Hey guys! I've been really busy with my Moe story that I've forgotten how much I love writing Nileys. So, without further ado, here is my latest Niley-ish oneshot, Slipping Through My Fingers.
Disclaimer: Yeah. I own everything. I own the entire Disney empire as well. I own it, and I'm wasting my time sitting at a computer chair writing about them. Come on guys, seriously. (;
Schoolbag in hand
She leaves home in the early morning
Waving goodbye
With an absentminded smile
Today is Miley's wedding day. My baby girl is getting married. I refuse to believe that this day is already here. It can't be, right? It felt as if I had just entered heaven yesterday, leaving behind a ten year old Miley and a twelve and a half year old Jackson. My babies are now twice that age, they grew up before my eyes. I remember Miley's first day of kindergarten. She finished her cereal in less than a minute and scrambled to get on her magenta sweater, crying when one of the buttons snagged onto one of her French braids I had done for her earlier that morning. I laughed at how she quickly got over it and started babbling on how she was excited to show off her new lunch pail to the other students.
"Everybody else is going to wish they had pink Barbie lunch pail like mine!" she squealed as I fixed her leggings.
"Now don't go bragging about it, honey." I laughed as she fidgeted.
"Mom…the bus is here!" a seven year old Jackson whined from the front porch. "We gotta go!"
I sighed, looking at both of my children. Time was flying before my eyes. "Alright, then. Y'all behave, okay? I don't want to hear any complaints from the principal."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Jackson muttered. "Come on, Miles. We're gonna be late!"
"Bye Mama!" Miley shrieked, turning to wave at me.
I watch her go
With a surge of that well known sadness
And I have to sit down for a while
I grinned, "Bye, sweet pea! I love you. I'll be here when you get back!" I wiped an oncoming tear as Miley skipped through the double doors of the school bus. I placed a gentle hand to my forehead, before closing the door and taking a seat. I wanted to keep her little as long as possible, and here she was, leaving for kindergarten. I sighed, brushing a strand of hair out of my face, knowing this was only the beginning of letting my girl go.
Fifteen years later, I'm watching as she sits down in front of an oversized mirror, as my sister is fixing the hem of her wedding dress. "Aunt Elle?" she asks, her voice weak, and barely above a whisper.
"Yes, pumpkin?" My sister asks, placing a soothing hand on Miley's shoulder.
My heart sinks as she eyes and old framed photograph of her and me. "Do you think I'm doing the right thing? Getting married at this age, I mean."
A small frown forms on Elle's face. "Is something wrong?"
Miley shrugs and stares at her reflection in the mirror. "I don't know. I know I can't do anything to change it, but I want my mom here. I always pictured my wedding with my mom sitting in the first pew."
"Oh, honey." Elle says as she wraps Miley in a gentle hug. "I know, I know. But she's looking down on you this very moment."
Elle was right. I sat there in my sanctuary, looking past the clouds. I wouldn't be there physically, but I would definitely be there in spirit. But it wasn't good enough. My little girl keeps growing and maturing, and I'm not there to help her through her struggles or catch her when she falls. I'm not there as a shoulder to cry on when she feels everybody else has turned on her. I wasn't there to witness her first Hannah Montana concert, and I wasn't there to help her when she needed a woman to talk to about 'girl stuff.' And now, I not there to watch her marry the man she loves.
The feeling that I'm losing her forever
And without really entering her world
I close my eyes as my mind is swept off into another world, a world where I was still living and Miley was still a little girl. We had embarked on a long day of shopping, and had settled ourselves at our favorite ice cream parlor to wind down and relax from our strenuous day. We sat there in silence, licking our ice cream cones, treating each other with a smile every known and then. She gasped when she felt a dab of cold ice cream resting at the tip of her nose. I chuckled as I handed her a napkin, before we both erupted into a fit of laughter.
I'm glad whenever I can share her laughter
That funny little girl
I always laugh when Miley is innocently angry, at how she wrinkles her nose when she's mad. I laugh at her adorable little Southern sayings, especially when she squeaks out a high-pitched 'Sweet Nibblets!' My daughter never fails to entertain me as I watch her from above. My smile was quickly wiped off my face when I remember I would no longer be able to share my laughter with her, that funny little girl.
