Page 80 of Play With Me

“Was there now?” I examined the tangles, which resembled the most intricate webbing I’d ever seen, pricked my arm and my shoulder, and decided there was only one option. “Sophie, I don’t see any other way to free you than to cut your hair.”

Her eyes grew wide. “Really?”

“It won’t be a nice cut. I don’t have any scissors on me here, but I’m sure I can fix it up when you get back home.”

“Do it.”

“What?”

“Lola, I’ve been waiting for a very good reason to cut my hair, and this is a very good reason, isn’t it?”

“Wait – you’re excited about this?”

“This isa pretty much a life or death situation. You better hurry, Lola. I heard some growls a few moments before you came.”

At that point, I wasn’t sure whether she was pulling my leg or not, but I didn’t want to take a chance. Besides, the temperature was dropping, and my soaked clothes were shortening my road to hypothermia each time the wind blew.

She waited for me to agree, and when I nodded, her smile spread into a huge grin.

“All right. Do. Not. Move.”

“I promise.” She shut her eyes and froze.

“Your parents are going to kill me for this.”

Sophie didn’t reply and remained a perfect statue. I cut the easier tangles first, making my way in. There were a few burdock weeds knotted near her scalp, and I hoped there was enough longer hair to cover the inch-long patches of skin.

“How did Edward Scissorhands do this?”

I chopped another clump, then another, until Sophie was finally freed. She stepped around the bush of woven weeds and hugged me tightly. Warmth spread through my chest. It felt so right holding her in my arms that it scared me. She wasn’t my child, but I would have died if something happened to her. My heart was beating so fast, I was beginning to worry whether it was from relief that Sophie was found or from the shakes that were jolting my body.

“Thank you.” Sophie let go almost immediately and I shivered. “Why are you so wet?”

“It’s been a long day, Sophie.” My limbs hurt, and my head was beginning to spin.

“Who’s Edward? The only Edward I know is a vampire.” Sophie took my hand and rubbed it between hers. I wasn’t sure why she was doing that, but it felt nice for my stiff fingers to get a break.

“Don’t tell me you’ve never seen Edward Scissorhands.”

“Okay, I won’t.” She lifted one of her hands to her hair, then gave me that satisfying grin again. “But it feels like you may want to take a lesson from him. Do you think Daddy will like it?”

At the thought of Jax, I remembered his brother, and removed the whistle from my pocket. “Here, do it once. Nice and loud. Your uncle must be worried. I think your Daddy will love it. If he doesn’t, I’ll teach you how to add hair color to his shampoo.”

“Lola, if I ever could have a mommy I could live with forever, I’d want her to be you.”

I didn’t think I could freeze any more than I already had, but I did. I absolutely froze as Sophie’s words seeped deep into my heart, because they felt like they belonged there.

“Why me? And you already have a mommy.”

“Daddy will get re-married. Eventually. I hope. So in-evit-ability I will have two mommies. I’d want that to be you. You’re fun and smart and I love you.”

“Sophie, that would be a little difficult because I like your Uncle Brook a little more than your Daddy.”

“That’s okay, Lola. Don’t worry. Things always work out and no matter what, I’ll always love you.”

This girl knew all the right strings to tug — all the ones that were attached to my heart. I crouched to her height again and held her by her arms. My knees felt stiff, and I wondered whether I’d be able to stand up again.

“I… I love you too, Sophie. But I don’t look anything like your mommy.”

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