a listening ear (Sophie)

It had taken a while to even get to the orphanage given Sophie had three days in hospital before she was allowed to go back to her apartment. Given bureaucracy stopped for Sunday at least and her Aunt died on a Thursday a funeral was still a few days away. So she got let out of the hospital on Sunday evening and had to clear out and organise her aunts things before she did anything. It was only on Monday morning as she hobbled round on crutches somebody got to see her but Sophie kept her mind busy as with their help she was able to access her aunts bank account and see a regular payment going into it. Always the first of the month and usually round the same amount in USD. She figured this was her mother who wouldn't have a clue what was going on. So she at least had some money to keep her going. 

Going through her aunts papers she also discovered a trust fund which would unlock when she was 18. Also she presumed from her mother So both these indicated someday she might come for her. Right now she had to deal with social services. So a week after being shot she still felt in pain but able to cope even with an appointment with the therapist. She'd been cooking for two years and doing her own laundry when her aunt was working. Having seen her aunts emails and not telling social services about these there hadn't been a need to her to work at that general store. She did it so she could have something to do and she'd also let the triads know by return e-mail to an emergency contact address. A reply that would filter back to whoever needed to know. Also now her only connection with the organisation with whom her father and aunt worked for.

She'd only arrived in the orphanage the previous day but had made sure any direct debits and standing orders from her aunts point of view was closed down in the bank. You wouldn't expect an 10 year old girl to be so clear thinking but they did have this conversation before they arrived here and after her fathers funeral.  Her Aunts service would be tomorrow and probally just her and a priest present. She didn't think her aunt was catholic but it was just words and procedure at the end of the day.

So with less to keep her mind occupied and still off school Sophie was dreading this as she hobbled in supported by her crutches. She had selected a pale blue dress and buckled sandals along with a brimmed white hat. She also had her little strappy bag that now held her newly supplied cellphone, the key card for her room and a little purse.

Now she could look at the therapist as she wasn't looking like she'd say much right now. Actions would tell a lot more as she sat down without saying a word and looking as if the grief was really getting its hooks into her now.

Gavin Shaw

“You can call me Sophie”. A fact just presented in a flat manner by a little girl who had survivors guilt on top of other things. Then took a cloth handkerchief out of her newly supplied strappy bag. Not so long ago she was adventurous, fearless and happy. Now she felt flattened and wanting to cry all the time. Dabbing at tears that kept trying to fall some of the real Sophie was buried deep and still trying to show herself.

If he was fully informed about her he’d be going into rabbit holes that were dark and dangerous. If he hadn’t been he’d find them anyway.

Gavin Shaw

The child looked back at him and given her normal defences were down now she just might let more slip than usual.

Then she spoke after another bit of tear dabbing. "I was told at the hospital I was an orphan. Perhaps officially but my late father believed my mother was still alive. So do I". A belief she was hanging onto since she had evidence of child support payments to her aunts and now her bank account; something she wasn't telling anybody and they'd have to find out for themselves.

She'd let social services look after her for now; even be the good girl they'd like her to be but at some point the real Sophie would emerge.

Gavin Shaw

There was so much Sophie knew and wouldn't tell. Some might be found out by some hotshot investigator who got to call INTERPOL and did the obvious checks on her aunt but somethings would stay buried. So deflect and perhaps hide how smart she really was for starters. So look vunerable which she was already but play on that.

Sophie had known love but now she might lack a lot of it; that wasn't an issue but right now the real her was buried deep. She still felt angry about the OSE whom she felt stopped her mother being part of her life and still would for a long time. So looking back up at Gavin she nodded. Things did feel heavy right now and since she couldn't keep her mind occupied she just kept crying.

"I do feel different. I had things I knew for sure and could count on. Now that's all gone except for Jack and a few others. The social workers also took my throwing knives of me" she blubbed. A clue to Gavin that she wasn't the cute girl she normally appeared to be. She was a fighter on the canvas right now and the referee was counting. It just wasn't the physical pain she felt from the operation but all the layers she had before that hid the real Sophie were stripped back. Hiding anything would be hard now.

Gavin Shaw

"But I'm good with them" she protested. Then heard what he had to say to her. Great things? Had he been fed information about her? She wouldn't know. "My parents both did great things. That definition depends who you ask though. Papa told he she was a fighter just like him; so expected me to be the same but OSE being after her meant she couldn't be in my life.

I can make a flame weapon like her but she could do a lot more" she quietly said still believing her mother was alive. "Really Gavin. I haven't really got meeting the other children yet as I only got there yesterday" she added. She'd barely been out of her room given her grieving and not being that mobile yet. That might change after tomorrow because that was when her aunts funeral would take place and she'd been able to start healing her mind along with her body.

Just thinking of the funeral made more tears fall. Her's would be a long road to travel but it looked like she had the will to make the journey rather than just fade away.

Gavin Shaw

"Thank you Gavin" Sophie blubbed accepting more tissues. When the tears stopped again she wondered to herself just how many times she'd do this. "And that sounds like a good idea. I'll be slow like the tortoise" she added reminding him to bear that in mind. She'd been told walking would do her good even with the pain. She just couldn't overdo it and risk making her wound worse.

"Plenty of people don't like me in school; so I can't see this being any different but I will try and get on with them" she added as she got to her feet with the aid of the crutches. Her left foot wasn't touching the ground yet but she'd been told her leg would heal fully.

Gavin Shaw

What worried Sophie was not being able to walk properly again; it would be such a change to the life she was used to but that robber thad made quite a mess of her left hip and upper leg. The scar would remain even if it did heal properly. Then she might even need a wheel chair if she wanted to have a chance of future mobility.

She did understand you needed to think and run fast at times but being stealthy did work in your favour more than you might realise. The valid question was posed as Gavin opened the door for her and she hobbled through it.

"The doctor told me how bad the injury was. So they can't even tell me for sure but they are confident I can recover full use of the leg. I can still feel my toes move which must be a good sign" she quietly replied.

Gavin Shaw