Charlie leaned back in his seat slightly to look over the scene playing out beside him. He saw his grandmother with her arm around his precious Sophie as she prepared to open the letter from her mother. For a moment, he felt as if the picture was frozen and he could see behind the forced brave look in Sophie's big blue eyes. He could see the fear, the sorrow and the pain that hid in the darkest corners of her mind, waiting to jump out as soon as that letter was opened. It was as if the emotions were mocking her, pushing this brave face out to make her feel as if this letter wasn't going to harm her. As much as he wanted to know the truth, he couldn't bare the thought of her crying anymore, couldn't bare the thought of her finding more pain and hurt in the words of the letter.
"Sophie no" He said suddenly, jumping slightly when she quickly looked up from the letter. "Don't open it"
"But..." Sophie muttered. "I thought you wanted me to open it, I thought you wanted to know"
"You should forget all about it Soph" Charlie said, trying to take the letter from her hands. "Your mother doesn't deserve you, she doesn't deserve any contact from you"
Claire looked over at Charlie. "Charles, surely she should read it and find out what her mother wants in the first place. Have you ever thought that she might actually want to make things right again? No matter what she did in the past"
Sophie rested her head against Claire's shoulder. "I was scared of her when I was just a little girl"
"I know Sweetie" Claire whispered. "But just read the letter please, then we will move on from there".
"She should move on all together Gran" Charlie snapped. "Give me the letter Sophie. Look, I can throw it in the fire and let it burn. That way we can just move on and forget all about it"
"No Charlie you know thats not the right answer. If she doesn't get a reply to this letter, she is just going to keep sending letters" Sophie said, her brave face failing her as tears welled. "What's wrong with you, five minutes ago you wanted me to open it"
"We can just keep burning the letters" Charlie said, getting annoyed.
"Charlie, you're wrong" Claire said. "You said that you wanted to help Sophie, but look what you are doing"
Sophie looked up at him, tears falling down her cheeks. "You're making it worse" She wept. "So much for everything is going to be alright"
"Sophie, my sweetheart, I'm sorry. It's just that letter could..."
"Leave it Charlie" She cried standing up and turning away from him. "Just leave it"
With that, Sophie ran from the room, running up the stairs towards her room. Charlie went to follow but Claire grabbed his arm. "I really don't think she would want to see you right now. I really don't want to know what you were thinking. Now, you stay here and I'll go and sort out your crying girlfriend"
Claire walked out of the room and followed Sophie's hurried footsteps up the stairs, leaving Charlie in his own company. He knew that Sophie had taken the letter with her, and had this horrid feeling that she was going to open it in this state he had placed her into. He couldn't work out what was going through her mind. It was clear that there was pain there in her, and confusion. He was wandering if she wanted it to be good news and she wanted to be reunited. No matter what, he just wanted to hold her close and never let her go. He wanted, no, needed to protect her.
Sophie lay on her bed in her and Charlie's bedroom, the letter held firmly in her hand. Her feelings felt like a sickly bubbling potion in the pit of her stomach and tears flooded down her cheeks. Even though she was terrified of what she might find on that letter, she wanted to know what her mother had to say. Karen had been the monster of her childhood, controlling and rude, but maybe there had been a change.
"Sophie, my darling" Claire said coming in and sitting on the edge of the bed. "Come on dear. It's okay if you don't want to talk but will you please listen to me" Sophie looked up at her and wiped her eyes, nodding.
"That's my girl" Claire smiled moving to sit close beside Sophie, giving the young women a warm sense of love and comfort. Sophie gave a small watery smile and rested her head on Claire's lap, relaxing as the grandmother began to run her hands through Sophie's hair. The simple gesture had always been comforting to her. "Now Sophie, I can only apologize for my grandson's behavior" Claire said. "He's worried for you. And I am too, my darling. And I think that you've got a little battle going on in this pretty little head of yours. You don't quite know what to think do you?"
"She was horrible to me" Sophie whispered, feeling as if the words were hot smoke pouring out of her. "But people change. Maybe even monsters change"
Claire raised an eyebrow, wanting to know why Sophie referred to her mother as a monster but she couldn't push the girl to tell her. " Charlie only wants you to be happy, and he thinks that this letter is going to hurt you, and make you cry. He didn't want to make you cry, but he did and he is an idiot for it. Now he's a relative so I'm not going to sugar coat calling him an idiot. He's scared for you, and he wants to protect you"
"I don't need his protection" Sophie said sharply sitting up. "I came for comfort not protection Claire. I know it's going to hurt me and yes I am scared, but I don't need his big-headed over-protectiveness, thank you very much"
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