Chapter 7 - What Sofia Remembered
At the child advocacy center, Ms. Brooks met Sofia in a quiet room with crayons and soft chairs, giving her time to draw without leading questions.
When Sofia came out, she held a drawing folded in half. It showed a car on a dark road, a red pickup behind it, and a person with square shoulders beside the driver's door.
"I remember the light," Sofia said. "One side was dark. Mommy told me to hold Bunny Rose and keep my head down."
Mateo's chest tightened, but he kept his voice calm. "Thank you for telling me."
"A man said, 'Don't tell your dad. He can't fix this.'"
She began to tremble. Mateo held her, but he didn't ask another question. Ms. Brooks explained that a child's memory could be incomplete, especially after a frightening event. The drawing and statement would be documented and compared with other evidence, not treated as proof by themselves.
On the drive home, Sofia watched the road through the window.
"Papi, did Mommy call you that night?"
"Yes. I missed her call. I was working."
"Was she mad?"
"No, baby. She knew I loved her. I thought I could call back in a few minutes. I was wrong about how much time I had. But you didn't cause the crash, and neither did she."
Sofia stared at her hands. "Vanessa said Mommy drove too fast because she wanted to leave us."
Mateo pulled into a parking lot. "That wasn't true. Your mother was bringing me papers. She was trying to help me."
"Then why did Vanessa say it?"
"Sometimes adults lie because they're afraid of what the truth will cost them."
At a red light, a red pickup pulled alongside them. Sofia ducked under the dashboard and covered her ears. The driver was an older woman who looked startled before driving away.
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Mateo waited until Sofia was ready before pulling back onto the road.
Before bed, Sofia handed him another drawing. This time, she had written one sentence beneath the red truck: MOMMY WASN'T ALONE.
