In My Brothers' Shadows
The sun began to creep over the San Francisco skyline as a young girl stared out her bedroom window. She wasn't usually an early riser, especially on a weekend like today but she couldn't sleep. The nine-year-old sat crossed legged on her bed, a journal propped on her knees. A purple pen was tapping lightly on her chin as she thought. After a moment, she bent forward and scribbled furiously on the lined pages. Melinda preferred the old hand-written journal to an electronic one because it was harder for her older brothers to find the key, which she kept cleverly on a chain around her neck. She took it off only to shower. By now the sun had risen above the tree line and was streaming in through her bedroom window. Her soft blue eyes darted to her clock, reading the red digital numbers; 7:13. She knew at least her dad would be up. So quietly, Melinda stowed her journal under her pillow and opened her door. She trod lightly down the hall and stairs so as not to wake her sleeping siblings. Upon entering the kitchen, her instincts were correct. Leo Wyatt sat at the kitchen table, reading the morning paper, sipping a cup of black coffee.
"Morning Daddy," she said, hugging him from behind.
"Morning Mel," he said, turning his head to kiss the top of her head.
"You're up early," he commented as he watched his youngest reach for a bowl in the cupboard.
"I couldn't sleep," she told her father as her hand slipped off the edge of a bowl.
"You want some help?"
"No. I can do it," she said, reaching again and missing.
Suddenly there was a mass of blue and white orbs, depositing 11-year-old Chris right next to his little sister. He blinked and a bowl materialized in her hand. She pushed past him, giving him an extra shove as she got out the cereal.
"What did I do?" he asked, catching his father's disapproving look.
"She was doing just fine on her own Chris," Leo told his second son.
"I was just trying to help," the boy muttered.
"I didn't want your help," Melinda shot as she poured milk on the crunchy flakes and sat down at the table.
The room fell into silence as the two siblings consumed their Saturday morning breakfast. Shortly thereafter, Piper made an appearance, giving all seated at the table a kiss on the cheek.
"Alright. What's going on? Why do you two look like you're at war?" she asked in a motherly tone.
"All I did was get her a bowl and she got all whiny," Chris protested.
"I didn't want him to help me. I could do it by myself," Melinda shot back.
"Guys just cool it. Chris, next time ask if she wants help before just doing it for her," Piper scolded.
"Yes Mom," he mumbled into his bowl.
"Mom can I play with Chelsea and Hannah?" Melinda asked as she put her dishes in the dishwasher.
"It's fine with me but you'll have to ask Aunt Paige," Piper replied.
"Thanks," the nine-year-old said with a smile and got the phone, pressing the speed dial and the number two.
"Hi Aunt Paige," Melinda spoke into the receiver.
"Hi sweetie. Hang on one second," Paige replied on the other end. Her hand covered the mouth piece as she yelled at Henry Jr. to stop orbing his father's car keys out of his pocket.
"What can I do for you honey?" she asked her niece.
"Can I come over and play with Chelsea and Hannah?" Melinda asked, hoping her Aunt would say yes.
"Sure. As long as it's ok with your Mom," Paige answered.
"It is. What time can I come over?"
"You need to take a shower before you go," Piper's voice sounded in the distance.
"How about a half hour or so?" Paige suggested.
"Ok," Mel said, sounding slightly crestfallen.
"I'll be over in an hour to pick you up," her Aunt said before hanging up.
Melinda hung up the phone and gave her mother a 'do I have to?' look. Piper nodded and pointed to the stairs. The young witch climbed them as if she was climbing to the gallows, each step painstaking and slow. She finally arrived at the bathroom and got in just before Wyatt.
"Mom! Mel just stole the bathroom," Wyatt yelled down the stairs.
"She's taking a shower and then going over to your Aunt Paige's house. You can wait a half hour," Piper yelled back.
Wyatt mumbled under his breath but went back into his room. Melinda undressed, placing her chain carefully on the counter before climbing into the hot water. Twenty minutes later she was searching for clothes in her room. Her necklace lay on her desk. She heard the bathroom close and the water turn on. She shook her head at her oldest brother's teenage mood swings. Melinda pulled on jean cutoffs and a t-shirt. She quickly ran a brush through her hair. She was about to put her necklace back on when Piper's voice echoed on the stairs.
"Melinda! Aunt Paige is here!"
"Coming," the child answered and grabbed a pair of flip flops, forgetting her chain.
Piper saw her daughter out the door and sighed. She headed upstairs to throw in the sheets and remake beds. She started in Chris' room, stripping the bed and tossing the sheets into the hallway. Next she moved onto Wyatt's room, doing the same thing. As she was pulling off pillow cases on the pillows on Melinda's bed, Piper came across her daughter's journal. The silver lock was closed and a gold ribbon stuck out of the bottom. The eldest Halliwell sister's brow furrowed as she tried to figure out where her daughter had gotten the journal. Her eye caught on the small charm on Melinda's necklace. Picking it up, Piper opened the journal and turned to the ribbon-marked page. Piper pulled the chair out from the desk and sat down; beginning to read what appeared to be a lengthy entry.
June 3, 2015
Sorry it has been so long since my last entry. School ended a couple weeks ago. I like school. I especially like Dad's class. He helps me with homework but he doesn't treat me special in class. That wouldn't be fair to the other kids. Even though I like school, I'm glad summer is here. It means I can play with my cousins a lot. It means I don't have to spend so much time with Wyatt and Chris.
