Sydney to the Max Season 5: Episode 8 - Father Found
Written By: "Fun But Shy Girl", Based on Story Ideas from: DrDoom2006, Based on Characters Created by: Mark Reisman
2078:
An elderly Sophia was pacing back and forth in the living room of her home. Then suddenly her great nephew Andy walked through the front door and said, "Hey Aunt Sophia. What's shway?" An angry and upset looking Sophia then said, "What's shway? Where have you been young man? You've been gone all day and most of the night. I was starting to panic." Then Andy said, "Whoa. Hey. I was with Maya all afternoon at the lake. You know cell service is bad there." Then Sophia said, "It doesn't matter. You ran off without telling me. Now go to your room right now young man!" Then Andy walked over to his room as he said, "Okay, okay. But... seriously though Aunt Sophia... you're acting like you've never sneaked away from home before." As Andy walked into his room, Sophia turned her head away as she began to think back to a time long ago...
Present Day:
Sydney was sitting on the couch in her living room watching a movie with Olive and Emmy. Suddenly Sydney heard the sound of a phone ring. Sydney turned her head around and saw Max coming down the stairs with his cell phone in his hands as he said, "Angela? Hey. Is everything okay with... Wait, slow down, what are you talking about?" Sydney got up in fear as she saw the expression on her dad's face when he hung up. Sydney then stood up and asked, "Dad... what's wrong?" Max then said, "It's Sophia... she told Angela she'd be at the library all day but no one has seen her there and they just closed." Sydney looked panicked as she said, "What?!"
Meanwhile at Portland's Transportation Center, a nervous Sophia sat in the waiting room. She held a ticket to Colorado and she was carrying a small backpack with some clothes and some snacks. She felt her cellphone vibrate, she closed her eyes when she saw Sydney's face on the screen. Sophia then softly said to herself, "Sorry Syd... I have to do this... I have to..."
2078:
Andy sat on the bed in his bedroom looking bored, as Sophia slowly opened the door and said, "Is it okay if I come in?" Andy sighed and said, "Yeah. Whatever." Sophia sighed as she sat on the end of the bed and said, "I'm sorry I got angry at you Andy. You really should've given me more information about where you were... but you were with family. And I can't be upset for you wanting to spend more time with family... and I should know, because the one time I ran off without telling my mom was to find family... or rather... my biological father." Andy looking surprised said, "Wait. I thought your biological father died when you were young." Sophia then said, "No. It was a little while after I turned 18. He had left me, my mom, and my brother when I was about 12 though. It really upset me, and despite things feeling better after my mom married Sydney's father... there was still an emptiness inside me that I hoped would be filled if I tracked down my dad." The Andy looking more curious now said, "So did you?" Sophia sighed and said, "Well..."
Present Day:
Sophia walked down a sidewalk holding a piece of paper in one hand and her phone in the other hand. Sophia then saw a small single family home and then slowly walked towards the front door. Sophia then rang the doorbell, and awaited a response. Then Sophia heard a man's voice yell, "In the back yard. If you're the delivery guy, just come over to the gate and I'll sign here." Then Sophia walked around to the side of the house, and within seconds saw aproaching the wooden fence gate was... her father. Sophia and her father both froze as they saw the other. After a moment went by, Sophia's father then said, "Sophia?" Sophia looking a bit nervous waved slightly and said, "Hi dad." Then Sophia heard from faraway in the back yard was a woman's voice who said, "If that's the girl scouts again, just give them the money but don't buy the cookies. Me and the kids have had enough sweets from them now." Sophia's father then loudly said, "Okay! Will do!" Then Sophia looking surprised said, "Kids?"
Sophia's father then led Sophia to the front of the house and said, "Sophia, what are you doing here?" Sophia then said, "I... I wanted to find you dad. I miss you and... who was that back there? And kids? Do I have..." Sophia's dad then said, "Her name is Rachel, and she's referring to her kids... but I'm their step-father now." Sophia looking surprised said, "You're raising someone else's kids but not me or Dylan?" Sophia's father then motioned to Sophia to sit on the front steps of the home with him as he said, "Sophia... I know this seems confusing but... I think you realize now me and your mother didn't get along very well. And that was mostly on me. I wasn't providing enough for her and you and Dylan. Not just with money but with good quality time. And every time I seemed to be away from home for a long time, I would get back and your mom, you, and your brother just seemed better off than I was when I left. So when things seem better off without you, you eventually realize maybe they'll be better off if you're just not there anymore."
