A/n I would like to thank WildGypsyWoman 12 for reviewing my last store. This is the third part of a four part saga of stories I would like to thank my good pal hippogriff-tamer for her help with this story
"Sophie?"
Sophie opened her eyes at hearing her name. She was lying in a hospital bed resting after giving birth to a daughter. The morning sun shone through the windows illuminating the white walls and ceiling of her small room. Sophie glanced towards the door, where the voice had come from, to see a woman in a long sleeved burgundy blouse and tan pants. She had short blonde hair and a porcelain face.
"Yes?" Sophie asked.
"You've grown into such a beautiful woman," the woman mused thoughtfully.
Sophie raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Do I know you?"
"It's me Angela…I mean your mother," she answered.
"My mother?!"
Angela nodded then frowned. "You don't believe me?"
Sophie opened her mouth to speak as the woman stepped closer. As she got a closer look, Sophie placed her hand on her own cheek, noting the similar chin and cheekbones she and the woman shared.
"We have the same cheekbones," Sophie stated.
Angela just nodded.
Sophie placed her hand in her lap. "What are you doing here?!"
"Shouldn't a mother be at the hospital when her only daughter has her own daughter? She's quite something; so small and delicate."
Sophie's eyes narrowed in puzzlement.
"I saw her asleep in the nursery," Angela said answering Sophie's unspoken question.
Sophie's eyes widened. "You saw Teresa?"
"Teresa's her name?"
"Yes," Sophie answered nodding.
Angela stepped closer and placed a small wicker basket on the roll away table at the end of Sophie's bed. Red leaves peeked out from the basket. Sophie hadn't even realized that her mother was holding anything. With Angela even closer, Sophie could discern that her mother had green eyes much like hers.
"It's a poinsettia plant. I remember that we used to get one every Christmas when you were little," Angela said bringing Sophie's attention away from her eyes.
"Um, thanks," Sophie said, not knowing what else to say.
"My mother taught me never to show up anywhere empty handed."
"You never really did answer my previous question," Sophie reminded her, sitting up and fixing the paisley hospital gown she was wearing.
"What question is that?"
Sophie placed her hands together on her lap. "What are you doing here…I mean I was nine years old the last time I saw you."
A small pang of guilt flashed across Angela's face then vanished. "I saw your story about Claire and Lorenzo and I've been following your work ever since. You're a great writer and I…"
"Decided to come tell me this now," Sophie said a bit accusingly.
Angela was taken aback by her tone. "Well, yes. I didn't think that emailing you or writing you a letter was a good idea. I'd thought it better if we talked."
"Wait, how did you even know where I was? Only my fiancée, his grandmother and my father know that I went into labor last night."
"I found your address online and went there first hoping that you'd listen to me. When I discovered that no one was there I turned and found your neighbor looking at me. She told me that she saw you leave quite suddenly last night and since she knew you were pregnant, she figured that you'd gone to the hospital. And this was the nearest one to where you lived so I guessed that you'd be here. I asked the nurses at the desk for the room you were in," Angela explained.
Sophie immediately knew that the neighbor her mother spoke about was Mrs. Brown. She had always been curious as to what was happening around the neighborhood. She focused back on Angela. "What do you mean by you were hoping that I'd listen to you?"
"Well, like you've already mentioned, it's been a while since we last saw each other so I wouldn't have been surprised if you shut the door in my face."
"I don't know what I would have done if you'd showed up at my door," Sophie told her truthfully.
"I have to admit I was astonished that Gordon is okay with you living with your fiancée before marriage. He always seemed more traditional to me," Angela mused, changing the subject.
"Dad loves Charlie."
"Charlie's a lawyer, right?"
Sophie nodded. "An amazing lawyer," she said, a soft smile gracing her lips.
Angela smiled. "You really love him, don't you?"
"Yes," Sophie admitted without hesitation.
"Good. That'll help your marriage last."
