Sophie Gadson was a 16-year-old lonely but very intelligent high school girl. Her parents were neglectful. It seemed they often forgot that she existed and seemed angered by the reminder. Almost every interaction she had with them were them expressing their disappointment and telling her to leave them alone and go to her room without supper. As a result, she went to bed hungry most nights. At this point the feeling of hunger just felt like a normal bodily sensation to her. She had forgotten what it was like to not feel it. As a result of this she was isolated behind her books of philosophy and economics, By authors like Pierre Joseph Proudhon, Robert Owen, Rene Descartes, Michael Faraday and Stafford Beer. These long dead philosophers were the closest thing she had to real life friends. The others were fictional like Barnabas Collins, Sam Beckett, Jack Bauer and of course the Doctor. She found solace in her favorite shows like Doctor Who, the original Quantum Leap, 24, A Discovery of Witches, and the original Dark Shadows. She related to these characters and was inspired by them. She would often dream of the Doctor taking her on the TARDIS. They would go back in time to meet and talk to her only real friends. She wished she could have the whimsical wisdom of the Doctor, the fortitude of Jack Bauer, the compassion of Sam Beckett, the love of Barnabas Collins, the connection of Matthew Clairmont and Diana Bishop. She wanted to overcome adversity like Proudhon, live her principles like Owen, to question like Descartes, to think like Beer and contribute like Faraday. But then she would wake up and remember what her mother always told her “You’re fake and you’ll always be fake, all you have are fake friends and that’s why you’re such a stupid disappointment”. And all that inspiration would fall away as she would cry once again, wishing she knew how to truly socialize. Those parasocial relationships were all she had, and the only things that gave her comfort in life. She had often thought about how Doctor Who was the only reason she had not killed herself. As she sat in her room surrounded by posters and portraits of her favorite characters and figures. Hearing the yelling of her parents as they prepared thanksgiving dinner. At least they weren’t yelling at me this time she thought, as she opened a diary and began a letter to Barnabas Collins.
Dearest Barnabas,
In school yesterday we were asked to talk about what we were thankful for. Family and friends seem to be the common thread. But I cannot relate to that. I’m sure you understand, cursed to be alone for centuries. What would you have said you are thankful for? I couldn’t come up with anything. My family hates me and honestly, I don’t think I care much for them either, I don’t really have any friends, at best I have peers who exchange smiles and other mundane niceties just because it is expected. But they don’t know me, and they don’t even care. They couldn’t understand the way that you would. I guess I’m thankful for you, you are my friend and my preferred family. I just wish you were really here. We could relate to each other and support each other.
Sincerely yours Sophie Gadson
Suddenly she heard her mom yell “Sophie it’s time for dinner” “get your lazy ass down here” her dad added. Sophie closed her diary, locked it and put it under her bed as she headed downstairs for thanksgiving dinner. At the table her mom asked, “so how are college applications going?” “Pretty good” Sophie said as she stirred her potatoes, she continued “I’m thinking NYU, it has a very good cybernetics program” her mom replied angrily “No, absolutely not, out of the question, it is too far away and besides what do you need with computers?” That’s not what cybernetics is, it’s the study of organization” Sophie responded. Her mom continued “either way, you're not smart enough for that” Sophie looked down and began to tear up, before her dad spoke up “Oh Jesus are you gonna cry now? See this is why I wanted a son”. “If you're gonna get emotional sweetie, go to your room” Her mom said with indifference as she continued to eat, not even looking at Sophie. Sophie ran up to her room trying to hold back her tears until she reached her pillow, fell on to it before screaming and crying. After a little while she turned on YouTube and a light smile came over her face still wet with tears as she saw a new Last Week Tonight with John Oliver segment. As she watched she felt better, even though the topic was a serious issue facing society, it allowed her to forget about her problems. Hearing John Oliver talk about the issue she looked up at her portrait of Robert Owen and said “you wouldn’t let this be, would you? No, none of you would” glancing at the rest of her posters before drifting off to sleep. As she did the posters began to expand, as if the figures were pushing their way out. Her bookshelves began to grow, and her room began to sink. It was all expanding.
