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“Sophia? Is that you darling?” Carol called to her daughter from the kitchen as she heard the front door creak open.
But there was no reply other than a quiet sob coming from the sitting room. Carol quickly wiped her hands and rushed out to see her daughter, Sophia slumped on the worn, brown couch in their cozy living room.
Her eyes red and puffy from crying. The soft, golden light of the afternoon sun streaming through the window highlighting the tears streaming down her face. Her mother, Carol, sat beside her, rubbed her back in gentle circles, her hands warm and comforting. A stark contrast to whatever it was Sophia was passing through at that moment.
“Hey darling, are you okay?” Carol asked, looking concerned.
“He broke up with me,” Sophia replied in-between sobs.
“Who?
“Alex! Alex mum” Sophia replied, surprised and angry that her mum asked that question. Anyways Carol never really liked Alex.
"Chin up, darling! You'll find someone better!" Carol said, pulling her daughter closer into her arms while trying to sound cheerful, but her voice was laced with a hint of concern. Her brow furrowed, and her eyes, a deep, warm brown, filled with empathy.
"Mom, you don't get it at all do you? Alex was different. We had something real, or so I thought." Sophia said pulling away, her voice laced with frustration, her eyes flashing with anger. She tossed her long, dark hair over her shoulder, her movements jerky with agitation.
"Come on honey, I know it hurts, sweetie, but you can't let one person define your happiness. You're strong and capable of .." Carol replied, her expression softened, her face a map of understanding. She reached out, but Sophia recoiled, her arms crossing over her chest like a shield.
"Capable of getting my heart broken, apparently," Sophia interrupted, her voice cracking, a sob threatening to escape. She felt like she was drowning in a sea of pain, with no lifeline in sight.
Carol sighed, her shoulders sagging, her eyes filled with a deep sadness. She knew her twenty-two year old daughter's pain all too well. She had experienced it herself, many years ago. She sought for a wise way to handle the situation
"Remember when you fell off your bike as a kid, honey?”.
Sophia nodded
“You were so scared to get back on, but I encouraged you to try again. And you did! You rode that bike like a pro” Carol continued “This is similar, Sophia. You need to get back out there and try again."
"It's not the same, Mom. A broken heart isn't something you can just 'get back on' like a bike. And besides,is that all you can come up with mum?" Sophia shook her head, her eyes gradually welling up with tears, her voice barely above a whisper. Then she stomped out of the living room up the stairs to her room angrily.
"Sophia, I know it's hard, but you can't give up. You need to keep moving forward. Why don't you try online dating or join a new club? Meet some new people, make some friends—" Carol called out to Sophia with a stern expression and a voice firm but gentle.
Sophia stopped in her tracks just at the door to her room, turned back to her Mom, with raised voice and clenched fists. "I don't want to meet new people, Mom! I want to wallow in my misery for a little while longer, okay?" Then she banged the door shut.
Carol's face fell, her eyes filled with deep sorrow. She knew her daughter was hurting, and all she wanted to do was fix it but apparently she couldn't fix it.
"Okay, sweetie. I understand. But just remember, I'm here for you, and I'll support you no matter what." She concluded and walked back to the kitchen. She needed to complete dinner.
Days went by, Sophia slowly began to re-emerge from her room. Fortunately, she was getting past her heartache. She engaged more in taking long walks in the evening crisp, autumn air with her mum. They loved the sound of the brown leaves crunching beneath their feet. Sophia also reconnected with old friends, she couldn't tell how but their laughter and jokes were like a balm to her wounded soul.
And just as her mum advised she even tried online dating with a mind open to new possibilities. That was where she saw him – George, a tall, dark-haired, and handsome guy, with piercing blue eyes that seemed to see right through her. They got talking, sharing stories of their hopes and dreams. Their connection grew stronger with each passing day.
One evening she sat on the porch, her phone buzzing with George's messages, Sophia looked up to see her mother, who was watching her with a warm, knowing smile.
"Told you. Chin up, my darling," Carol said, her voice barely above a whisper. "You're going to be okay."
Sophia smiled, a small, tentative smile, but a smile nonetheless. She knew she still had a long way to go, but with her mother's support and her own determination, she felt like she could face anything. She was ready to take a chance, to try again, and to see where life would take her.