Chapter 4 — The Photograph in Sophie’s Room
That evening, Daniel helped Sophie get ready for bed.
She had barely spoken since the confrontation.
He sat beside her on the edge of the mattress.
“Do you want the hallway light on?”
Sophie nodded.
Daniel turned it on.
When he returned, Sophie was holding a small framed photograph.
Emily.
Daniel recognized it instantly.
It had been taken during Sophie’s first birthday.
Emily was laughing while holding the baby against her shoulder.
Daniel smiled sadly.
“You found that?”
Sophie looked nervous.
“It was under my clothes.”
Daniel frowned.
“Why was it hidden?”
Sophie hesitated.
“Victoria doesn’t like it.”
His expression changed.
“What do you mean?”
“She said it makes me sad.”
Daniel took a breath.
“Does it?”
Sophie looked at the photograph.
“Sometimes.”
“Do you want me to take it away?”
Her hands immediately tightened around the frame.
“No.”
Daniel nodded.
“Then it stays.”
Sophie looked surprised.
“Really?”
“Really.”
She stared at him.
“Victoria said I should stop talking about Mommy because it hurts you.”
Daniel felt his heart break.
He shook his head.
“No, sweetheart.”
“But you get sad.”
“I do.”
He touched the photograph.
“But being sad because I miss your mom isn’t a bad thing.”
Sophie’s eyes filled with tears.
“I miss her too.”
Daniel pulled her into his arms.
“I know.”
For several minutes, neither spoke.
Then Sophie asked:
“Did Mommy love me?”
Daniel smiled through tears.
“More than anything.”
“Did she want to leave?”
“No.”
Daniel’s answer came immediately.
“She would have stayed forever if she could.”
Sophie began crying quietly.
Daniel held her tighter.
He suddenly understood how much confusion had been building inside his daughter.
Adults avoided discussing Emily because they wanted to protect Sophie from sadness.
Victoria tried to erase Emily because the memories made her insecure.
And Sophie interpreted all that silence in the only way a child could.
Maybe she wasn’t supposed to miss her mother.
Maybe loving Emily hurt everyone around her.
Daniel gently placed the photograph on Sophie’s bedside table.
“Tomorrow, we’re going through the photo albums.”
Sophie’s eyes widened.
“All of them?”
“Every single one.”
“And you’ll tell me stories?”
“As many as you want.”
For the first time that day, Sophie smiled.
Then she looked toward the bedroom door.
“Is Victoria leaving?”
Daniel paused.
“Yes.”
Sophie’s smile disappeared.
“Because of me?”
“No.”
Daniel took her hand.
“Because adults are responsible for their own choices.”
“But she’ll be sad.”
Daniel nodded.
“Probably.”
Sophie looked down.
He continued:
“You can care that someone is sad without taking responsibility for fixing it.”
The sentence was complicated for a six-year-old.
But Sophie seemed to understand enough.
She climbed beneath the blanket.
Daniel kissed her forehead.
“Daddy?”
“Yes?”
“Can Mommy’s picture stay here tonight?”
Daniel looked at Emily’s smiling face.
Then at Sophie.
“It can stay every night.”
Sophie closed her eyes.
Daniel switched off the lamp.
May you like
The photograph remained visible in the glow from the hallway.
And for the first time in years, nobody in the house was pretending Emily had to disappear so everyone else could move forward.