In a library with towering bookshelves so high she could not see the top of them. In the Center a dining table larger than the laws of nature should allow. Sophie wasn’t sure when or how but it Seem’d her room had transformed into some kind of Hilbert's Library. “The world is full of wonders” a voice whispered to her from behind. She turned around to see Matthew Clairmont smiling, locking arms with Diana Bishop. Star struck, but before she could even express her excitement, The eleventh doctor spun around in his chair so forcefully it almost fell over, yelling “AND IT’S WONDERFUL!” Even more surprised she looked around. She noticed Pierre Joseph Proudhon and Robert Owen having a spirited debate on property, where Stafford Beer would interject occasionally in between his scribbles of organization models on napkins, Observed by Rene Descartes with enthusiastic curiosity. In another coroner Michael Faraday had set up an experiment related to electromagnetism with Sam Beckett, each taking turns shouting out their observations.
Diana Bishop smiled as she spoke “Hi Sophie, your books are wonderful” The eleventh doctor nodded in agreement as he pulled books off the shelf, looking at them and saying “Ya this one’s my favorite” after each one. Sophie smiled a little bit, but then frowned, before she responded “I know they’re my favorite too, but they’re not real, they’re fake, like me” “NONSENSE” the Doctor screamed, everyone else stopped what they were doing and began to look at Sophie. Michael Faraday said, “You know people used to think electromagnetism was fake” Jack Bauer added "if I had accepted everything said to be fake, wars would have destroyed the world ten times over by now”. Sam Beckett said, “I have changed faces and abilities more times than I can count, each one as real as any other”. Stafford Beer said while still scribbling on his napkins “many still think the laws of organizational science are as you said fake, even though I have shown in my studies they are as real as any other natural laws”. Robert Owen added people called me utopian to belittle my work, that didn’t stop me, and I hope, my dear Sophie, being called fake, doesn’t stop you. Pierre Joseph Proudhon said “fake is what property is my dear, and that you are certainly not. Barnabas Collins stepped out from the shadows saying, “what even does it mean to be fake?” Before Rene Descartes added “We don’t really know what’s real, do we? And if we don’t know what’s real, then how can we know what is fake? Maybe everything, maybe nothing, maybe they’re the same”. Diana nodded in agreement as she looked at Sophie smiling and said “You see Sophie if everything is fake, nothing is, and a story is a beautiful thing, a story is everything, everyone has one, fake or not. “I guess you’re right,” Sophie replied. “Of course, they are right” the doctor yelled now standing right by Sophie, a comforting hand on her shoulder. Now then shall we feast?” Diana asked rhetorically before waving her hand at the table and food began to grow off the table like a garden. Sophie's eyes widened, her smile broadened, and her tears began to dry. “Is that fake?” Diana asked Sophie. The Doctor answers “looks good enough to eat” as he pulls out a chair for Sophie saying, “guest of honor at the head of the table”. “It is tradition” Barnabas said as he sat Sophie smiled and slightly blushed before taking a seat. The Doctor sat beside her dipping fish sticks in custard declaring “MMM yes these are definitely real fish sticks and custard, believe me I know my fish sticks and custard” Sophie laughed as Matthew Clairmont looked at her and said “see, I told you, the world is full of wonders”.
Jack Bauer spoke to Sophie as he cut himself some turkey “You know one thing I’ve learned Sophie is that every second counts” Sophie askes “even when you’re scared” Jack Bauer exhaled and smiled slightly before saying “especially then, courage is not about having no fear” “Ya I mean if you have no fear what do you need courage for?’ The Doctor chimed in “Thus courage is facing your fears” Sam Beckett added “there is not one among us who has not felt fear, trembling fear” Matthew Clairmont added before Barnabas Collins said “indeed, show me one and I will show you, a liar”. Everyone at the table nodded in agreement. As they continued to eat Stafford Beer asked “So Sophie, I hear you’re thinking about studying cybernetics? I must say I like your choice” Sophie replied “Ya but NYU is the only school that I can find a decent program for it and my mom says that’s too far away, and besides I don’t know if I’m smart enough for it” Pierre Joseph Proudhon perked up and said “my dear, here you are, just 16, eating with some of the greatest minds of all time, discussing ideas that most adults never grasp” Robert Owen added “you can do wonderful things my dear”. Stafford beer, nodding in agreement, spoke again “Believe me Sophie, I am the father of the field, and I can honestly say, if anyone can pull it off, you can.” Suddenly the Doctor, uncharacteristically quiet, loudly spoke “EXACTLY! You are one of those wonders Matthew is always going on about. And even if you don’t revolutionize the field the way Beer did, you’ve got to try, after all there is no do or do not there is only try”. Sophie giggled a little bit before asking “isn’t it the other way around Doctor?” The Doctor, looking confused, said “is it? No, I don’t think so” He sat quietly for a moment pondering, before speaking again “No I got it right, the other guy got it wrong, everything we do is an attempt, and while you won’t always nail it, what’s that old saying? If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” The whole table began to laugh. As the laughter quieted down Robert Owen spoke up “He’s not wrong, It’s what I did, I improved the lives of workers all while still managing a successful textile mill, despite this my investors didn’t like it which resulted in the closing of New Lanark, So I packed up, moved to America to start New Harmony, after two years it closed, and what did I do then? I continued my work to encourage cooperative industries, form unions and even spoke in front of congress and parliament about their importance.” Failure is only failure if you do not try” Pierre Joseph Proudhon added.
