Chapter 5 - SOPHIE'S SNOWMANSophie cared about none of it.
She cared about her snowman.
Michael attempted to repair it.
The base could be glued.
The arm reattached.
The marker wouldn't completely come off.
Neither would the stains.
Sophie watched him work.
“Will he look normal?”
Michael hesitated.
“No.”
She looked disappointed.
“I'm sorry.”
Then she asked:
“Did Mommy make him?”
“You both did.”
“I don't remember.”
“You were five.”
“I remember her painting the nose.”
Michael smiled.
“She complained you made it too big.”
Sophie laughed.
“Snowmen need big noses.”
“Apparently.”
They repaired what they could.
Michael wanted to repaint the entire thing.
Sophie stopped him.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Then it won't be the same.”
Michael understood.
Repair didn't require pretending damage never happened.
So the scribbles remained faintly visible.
One crack remained.
The arm sat slightly crooked.
Sophie put the snowman on her bedroom shelf.
Beside Rachel's photograph.
Not ruined.
May you like
Not restored.
Hers.
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