13 Sapphire Connections

At 10:30 PM, after Mr. Grant had left, Sophie and James found themselves deep in thought about locating Gabriel.

James turned to Sophie and asked, "Can I stay for another two hours? Will it be a problem if I leave at midnight?"

Sophie's response was emphatic. "Why go?" she exclaimed. "Stay tonight. No one will mind, especially since Mom and Dad aren't home."

James looked hesitated.

Probably he pondered whether it was appropriate for him to stay at night in the house of such a wealthy businessman with his daughter.

Just as he was lost in these thoughts, Sophie called out to Brenda. Brenda hurried over, responding to Sophie's voice

Sophie's voice rang out, breaking the stillness of the room. "Brenda," she said, "James will be our guest tonight. Could you whip up something delightful for dinner?"

Brenda, raised an eyebrow. She had never witnessed Sophie so animated about a friend's visit, especially inviting someone to stay over.

As her gaze shifted to James, she noticed a peculiar expression on his face.

James, too, sensed Brenda's scrutiny. The air seemed charged with unspoken questions. He followed Brenda's retreating figure as she disappeared into the kitchen, leaving him alone with Sophie's excitement and the enigmatic glint in Brenda's eyes.

James leaned in, his voice a quiet plea. "Sophie, think back to every detail Gabriel shared during your conversations."

Sophie's response was swift. "All I recall is that he's a professor named Gabriel."

James pressed further. "How can you be so certain about his name and profession?"

Sophie paused, her words deliberate. "Gabriel, had a rule. If he shared something personal, it was the truth. But if it remained unspoken, he guarded it like a secret."

James considered this. "Let's assume it's true: his real name is Gabriel, and he's a professor."

He paused, urging Sophie. "And try to remember something you're absolutely sure about."

Sophie's breath hitched, and tears gathered in her eyes. As she retraced memories, Gabriel's presence enveloped her—the laughter, shared secrets, and stolen moments.

James sensed Sophie's vulnerability, her eyes brimming with unspoken emotions. He reached out, his hand resting gently on her shoulder. "Sophie," he murmured, "now isn't the moment for tears. We must find Gabriel, and to do that, you need strength."

Sophie's expression changed. She shook her head, signaling her resolve to stay strong and not give in to tears.

They sat together in silence. Sophie's mind raced, sifting through memories, while James patiently waited for her answer.

Together, they stood—a fragile alliance against the unknown Gabriel.

Sophie's face shifted, a flicker of memory igniting her eyes. "He," she began, "preferred the metro for his daily commute to the college."

She paused, gathering her thoughts. "Oddly enough, he owned a car, yet the metro held a peculiar charm for him. Perhaps it was the people—the new faces, stories, and fleeting connections—that fascinated him."

James: "And how can you say this so surely?"

Sophie: "Well, James, we used to share everything throughout the day. Every single day, we'd talk about how our days went. Sometimes he'd mention that he had to drive to college instead of taking the metro, and he didn't like it. Over these three years, he brought it up quite a few times."

James: "Oh, really? That's quite weird."

Sophie: "He cared deeply about the environment. Gabriel didn't want more pollution from individual cars when we already have public transportation like the metro."

She paused, then continued, "He believed we should do everything we can to safeguard the environment. That's probably why he chose to be a vegan—no meat or animal products."

As Sophie spoke, her voice held a special warmth, as if she were still in awe of everything about Gabriel.

James didn't seem too interested in Sophie's heartfelt reflection. He brushed it off and said, "Well, do you recall if he ever mentioned which metro route he preferred? Anything at all about it?"

Sophie pondered for a moment. "I'm not entirely sure about the metro route, but I do remember that Gabriel attended University of California. He often mentioned how busy it was there, which sometimes made him late from college."

James responded nonchalantly, "Oh, okay!"

He leaned in, curiosity piqued.

Sophie: "And yes... he's a philosophy professor!" Her voice carried a touch of excitement, and she playfully scrunched her face, exclaiming, "Ohhh, how could I forget this information?"

