Healing Sophie

20

Sophie couldn't breathe. It felt like the world around her had slowed to a complete stop. She tried to do the breathing exercises Chase had taught her. She tried centering herself like she had with Victor at the boxing gym. Nothing. There was nothing. Her mind was a void filled only with fear and anger and numbness.

"Wow," her mother Mavis whispered, looking Sophie up and down as if she were a ghost. "You're all grown up."

Sophie's head spun. This had to be a dream. A very demented dream. She could not be here right now. Not in such a warm safe space. She tried to fill her lungs with as much air as she could muster. "W-What are you doing here?"

Every image Sophie had of her from when she was young was a stark contrast. Her once healthy glow was replaced by frail skin, bags under her eyes, and bruises across her body. It was like looking at the empty shell of who she once was.

"I wanted to come find you. There's not much time." Sophie struggled to find anything to say. What does one say to their parent who abandoned them when they needed them most?

She shook her head. "Y-You can't be here. Not now. I'm working. Meet me out front in one hour." She needed to time to process. To let herself panic. This was all too much.

Mavis nodded softly and glanced at her a moment longer before walking back out the door.

An hour later, Sophie took her time gathering her things after closing up the library. She hoped with each slow step, that she would wake up from this nightmare. That her mother wouldn't be right outside.

Unfortunately, she was never so lucky. This was real life and she couldn't escape. Mavis was sitting on the picnic table as she finished locking up. She wrapped herself tightly into her jacket, crossing her arms and cautiously made her way over to her.

"What the hell are you doing here?", Sophie snapped. Mavis jumped and turned towards her. Her eyes were hollow and bland.

"Please sit." She gestured to the picnic table but Sophie stayed right where she was, a safe distance away. She sighed and looked down. "I'm sick, Sophie."

Sophie blinked at her. Ten years later and that was all she had to say. "What do you mean you're sick?"

"I was diagnosed with stage four stomach cancer. I don't have very long left and I can't afford the treatment. I just wanted to find you before it's too late."

She scowled at the woman she hardly knew. "Why should I give a fuck if you're sick? You abandoned us."

Her mother shook her head. "I didn't abandon you."

Blinding rage and hurt filled Sophie's head. "You're really just going to lie now? I came home after you missed my performance and dad said you left us." Tears began spilling down her cheek before she could stop them.

Mavis stood up, matching tears on her own face. She came towards her. "No, Sophie. I didn't leave you." She tried to bring her frail hands up to Sophie's arms but she dodged them and took a step back. She sighed. "Your father made me leave."

Sophie paused and look at her. "W-What are you talking about?"

"He told me to leave. He said he didn't want me around you and he threatened to take you from me. I had no choice. He used to hit me."

She shook her head. "No. He wouldn't have done that."

"He did. I promise you, Sophie." She finally looked up into her mother's eyes. She tried to find any hint that she was lying, but she couldn't.