Slipping through my fingers all the time
I try to capture every minute
The feeling in it
Slipping through my fingers all the time
Do I really see what's in her mind
Each time I think I'm close to knowing
She keeps on growing
Slipping through my fingers all the time
Miley runs her fingers across the skirt of her dress, finding it hard to believe that it was her wedding day herself. She takes another good, long look at herself in the mirror as I smile. She looks just like I did on my wedding day, nearly twenty-five years back. I notice a small, empty box of Cheerios at the end of the counter. Our favorite breakfast.
Sleep in our eyes
Her and me at the breakfast table
Barely awake
I let precious time go by
A nine year old Miley groggily made her way down the stairs, yawning as she dragged herself to the table. I smiled sleepily as I placed a bowl of Cheerios, our favorite cereal, in front of her. After pouring a bowl for myself, I silently set myself at the other side of the table, watching as she slowly ate, spoonful by spoonful. We enjoyed our weekly Saturday morning breakfasts. Robbie and Jackson would always sleep in till at least 10:00, and Miley and I would enjoy a quiet breakfast before the sun came up. We never spoke during these breakfasts. We were at peace, and we enjoyed each other's company. I regret taking these times for granted, knowing that our breakfasts were put to a stop a less than a year later.
Then when she's gone
There's that odd melancholy feeling
And a sense of guilt I can't deny
Guilt runs though my veins as I watch Miley continue to get ready. I blame myself for not being able to be there for her, even though my cancer was out of my hands. I cry, thinking about how I was never there to help her when her first relationship with Jake Ryan fell through. The tears continue to stream down my face as I think how I wasn't there to see her accept her first award as Hannah Montana.
I had planned to take Miley to Paris for her sweet sixteen, just her and me, mother and daughter. And months before my sudden death, I had planned a family trip to the Grand Canyon so all four of us could enjoy one last time together as a family. My plans were never able to be put into action as my cancer suffered a relapse.
What happened to the wonderful adventures?
The places I had planned for us to go
Though some of that we did
But most we didn't
And why I just don't know
I bury my face in my hands as I reminisce the looks of horror on my family's faces when I passed away that one fateful night. My spirit had already left my body, and I was already watching over them. I wanted more than anything to be able to float down and kiss my husband, to tell him I was okay and at peace. I wanted to break through the clouds and embrace Miley and Jackson in a hug, while whispering in their ears that they would make it through and that I loved them.
Slipping through my fingers all the time
I try to capture every minute
The feeling in it
Slipping through my fingers all the time
I feel a smile tugging at my lips as I remember the day when Miley met him.
A fourteen year old Miley, along with her best friend Lilly, strolled down the curved path at the beach near their Malibu homes as a frisbee flew along and hit Miley in the head. "Hey!" she exclaimed.
A boy Miley's age with bouncy brown curls and bottomless brown eyes ran up to my daughter to retrieve his play accessory. "I'm sorry, I—" his voice trailed off as he looked into my daughter's eyes, stunned by their striking blue color and their ocean-like depth. "Hi, I'm N-Nick." he stammered.
"Miley," my daughter replied, holding her hand out for him to shake.
I can honestly say I saw a spark of electricity the second his hand grasped hers. A smile creeped onto both their faces as the world around them faded away. I knew I liked the boy the minute I saw him. Something about him allowed me to trust him with my baby girl. Maybe it was his sensitivity, or his smile, or the way he would sing to Miley when she cried. The way he was nothing but understanding when Miley revealed her other identity to him only doubled my trust for him. I could tell he was the one for her, not only because he was the only boy Robbie approved of, but because the way he blushed when his friends talked about her, or the way he flashed a glowing smile whenever she called his name.
I laugh, wondering what happened to the girl who thought boys has cooties.
