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"Hello, Maggie."
"Miranda?" Maggie Craven squinted her eyes, making sure she was in fact seeing what she thought she was. "Child, it's been ages, come in, come in..."
"Thank you." Miranda smiled gratefully. It indeed had been ages since she had been here. Not since the eve of her seventeenth birthday to be exact. Twenty-two years since she had been in this tiny but comforting apartment. Joining the older woman at the table, she took a sip of the offered tea. "Chamomile?"
"To soothe you nerves."
"Oh."
"Does your mother know you're in town?"
"No, I'm afraid she doesn't." Miranda sighed, idly toying with a loose strand of silky black hair. "No one knows. Not even Zoe."
"Hmm. Yes, you two were always were close." Maggie nodded thoughtfully. She smiled warmly. "Any reason for the secrecy?"
"You know why, Maggie." She found herself getting slightly annoyed at Maggie's mock innocence. "You knew I'd be back someday."
"Yes, but I thought it'd have been sooner."
"I couldn't."
"She doesn't hate you."
"She doesn't know me."
"But she doesn't hate you." Miranda sighed. She wouldn't win this argument, she knew that. But she couldn't come back now, not after so long. "Why did you choose the metamorphosis?"
"I wanted to help my friends...But I didn't become anything."
"You were meant to help them. Just not the way you believe." Maggie refilled her cup. "Sugar?"
"No thank you." Miranda smiled. "But how was I helping them? I saw what happened to Zoe...And Nicole and Abigail..."
"They're in a better place." Maggie reacher across the table softly touching her hand. None of her other Daughters had witnessed the murder of two of their comrades. And then Zoe... "You have helped Zoe, whether you know it or not."
"How? After Nicky and Abby...."
"You started Heroine, I'm aware. But you saved her daughter." Miranda looked at the table, giving Maggie's hand a squeeze. "You checked in on them."
"I did."
"You know she would like to know that. To know about you."
"Maggie..." Miranda warned. They had gone over this before, many times. They sat in silence for several moments. It was a comfortable silence. Miranda had lived with Maggie for nearly four years, having been an "exchange student." She had gone back to live with her mother not long after her graduation. But she had come back, for her daughter... "What's she like?"
"Very much like you. Stubborn. Spunky, I guess you could call it. Quick witted, very active. She plays soccer, you know. Protective of those she holds dear...And loyal to a fault."
"I heard about....."
"Yes, well, she's changed her ways. If nothing else you made her steer clear of drugs." Miranda smiled. At least her daughter wouldn't repeat all of her mistakes. She watched as Maggie stood and left the room momentarily. When she returned, she was carrying an envelope. "What's that?"
"See for yourself, dear." And with that Maggie handed her the envelope. Silently she watched as Miranda flipped through the pictures of the present day daughters. Some of them goofing off, some posing, some candid. Some from a recent party.
"Who's the guy?"
"Her boyfriend." Maggie smiled. "He loves her very much."
"I can see that."
"He gave her a promise ring." They remained silent as Miranda flipped through the rest of the pictures. "Keep them, they're yours."
"Why?"
"I thought that you'd like them. I don't believe you have any."
"I don't." Miranda smiled in gratitude at Maggie, just before glancing at her watch. "I'm sorry, Maggie, I need to go."
"It's quite all right dear." Maggie stood, hugging the other woman close, neither sure if they really wanted to let go. "Zoe's address is on the envelope. Promise to at lease talk to her, she missed you horribly."
"I will." Miranda promised. Just before she turned out the door she asked, "Maggie?"
"Yes, dear?"
"When-if-you see her again..."
"Yes?"
"Tell Jimena that her mother loves her."
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I don't know what possessed me to write this, but it seemed like a goo idea at the time. Anywho, tell me what you think!!