Sophie's Path by Catherine Lanigan

the hospital must keep you very busy. How many hours a week can you give me?”
    â€œI can spare a couple nights. One weekend a month, possibly, when I’m not working in the ER.” Sophie remembered Tanya’s warnings about employee involvement with non-affiliated programs. There were a lot of reasons for her to walk away, but already she could see the positive impact Eleanor’s program could have. This was too important for Sophie to pass up.
    â€œI’ll take it,” Eleanor replied excitedly. “We’re desperate to simply get the word out that we exist. I need help on social media. Do you think you could meet with local businesses? We need funding, but we also simply need them to talk about us. Maybe sponsor radio or internet ads.”
    â€œI can do that,” Sophie said firmly. “Let me put some ideas down on paper. My first thought is Maddie Barzonni’s café. I could start there. Maybe the Book Shop and Java Stop for another. What do you think?”
    â€œTerrific. Here’s my card. Call me when you’re ready to start and I’ll get some materials together for you.”
    Sophie smiled as Eleanor walked away, then she realized Mrs. Beabots was staring at her, dumbfounded.
    Sophie swallowed hard. She felt every ounce of Mrs. Beabots’s concern. Sophie knew exactly what she’d just done. She’d broken one of the hospital’s explicit rules. She was not to align herself with other organizations that conflicted with the hospital’s programs. She couldn’t let anyone know she was helping Eleanor.
    â€œMrs. Beabots...”
    â€œYou don’t even have to ask. As far as I’m concerned, all you did was drop me off.”
    â€œYou understand, then?”
    â€œMaybe even more than you do. Emory Wills runs a tight ship over there at the hospital. He’s always been like that. Too controlling.” Then she winked. “And absolutely no fun. Now, let’s have some coffee and see if my tarts are any good.”
    Sophie filled a Styrofoam cup with coffee for Mrs. Beabots. The black liquid reminded her of all the coffee she’d downed the night Aleah died. Aleah’s face haunted her. Flashes of that night came back to her. Jack’s pleas for her to save Aleah. The fear in his eyes and the compelling, imploring look he gave her. He was incapable of saving Aleah himself and he’d counted on her to do it.
    And I failed.
    Sophie watched several groups of people come through the front door of Recovery Alliance. Men, women and kids of every age. Some she’d seen around town at the grocery store, the dry cleaners, even at the hospital. They were her neighbors.
    Warmth spread through Sophie, then surged like a fire that had been fanned. It was nearly overwhelming, but somehow reassuring. For the first time in a long time, she felt balanced and whole. With a start, she realized she was feeling exactly what Mrs. Beabots had talked about. Sophie had found her passion.

CHAPTER NINE
    S INCE MEETING E LEANOR , Sophie had spent her break hours calling Scott Abbot at the bookstore, Jerry Mason’s construction company, Louise Railton and Captain Redbeard. All had agreed to put up posters in their businesses. Scott couldn’t have been more cooperative, especially once Sophie told him she’d learned of the Alliance through Mrs. Beabots.
    After about a week of doing outreach and learning about the Alliance, Sophie realized how desperately the Alliance needed operating capital and volunteered to make fund-raising phone calls, as well. She’d never asked anyone to donate money before. Sure, she’d sold Girl Scout cookies door-to-door when she was in elementary school, and she’d helped Isabelle Hawks last year with her art booth at the summer festival, but she’d never asked someone to give her money for a cause or charity.
    â€œHow difficult can it be?” she asked Eleanor on Tuesday morning. Sophie had