Saving Sophia

A Proposal

September 2012

Amy tiptoed into Sophia's room in the morning. She was going to pull back the duvet, grab her daughter and tickle her, like she always did in the morning. She didn't know that Sophia was already lying awake under the covers. Before Amy could pull it back, Sophia jumped up and yelled "Boo!" making Amy jump.

Sophia fell back on her bed laughing. She was eight years old, and she was even more lively than she'd been before, and she loved playing tricks on people. Last week she'd put baby powder in the hairdryer, and when Amy turned it on to dry her hair after a shower... Sophia thought she'd be in trouble for that one, but thankfully Amy saw the funny side.

"You little monster!" Amy scooped her daughter up and hugged her. She'd only had three years with her, and she'd surprised most people around her by becoming the most devoted mother they'd ever seen. Sophia wasn't spoiled, but she knew how much she was loved. Sophia giggled in Amy's arms. "I'm a scary monster mummy!" Amy kissed her face. "No, you're the cutest little monster in the world!"

That afternoon, Sophia was playing in the back garden with Stitch. She had one end of a rope and he had the other, playing tug of war. Reg and Amy were sitting inside, watching them. "What do you think?" She asked. Reg had moved in with them a week ago. "About living with a kid. How's it been?" It took him a minute to take his eyes off the little girl, she made him smile and he liked watching her have fun. He looked at Amy. "She's great, I really like her." Amy smiled. She knew he liked her daughter, but she hadn't known how the two of them would get on living together.

"Soph!" She called. "Can you come in here please?" Sophia looked up when she heard her name called. "What?" She shouted back. "Come in, please!" Sophia dropped the rope and came inside. Amy was surprised to see an angry look on her daughter's face. "I was playing." She informed them in a slightly cold tone. "Well, you can go back to that." Amy said. "Reg and I were talking and we're going to go to Primrose Hill."
Sophia waited for her mum to continue. "So?" She said.
"Do you want to come with us?" Reg asked her. Sophia eyed him. "No thank you." She said disdainfully, and turned to go back outside. "Sophia, what did I tell you, you little madam?" Amy's voice stopped Sophia in the door. "You told me to always say yes when your boyfriends are nice to me and ask me if I want to do things. But there's been so many I don't want to do it any more!"

Sophia stamped back outside and slammed the door behind her, picking up the rope to play with Stitch again. "...Wow." Reg said.
"I'm so sorry," Amy apologised. "That's another thing she gets from me. She isn't usually like that, I swear." Sophia wasn't usually like that, she just didn't like going out with both of them because they usually did something mushy and gross and forgot she was even there.

Amy left Reg on the sofa and went outside to talk to Sophia. "Sweetheart," she said, walking over to Sophia, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground. "What's the matter today?" She sat opposite her. "Nothing's the matter today," Sophia said. "It's been the matter before."
"What has?" Amy asked, concerned.
"I know Reg is nice to me but every time I go out with both of you you always forget I'm even there and I don't like it. You get mushy and you forget about me." Sophia looked down at the grass and twisted a piece between her fingers.

Amy felt a lump rising in the back of her throat. Had she really done that? She supposed she had, she remembered the times Sophia had come out with them, but she didn't remember actually doing anything with Sophia those times. "Soph, I'm so sorry," she said. She reached out for her daughter's hand, but Sophia didn't move it. "Sophia. Please?" Amy said quietly. "Can I bring Stitch?" Sophia asked. Amy smiled. "Of course."