The Longest Ride

the state to come to Wake. Alexandra, even though she goes to Rutgers, still gets home every other weekend or so, sometimes more, and Branca and Dalena are living in the house and going to high school and working at the deli. Meanwhile, I’m down here eight months a year. In the summers, just when it begins to feel like things are getting back to normal, it’s time for me to leave again.” She ran her nail over the scuffed wooden table. “The thing is, I don’t know what I can do to fit in again. I graduate in a few months, and unless I end up with a job in New York or New Jersey, I don’t know how often I’ll get back home. And what’s going to happen then?”

Sophia could feel Linda’s eyes on her, and she realized that it was the first time she’d ever shared those thoughts out loud. She wasn’t sure why. Maybe because the conversation with Marcia had left her feeling off balance, or maybe it was because Linda seemed like someone she could trust. As she said the words though, she suddenly realized she’d wanted to say them for a long time to someone who would understand.

Linda leaned forward and patted the top of her hand. “It’s hard, but keep in mind that it happens to almost every family. Kids move away from their parents, brothers and sisters drift apart because life gets in the way. But then often, after a while, they get closer again. The same thing happened to Drake and his brother…”

“Drake?”

“My late husband,” she said. “Luke’s father. He and his brother were close, and then when Drake went on the circuit, they barely talked for years. Later, though, after Drake retired, they started growing close again. That’s the difference between family and friends. Family is always there, no matter what, even when it’s not right next door. Which means that you’ll find a way to keep the connection alive. Especially since you realize how important it is.”

“I do,” Sophia said.

Linda sighed. “I always wanted brothers and sisters,” she confessed. “I always thought it would be fun. Having someone to play with, someone to talk to. I used to ask my mom about it all the time and she’d just say, ‘We’ll see.’ What I didn’t know until I was older was that my mom had a series of miscarriages and…” Her voice faltered before she went on. “She just couldn’t have any more. Sometimes, things just don’t work out the way you want them to.”

As she said it, Sophia had the distinct feeling that Linda might have suffered some miscarriages as well. As soon as she realized it, however, Linda slid her chair back, obviously ending the subject. “I’m going to cut up some tomatoes for the salad,” she announced. “The steaks should be ready any minute.”

“Do you need some help?”

“You could help me set the table,” she agreed. “The plates are there, and utensils are in the drawer over there,” she said, pointing.

Sophia retrieved them and finished setting the table. Linda diced tomatoes and cucumbers and shredded the lettuce, then tossed everything together in a brightly colored bowl just as Luke returned with the steaks.

“We need to let these sit for a couple of minutes,” Luke said, putting the platter of steaks on the table.

“Perfect timing,” his mom said. “Let me just get the beans and potatoes in bowls, and dinner will be ready.”

Luke took a seat. “So what were y’all talking about in here? From outside, I got the sense that you two were knee-deep in serious conversation.”

“We were talking about you,” his mom said, turning around, a bowl in each hand.

“I hope not,” he said. “I’m not that fascinating.”

“There’s always hope,” his mom quipped, making Sophia laugh.

Dinner passed easily, punctuated by laughter and stories. Sophia told them about some of the antics that went on at the sorority house – including the fact that the plumbing had to be replaced because too many girls were bulimic, which corroded the pipes – and Luke told a few stories about some of the more colorful events on tour, one of which included a friend – who went nameless – and a woman he picked up at the bar who turned out to be… not quite what he imagined. Linda regaled her with stories of Luke’s boyhood as well as some of his stunts from high school, none of which were too outrageous. Like many of the kids she’d known in high school, he’d gotten in trouble, but she also learned that he’d won the state championship in