Raising Sophie - Brollins

7.

Rebecca walked into catering and saw Colby sitting at the table in the corner by himself, she watched him looking over papers as she walked up

"Scripts for the night?" She asked as she walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him before placing a kiss on his head

"Papers from my lawyer" he corrected her as she sat next to him

"Papers from your lawyer, about what?" She questioned and he handed them over to her and she began reading

"Bethany wants to relinquish her parental rights, she wants to give up her rights to Sophie" he explained and Rebecca shook her head

"Who would just willingly give up all rights they have to their kid?"

"She has a reason but she won't talk to me and she refuses to see me so there's no way for me to know.. I won't have any answers for Sophie when she asks me as she gets older"

"I can try" Rebecca shrugged "She wouldn't turn me away I don't think"

"I can't ask you to do that" he shook his head

"You're not asking, I'm telling you I will do it.. I'll go talk to her and see if she'll tell me what's going on"

The following day Rebecca found herself walking into the Iowa state correction facility for women. She was patted down and searched before an officer took her towards the visitation pod.

She waited for ten minutes before hearing the loud buzz and the door opened and she watched Bethany walk in the room, her one dyed blonde hair was now back to its natural brown, she wore the prison uniform like the rest of them.

How did she fall this far?

"Rebecca" Bethany said as she walked over to the table and sat down in front of her

"Bethany" Rebecca matched her tone "It's been a long time" she nodded

"Two years?" Bethany asked

"Almost Three" Rebecca corrected quickly

"When they said I had a visitor, I'll admit it.. you were the last person I expected" she said and Rebecca nodded "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to talk to you about why you are signing away your rights to Sophie" she explained and the brunette nodded

"I was wondering how long it would be before somebody on the outside tried to talk to me about that" she nodded

"So here I am.." Rebecca shrugged "Explain" she stated "because I need to know what answers I need to have prepared when your daughter gets older"

"You tell her I made some bad choices, you tell her I don't ever want her to go down the same path I have.. you keep her out of trouble and you tell her I did what was best for her"

"What's best for her?" Rebecca scoffed "You're in here for another year and then you get out on probation.. how is signing away your rights to her and never being able to see her again what is best for her?"

"I hear things ya know" Bethany nodded "I know that you and Colby are together now" she said and their eyes met for a brief moment "How long has it been official?"

"Two months" Rebecca answered quickly "We officially got together the end of February" she explained and Bethany nodded

"And how is it?" She asked

"The best relationship I've ever been in" she answered quickly

"You're the love of his life" Bethany nodded "Anybody with eyes can see that, hell I saw that back when we were still together.. It was only a matter of time before you two found one another"

"I still don't understand" Rebecca shook her head "What does this have to do with you giving up your rights to Sophie?"

"I know you've stepped up and basically taken over my role since I've been gone, and I can't thank you enough for that.. my daughter needed that.. she still needs that, she needs someone to show her how to be strong and independent but also how to treat others.. she needs someone better than me"

"Bethany get to the point" Rebecca said, she was growing annoyed with the small talk and the stalling

"I want you to raise my daughter.. raise her like your own, you and Colby don't have children together officially yet.. but in the future you might.. and when you do have a child you will automatically know the bond, this love that you've never felt before.. that love will cause you to do things unimaginable, it will cause you to put their needs before your own, to put their well-being above yours.. and that is exactly what I am doing with signing over my rights" she explained "Sophie needs a woman in her life that is going to teach her everything she needs to know, Sophie needs someone who she can turn to no matter what, Sophie needs You" she said and Rebecca felt the tears beginning to form in her own eyes "I'm giving up my rights as her mother" Bethany said and Rebecca looked her in the eye as she grabbed her hand and the woman's eyes mirrored her own "I am giving up my rights as her mother" she repeated herself once more "So you can take them over and become her Mom"