Mary and Sophia had the day off, but they were up just as if they were working. Sophia had bothered Mary so much the previous night that she agreed Sophia could meet William. So, they got up and were out the door before the other girls were even aware they had left. Now, they were walking, arm in arm to the hospital.
"Is he going to be alright with this? I don't want him to get angry with you." Mary smiled but shook her head.
"He's not the angry type, Sophia, at least from what I know of him. Maybe this war made him one, but I believe that he's just as kind as when we first wrote to each other." Mary smiled, looking at her shoes as they walked down the busy street.
"You really love him." Mary felt her face heat as Sophia looked over at her. "I wish love came as easily for me as it did for you."
"Sophia-"
"No, it's true. You easily love everyone and I'm so guarded it's hard for me. I know that it's true, but you're so open to love, I wish I could feel as much as you do."
"Sophia, I don't feel any more than you do, I just was never told that it was wrong to feel the way I do."
"Mary-"
"Your father has ingrained in your head that you cannot mourn for the people you love, that it's wrong, but I promise you, it's not wrong. If you only allowed yourself to feel more, then you might be more open to love like I am. Besides, I didn't really go out searching for someone, he wrote to me about the death of my brother and I decided there was no harm in writing back."
"Then you continued."
"Yes, but we were friends first. We didn't fall in love the moment we wrote to each other. We just were there for each other at our worst moments. Tommy brought us together, and if it weren't for him, I'd probably be as cold as I was before."
"I'm sorry about him. I know I've said it before, but I am sorry. I wish that you could have met William some other way. Though, that smile you have on your face when we talk of William makes me believe that you don't mind how you met."
"I wish I had listened to Tommy and just written to William when he told me to write, but I'm glad that we did eventually write to each other. Apparently, Tommy had told William about me before, without me knowing obviously, but apparently, Tommy really wanted us to meet." Mary looked at Sophia, smiling. "We met, just not how he wanted us to probably."
"Well, he got his wish either way, yes?" Mary nodded. "So celebrate that. Now, I want to meet William before I get drenched in this rainstorm, so let's move a bit quicker, yes?" Sophia basically pulled Mary the rest of the way to the hospital.
They had just made it through the doors as the rain started, Sophia saying a quiet thank you under her breath as Mary and she walked up to the desk.
"I'm-we're here to visit William Schofield," Mary said to the nurse that was on duty who looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here.
"Name."
"Mary Blake and Sophia Westham."
"Are you family?"
"No-"
"Yes, she's his fiance and I'm her cousin." Mary looked at Sophia like she was mad, but said nothing.
"Give me one moment." The nurse disappeared and Mary took her chance to look at Sophia again asking, "What the hell was that?"
"She'd never let you in to see him if you weren't family. The only reason you've been allowed to see William is that you were working a few minutes after and Doctor Anderson has a soft spot for you. Trust me, you won't see him if you tell them you're not engaged." Mary wasn't able to say anything before the nurse came back.
