Hart to Hart: To Love Again
Chapter 13
RJ and Sophia woke the next morning to find they were the lead story in the 'Los Angeles Times'. The Associated Press picked up the story and ran with it as well. Within hours the news of RJ and Sophia's engagement the paparazzi were outside his home in the quiet community of Pacific Palisades.
"Good morning Mrs Hart", he smiled at her as she came down the stairs from the guestroom. "Good morning Mr. Hart" she answered as she made her way into the kitchen and poured 2 cups of coffee. She looked more like a woman who was going to a funeral than one who had just got engaged. "Darling, what's wrong?" he looked across the kitchen counter with concern...almost panic in his eyes. "RJ, we really need to talk", she said as she placed a mug of coffee in front of him. "I think we both got caught up in the mayhem of last night. I mean...our winning such prestigious awards; Lillian St. James wanting you so bad she 'hires' someone to kill me..." RJ cut her off. "Sophia...what...what are you trying to say?" he asked, reaching over and holding her hands. She pulled her hands away, as she got up and walked to the window. As she stood with her back to him, she muttered "RJ...I'm sorry...I can't...I can't marry you" she brushed past him and ran upstairs to the guestroom, crying openly. RJ was stunned. He felt like his heart had just been ripped out of his chest. He ran up the stairs behind her and knocked on her door. Refusing to answer, she showered, dressed, packed her suitcase and brought it downstairs, placing it at the front door. She was heading to the kitchen to look for him, but as soon as she turned she saw him sitting on the sofa...crying. Realizing that she hurt him, she had to explain, to answer the questions that she knew must be racing through his mind. He looked up and their eyes met as she came and sat down in front of him. Placing a finger under his chin she lifted his head to face her. "RJ, I'm sorry. You're such a special man, and I do love you...believe me. It's not that I don't love you...but I can't..." He wrapped his arms around her and held her close to his chest. "Sophia, you are the most important thing in my life. I love you with all my heart" he reassured her. "There is still so much you don't know about me. It wouldn't be fair to you if you married me...I'm sorry. The last thing I want to do is hurt you. As much as I love you, I can't..." she said through tears. She got up, picked up her suitcase and left through the garage to avoid the paparazzi.
Sophia left RJ's Seabreeze Drive home and drove straight to the airport. After having to pull over twice because she couldn't see through her tears she arrived at LAX. She got to the ticket counter and bought her ticket home to New York. Sophia took her seat, and by the time the plane was airborne she was inconsolable.
RJ pulled himself together, as best he could, and called Frank. "Frank, prepare the plane. I need to fly into Kennedy Airport...New York. I'll be there in an hour." "Yes sir, Mr. Hart" his pilot said. Then he made a second frantic call to his manager. "Jack, its RJ. I need you to do something for me. I'm flying to New York in less than an hour...I need you to find Sophia Bowers home address for me. I'll call..." He was interrupted, "RJ...what the hell are you talking about? She's in Los Angeles...probably still at her hotel...sleeping. Don't you remember, Buddy? Late night...Academy Awards...Best Actor...all that great stuff. Just call her..." "Jack...she's gone." Jack could hear the heartbreak in his friend's voice. "I've got to find her Jack. The movies, the fans, the awards...none of that stuff... I've got...to...to ...find her...to talk to...her." RJ explained, sobbing as he spoke. "OK, OK. I'll find it, and I'll call you right back" Jack assured him. RJ ran upstairs packed a bag and was heading to LAX in record time. Within 25 minutes Jack called him back. "RJ, I found that address you wanted." RJ wrote it down and put it in his pocket. Frank managed to get RJ to New York in record time. To RJ, it felt like the longest flight of his life. He went through security, and grabbed a cab in front of the terminal. "Where to Mack?" the driver asked, looking over his shoulder at RJ. RJ told the driver the address. "Hey man, you ok? You look like you got told your life's over, man." "In a way...I did. Can this thing go any faster?" he asked, handing the driver a hundred dollar bill. "OH!, It's like that, is it? It's got to be a dame. OK Mack, hang on." The cab arrived at the address, and RJ thanked him...putting money in the driver's hand as he got out. "Hey man...your change", the driver called to him. "Keep it...and thanks" RJ called back. "Hey, thanks man...and good luck" the driver smiled and then pulled away. RJ realized he arrived at her home before she would, so he sat on the front steps to wait for her.
Sophia's flight finally arrived at Kennedy. All she wanted to do was go home, crawl into her bed and spend the rest of her life there. She made her way through security, grabbed a cab and headed home. "Are you alright, Miss?" the driver asked her, looking through the rear view mirror, concerned. "I'm fine, thank you" she answered. "Miss, do you need the hospital...are you sick?" The driver was genuinely concerned, given her appearance. "No...A doctor can't help me" she answered through sobs. "Nobody can help me" she whispered, more to herself than the driver. The driver pulled up to her address, she paid him, and got out. She hadn't yet noticed the man sitting on the stairs. The driver took her luggage out of the trunk, and carried them up the stairs. Looking in her purse for her house key, she still hadn't noticed him on the stairs. Finding her key, she closed her purse and finally looked up. She couldn't believe her eyes. She wanted to run into his arms, but knew she couldn't. He walked down the stairs to her "Sophia, I love..."he started to say. She cut him off, and with a dazed expression on her face, she said "RJ, what are you doing here? I...I can't do this." She unlocked the door and the driver carried in her bags, and left. She tried to walk past him, but he took hold of her arm. He turned her to face him, and as they looked into each others eyes they could plainly see that the other had been crying. "I...I can't do this. RJ...please...just go...please" she pulled her arms away, ran inside and closed the door. "Sophia...Baby please...talk to me. I love you..." Realizing that he had just flown from L.A. to New York, she couldn't leave him sobbing on the stoop. She slowly opened the door. They stood there gazing at each other, until Sophia broke the silence. "I don't know why you came here, but come on in" she said, letting him enter. "You don't know why I came?" He was stunned. "Sophia...I came because I love you, you..." he started to say. "RJ...I can't do this...I'd like you to leave" she said, opening her front door. RJ walked to the front door, but rather than walk through it...he closed it. "Sophia...I'm not leaving." He locked eyes with her...slowly walking towards her. With every step he took towards her, she took one back...until she found herself backed into a wall. He put his hands up on either side of her, leaving her feeling cornered..."RJ...Please..." she cried. "We can't...I Can't"