A little love goes a long way

11-

Morning soon arrived - so fast that Sophie soon forgot that night was ever there, as she fell asleep not long before the end of the performance 'The Nutcracker' airing on some ballet channel, she was moved to her room by someone, and when she woke it was past eight in the morning. She seemed to be sleeping more and more often.

Sadness appeared behind her as she washed her face in the morning, sleeves bunched in her hands, brown hair wrapped into a braid, she smiled shakily and wrapped her arms around Sophie's shoulders in an attempt at a hug, comforting her from the nightmare they shared. Appearing beside her was Danger, Stress Anxiety and Pain, encircling her and wrapping their arms around her too as she cried.

Worry flowered in her stomach about the later set dinner, her previous thoughts invading her mind again, about whether or not they would like her, Anxiety glowed yellow for a split second before he began fading away, Danger and Pain following him, sending their own smiles.

Sadness and Stress held her hands as she sat on the sink counter, both of them glowing - blue and green individually - as they took away her negativity, it had taken about ten minutes before Sophie emerged from the bathroom.

Looking around, she saw that nobody else was awake, or at least nobody was up in the immediate vicinity other than Rosemary, Collie still resting at the end of Sophie's bed she supposed. At the door, Rose's shoes had disappeared - probably off to her Pilates class - looking at the note on the note-board she had guessed correctly, as written in Rose's calligraphic handwriting

'Pilates, back for 11, make yourselves some breakfast'

With a little smiley face at the end, it made Sophie smile, and the warm feeling arose in her chest again - love.

She muddled around in the kitchen for a while before she had successfully fried herself some eggs - she would have to get used to eating more now - and had just started putting them on buttered toast before she heard a yawn emit from the settee, where Brian had seemingly just woken up and plopped himself down on, turning on the morning news. Sophie looked between him and her two egg sarnies, deciding he would need one too, she cut them both into halves.

Taking a seat beside him, pulling her legs up into a curled position, she handed half to her Grandpa who thanked her with a nod, still watching the news with renowned vigour.

Politics, politics, petrol bombing, farming industry, photograph, politics.

That was all the news had to offer that morning, Sophie still watched it, munching slowly on her sandwiches, handing Brian the second one, Jake emerged from his room, walking towards the two of them oddly awake and excited, grabbing the last sandwich from Sophie's plate - with the plate - he strode into the kitchen, then plopped himself down with a crunch of a successful bite. Brian had enough energy to produce a chuckle.

"What is it that's got you so chipper today sonny?" Jake smiled back knowingly before he looked taken aback.

"You don't realise today's, Christmas Eve. Do you?" It took Sophie a moment before it clicked, and she let an excited smile slip onto her face - the positive thought of Christmas being so close cancelled out the negative feelings - not really many, but a few - towards the later planned dinner.

"Right" she managed to drawl out, tongue still sleeping - or so it seemed. "Christmas tomorrow, woo-hoo." Her cheer sounded unenthusiastic - which it normally was, but it was only as she was still emerging from hibernation mode.

"You betcha woo-hoo! This Christmas, kiddo's, I'll bet'ya it'll be the best one yet, I'll even promise it to you's." He held out his pinkies - still crummy from the sandwiches - and smiled as two pairs of pinkies latched his own. He clapped once before announcing he was off to the market, for a tree he said, as there were none decorating the living room - or any other room actually - and they always liked them well and truly fresh.