On the drive home, Kendal kept looking in the rear view mirror to check on the kids. Spike was busy chatting away about school, but Miranda was very quiet. When AJ and Marissa wished then a good night in the parking lot, Miranda had hugged them both fiercely. It was clear that little Miranda was very concerned about her mom, well they all were.
When they got home Gabby and Ian ran to greet them. Reggie gave Kendal a sheepish grin; the coffee table was a mass of paper and crayons.
"Sorry about the mess." he said beginning to clear it up.
"No it's fine," said Kendal, "Thanks for watching them."
"They're good kids." said Reggie. "How is she?"
"She fine at the moment and David is confident it is treatable."
"Good. Give her my love and tell her I'll try and see her soon as possible."
Reggie went back to collecting up the crayons.
"Don't worry about that." said Kendal, as she picked up her youngest son, who was begging for a hug. "You have your own family to get home to."
Reggie stopped and straightened up.
"Fine, but you will call me if you need anything."
"I will!"
They shared a troubled grin.
"Well, I guess, it's goodnight." said Reggie grabbing his jacket. "Goodnight kids."
"Goodnight W-eggie!" called Gabby.
Kendal carried Ian to the couch and dropped him onto the cushions before clearing up the mess of paper from the table. She looked over to see her little nieces sharing a look.
"M'anda." said Gabby. "How's mommy?"
"Mommy's in hospital. She is doing a test." said Miranda a confused frown on her face.
"Test?" asked Gabby.
"I think it's like school, when the teacher tests your spelling. I think they are testing mommy on how her body works."
Gabby brow wrinkled with worry.
"What happens if she fails the test?"
"I don't know." said Miranda her voice catching with a nervous hitch.
Both girls looked to their Aunt Kendal.
"Come here." said Kendal, patting the couch cushion recently vacated by Ian; he had run off to the play room with his brother.
The girls hand in hand came and sat on the couch in front of Kendal. She gave them an encouraging smile.
"You were right Miranda, the doctors are going to be testing your mommy's body to make sure it is all working the way it should. If they do find a problem and she doesn't do as well as she should the doctors are going to be just like your teacher at school..."
"Mrs Woods." said Gabby eagerly.
"Yes, like Mrs Woods." said Kendal. "They are going to work with your mommy and treat her so that she can get better again."
Gabby and Miranda nodded.
"Mommy will pass the test." said Gabby. "She's smart."
"It's not that kind of test, sweetheart." said Kendal.
"But when she does pass, then can she come home?" Miranda asked.
"We have to wait for the test results before we know what will happen." said Kendal putting a hand on each girl's knee. "So we are going to have to be big brave girls and not be sad because this is a good thing and will make your mommy better. And we are going to visit her everyday so that she doesn't miss us."
"And AJ and Marissa." said Miranda, "She mustn't miss them too."
"We will all be there, stopping her from feeling sad, yeah?"
"Yeah!" both girls agreed.
Just then the doorbell rang.
"Will you be alright now?" Kendal asked before getting up to answer the door.
Gabby nodded, but Miranda just gave her a smile.
"Thank you Aunt Kendal." she said.
She looked terribly grown up in that moment, the splitting image of her mother.
"Well then, could you two go and drag Spike and Ian from the playroom, I believe that is our Pizza!"
"Pizza!" exclaimed Miranda, instantly transforming back into a kid again.
…
Kendal smoothed down her dress before answering the door. Griffin was standing there with a stack of pizza boxes in his hand and a bag on his arm.
"I didn't know what the kids would like, so I kind of panicked." he said.
"As long as there are none with mushrooms it will be fine." said Kendal taking some of the boxes from his arms and kissing his cheek
…
They ate their dinner on the couch. The kids enjoying the freedom to help themselves from the huge selection of pizza's Griffin had brought; although they were rather confused by the black and white movie they were being forced to watch.
The slices were slowly disappearing as Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers 'Continental-ed' their way across the screen.
Ian was sitting on Griffin's lap paying more to the new man in house than the television screen. Spikes head was merrily bobbing to the music as he took another great bite from his slice of pepperoni. Miranda was transfixed by the dancing and was eating with distracted nibbles. Gabby was happily munching her way through her sister's left over crusts, tomato sauce all over her face.
Everyone seemed very happy.
"This was such a great idea." said Kendal smiling across to Griffin.
He grinned back from the other end of the couch, the wall of contented children between them.
…
"Okay, this is going to be your final slice and then it's time for bed." Kendal warned Spike as she got up off of the couch.
He nodded, munching through the last slice of Hawaiian from the box.
Kendal lifted a protesting Ian off of Griffin's lap.
"But young man it is your bedtime, right now."
"Do you need a hand?" asked Griffin standing up as well. "I'm getting well practiced at putting kids to bed."
"Well, if you can grab sleeping beauty over there and follow me?" said Kendal indicating to a very full and very dozy Gabrielle sprawled out on the carpet.
"My pleasure." said Griffin, scooping the drowsy little girl into his arms.
"I'll come too." said Miranda brushing the crumbs from her dress, "If you don't put her to bed right she won't go to sleep."
Kendal grinned at Miranda in big sister mode.
As they headed up the stairs she couldn't help but notice Miranda tap dancing along behind then.
Her eldest niece had clearly enjoyed the film. It was nice to see her letting go of her early worry.
…
As everyone disappeared, Spike was left alone. He looked around cautiously before reaching into the nearest pizza box for just one more a slice of pepperoni.
"What did I say, Spike..?" Kendal's voice called down the stairs.
Spike sat back startled, how did his mommy do that!
…