A Life I Never Knew About

Chapter Thirteen

Sophia's point of view.

Once I was finished in the shower, I had turned off the water and dried myself off with a towel before wrapping myself in a bathrobe and exiting the bathroom. I go into Ellie's room and tell her that she could have a shower before walking back into my room rolling my eyes when I see Mia's cat Louie laying on my floor.

I walk over to my wardrobe and change into something comfortable seeing as I will be going over to Grandma's only to change into the dress Grandma had gotten made for me. I look up from putting on my shoes when I heard a knock. ''Do you have Loui in here?'' Mia asks me. I look at her before nodding my head smiling. ''He decided to come into my room while I was in the shower,'' I tell her.

She nods her head sighing before walking over to the cat and picking him up while I go over to the vanity to clean it up. ''Hey, Soph this is for you. Loui was laying on it,'' Mia tells me passing me a letter that Louie was laying on. ''Thanks,'' I tell her taking the letter. Mia smiles at me before turning around and leaving the room.

I look down at the letter in my hands and my eyes narrow at the familiar writing. It was the same writing that was in the cards that dad had sent to Mia and me on our birthdays. I walk over to my window seat and sit down before looking at the letter. I look at the elegant writing on the back spelling my name before I turned the letter around and opening it.

My Dearest Daughter.

Today is your eighteenth birthday. Congratulations. I present you with this Journal. To fill the pages with your special thoughts. Special thoughts of your wonderful life. It is a custom in my family to pass on a piece of wisdom when one reaches this age. I pass it on to you as my father passed it on to me.

Sophia, courage is not the absence of fear. But rather the judgment that something else is much more important than fear. The brave may not live forever. But the cautious do not live at all. From now on you will be traveling the road between who you think you are and who you can be.

The key is to allow yourself to make the journey. I also want you to know, I loved your mother very much and still think of her often. Happy Birthday my Sophie.

All my love, your father.

''Hey, Sophie you ready?'' Ellie asks me. I look up at her and nod my head folding the letter back up. ''Yeah,'' I tell her. ''Are you okay, your crying?'' she asks me. ''I'm fine, in fact, I was just given the help I have needed to answer an especially important question. Let's go,'' I tell her. She nods and together she and I leave.

Time Skip.

I was waiting for Grandma in the foyer so that she and I could enter together like Joe told me and Mia we would. Charlotte had told us that Mia had lied about how she was getting here so she had time to run. Ellie already went in with Charlotte and most likely found Ryan, Lilly, Jeremiah, Mom, and Mr. O-Connell.

''Sophia, you look beautiful,'' I turn around when I heard Grandma. I smile at her as she approached me smiling also. ''You look beautiful to Grandma,'' I tell her. ''Thank you, dear,'' she tells me laughing. ''Still no word from Mia?'' She asks me. I shake my head. ''No, Joe went out to look for her,'' I tell her. ''Oh well, at least you are here. Shall we?'' she asks me. I look at her and nod my head.

''We shall,'' I tell her. ''Now remember what I taught you and you will be simply fine,'' Grandma nods at me. I nod my head and link my arms through hers. Together both she and I enter the ballroom. Only Ellie had seen my dress so when I spotted Lilly, Jeremiah, Mom, Mr. O-Connell, Ellie, and Ryan I smiled at them. I turn back to everyone else in the room smiling and nodding at them when they say hello.