Remember Me...

Sophia's Gift

The day finally arrived for Sophia to receive her gift. Her 5th birthday, 3 years since her papa left. It still hurt, even worse that her Abuela banned all talk about him. She did everything she could to pretend he didn't matter.

She even tried to get Sophia to forget about him. Pretending that Julietta and Agustín were her parents. But she knew better. Besides her Tia and Tio couldn't go along with it anyway.

She was dressed in a white dress with gold swirls sequined into it. She also had a white ribbon tied in her long, curly, dark brown hair.

Alma was helping Sophia into her outfit fighting the tears. Sophia looks exactly like Bruno. Alma could barely believe the resemblance. She has the same eyes, hair smile and face as him. The only difference is the fact that she's a girl and her nose. She has her mother's pointy nose.

Alma took in a deep breath and put on a seldom face. "Are you ready to receive your gift?"

No I'm not, Sophia thought to herself. She wasn't ready, she wanted her papa to be there and help her through it. But he isn't there.

Of course she couldn't let Abuela know that. She nodded and gave Abuela a forced smile.

Alma smiled back and held Sophia's shoulder. "Good, you will make your family proud and help with our community. Your gift will be just as special as you."

Alma left Sophia in the nursery as she helped people set up. Sophia sighed thankful that she was finally alone.

She snuck up to her papa's room and went inside. Even though his room was off limits she always snuck inside to talk.

"Hey papa," she said to the picture of her papa on the door. "I'm terrified, I don't want to do this. What if I get something Abuela doesn't like? What if I get nothing? I've seen the outcome of both. Mirabel is disregarded and thinks she's a disappointment. And, well we know what happened to you."

She leaned against the door and let a few stray tears escape her eyes. "I want to know where you are. That's all I want. Maybe Casita will grant me that.".

She let out a light chuckle. "I love you papa. But I should probably go now. Who knows what Abuela would do if she found out I came in here."

Sophia left sadly not really feeling any better.

A few hours of preparation passed and it was time for Sophia to walk up the stairs to her door.

The whole town and family was watching in anticipation, praying that it would work this time. Mirabel isn't there, she's with her mother in the nursery because Julietta didn't know if she could handle it.

But another person was watching. Bruno had his head peeping out behind a plant watching his little girl walk up the stairs to her door.

She looked so timid and terrified. Bruno wanted to do nothing more than run out and hug her. Telling her everything was going to be ok. But he couldn't, all he could do was watch from afar.

Sophia made it to her door and Abuela held out the candle. "Will you use your gift to help and strengthen our community?"

Sophia nodded and touched the candle. She took a deep breath and held her hand out to the door.

The door began to glow and showed the image of Sophia holding a book, the life cycle of a tree. First the seed, than the sapling, than the full grown tree. But than it was different, it went to an axe cutting down the tree and than finally a door.

Sophia was confused till she touched the door. Images of how the door came to be flashed through her head as her eyes glowed green. She now knew how Casita came to be. And how the door appeared. She learned her papa and mama's entire love story.

Tears filled her eyes at this new information. Alma touched her, "Sophia what did you see?" Alma was cut off guard as Sophia's eyes began to glow again.

Her Abuela's entire life was beginning to play before her very eyes. She now knew everything about Alma Madrigal.

"Abuela I, I'm sorry you lost the one you love in such a tragic way. And that you are still hurting even now and." Sophia kept going on and on. Saying things that Alma had never told anyone before.

"Sophia how do you know that?" "When you touched me I saw your entire life, your past present, and all of your thoughts flashed through my mind."

Alma was shocked, she turned to the crowd and put a smile on her face holding up Sophia's hand. "We have a new gift!"

The crowd cheered but Sophia couldn't tell why. Her gift was for her not the town. Casita listened to her and gave her exactly what she wanted.

The town and family partied in Sophia's new room. It had simple light blue wallpaper, a queen bed with light blue sheets and white pillows, a reading nook with a window overlooking the town, and an abundance of shelves filled to the brim with countless books.

Sophia did like her room but loved her gift even more. With this she could finally find her papa. And she couldn't wait to see him again.