Chapter Twelve 

"You know, you have a desk in your room for a reason," Grady commented, looking as Sophie sat on her bed going over extra work she brought home. While the workload had lightened tremendously, it didn't disappear. 

She rolled her eyes before looked up at him. "Yeah, but this is more comfortable," she replied. 

"Well, I'm just here to remind you that you're supposed to contact Silveny today," Grady told her, smiling. "I know you can get swamped with work and don't think about other things too hard."

Sophie grinned, shaking her head. "Not much to worry for that, I was planning to do that immediately after finishing my paperwork. It's been a while since I've contacted her and I could really use some Silveny therapy." Just thinking of the calming effect contacting the Alicorn gave her had Sophie regretting making the plan to wait. 

"On that note, were you going to wait for Keefe to get here?" 

Sophie frowned. "I wasn't aware he was coming over today," she replied, confused. "I didn't invite him." 

"I did," Grady informed her, grinning. "It's been a while since he's had dinner with us, and he definitely hasn't had dinner with us since you've gotten together. We've missed having him over for more than twenty minutes in the same room as us." 

Sophie's eyes widened. "Wow, I didn't even realize it's been that long. I guess time flies by." She looked back down at the papers in front of her. "Well, in that case I'll wait for him to get here. When he does just call him in."

"Okay, have fun doing your work." Grady kissed her forehead before making his way out of the room. Sophie returned to the papers in front of her, trying to finish as quickly as possible. Soon she had completed everything needed done and overheard Grady welcoming Keefe into the house. 

She was moving the papers onto her desk as Keefe opened the door, grinning. "Hey," he greeted, walking over to where she was standing.

They quickly kissed and then Sophie grew excited. "Okay, so I'm gonna contact Silveny. You sit there and I'll tell you everything." Keefe rolled his eyes but still took a seat on her bed while she stood next to her desk and started to almost pace back and forth. 

Silveny? While it had been a while since she tried, her connection with the alicorn was still strong as ever and it didn't take too long to get a reply. 

SOPHIE! FRIEND! A grin appeared as her mind was filled with beautiful pictures of the the landscape the alicorns were currently presiding in. She couldn't quite tell where they were, but the family had settled down there many years ago and didn't move since. She knew if she tried to ask someone from the council about the scenery, they would question why she wanted that information. She couldn't risk them knowing where the alicorns were, as she wanted to keep the alicorns in peace. She knew that no matter how much they denied it, they would eventually grow curious and try to visit. 

How are you feeling? How's your baby?

GOOD! BABY GOOD! Silveny sent Sophie visuals of the small alicorn Silveny had recently given birth to. It was only her third, and Sophie knew the council was worried that there was such a small number. But she also knew that many were relieved there was more alicorns in the world. Being that for a long time there was only two, having three more added was a miracle. 

Your baby is beautiful, Sophie replied with a grin. 

SOPHIE! KEEFE! KEEFE! KEEFE! Immediately her eyes found a smirking Keefe, who caught on to the staring and immediately smirked. 

"She misses me, doesn't she?" Keefe's smirk grew wider. "Just couldn't resist the Keefster." 

Ignoring her egotistical boyfriend, Sophie replied, Keefe's right here. She then proceeded to show Silveny. 

KEEFE! 

Yes, Keefe. Sophie rolled her eyes. If you come visit, you can see Keefe, she tried to persuade, although it was harder as the alicorn was focused on her kin. Once the excited alicorn became a mother, it was harder for her to visit. 

VISIT! SOPHIE! KEEFE! The alicorn sent more images of the area they were in, but Sophie still couldn't exactly pinpoint where they were. She made a mental note to ask Forkle if he knew later, as out of everyone she knew he was the one she trusted the most. She had hoped she could find out so it would be easier to see the alicorns. 

Maybe next time, Sophie replied, sighing. I'll check in with you later. 

MISS! SOPHIE! MISS!

Sophie smiled. I miss you too. Then she pulled her mind away from Silveny's and focused her attention back onto Keefe. "She said she misses me." 

"What am I? Chopped liver?" Keefe frowned. 

Sophie looked at him, confused. "That's a human phrase." 

"I've picked up on a few," he replied. "I've watched a few movies with Dex." 

Sophie nodded and was about to reply when Edaline shouted, "Dinner!" 

The two raced to get down there, shoving each other on their way laughing. "Ha! I beat you!" Keefe shouted once he reached the bottom of the stairs. 

