Saving Amy

I Love You Mummy

20th February 2013

BRIT Awards 2013

Sophia was nine years old, and tonight she was being taken to the BRIT Awards at the 02 Arena, because Amy was nominated for British Female Solo Artist, and while she wasn't sure she'd get it, Sophia was sure she would. She had begged and pleaded to be allowed to come with her. Eventually Amy had agreed, and so Sophia was accompanied by Andrew who was to keep her by his side and in his sight the whole time.

Sophia walked into the concert arena holding Andrew's hand. Amy had arrived earlier so she could be ready. Sophia and Andrew found their seats and sat down. Andrew nudged Sophia gently. "Look, there's your mum!" He pointed. Sophia looked where he was pointing and saw Amy standing up in a row of chairs talking to a woman in a pink dress. Amy caught Sophia's eye, winked at her and blew her a kiss. Sophia caught it and blew a kiss back.

"See that man next to you, Soph?" Andrew whispered to her. "That's Olly Murs." Sophia didn't know who many of the other people were, but she tapped his shoulder carefully. He turned in his chair to see who'd tapped him, and smiled when he saw the little girl. "Hello there," he said. "My name's Olly. How are you doing?" Sophia smiled at him. "Hi! I'm Sophia. I'm really excited, I've never been anywhere like this before." Olly took his signature hat off and put it on her head, making her giggle. "Hey, you look better in that than I do!" He laughed, and took a photo of her with his phone.

Before the awards ceremony started, Andrew took Sophia to meet the people he thought she'd like. She met Robbie Williams, who got down to her height to say hello and told her she was very cute. She met Taylor Swift, One Direction who made her laugh a lot, Emeli Sande, Paloma Faith, Rita Ora, Adele and Rihanna. She was too little to be starstruck but she really liked them.

Sophia tried her hardest to pay attention during the show because she knew she was lucky to be there. She got more enthusiastic about the artists when they were performing, but she did clap for whoever won the awards.

When the host announced the British Solo Female Award, Sophia got more excited and sat up straighter in her chair. Olly leaned over to Andrew. "Is her favourite singer nominated for this?" He asked him. Andrew nodded. "Yes, she is."

The host James Corden introduced Taylor Swift, and she spoke for a while, before they announced the nominees on the screen. "Paloma Faith." "Amy Winehouse." Sophia clapped excitedly when they said her mum's name. "Bat For Lashes." "Jessie Ware." "Emeli Sande."

Sophia held her breath as Taylor opened the envelope and looked at what it said inside. "And the British Solo Female Award goes to..." she paused to add effect. "Amy Winehouse!"

Sophia screamed and jumped to her feet, clapping as hard and as loudly as she could. Amy walked up onto the stage, Taylor hugged her, and gave her the award. "You look amazing tonight!" Taylor said to her. Amy was in a black dress with matching heels, and around her neck was a silver necklace with a charm in the shape of an S, matching the A Sophia was wearing around her neck. "Thank you, you do too." Amy smiled, and then turned to speak to the crowd.

Before she started speaking, Taylor had a question for her. "Sorry, Amy, I'm new to this country still, but everyone's been asking about that new tattoo on your wrist, it says Sophia. Would you mind telling everyone who Sophia is?" Amy laughed. "That's in the speech I wrote, you'll find out." She said. She faced the crowd again.

"Wow, thanks everyone! This is so crazy, isn't it? Um, I want to thank my mum and dad, my brother, my friends, my Reg, and everyone who's worked with me on my music. But, most of all I want to thank my daughter Sophia. I haven't been the best mum to her, but every time I come home she's there with a smile and open arms, no matter what. I came home in a bad state one time, not drunk or on drugs, I don't do that any more, and she didn't run and hide like other kids would. She made me sit down and she gave me water and she stayed and watched me to make sure I didn't hurt myself. I literally wouldn't be standing here without her. You might think it's crazy, but this is all true. Sophia was born with a gift, and," Amy told the story Sophia told her, and what had happened that night two years ago. The whole crowd was shaken, but they knew she was telling the truth. "I kept Sophia out of the public eye for her whole life because I didn't want her being chased by camera people. But she's here tonight," Amy continued. "I heard someone say that we don't know why we're born, or why we're put on this Earth. Sophia's different. She was born to save me. And she did. And she does, every day. I'm alive because of her. She's made me a better person. There are so many things I didn't want her to learn from me. She makes me better. I made her, but she made me too."
Amy kissed the award and held it up higher. "So, to my Soph, this one's for us baby. I love you."

After the show was over, Amy went back to the area backstage where she'd had her makeup done. On the table there was an envelope with her name written on it in a child's handwriting. Smiling, she picked it up, opened it and read it. By the time she reached the end of it, tears had smudged her eye-makeup and the makeup artist had to redo it.

Amy made her way back into the arena, and it took her only a minute to find Sophia amongst all the people. Her daughter had been dressed by a proper stylist, in a baby pink dress with a white bow tied around her middle. Her dark hair was curled, she had pink lipgloss on and a tiny bit of eyeliner, and on top of her curls was a white hairband with a white bow that matched the one on her dress. She picked her daughter up and hugged her tightly, kissing her cheeks. "You won, Mummy!" Sophia said happily. Amy kissed her daughter's face again. "No Soph," she said. "We won."

Later that night, when they were back at home, Sophia and Amy had both gone to bed as soon as they got in because it was late. Sophia woke up after a few hours, and tiptoed into Amy's room. Amy was asleep, lying on her side, and the duvet was half off her. Sophia picked up the duvet and put it back over her mum. She crept closer and kissed Amy's cheek and twisted a piece of Amy's hair around her little finger. "I love you mummy." She whispered in Amy's ear, then she tiptoed back to her own room.