I can't stand them. Everyone think they're so special. Everybody likes them, especially Wyatt. He's got lots of powers and shows off all the time. But no one cares because he's Wyatt and he can do whatever he wants. He's the most powerful witch besides Mom and Aunt Paige and Aunt Phoebe. I don't see what's so special about him. He's mean and orbs my books across the room and gets me in trouble with Mom and Dad.
Chris isn't any better. Yesterday I was changing the channel on the TV and Chris orbed the remote out of my hand. He wouldn't give it back but Dad didn't say anything because he likes Chris more than me. Chris is always trying to do everything for me. He treats me like a baby, like I can't do anything for myself.
Mom and Dad like them better than me and I know it. I can't orb and they can. That's what makes Mom and Dad like them better. They have more powers than me. Mom says that I'll get more powers when I'm older but I don't but I don't believe her. All I can do is freeze people. I can't even blow stuff up like Mom can.
Even my Aunts and cousins like Wyatt and Chris better than me. Maybe I wasn't supposed to be a part of the family.
Melinda
Piper set the book down, having trouble breathing. She simply stared at large writing for what seemed like forever. Why hadn't she seen this? She needed to talk to Melinda and get this sorted out. She wiped the tears from her eyes and stood up slowly. She set to finishing the task she's started and once she started the dirty sheets in the washer, it was lunch time. She did the best she could to make it through the meal looking content.
"Boys, please do the dishes. I need to talk to your Dad," Piper ordered as she got up, Leo following her. Wyatt and Chris gave no objection.
"What's wrong Piper?" Leo asked as he followed his wife up the stairs and into Melinda's room.
"Read this," Piper instructed, opening the journal up and handing it to him. He read it, having to sit down when he'd finished.
"How could we not have seen this?" Piper asked, her voice laced with worry and guilt.
"I don't know. We need to talk to her. I'll go call Paige," he said and started to get up.
"No. Let her play with her cousins for a while longer. We need to talk to Wyatt and Chris first," Piper murmured. Leo nodded and the pair returned to the kitchen.
"Guys, we need to have a chat," Leo began, eying his sons carefully and indicating for them to take a seat.
"It's come to our attention that your sister feels rather left out. She feels that we focus on the two of you more than her," Piper began.
"And I think that her perception is true," Leo added.
"Ok. So what are we supposed to do about it?" Wyatt asked, leaning on one elbow.
"You need to stop showing off so much and use your powers less for simple things like coming downstairs or setting the table. It's just you two being lazy," Piper answered.
"Sorry Mom," Wyatt and Chris answered in unison, their heads bowed.
"And ask her if she needs help before just doing things for her," Leo added, reiterating that morning's point.
"She's not a little kid anymore guys," Piper added.
"So do we have an agreement?"
"Yeah."
"Good," Leo said and got up.
Five o'clock rolled around and the sound of incoming orbs filled the front hall. Melinda hugged her Aunt goodbye as Piper walked downstairs.
"I trust she was on her best behavior," Piper asked her youngest sister.
"Of course," Paige answered with a wry smile.
"Well I need to get going. Henry is taking me out to dinner," Paige told her sister before disappearing in a swirl of be and white.
"Did you have fun?" Piper asked. Melinda nodded.
"Good. Sweetie, can we have a chat?" Piper said, stroking her youngest child's soft brown hair.
"Ok."
Piper led her daughter upstairs and into her room. Leo was seated at his daughter's desk. Melinda eyed her parents nervously and sat down on her bed.
"What's going on?"
"We read your journal baby girl," Leo began.
"Dad! It's private! You aren't supposed to read it!" she protested, tears of anger falling onto her cheeks. She felt around her neck for the chain, knowing she'd locked the journal before she left. Her neck was bare.
"Sweetie you need to talk to us when you feel sad and upset," Piper said softly, putting an arm around the weeping girl.
"You don't understand," Melinda mumbled.
"We do sweetheart. We do," Leo murmured, pulling the chair closer and taking his daughter's small hands in his own.
"You like Wyatt and Chris better. Everybody does," Melinda sniffed.
"You are a very special girl Melinda, and your Dad and I love you so much," Piper spoke, wiping the child's cheek.
"You're just saying that to make me feel better. I can't orb. I don't really have any powers."
"Melinda. Melissa, Rachel and Paisley can't orb. That doesn't make them any less special. And you haven't come into all of your powers yet. You have to give it time," Leo consoled the teary-eyed girl in front of him.
"Your aunts and I didn't come into our powers until we were in our twenties. Think of how lucky you are to have powers now," Piper added.
"I guess. You're sure you don't like Chris and Wyatt more?" she asked, her nose starting to run.
"We're sure," Leo assured her, just as there was a knock on the door.
"Come in."
Wyatt and Chris walked in and ambushed Melinda. They tackled her to the bed and took turns tickling her and hugging her.
"We're sorry Mel," Wyatt said.
"Yeah. We didn't mean to make you all upset," Chris added.
"Forgive us?" they asked in unison.
"Yeah," she said through fits of giggles.
"Guys get off of her," Leo ordered.
The boys got up and pulled their sister with them. She slipped her arms around them and reached out for her parents as best she could. Leo moved to the bed and encircled his wife and children in a well deserved and necessary family hug.