Sophie closes her door behind her, leaning up against it for a moment. She sighs. Her emotions had gotten the better of her this time. She looked over to her desk in one quick movement. She smoothly walked over, and eyed an old book she'd once used as a diary. Picking it up, she opened it, and just as she remembered, some pages were filled with emotion and others filled with general talk. One name kept popping up on every page: 'Matilda'. She took a pen from its regular home, on the side, next to her laptop. She first hesitates, but then begins to write.

Dear Matilda,
It has been a long time since I wrote to you...or in you. I apologize for that.
A lot has changed since my teenage years. Me and Matt, you heard about him in the pages previous, are now married. While I don't regret that decision, I do wish we weren't so committed so young...

She stops for a moment, hearing a door slam. Probably Matt leaving. She continued.

The biggest change...definitely the children. One beautiful boy, and a step-daughter who I love with all my heart. Not to mention the third one on the way.

She looks to her extended belly for a moment

After Matt returned from war, his drinking obsession became worse. He's actually only just returned home from a binge...

She glares up at her calendar

A...2 week long binge...

She twitches the pen between her fingers. Thinking about the state her and her family were in those 2 weeks made her stomach twinge, and the baby inside of her kick like mad. She tried to take her mind off it.

Matilda, I wish you could see where we live. It's a place called Hathian. It's grungy, has this funny mist about it in the mornings, and I'm pretty sure the other day I saw a hooker giving head to a guy outside a burger bar...Anyway. It's home. I couldn't be happier.
I finally have work! I work at the hospital here, only part of the office staff, but hey, it's better than nothing, right? Besides, I wouldn't just sit at home all day. You know that, right?

She looks up to the clock and sighs

I suppose I'd better leave now, Matilda. Until the next time. I promise, it'll be sooner rather than later.

Sophie.

She places the journal back on her desk, grinning, putting a small piece of card which was lying on her desk inside, so she knew where to begin next time she wanted to vent. Her eyes rolled back a little, hearing a child shout out for her mother. Reality strikes her again.