Sophia looking confused and upset said, "But I needed you dad. Dylan needed you. We both needed you." Sophia's dad then said, "No. You needed a dad who knew what he was doing, and I didn't. But you're both doing better now. I saw on some friends' social media posts that your mom got re-married to a good man. Plus I hear you have both a step-sister now and a new sibling on the way. You got your ideal family now Sophia. You don't need all my baggage." As Sophia began to look more upset now she said, "Dad... I'm old enough to realize now nobody is perfect. We all have room to grow. I can wait for you to grow, but I..." Sophia's dad then cut Sophia off and said, "No, Sophia. It's better this way. Rachel is helping me be a better man and I just... fit with her and her kids better. Me with you and your brother... it would just get all screwed up again. It's better this way Sophia. You'll see." Tears began to appear in Sophia's eyes, as Sophia's dad handed Sophia some cash as he said, "Here's some money for your train ticket or bus ticket or whatever. You're gonna be fine Sophia." Sophia's dad then headed into his house, as Sophia stood up and walked away.
Sophia then began to walk down the sidewalk in a daze, when suddenly she heard the sound of a car honking. Sophia turned her head and saw Max pulling over in his car. Max jumped out of his car as he said, "Sophia! Thank God. Are you okay?" Sophia looking confused said, "Max? How did..." Max then said, "It took your mom just a few more seconds than me to figure it out, but we both realized there was only one place you would want to travel to behind our backs. So we did the same internet search you probably did, and I took a very long drive to get here. Your mom would've come too but we didn't want to leave Sydney and Emmy home alone, and your mom is very pregnant now so..." Suddenly Max noticed many tears coming out of Sophia's eyes. Max looking concerned said, "Sophia, what is it?" Sophia then said, "I... I found my dad and... he doesn't want me. He married someone else and would rather raise her kids than me, because he doesn't think I'm worth it anymore. Why would my dad think I'm not worth it!?" Then Sophia suddenly started sobbing as Max immediately hugged Sophia. As Max put one hand on Sophia's back and the other on her hair he said, "I don't know why your father would think that Sophia. But you should know that you are totally and completely worth it. You are an amazing, talented, thoughtful, and beautiful young woman who deserves to be treated like the princess you are." As Sophia hugged Max back, her tears began to make Max's shirt wet as she sniffled a bit and then said, "I love you Max." Max smiled as he looked at Sophia and said, "Love you too kid."
2078:
As Sophia sat on the bed facing Andy, she said, "I never saw my biological father after that day. But I guess you could say I did find my true father that day as Max not long after that event officially adopted me, and I've kept his last name as mine ever since." Andy looking astonished said, "Wow. I'm sorry you had to go through that Aunt Sophia. But... I gotta ask... the way your father treated you... is that the reason why you never had kids of your own?" Sophia then said, "Well... I was always terrified of becoming like my father. So I always kept any kids around me at a bit of a distance. I would help my brother raise your father, and help Sydney, Olive, and Emmy raise their kids. But eventually I did come to realize I would never be like my father... only I realized it too late. But when you came to move in with me, not only was I able to help you, you were able to help me move past all my insecurities and finally be the parent I had always wished I could be." Then Andy said, "Well... you are like the coolest great aunt out there." Sophia smiled as she said, "Thanks. Well kid... good night." Andy smiled and said, "Good night Aunt Sophia." Sophia then got up, began to walk out of the room, but then stopped, grabbed Andy's phone and said, "But for not telling me where you were going today though, you're losing your phone for a week." Andy looking upset said, "What!?" Sophia giggled and said, "Good night kid. Sweet dreams."
THE END
Coming Soon:
*Episode 9 - Just a Little More Time - Three stories set in three time periods that address the importance of family are told and become tied together in an extraordinary way.
*Episode 10 - THE TITLE IS SECRET - No summary for now. Just know, this story is going to be like no Sydney to the Max story ever told before.