Frowning she replied, "You're so immature." They made their way to the table where Edaline had the food already set out and Sophie grinned when she noticed it was Calla's stew. "We haven't had this in a while!" she exclaimed. 

"I thought it would be a nice surprise, especially with Keefe here." On the last part Edaline sent a smile to Sophie's grinning boyfriend, who sat in the normal seat he'd sit in when he came over. It was on Sophie's right and across from Edaline. Grady sat on Edaline's right and across from Sophie. 

"So, how was work today, sweetie?" Edaline asked Sophie, smiling. "I heard you had a bit extra to bring home." 

Sophie nodded, swallowing her bite of stew. "Yeah, but not too much. It only took about an hour."

"Well, that's definitely better than it taking five hours," Edaline agreed with a hum as she took a bite from her food. 

"What about you, Keefe?" Grady cut in. "Did you work today?" 

He shook his head. "Kind of. I've start drawing out the thing that I told you about," he looked to Sophie for a moment. "It's something simple for Dex and Biana. I'm drawing out two copies so they each get one, and it's something that at least Biana mentioned wanting a picture of that she never got."

Sophie thought for a moment before her eyes widened. "Oh! I know exactly what you're talking about. Aww, that's so sweet. Biana is going to freak out." 

Keefe nodded before taking another spoonful of the stew. "I know." 

"Well, what about you two?" Sophie looked at her parents. "Anything exciting?" 

"Just the same as everyday." Grady grinned. "But we love it."

The four continued to eat, having small light conversations in between bites. Her parents asked a few questions about how their relationship was going, making Sophie slightly uncomfortable, and gave them a few tips on date ideas and unasked relationship advice. 

Eventually, even after dinner had ended, they continued to sit around and talk before it was late and they all remembered they had things they needed to do in the morning. Sophie bid her parents goodnight before walking Keefe out towards their leapmaster. "I'm going to work on either getting Silveny to visit, or figuring out a way we can visit them," she informed him as they walked, "so look out for that." 

"Really?" He grinned. "I've missed Glitterbutt." 

Sophie shook her head in amusement at the name, but otherwise ignored it. "If things work out, hopefully we can go sooner than later. Possibly next Sunday or maybe the one afterwards. Considering it will be a few hours it will have to be on my day off, so I'm telling you now so you can make sure that you can have one of those as a day off." 

Keefe nodded as they reached the leapmaster. "I'll call you when I get home," he told her before pressing his lips against hers gently. "Tell me more about this later." 

She nodded and hugged him once more before he made his exit. She had only just reached her room when she noticed him calling, and grinned as she answered. "Wow, it feels like forever since I've heard your voice," Keefe's sarcastic tone fell through. 

Sophie laughed. "It's been so long," she joked. "So you made it back safely?" 

"There's not exactly a lot of things keeping me from making it back safely, but yes."

"Don't get smart with me now, Sencen," she told him, smiling. 

"Sencen? Oh, we're getting serious here."

"Only fair since you call me Foster," she answered. 

"Yeah, but technically I'm going to be Foster too one day." That comment had her confused for a moment before she remembered that in an Elvin marriage they generally took the more powerful last name. She also remembered a younger Keefe saying he couldn't wait to be married and get rid of the Sencen attached to his name. 

"That's too weird thinking about that," she stated. "I mean, I always imagined if I was to get married I'd take my husbands last name. But it does make more sense that way. You hate your last name, and no one would ever take me seriously if I changed mine." A yawn escaped her mouth, a reminder of how late it was. "We should probably go to sleep, deep conversations are for another day." 

"Rest easy, Foster. I love you."

"I love you too." 

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y'all the standardized test for my math class is tomorrow and it makes me wanna die iT'S FINE. i'm gonna fail but it's okay because i'll fail along side my friends. 

chapter questions:

1. what math class are you in rn? (i'm in algebra 2)

2. what do you think of the chapter?

3. do you have any pets? (i have two cats: peanut and butter)

also quick reminder that i still have that short story contest and i only need like three or so more contestants and i love you guys a lot and hope you'll consider joining it. it's gonna be lots of fun! also sorry about the short chapter but like... as i mentioned, my standardized test for my math class is tomorrow. 

also it's my parents 19th wedding anniversary so like happy anniversary to my mom and dad even though they won't see this cause ya girl is never gonna show them lmao