Sophie, a single mom, was determined to make sure her seven-year-old son Matthew had a magical Christmas, even though things were hard. But soon, a disturbing finding that would change everything took the spotlight off of her work.
Sophie couldn’t help but feel nostalgic as she decorated the house. They had never spent Christmas without Matthew’s dad, Frank, and it was very quiet. Sophie was set on making the holidays special for her son, though.
She had a lot of memories come back to her as she unpacked the Elf on the Shelf. She remembered how much Frank liked to laugh and how he would pose the elf in different rooms of the house. Sophie had tears in her eyes as she put the elf on the mantel.
Sophia didn’t know it, but her mother-in-law Rachel had other ideas. Rachel was fighting to get Matthew back, and Sophie was fighting to keep her son safe. You could feel the strain between them.
Sophie started to think someone was watching her as the days went by. The thought that something was wrong wouldn’t go away. Then, one night, she found something that would change everything.
Sophie saw something odd about the elf while she was cleaning the living room. It looked back at her with its eyes, and she thought she saw a small cut on its back. Sophie was scared as she opened the elf and saw a flash drive inside.
Sophie’s worst fears came true when she plugged the drive into her computer. Videos of her and Matthew that were taken without their knowledge or permission were on the drive. Sophie felt angry and hurt all at the same time.
But when Sophie talked to Rachel about the camera, she realized she was wrong. Someone much closer to home was really to blame. Liz, Sophie’s own mother, had been behind the camera trying to get proof to get Matthew back.
Sophia felt betrayed and hurt very deeply. Liz had been planning to hurt her mother behind her back even though she had told her mother her deepest secrets. Both of them got very angry, and Liz had to leave the house in the end.
Sophia knew she would do anything to protect her son Matthew as she gave him a tight hug. She had dealt with her worst fears and been stronger for it. Sophie learned that being a mother wasn’t just about meeting her child’s physical wants; it was also about keeping them safe and protecting them from harm.
Sophia came out of it stronger and more motivated than ever. She promised Matthew that she would always be there to protect him, no matter what.