Diana cut up turkey and filled a plate with cheesy mashed potatoes, stuffing, and fruit salad for Sophie just like a mother she always wished she had. She sat the plate down by Sophie and said “you see my dear, everyone has a story, yours is just beginning, and it is yours, no one gets to write it for you” Sophie said “my mom says it’s hiding from reality” “Hiding no, not at all, never, well maybe a little bit, but even stars hide from the daylight, sometimes reality can be scary and we hide so we can gather our strength, the trick is not to never hide from the world, but rather to know when, what and how to face it” The Doctor said, now inexplicably wearing a fez. “Doctor, what is that on your head?” Mathew asked “It’s a fez, I wear fezzes now, fezzes are cool” The Doctor answered as everyone began to laugh before The Doctor continued “speaking of cool” He reached into his improbably large pocket and pulled out a fez with a spotted bow tie in it, handed it to Sophie and said “cool kid kit, for the coolest girl I know” Sophie lightly smiled and exhaled the way Jack would. Sophie was happy to be surrounded by her real friends and preferred family, however she still felt a bit insecure, she was stirring her potatoes, playing with her food rather than eating it. Barnabas noticed this and spoke up “My dear Sophie, please eat, you are among friends, no one is going to send you away hungry, I promise” Everyone else smiled and nodded at Sophie, as she took a bite, and the explosion of flavor was much stronger than a typical dream should entail. This was not like her other dreams; it felt so real she thought.
The conversations continued for a while. Dianna talked more about how important stories are and said “that’s what I love about libraries, they catalog everyone's story and allow them to inspire others to come” “Matthew nodded in agreement saying “Yes, though libraries have not always been the most accepting of vampires” sharing a look of comradery with Barnabas. “Or time lords” The Doctor added while pointing his sonic screwdriver at a bowl of cranberry sauce. “But maybe that’s just because I was like a few thousand years late returning a book, but that was the Tardis’s fault, it was a bit wonky that century or Milenia, whatever, But yes libraries are amazing places as Diana said, cataloged stories to inspire more, and one day Sophie I’m sure we will all be reading yours and you will inspire generations to come. Now, who wants some sonic enhanced cranberry sauce?” As everyone finished up eating Diana and the others picked some Pumpkin pie from vines like a pumpkin pie patch on the table. Despite the impossible length of the table, the conversations felt no less intimate and the guests no less close. As everyone finished up their dessert the Doctor said “now music time” Matthew Clairmont said “yes" as he put a record on a turntable and began playing a centuries old symphony. The Doctor said “bluh, no offence Matthew, but this is a party, and this is definitely not party music” Barnabas nodded in agreement as he took out his music box from Jossette and opened it. As it began playing everyone frowned, before the Doctor said “No, No, No. Look Barnabas it’s a beautiful tune, seriously but like you’re bringing us all down man, we need something different, something like” he paused for a moment before saying “ahh, I got it” Pointed his sonic screwdriver at the record player as it suddenly started playing make your own kind of music by Cass Eliott. Everyone got up and started dancing and singing along.
