The Secret Life of Daydreams Read Online Free

The baby sat with her back against Sofia and Sofia turned her in her lap. “What do you say, bébé? You want a blessing from papá?” She pointed at Josh. “Maybe papá’s friend can help.”
    Of course. She didn’t know. Add even more awkwardness. It seemed like a good time to say goodbye. The silence cued him. Paulo glanced at Margarida and in turn she took the baby in her arms and stood. Sofia frowned for a moment and followed her friend, clearly not understanding the situation but too polite to ask in front of him.
    “It’s okay, guys. No need to tiptoe around me.” Josh walked behind the sofa towards the foyer. “It’s probably time I go anyway.” He took a step back and extended his hand to Sofia. “It was really good to see you, Sofia.”
    “You too, Josh.” Her voice was soft but she held his gaze.
    He liked the way his name sounded when she said it.
    In the foyer, he donned his jacket and grabbed the umbrella from the stand. “Paulo, I’ll call later in the week.”
    Paulo patted him on the back. “You better. We’re expecting you for dinner.”
    When the elevator doors closed for the way down, Josh exhaled and closed his eyes for a moment. Maybe he should have been the one to tell Sofia why he couldn’t help Paulo with a blessing. Not that he owed any explanations to anyone. At least he wouldn’t have to see her too often since he wasn’t planning to attend church in Braga during his short stay. Already there were more surprises than the usual quota he allotted to each trip. And thanks to the rainy weather, he hadn’t even started his project in earnest.
    What else was in store?

 
    Sofia woke early. After trying to go back to sleep without any success, she lay for a few minutes. She ought to be sleeping as she had an early morning meeting and more work than usual for a regular Monday. Instead, she couldn’t get out of her mind that Josh hadn’t been in church.
    When Paulo had told her and Margarida that Josh couldn’t assist in giving a blessing, she’d wanted to believe that he’d still be attending church to see the growth in the branch that had become a ward. All morning on Sunday her eyes had turned to the front doors every time someone came in. She’d even asked Paulo if Josh knew where they met since the building was new. Paulo had confirmed that he had told him the time and address and had indeed extended an invitation.
    But Josh hadn’t come.
    Maybe he’d had to work. Sofia ran through all the explanations possible and, in the back of her mind, the idea that Josh Conrad had somehow fallen away from the church couldn’t reconcile with the little she had known of him when he was a missionary. She had borrowed from his spiritual strength until her own was deep enough to grow roots. She remembered the conversations they’d had during the months prior to her being baptized, the concepts he had taught her, the prayers he had said. What could have happened in the eleven years since then to erase that level of devotion and commitment?
    Her hand brushed against the pendant around her neck, the one that Josh had given her on her baptism day. It was the Young Women’s logo on a gold-plated chain. He’d come to her after her confirmation, a flush to his cheeks and a less confident speech than usual, telling her how it was a gift from his younger sister, who had read about Sofia in his letters home. His sister had written a few words on a card, encouraging Sofia to attend the Young Women’s meetings and be at church every Sunday. She had since replaced the chain with a solid gold one, and she still wore it. It had been a long time since she’d thought of that moment, and of Josh’s words. Those words had carried her through some hard times, and had helped her hang on to the truth when everything else around her had been opposition.
    If she was honest with herself, Sofia would admit she’d had a crush on Josh back then. He was only a few years older than her, and an attractive guy