Growing Up

Chapter 19

Sophia folded the note back up before shutting the door to her new car and locking it again.

"Sophia, who is it from?" Mariska asked, as she picked up Missie and placed her on her hip.

"It's from Chris," Sophia whispered.

"You are returning it, Sophia. You can't keep it." Mariska replied, but if she had bought the car of Sophia, she would have let her keep it.

"Mom-"

"No. You said that you-"

"Yeah, I said that I didn't want anything to do with him. But Mom, he left me a note... He said that he loves me and that he hopes I like the gift. I'm keeping it Mom because this honestly might be the last thing I ever get from him. I'm sorry we couldn't go car shopping, but I want the car." Sophia spoke, before walking past her mother and heading back into the ballroom. The kids and Donna followed her, while Mariska and Peter stood outside and looked at the car.

"It's a nice car. It's very safe too." Peter spoke, and Mariska shook her head.

"She's not keeping the car, Peter. She is not keeping this car. It is not an appropriate gift for her birthday."

"You were going to get her one," Peter spoke, and she turned around and smacked his chest as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I was supposed to take her to get one."

"She'll need a new car eventually. Maybe you could take her to look for seat covers. It's not that big of a deal, Rish." Peter spoke, as he drew her close. She rested her head against his chest as she cried.

It was a big deal to her.

===

Donna drove the Tesla back to Mariska's house before picking up her own car and heading home. Sophia was "banned" from driving the Tesla, even though she wanted to drive it so badly.

"You are such a bitch." Sophia spat, as she hung her dress back up in her room. Mariska had come into Sophia's room to discuss what was happening and why she had to return the car.

"Don't you dare call me that, Sophia." Mariska huffed.

"It's a car from my father! Shouldn't you be happy that he gave it to me?!" Sophia spat.

"You are just taking it because it was free!" Mariska yelled, and Sophia shook her head as tears ran down her cheeks.

"I'm not taking it because it's free, Mom. I'm taking it because Chris gave it to me. He thought enough about me, that he wanted to try and make things better. You'll never understand because you had your father in your life. I'll call him and be getting his address so he can get his car back." Sophia breathed.

She hated that her mother thought so low about her. Sophia wasn't spoiled. She didn't get everything that she wanted, and when she wanted a car and got one, she was spoiled all of a sudden.

"We were going to go car shopping together, Soph. It was our plan."

"Mom-"

"No. Don't you dare try and make me feel bad. I'm sending it back in the morning."

===

Sophia heard when the tow truck came to pick up the car in the morning, and she walked out and sat on the front stairs and watched. The bow flipped off, and Sophia got up and grabbed it before sitting back down.

"Why are you getting rid of this, Miss?" The driver questioned when he noticed Sophia.

"My mom doesn't want me to keep it because it's from my dad... just make sure it doesn't get scratched, okay? I want him to be able to return it." Sophia breathed.

"Have a note that I should give to him?" The driver asked, and Sophia bit her lip before standing.

"Give me like 5 minutes and I'll be back."

Sophia ran into the house and straight into the dining room. She grabbed a piece of paper from the pile her siblings were going to draw on. She quickly scrawled a note on the bright pink paper, before running out and handing it to the tow truck driver.

"Thank you. Have a good day." She breathed, and he nodded before getting into his truck and driving away.

===

Chris walked out of the house he brought in the outskirts of New York City. He decided not to leave after he was released, and he was getting the baby from Carly and raising him by himself. He was trying to change, and he was hoping Mariska and Sophia would see that he could see Soph again.

"Mr. Meloni?" The tow truck driver questioned, as he got out of his truck with a piece of bright pink construction paper tucked in one hand and a clipboard in the other.

"Yeah, that's me. Why is that car here?" Chris asked.

"Your daughter said her mother wouldn't her keep it. She wanted me to give you this to you. Can I unload the car?"

"Yeah, uh, in my driveway, please," Chris spoke, before taking the paper and walking into his house. He stood by the door as he unfolded the paper and slowly read the long note that was written in Sophia's handwriting, but it was messier than usual.

Chris,

First of all, I'd like to think you for the car. I love it. But Mom said I can't keep it because she wanted to go car shopping with me. The note was nice, and I wish that the first place I could've driven in the car was to see you and thank you... but I can't. My birthday was good, I just wonder what it would've been like if you were there. We both made bad choices recently, more like the last year, but I think we can forgive each other at some point. I love you, Chris... and I hope that you will be okay with Carly giving the baby up... don't let it get you down.

Soph

Chris wiped a tear from his cheek before walking out just as the tow truck driver got out of the Tesla.

"Here are the keys, sir." The man spoke.

"Thank you. What do I owe you?" Chris asked.

"Nothing. Ms. Hargitay paid me. Have a good day." He replied. Chris locked the car before walking back into the house and reading the note over and over again.