The next morning Sophie awoke, feeling energized and full, not just of food but of wonder. She takes out her computer and writes an application letter to send out to NYU, and then sends it, no longer afraid of her mother’s disapproval. She remembers the dream vividly, more vividly than a common dream. Over the weekend she writes in her diary about how she’s not gonna let this bout of inspiration fade, every second counts after all, as she closes her diary, she doesn’t lock it this time and pouts it in her backpack more confident with herself and her feelings. She also writes on the cover of it “CTU MANUAL”. On Monday, while looking through her closet for an outfit to wear to school she finds a fez with a bowtie in it. She was surprised she didn’t know she had one. Maybe she had gotten one years ago, but it seems as though she would remember. Full of determination she ties the bowtie around her white button up shirt and puts the fez on her head and heads out to catch the bus. On the bus her outfit attracts some attention, she notices people giggling and whispering but she doesn’t let it faze her. She sits alone in the back of the bus as usual. This time though a girl approaches her and says what’s that on your head. Sophie smiles and quotes the Doctor verbatim “It’s a fez, I wear Fezzes now, Fezzes are cool.” The girl smiles and says "Oh, ok, cool, do you mind if I sit here?” Sophie looks surprised, there were other empty seats, but this girl wants to sit by me she thought before saying nervously “ya, no, not at all, please take a seat” The girl smiled and said “thank-you” as she took off her backpack, put it on the floor and sat. She then looked at Sophie, reached her hand out and said with a smile “My name’s Sarah”. Sophie even more surprised nervously responded “I- I’m Sophie, nice to meet you” as they shook hands. Sophie peered out the window of the bus wondering did I just make a new friend? Or just more mundane niceties? Her inner question was quickly answered when Sarah tapped her on the shoulder and said with another smile “Hey, you wanna sit with me at lunch today?” Sophie was overjoyed and accepted the offer.
At school, Sophie was so excited for lunch, she thought how amazing it was that she may have finally made a friend. In her history class, talking about the Industrial revolution. The teacher was talking about titans of industry at that time and mentions how Henry Ford was the first one to implement an eight-hour workday, a five-day work week and higher wages so that his workers could have time to and money to buy more and he could thus sell more cars. Sophie without even realizing it raised her hand. Something she had scarcely done. It was such a rare occurrence in fact that it caught the teacher, Mr. Glass, off guard. He looked surprised and said “Uh, ya um, you with the bowtie” forgetting her name. Sophie, suddenly realizing she had her hand up and was called on, nervously put her hand down and said “Oh, sorry” Mr. glass responded “that’s ok, if you have something to ask or add, by all means” Sophie, nervous, considering just apologizing again and letting the lecture she knew to be false continue. But then she remembered her friends and could hear Jack Bauer saying, “every second counts”. After an awkward moment she gathered her thoughts and said “Ya, um, actually I think it was Robert Owen who first implemented the eight-hour workday, he coined the saying eight hours work, eight hours recreation and eight hours rest, nearly a century before Henry Ford was even born.” The teacher looked puzzled, his eyes basically asking who’s Robert Owen? Sophie decided to answer this unverbalized question “Robert Owen was a Welsh textile manufacturer and utopian socialist. His factories in New Lanark Scotland and New Harmony Indiana improved the lives of workers, implementing an eight-hour workday, and abolishing child labor, setting up some of the first public schools for both boys and girls. Mr. Glass, looking surprised, and a little proud said “oh, I didn’t know that I’ll look into that, thanks, um” “Sophie” she interrupted, “Sophie right, sorry, thanks Sophie”. Sophie felt like maybe she overstepped until in the hall right as she was heading to lunch Mr. Glass approached her and said “Hey Sophie, so I looked up Robert Owen and wow it appears you were right, I want you to know I’m gonna correct myself next class, thank-you for introducing me to this fascinating figure” Sophie smiled and said “Oh ya no problem but you don’t need to correct it” Mr. Glass responded “of course I do, I got a fact wrong any historian worth their salt would issue a correction” Sophie smiled and said “ok thanks, I respect that” Before Mr. Glass responded “are you kidding, thank-you” as they exchanged smiles and waves as Mr. Glass headed to his office and Sophie to the lunchroom.
In the lunchroom Sophie eagerly looked for Sarah but could not find her anywhere. Finally, she just sat alone at the far end of a table to quickly eat her lunch as she had spent most of lunch time looking for Sarah. Disappointed and sad Sophie thought of course she was probably just asking to be nice, forgetting about it the moment we got off the bus. On the bus ride home Sophie didn see Sarah and for some reason blames herself, thinking that Sarah just got a ride home because she didn’t want to see her, after all why would she? Sophie thought. That night Sophie wrote in her diary, another letter, this time to each figure from her dream.
Dear Jack, Sam, Barnabas, Doctor, Matthew, Diana, Owen, Proudhon, Beer, Faraday, & Descartes,
Today I thought I may have made a friend. A girl named Sarah sat by me on the bus and asked me if I wanted to sit with her at lunch. I was so happy. But I didn’t see her the rest of the day. Even on the bus ride home. I should have known better. Who would want to be friends with me? You guys are great, you’re safe, but no one in the real world could ever love me. This is why I won’t be writing that letter to John Oliver. What could a random fan letter from a loser like me mean to someone like him? On a positive note, I corrected Mr. Glass today about Henry Ford, told him that it was in fact Robert Owen who initiated the 8-hour workday. He reacted surprisingly positively, even saying he will correct the error in his next class. And for a second, I believed him but I’m not holding my breath. Afterall he’s a teacher they’re not allowed to be mean to students. You guys will always be my only real friends.