Do I really see what's in her mind
Each time I think I'm close to knowing
She keeps on growing
Slipping through my fingers all the time
Miley grabs the photograph of her and me off the counter and places it gently on her lap, observing the details of the picture, taken weeks before my death. She and I were on our family ranch back in Tennessee, both of us on our own horse. We are reaching out for each other, laughing because the tips of our fingers are barely touching. We both looked so happy, not knowing of the tragic events that were to come.
"I miss you, Mom." Miley croaks, trying her hardest not to cry. "I know you're smiling down at me this very moment, but I want more than anything for you to be here in person." Her fingers lightly brush over the photograph, as if she wanted to touch me one last time. She chokes up a few tears before singing a part of the lullaby I would sing to her almost every night. I sang along, without her knowing:
Sometimes I wish that I could freeze the picture
And save it from the funny tricks of time
Slipping through my fingers
I don't even bother to try and stop the stream of tears cascading down my flushed cheeks. I sob as I watch Miley link arms with Robbie, preparing to embark on her journey down the aisle.
"You ready, darling?" Robbie asks as he rubs Miley's shoulder.
Miley attempts to catch her breath and relax herself before replying a squeaky, "Yes."
I let out a sob as Miley and Robbie made their way down the aisle, step by step. I let out another sob as I watch Nick, chuckling slightly as his nerves get the better of him. Before I know it, Miley and Robbie have reached the altar.
"Who gives this woman away?" the priest asks with a small smile.
"I do," Robbie states. He turns to Miley, slowly lifting up her veil. "I love you, bud."
Miley smiles, tears glistening in her bright eyes. "I love you too, dad." Miley breathes deeply before slightly tilting her head up towards the sky. "I love you, Mom." she whispers.
I feel my heart flutter, placing my hand over my heart. "I love you too, Miley. Very much."
She smiles again, and I know that she heard me. She closes her eyes before flashing Nick a subtle grin, taking her place by his side.
One Year Later
A stream of tears makes it way down my face once more, as I look down upon my daughter in a hospital bed, cradling her newborn daughter. Nick stands by her side, stroking the cheeks on his daughter's delicate face.
"What should we name her, Nick?" Miley asks, looking down at her baby girl.
Nick's eyes wander around the room in thought, before an imaginary light bulb flashes with light above his head. "I like Noel…"
"Noel," Miley smiles as the name trembles at the tip of my tongue. "It's perfect. Noel Susan Marie Jonas."
Nick laughs quietly before placing a light kiss on Miley's lips. "I love it."
Noel Susan Marie Jonas.
Five Years Later
I sit peacefully in my sanctuary, watching as Miley struggles to get five year old Noel ready for her first day of kindergarten. "Noie, honey, please let Mommy fix your leggings."
"No! I just want to go to school!" Noel shrieks.
"You won't be able to go if you don't let Mommy fix your leggings." Nick says as he wiped the faces of their three year old twin boys.
Noel fidgets and whimpers. "Mommy…"
Miley sighs, "Alright. Be a good girl for me, okay?" she asks, wrapping her tiny daughter in a hug.
"Okay!" Noel squeals in excitement. "Bye Daddy!" she exclaims, running over to Nick and hugging his leg.
Nick laughs and bends down to her level. "Bye honey."
"Bye Jayden! Bye Skyler!" Noel says to her younger brothers. She runs towards the door, abruptly stopped by Miley.
"I love you, Noie." Miley tells her sincerely.
"I love you too Mommy!" Noel replies before skipping out the door, making her way to the bus. She stops suddenly, turning around to face Miley. "Bye." she waves.
Miley wipes her tears before smiling back at her daughter. "Bye, sweet pea. I'll be here when you get back."
I watch with a proud smile as my granddaughter happily makes her way through the double doors of the school bus. She turns to Miley and waves one last time.
Schoolbag in hand
She leaves home in the early morning
Waving goodbye
With an absentminded smile
A/N: So, there it is. I'm sorry if it disappointed you, I'm not too happy with it myself. And I apologize for any spelling and/or grammatical errors. If you enjoyed this, I highly recommend you listen to the song Slipping Through My Fingers, by ABBA. I, however, prefer the MAMMA MIA! movie version much better, so listen to that one. Just search it on YouTube and it should come up.
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