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Chapter 20
Sophie
A few days before Christmas, she was feeling stronger than she had in weeks. The extra week had given her the time she needed to recoup. She dreaded this treatment like she did the others knowing how she would feel but hoping by Christmas morning she could enjoy the holidays with the family a little bit.
Josh brought her home afterwards, put her to bed like always with a migraine. She saw her daughter very little but surprisingly, Ally came to visit her on Friday to see how Sophie’s chemo treatment had
gone.
She laid on the bed beside Sophie who was on her side. “How are you, Ally? Enjoying your newfound freedom?”
Ally lowered her eyes. “You know Brian and I broke up.”
“Jagger told your dad.”
She nodded. “He still calls me and texts me, Mom.”
Sophie laid her hand on Ally’s cheek. “He loves you.”
She nodded.
“How do you feel?”
Ally sobbed. Sophie’s head was pounding but she put that pain aside and tugged her daughter into her arms and held her. This was her first heartbreak, something that Sophie wished she didn’t have to experience. She comforted her daughter.
Then she glanced over her head and saw Josh leaning in the doorway watching them. He walked across the room and slid into bed behind his wife embracing her and his daughter.
Ally stayed the night at their house. Before morning, like always, Sophie was ill. She laid on the bathroom floor, covered by her heavy blanket and shivered. Ally squatted by her and caressed her cheek.
“Mom, can I get you anything?”
She shook her head no. “One more day of this and I’ll be ready for the recliner,” she told Ally.
“Is that how you get through this?” Ally asked her.
She nodded. “One hour at a time, babe.”
“I’ll be back to check on you,” Ally told her.
By Saturday night, Josh had carried Sophie to bed, tucked beneath the heavy blanket with the dogs for comfort. Her body still shivered. Her stomach still protested when she drank water or Gatorade, but she kept it down willing herself not to be sick.
Sunday afternoon, she moved to the recliner feeling better sooner than she had previously. She watched bowl games with Josh, something she had never done. More changes in Sophie’s life. She had watched him play as a cheerleader but never, had she watched football games with him during their married life, and she found that she liked this new experience.
“So, what happened with Camden?” Sophie asked.
“They haven’t played yet. They play New Year’s Day,” Josh explained.
Ally came out of her room. “I’m heading home now, since you’re doing better.” She leaned over her mother and kissed her forehead. Sophie wanted to grasp her hand and hold onto her. She wanted to beg her to move back home. “Call us if you need us, Ally,” she said instead.
“I will Mom.”
Then she went to Josh and kissed her father goodbye. When the door closed, Sophie felt her guts twisting. She put the puppies on the floor and dragged her blanket across the room. She slid into Josh’s lap and he held her close.
“I’m worried about her,” she told him.
“Me too.” He wrapped his arms around Sophie’s waist. “Jagger is too.”
“That isn’t comforting me, Josh.”
