My Dearest Sofia

Sofia Wright

The white-washed walls seemed to enclose Sofia, transforming the long, wide hospital hallway smaller like a Chinese takeout box. The fluorescent lights overhead buzzed and did not help settle her frazzled nerves or calm her pounding heart.

She gripped her fake diploma. Usually, schools gave out a piece of blank bond paper as a makeshift diploma for graduation rites and then they just mail the real one in a week or a month- depending on your luck.

Today was supposed to be a day for celebration. She graduated valedictorian of her class at the local high school. She articulately delivered her speech adding a little bit of humor and quoting lyrics from famous songs.

It did not matter that most of her classmates were not paying attention. Despite being the outcast and odd one out, she had managed to do a lot of extra curricular activities to earn her credits and earned top marks. Today was supposed to be one of the happiest days of her life.

She sighed, rubbing her swollen eyes. She dreamed of college and she wanted that scholarship. Unfortunately, her school did not have that much clout with the university she wanted so she only got in with partial scholarship which was still way over her budget.

But Sofia had a plan. She always had a plan.

First, she would get all her money saved up in the bank as well as the graduation gift that her adoptive parents will be giving her.

If she pooled all these, she would be able to make it to NYU for at least, two months. That was enough time for her to find a job so she can work and study at the same time.

She wanted to be a writer and a painter. She always dreamed of New York and its big lights, diverse art culture and endless possibilities.

Finally, she could try and get good grades and hopefully get a full scholarship on the next semester. It was all planned out and well-thought of. Well, at least, until the accident happened.

The hospital's PA system rang out, paging a doctor's name and Sofia got up from her seat. She had long discarded her graduation robe, cap and took off her high-heeled shoes.

She was now walking with stocking-clad feet across the linoleum floors of the surgery section. She went to the nurse's station to ask if there was any word on her mother's condition.

"Sofia!"

She turned around and saw Adam Wright, her adoptive father running down the hall still wearing his mechanic's uniform. Immediately, her eyes filled with fresh tears and she met him with a hug.

"How is she? Where? I got here as soon as I could. What happened?"

"I-I went ahead of Mom to school because I wanted to practice my speech. She told me that she was just going to finish her meeting with a client and then she was going to make it to my graduation. I waited and waited... She didn't arrive."

Sofia gingerly wiped the tears scalding her face. She felt vulnerable like the 6 year old orphan she used to be. She took control of her quaking voice and continued speaking.

"I got down from the stage after I got my diploma and then Mr. Hollow, my homeroom teacher, took me aside telling me that there has been an accident. He told me that mom had crashed her car on her way to school-"

"Mr. Wright? Miss Wright?"

They both turned to look at the middle-aged man wearing a scrub suit. He took off his mask and gave them a small grin.

"Your wife is going to be fine."

Sofia let out a long breath and felt a fresh wave of tears spilling over her cheeks. She felt her dad squeeze her shoulders and kissed her forehead.