Sincerely, Sophie Gadson.
After this she closed her diary and cried herself to sleep once again. The next day in her history class Sophie was surprised that Mr. Glass actually did correct himself. Right after the bell rang, he said “Ok class quick correction, yesterday as I’m sure you’ll recall I told you all that Henry Ford was the first to implement the eight-hour workday. You may even recall our very own Sophie correcting me and as it turns out Sophie was right; it was in fact the Welsh textile manufacturer and utopian socialist Robert Owen who first implemented the eight-hour workday”. Sophie was surprised he actually did this. But it did make her respect Mr. Glass more.
Later that day Sophie was sitting in the library. While reading Stafford Beer’s Brain of the Firm, she noticed a familiar looking girl surrounded by bullies. “Hey retard dyke, how’s your Canadian girlfriend?” They asked sarcastically while making air quotes. “You guys all heard about her breakdown after her breakup” announced with more air quotes as if to make sure everyone knew about her struggles. Sophie just watched for a while, not liking what she was seeing or hearing. After a while she just got up and began to walk away. Then she heard the bullies continue, “Hey if I say my girlfriend dumped me will I get time off? Or do I have to be a FAKE dyke like you?” Right then, hearing the word fake echo over and over again in her mind, something came over her, she stopped in her tracks and started to wonder, what would the Doctor do? What would Jack Bauer do? Then she got mad, she got strong, turned around, straightened her bowtie, stood at an angle, pointed her finger toward the bully as if she were holding a sonic screwdriver, and yelled “HEY, you think that’s funny” What’ era are you from? Do you really think it’s cool to make fun of someone’s heartbreak? Spoilers it’s not, or are you just upset that she doesn’t wanna date you? Regardless I’m gonna give you ONE chance, apologize and walk away or I will make you, it’s your choice, but you need to decide now, we don’t have much time” as she looked at her left wrist as if she was wearing a watch. The bullies laughed and said “oh you have a new girlfriend now, what are you gonna do? New girlfriend” Sophie smiled deviously and said, “whatever I have to”. Her confidence was shocking to the bullies, they didn’t know what to say. After a minute they mumbled “whatever, sorry losers” and walked away. Sophie then turned around and continued to walk out the door as the girl ran up to her and said “hey you’re Sophie right” “ya” Sophie said as she turned around and realized it was Sarah. Sarah said “hey thanks for that” “No problem” Sophie said as she continued to walk away. Before Sarah continued and said “sorry I missed lunch, I, well, you heard” Sarah said with shame in her voice, looking down at the ground. Sophie put her hand on Sophie's arm and said “You have nothing to feel ashamed of” Sarah looked up, smiled and blushed at Sophie making her smile and blush as well. Sarah continued “hey um, me and my mom just started watching 24, would you like to come over after school to watch with us?” Sophie was excited, she answered “are you serious? I love 24 ""I kinda figured” Sarah said with a laugh. Sophie looked puzzled before noticing Sarah looking at her shirt and remembered she was wearing a 24 shirt, laughed and said, “oh ya”.
That night Sophie watched 24 with Sarah and her mom. After the show they talked for hours in Sarah's room. Sarah apologized again for missing lunch she said “After the breakdown I thought you might not wanna be my friend and when I got back to school I didn’t approach you cause I thought you’d hate me” Sophie said “I thought you didn’t like me and was just trying to be nice, but didn’t actually want to have lunch with me” “Oh no, not at all, I’m so sorry, I really did I was excited about it all day, but then, you know” Sarah said again looking down in shame. Sophie put her hand on Sarah’s and said “Hey, stop that, you have nothing to be ashamed of” as Sarah looked up into Sophie's eyes. As they both smiled and blushed. Sitting on Sarah’s bed holding hands and gazing into each other's eyes.
