Never feel alone

Chapter 17

Callie

"Hey Soph, maybe you should wear something different today," I said the next the next morning, as we were getting dressed for school. Sophia had just put on a navy blue t-shirt.

"But I like this," she frowned. "Why? What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing," I said. "It's just that today's an important day." Chewing my lip thoughtfully, I looked through her closet. I settled on the pink flowered top she'd bought on our first shopping trip. "Wear this shirt. It's pretty." I tossed it to her, and she caught it.

"I guess I could..." she said. She shed her shirt and pulled the new one over her head. The rosy color and the soft flowers brought out her pink cheeks and sparkling brown eyes. And the little bit of lace only made her look sweeter.

And let me do your hair?" I offered, grabbing her brush.

"Okay."

I sat her in front of me and brushed out her chestnut waves. Once they were smooth and glossy down her back, I parted her hair down the middle and braided each side. I tied them off with pink elastics to match her shirt. "There you go."

She studied herself in the mirror. "I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to make look cute."

"Okay," I sighed. "I am. But it wasn't hard. You're already adorable," I added, pinching her cheek. "Look," I whispered, "I just thought that it wouldn't hurt to play up your natural cuteness for the therapist. There's nothing wrong with that, is there?" My plan had come out of nowhere, but I knew it was good. No way did Sophia look like a criminal. Not by any stretch of the imagination.

"I guess not," she said, fingering the lace on her shirt. "I do like this top. But... maybe you should look cuter too?"

"Me?" I laughed.

She nodded. "Sure." She hopped up and went to the closet, producing a shirt Stef had bought me. It was dark red with panda bears printed all over it. I hadn't worn it yet. It still had the tag on it.

"Okay," I said, tearing off the tag and putting it on. I looked at my reflection. I had to admit that the shirt was perfect.

"And your hair..." she said. She took the spot behind me and started brushing my hair out. She gathered it into two pigtails.

"No way," I said, shaking my head. "Sorry."

"I was just kidding," she giggled. It was strange how relaxed and happy she seemed that morning. I wondered if that would change later on when our situation finally sunk in.

Her brushing my hair felt good, and relaxed my jangled nerves a little. She left it down and wavy, which was fine by me. "I hope I look just like you when I'm older," she told me. "You're so pretty, Callie."

I'm not any prettier than you," I said. "We look just alike." If I was a little younger, or she was a little older, we really could pass for twins.

She put her face next to mine, and we looked in the mirror. "My nose is a little different," she decided. "And you have that little scar on your forehead."

Mariana knocked on the door frame, and we turned to her. "Mom wants you guys to come downstairs," she told us. "She wants to say goodbye to you before she goes to work."

"Okay," I said. I turned back to my sister. "You ready?"

"Yup." She slid off the bed, and we followed our foster sister to the kitchen.

"There you are, girls," Stef said when she saw us. "Come here. I want to talk to you." We stood in front of her, and she took our hands. "Listen. I have to work today, so I won't be able to be there for your appointment. But even though I can't physically be there, my heart will be with you. I'll be thinking about you all day, okay?"