"Why did your marriage not last? Why did you leave us?" Sophie asked softly, a hint of fear behind her words.
Angela bit her lip, a nervous tic that Sophie recognized. She bit her lip when she was trying to decide how to word something; something that could be deemed unpleasant. "I felt suffocated by being a wife and mother," Angela said after a couple minutes passed.
"How did Dad and I 'suffocate' you?" Sophie asked, her voice turning acerbic upon hearing her mother's last response.
Angela didn't seem affronted by her tone. "I felt stuck. There were things that I still wanted to do. I wanted to travel and pursue my dreams. I felt that I couldn't do them with you and your father with me," she answered honestly.
"Why couldn't you?" Sophie's voice was reminiscent of the hurt nine-year old that Angela left.
Angela looked ashamed. "Well, you were in school and your father loved his job. I didn't want to take you away from that."
"Couldn't you have asked us? We would have gone with you; helped you chase your dreams."
"Gordon's not much of a traveler and you had your friends and books. I thought that you'd be fine and that I'd come back and visit."
"But you didn't," Sophie told her.
Angela nodded solemnly. "No, you're right. I didn't."
They were both silent for several minutes, neither knowing what to say.
"Well, I think I overstayed my welcome," Angela said. She turned around then looked back at Sophie. "I know that I cannot change the past…." Angela stopped not knowing how to finish the sentence. She gave Sophie a sad smile then walked out the door.
Sophie sat in bed stunned at what just happened. The door opened again and Sophie wondered if her mother had come back to say something else. She took a few deep breaths trying to calm down. Charlie walked into the room wearing jeans and a brown sweater. "Your father sounded happy on the phone when I told him he was a grandfather. He…" Charlie stopped mid sentence when he saw Sophie's face. "What's wrong?" he asked going to her side.
She looked at him. "My mom…" Her voice was barely above a whisper.
He took her hand in his. "What about her?"
"She was just here," she answered.
"What!"
Before Charlie or Sophie could speak again Claire stepped into the room wearing a light blue skirt and blouse. She froze at the sight of both their faces. "What's the matter?"
Charlie recovered enough to answer. "Sophie's mum was here;" at the same time that Sophie said "my mom was just here".
"Oh my!" Claire exclaimed sitting next to Charlie and placing her hand on Sophie's blanketed leg. "Are you alright, darling?"
Sophie nodded. "It was a shock to see her."
"I'll be right back," Charlie said. He stood and left through the door. A few minutes later he returned with a soda can in his hand. He sat by Sophie's side again and handed her the ca. "Here drink. This will help."
Sophie murmured thanks before taking a sip of the soda.
"What did your mum want?" Claire asked.
After another sip Sophie repeated the conversation she had with Angela to Charlie and Claire.
"I'm sorry that I wasn't here when she came," Charlie said after Sophie had finished. By the time she had finished, Sophie's soda was empty and she sounded more composed; more normal.
Sophie gently squeezed his hand. "No one knew that this would happen. Anyways she might not have been as frank with me if you were here."
"Frank! She told you that you that she was suffocated by you," Charlie stated incredulously.
"She also said that about Sophie's father as well," Claire reminded him.
Charlie shook his head. "I can't believe she would say that about her husband or child."
"I'm glad that she was so honest with me," Sophie said.
"Why? Don't her words bother you?" Charlie asked.
"Yes," Sophie answered truthfully. "But, I'm glad to finally know why she left."
Charlie leaned over and kissed Sophie's cheek. She gave him a small smile in return.
"Don't let anything your mum said make you doubt yourself when it comes to being a mother," Claire told her. "I know that her visit had to affect you deeper than you let on."
"I won't," Sophie said.
Claire squeezed Sophie's leg affectionately. "Good, because I know you won't let yourself make the same mistake she did."
"And I will always support you in any way I can so you never feel like your mum felt," Charlie added sincerely.
Sophie placed her hand on his cheek. "I know you will."