"Go on," he urged, eager for more details.

Sophie furrowed her brow, her expression one of intense concentration. Time seemed to stretch as she wracked her brain, desperately trying to recall more details.

Finally, she sighed and admitted, "I don't think I'll remember anything else right now, but I'll keep thinking."

James fiddled with his mobile... probably tried to search something.

His eyes finally lifted from the screen, locking onto Sophie's face.

He inquired, "Has he ever mentioned teaching specific classes or guiding research students?"

Sophie paused, her thoughts weaving through the corridors of memory. With a thoughtful expression, she finally spoke:

"Perhaps he did guide research students. Research students were a recurring theme in his conversations. And quite frequently, he'd visit various colleges as a guest faculty, attending those captivating philosophy seminars. I remember these discussions vividly—we delved into them often."

Her voice carried a sense of anticipation, as if reliving those spirited dialogues with Gabriel.

James couldn't contain his excitement; it was as if he'd stumbled upon a hidden treasure. "I just googled," he declared, leaning forward, "Not every college at University of California, LA offers philosophy courses. But the Department of Philosophy—located in Westwood is all about research in this field. To reach the department via public transportation, one can use the Metro Expo Line".

His voice was a mix of excitement and enthusiasm, eyes were bright with the thrill of uncovering something significant.

But Sophie was not able to understand anything, there was a lot of confusion in her eyes and she was just looking at James.

James was able to understand Sophie's confusion and he placed his hands on both of Sophie's shoulders and said, "That means we will be able to find Gabriel. We can go directly to the Department of Philosophy University of California and find him."

Perhaps Sophie also realized this and a small smile appeared on her face. She could not believe that she would really be able to find Gabriel, would she really be able to see Gabriel?

James said again, "Perhaps his name may not be Gabriel, perhaps he may not even be a professor of philosophy, but with all the information we have, we can try to find it, and with all the information we have, arrived at a conclusion that we should go there and try to search for Gabriel."

Sophie was trying to process all this in her mind when Brenda knocked on the door.

Brenda : Dinner is ready, will you guys eat now?

The eyes of both Sophie and James went towards Brenda and this time also Brenda was looking at James with a very strange look.

Sophie: Yes, we are coming in some time, you also eat with us.

Brenda quietly went out of the room.

After Sophie left, James leaned toward Sophie and inquired, "How many years has she been working here?" His curiosity was evident as he gestured toward Brenda.

A gentle smile graced Sophie's face. "Brenda has been part of this house since childhood. She's like a sister to me. Her father used to work here, but after his passing, her mother also left us. That's when my parents decided Brenda should stay with us."

Sophie paused, her eyes lighting up. "Oh, I almost forgot! Brenda is currently pursuing her Master's in Political Science at the University of California. Quite the coincidence, isn't it?"

But James didn't seem too excited after hearing this, his reaction was very normal. In fact, his expression had also changed a bit. Sophie had noticed this but didn't pay much attention.

James asked, "Please don't feel bad, if she is like the daughter of your house then why does she do all the housework and cooking?"

Sophie paused, gathering her thoughts. "Brenda always approaches life with gratitude," she began. "We've embraced her as a family member willingly. Although my parents don't want her burdened with household chores, Brenda believes that their support—educating her in college and providing a home—is an immense favor. Perhaps that's why she takes on these responsibilities out of sheer gratitude."

James listened silently to Sophie's words.

Then Sophie spoke again, her voice filled with conviction. "Mom, Dad, and I—we've all grown accustomed to eating food prepared by her. We can't imagine having a meal from anyone else's hands now. But regardless of whether she cooks or not, Brenda will always be my sister."

As Sophia continued, Brenda appeared once more, calling her. "I've finished checking on the food," Brenda said. "It's about to cool down, so you all should come and eat before it gets cold."

It was midnight, Sophie and James followed Brenda quietly, their steps echoing through the house.