceiling. “I’m fine. It’s just that our journey on the train left me exhausted, so I will need a few days to recuperate.”
After giving the situation some thought, John held her hand before calling out to her, “Sophia Gwendolyn.” Due to how formal he sounded, she couldn’t help but turn around to look at him. Meanwhile, he massaged her fingers one by one carefully. “Why don’t you tell me what I should do to improve the situation?”
Sophia frowned as she didn’t catch what he meant. With a sigh, he elaborated, “I have no idea what I should do to secure more of your time and attention.” He spoke with such grief that Sophia startled.
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