January 23, 1975

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Sophie got home from school early. She knew Uncle Felix wouldn't be home. He was busy with something at work, moving things. So she got the key out from under the empty flower pot in the side yard and went inside.

Uncle Felix's house was a mess, but Sophie was excited every time another door in the house opened, revealing a new room for her to explore. Today, it looked like she was allowed into Aunt Linda's old office.

It was barren, the desk empty except for an old red pen, half-filled with ink. There were papers too, warped with water damage. Sophie didn't read them. It felt rude.

After looking through the other stuff in the desk, Sophie went to the closet in the office and looked through the clothes that her Aunt had left behind. There were some pretty dresses that Sophie couldn't believe she'd forgotten. She took them off the hangers and up to the guest room.

My room, Sophie reminded herself, It's my room now.

She laid the dresses out on her bed, deciding to first try on the orange and pink striped one. It was built like a long tank top, with thick, white buttons down the front. When she pulled it on over her clothes, it hung down to her knees.

The second dress Sophie tried on reminded her of a dress her mother had made her wear as a little kid. It was similar to the dress Molly had been wearing when she'd last seen her, like overalls but with a long skirt. The one that Aunt Linda had was a bit too big for Sophie, but she decided to keep it, because one day it would fit. She especially liked the yellow and black plaid pattern on it, and how her white turtleneck looked underneath it.

Sophie decided to try on the rest of the dresses later, because she was hungry now, so she hung them up in her closet and went downstairs to the kitchen.

There was an empty bottle of brandy on the counter.

Sophie ignored it and made herself some pasta.

There was someone sleeping on the couch, surrounded by bottles, that she'd seen when she came into the house.

Sophie ignored it and ate her pasta at the kitchen table.

The person on the couch got up and got the box of cigarettes off the kitchen table.

Sophie ignored them and went back upstairs to continue trying on the dresses.

The person downstairs sounded sick.

Sophie ignored it and sat in her new dress, watching the snow.

The person downstairs fell onto the couch and started to cry loudly.

Sophie ignored them and started her homework.

The person downstairs was asleep again.

Sophie ignored them and went back downstairs to make herself dinner.

The person downstairs didn't know Sophie was there.

Sophie pretended to not know that the person downstairs was there.

"I'm sorry!" The person downstairs wailed.

Sophie did not respond.

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