The next night Sophie sat at the dinner table with her parents. Her mom asked again “So how are college applications going?” Sophie answered, “I haven’t heard back from NYU yet” Her mom looked shocked and angered and said “WHAT? You applied to NYU? I told you no, you had no right to do that” Sophie replied, “maybe not but I had reason.” Her mom flustered and angry and lacking anything else to say said “ahh, go to your room” Sophie calmly responded “I’m not done eating yet I will when I am finished” as she continued slurping her soup. Her parents just sat there dumbfounded, eyes widened and mouths open. When she finished, she did what she said she would and went to her room, she didn’t stay there for long though as she called Sarah who asked if she wanted to hang out, she said yes and headed out to meet Sarah, her parents too still shocked to say anything. She and Sarah just walked around the block talking about their struggles. Sarah opened up to her “you know I’ve never told anyone this before, but I’ve been bullied for as long as I can remember, I know I’m lucky to have a good family, but I’ve never really had any friends, and I can’t talk to my family about it I just don’t think they’d get it.” Sophie said, “I get that, for me it is sort of the other way around, I have not been bullied at school, but my parents hate me and that has made me feel so unwanted for so long.” Sarah stopped and took Sophie’s hand, looked at her and said, “I want you”. That moment seemed to last for an eternity as they stood in the moonlight once again holding hands gazing into each other's eyes.
Thanksgiving was once again fast approaching. At school before the break Sarah came up to Sophie and nervously smiled and said “hey umm, my parents are having a special date night on thanksgiving and I was just, well I just wanted to ask if maybe you wanted to come over, and maybe we could have our own, I mean no, not like”- Sophie noticed Sarah getting flustered and just smiled and said I’d love too. Sarah breathed a sigh of relief and said “Really? That would be so great, say around 6? I can cook” Sophie smiled and said that sounds amazing I will definitely be there. They hugged and went to their classes. After history Sophie stayed behind to talk to Mr. Glass. She said “hey, um Mr. Glass, I recently got an acceptance letter from NYU. They invited me for an interview and I’m really excited but a little nervous and I was wondering if you could help me practice for the interview. Mr. Glass said "that’s amazing absolutely, anything you need Sophie, I’m so proud of you” Sophie smiled and almost cried and said “thank-you” Mr. Glass, not just for this but for everything, you’re the best” Mr. Glass responded “No, you’re the best” as they both smiled at each other.
On thanksgiving once again Sophie heard her parents yelling, but she didn’t let it faze her this time, she opened he diary and began a letter
Dear Dream Team
Tonight is Thanksgiving dinner, and I have high hopes for this one. Sarah invited me to her house for dinner, just me and her. Things have been getting pretty serious between us, I think I might like her, like, like her like her and even more amazingly I think she might like me as well. You guys have helped me more than you could ever know. Even though you are not real I am thankful that you were always there and will continue to be. I have grown a lot since our banquet and attribute that all to you. You’ll never know what it means to me that I’m not alone and I’ll never have to be. Thank-you so much. I still get scared sometimes, I still feel insecure, I probably always will, but now when I do, I can hear your voices, I can hear what all of you would say, I hear you say cut the shit Sophie, you got this.
Sincerely Sophie Gadson.
After that she closed her diary and headed over to Sarah’s house. On her way out her dad asked, “hey where are you going?” Sophie said, “I have plans with a friend” Her mom jumped in and said “plans? It’s thanksgiving” Sophie said, “oh ya sorry, I have thanksgiving plans with a friend” and smiled. Her mom replied, “don’t give me that you smart ass, you’re staying right here” Sophie then asked “why?” Her parents looked at each other then back at her before speaking “what do you mean why?” Sophie exclaimed “you don’t really want me here and frankly I don’t really wanna be here so I’m gonna go have a good time and I suggest you try and do the same” Her parents were left too dumbfounded to respond as Sophie headed out the door.
Right at 6 Sophie knocked on Sarah’s door. Immediately it opened. Sarah said “Hi I’m so glad you’re here come in come in. Sophie came into the house and saw a beautiful candle lit dining table set up, not as fantastical as the one in Hilbert’s library but every bit as magical, if not more. Sarah was getting the turkey from the oven saying, “I may have left it in too long” I hope it’s alright.” Sophie stood there in shock, overwhelmed with emotion she began to cry. Sarah saw this and ran over to her and said “what’s wrong? Did I overdo it? I did, didn’t I? This is too much, I’m sorry. Sophie, still crying, looked at Sarah and said “no, no not at all, quite the opposite, this is amazing you did all of this for me? I’ve never felt so welcome, so wanted” Sarah looked at Sophie, smiled and said “remember what I told you, I want you” as she kissed her, and they embraced!!!
THE END
