The Invitation
1270 Words
The invitation sat on Sophia’s kitchen counter like an accusation.
She’d walked past it six times this morning. Made coffee. Checked her work email. Returned a call to a client. Each time, she saw it sitting there. Cream cardstock. Gold lettering that caught the morning light. Her sister’s name is in an elegant script.
She still hadn’t opened it all the way.
Monday morning and she had a thousand things to do. A conference call in twenty minutes. The Vale proposal is to be finalized. Three client emergencies before noon. She should be getting ready, putting on her work clothes, thinking about anything except that piece of paper.
Instead, she stood in her kitchen in her bathrobe, staring at it.
Sophia picked it up. The cardstock was thick, expensive. Maya had gone all out. She ran her finger over the embossed lettering.
You are invited to celebrate the marriage of Maya Rose Benson and Jacob Michael Chen. Christmas Eve. Mountain Ridge Lodge.
Of course, it was Christmas Eve. Maya had always loved Christmas at the lodge. The snow, the decorations, the whole family gathered around the fireplace. When they were kids, Maya used to count down the days starting from September.
Sophia used to love it too. Before everything fell apart.
She opened the invitation fully. Inside was a photo of Maya and Jake, laughing, covered in fall leaves. They looked stupidly happy. The kind of happiness that made you believe in love and forever.
Below the photo, a more elegant script. “Reception to follow. RSVP by December 1st”.
Sophia hadn’t responded. Hadn’t even acknowledged it except for a quick text to Maya two weeks ago. Got it. It looks beautiful.
Maya had sent back five exclamation points and three heart emojis.
Sophia set the invitation down and poured another cup of coffee. Her third this morning. She was running on four hours of sleep and caffeine.
Her phone buzzed on the counter.
Maya. Again.
Sophia let it ring. Once, twice, three times. It went to voicemail.
She should answer. She knew she should. Maya was her sister. Her only sister. And she was getting married and wanted Sophia there.
But if Sophia answered, Maya would hear something in her voice. Maya always could. Even when they were kids, Maya knew when Sophia was lying or hiding something.
The phone buzzed again. A text this time.
I know you’re there. I can feel you staring at your phone.
Sophia almost smiled. Maya knew her too well.
I’m getting ready for work, she typed back.
It’s 7 AM. You’re not dressed yet.
Okay, that was creepily accurate.
How do you know that?
Because I know you. You’re standing in your kitchen in your bathrobe looking at my invitation and trying to figure out how to say no.
Sophia looked down at her bathrobe. Gray. Boring. Practical.
I didn’t say no.
You didn’t say yes either.
I’m coming to your wedding, Maya.
Are you though?
The question sat there on the screen. Simple. Direct. Impossible to deflect.
Really? Or was she going to find some last-minute excuse?
The phone rang again. This time Sophia answered.
“I’m coming to your wedding.”
“Promise?” Maya’s voice was careful. Hopeful but guarded.
“Promise.”
“Good. Because I already told Mom. She cried for like twenty minutes last night.”
Guilt hit sharply. She hadn’t called her mom in three weeks. Maybe four.
“How is she?”
“She’s good. Excited about the wedding. Driving me crazy with questions about flowers and seating charts.” Maya paused. “She really wants to see you, Soph.”
“I know.”
“She doesn’t understand why you stay away so much.”
Sophia walked to her window and looked out at LA. Gray sky. Traffic is already building. Somewhere out there, people were living normal lives.
“I’m not staying away. I’ve been busy.”
“You’re always busy. That’s the problem.” Maya’s voice was gentle but firm. “You work constantly. You never come home. When was the last time you actually took a vacation?”
Sophia tried to remember. That weekend in San Diego two years ago. Except she’d spent most of it on her laptop. Before that? She honestly couldn’t remember.
“I like my job.”
“I’m not saying you don’t. I’m just saying there’s more to life than work. Family. Friends. Actual human connection.”
“I have friends.”
“Work friends don’t count.”
“Why not?”
“Because you only see them at work. When was the last time you did something just for fun?”
Sophia opened her mouth to answer and realized she couldn’t. Everything she did revolved around work. Everything.
“That’s what I thought,” Maya said quietly.
Sophia felt defensive. “Some of us have to work hard to pay bills.”
“You make good money. You could take time off if you wanted to. You just don’t want to.”
That wasn’t true. Except maybe it was. Work was safe. Work made sense. Life didn’t.
“Look,” Maya said, softer now. “I’m not trying to attack you. I just miss you. We all miss you. And I want you at my wedding. Not just there while your brain is somewhere else. Actually there. With us.”
“I can handle three days without checking email.”
Maya laughed. It wasn’t a happy sound. “I’ll believe that when I see it. Remember Thanksgiving two years ago? You left dinner early for a conference call.”
“That was an emergency.”
“Everything is an emergency with you, Soph.”
Sophia didn’t have an answer. Because Maya was right.
“The lodge will be beautiful at Christmas,” Maya said. “Grandma’s already planning the menu. She’s making your favorite meal. That chicken thing with the mushrooms.” Her grandmother’s coq au vin. She hadn’t had it in years.
“She talks about you all the time,” Maya continued. “Tells everyone about her granddaughter in LA who works with famous people. She’s so proud of you.”
The guilt hit harder. Grandma Eleanor is eighty-one. How many more Christmases would she have?
“I’ll be there,” Sophia said. “I promise. December twenty-first. I already looked at flights.”
“Really?”
“Really. I’ll stay through Christmas. Help with whatever you need.”
“You’re already the best sister ever.” Maya’s voice cracked. “I know it’s hard for you to come back. But it would mean everything.”
“I’ll be fine,” Sophia said. She’d gotten good at lying to herself.
“Okay. Good. Because I’m sending you a massive list of maid of honor duties.”
“How massive?”
“Very. But you can handle it.”
They said goodbye and hung up.
Sophia stood there holding her phone, looking at the invitation.
Christmas Eve at Mountain Ridge Lodge. Three weeks away.
She could do this. Show up, smile, get through it.
This would be no different.
Except it would be completely different and she knew it.
Her work phone rang. Linda. The real world is calling her back.
Sophia answered and shifted into work mode. Professional. Capable. In control.
But as she got dressed, she caught her reflection. For just a second, she saw the girl she used to be. The one who loved Christmas and wasn’t afraid of going home.
That girl was gone.
Sophia turned away and finished getting ready.
She had three weeks to prepare.
- Writer
