Chapter 9 - The Letter
Five years later, Sophie received a letter.
It was from prison.
Melissa wanted to speak with her.
Emily immediately refused.
But Sophie asked why.
"Because you don't owe her anything."
Sophie was thirteen now.
She understood more.
"Did she hurt me?"
"Yes."
"Did she hurt Noah?"
"She tried."
Sophie looked at the letter.
"Then I don't want to see her."
Emily nodded.
"Good."
But three days later, Sophie changed her mind.
Not because she forgave Melissa.
Because she wanted to understand.
They met in a secure visitation room.
Melissa looked older.
Smaller.
She stared at Sophie.
"You look like your mother."
Sophie sat across from her.
"Why did you do it?"
Melissa looked down.
"Money."
"Was that all?"
"No."
"What else?"
Melissa sighed.
"I was jealous."
Sophie frowned.
"Of what?"
"Your mother had everything I wanted."
Sophie stared.
"She had children."
Melissa's eyes filled.
"Yes."
"She had a family."
"Yes."
"She had people who loved her."
Melissa nodded.
Sophie stood.
"Then you should have learned how to be loved instead of trying to steal what belonged to someone else."
Melissa began crying.
Sophie walked away.
She didn't feel victorious.
She felt free.
Outside, Emily was waiting.
"Are you okay?"
Sophie nodded.
"I think so."
Emily hugged her.
"You don't have to forgive her."
"I know."
"Then why did you go?"
Sophie looked at the prison behind her.
"Because I didn't want her to decide who I became."
Emily smiled.
"That's my girl."
Years later, Sophie would remember that conversation.
May you like
She would understand that healing wasn't forgetting.
It was refusing to let someone else's cruelty become your identity.
