The weather is now so glorious it is getting a real struggle to write these chapters everyday. (Note to self, buy a new laptop battery and then you can write in the garden.)
Thank you for your continued support, constructive criticism and awesome reviews this week. Keep it coming!
SPOILERS - this week - The perfect day continues, Tad visits Dixie and Bianca's treatment begins
...
Marissa warned the kids to be gentle as the all bundled around Bianca for a hug. Miranda was determined to be the first, and when all the boys had their turn she hugged Bianca again.
"Mommy, I'm so happy." said Miranda wrapping her arms tightly around her mommy's neck.
"I'm happy to," said Bianca grinning, "Happy to see you; but where is you baby sister?"
"She's at Day Care at the Miranda Centre, Reggie is bringing her over after work." explained Kendal "So have you got a hug for your big sister."
"Of course." said Bianca reaching up awkwardly from her seat on the lounger to drape her right arm around Kendal's waist.
Marissa winced in sympathy at the painful expression in her girlfriend's face, but as Kendal pulled out of the hug, Bianca gave no impression of her discomfort to her sister. She may have stopped hiding the pain from Marissa, but she was still protecting her family for the full extent of her illness.
"Mom?" asked AJ, pulling on Marissa's hand. "Can we go in the pool now?"
"Not until there are a few more grown-ups around, okay buddy?"
AJ looked disappointed and turned to Miranda for support, but Marissa could see from the way that Miranda was staring at her mom, that she clearly didn't want to stray from Bianca's side any time soon.
Marissa smiled down at her son, smoothing his unruly mop of blonde hair as she spoke.
"AJ, why don't you take Spike and Ian over to see you tree house?"
"You have a tree house?" gasped Spike excitedly.
"Sure." said AJ, his chest puffing out proudly. "You wanna see it?"
"Yeah, please!" cried Spike.
AJ led Spike across the lawn; Ian trotted along behind then, with Kendal calling after him to mind what AJ says.
Marissa smiled proudly at her son as he patiently took charge of the two younger boys.
"Mommy?" said Miranda quietly, still staring at Bianca. "Are you all better now?"
"I'm getting there." said Bianca patting the side of the sun lounger, encouraging her daughter to take a seat.
"I'm not being a very good hostess." said Marissa; recognising that mother and daughter needed a moment. "I should go get dinner started."
Kendal and Marissa shared a look.
"I'll come give you a hand." said Kendal quickly.
...
Bianca smiled gratefully at both women as the headed into the pool house leaving her alone with her eldest daughter.
Miranda sat down beside her mom, a worried expression on her face.
"Is there something you wanted to ask me?" Bianca asked.
Miranda sighed and looked down at her knees.
"You really are getting better aren't you?" asked Miranda. "You keep getting better and then you get sick again."
"I know." said Bianca touching her daughter's knee so that she would meet her eyes. "I suffered a very complicated injury when I was shot. By rights I should still be paralysed, but luckily a miracle happened." Bianca stroked Miranda's cheek. "I'm very lucky with the miracles that have happened in my life."
Miranda smiled at her mother's affectionate tones.
"Am I one of your miracles?"
"Yes you are." said Bianca, "My double miracle. And it seems that a double miracle is also needed to help me get better too. But Dr Hayward has a brand new treatment he is certain will get me well again. And we both know double miracles can happen because one is sitting here right in front of me now."
Miranda wanted so much to believe her.
"Can he really make you better?"
"These things can never be a certainty sweetheart, but one thing I'm sure of, he is not going to give up trying."
Miranda nodded in understanding.
"So you'll be better soon?" said Miranda, focusing on being positive for her mommy. "No more hospital?"
"It should just be a little longer." said Bianca. "So come and give me a squoosh and a magic kiss and we will see if that will help make it happen all the sooner."
"I love you mommy." said Miranda as she kissed the tip of her mommy's nose before snuggling into her arms.
"I love you too." said Bianca, kissing her brow.
Miranda sighed happily, glad she had gotten the chance to ask the questions that had been preying on her mind. She had the best mommy in the world, and it wasn't fair that things kept happening to make her sad.
Bianca flipped one of Miranda's pigtails playfully.
"I swear every time I see you, you look more grown up."
"You only saw me yesterday." Miranda protested.
"I know… but still…" said Bianca kissing Miranda's brow again. "Have Kendal and Marissa been taking good care of you and Gabby?"
"Yeah." said Miranda, "And I've been taking care of Gabby too."
"That is because you are an amazing big sister."
Miranda smiled proudly.
Just then there was a shout and a peal of laughter. They turned to see that AJ and Miranda's cousins had started a raucous game around the slide and the swings at the bottom of the lawn.
"That looks like fun." said Bianca.
Miranda nodded.
They watched as Ian and Spike ran rings around AJ, the goal of the game obviously to get to the slide without being tagged.
"It looks like your Birthday twin is in need of back-up." said Bianca, "Why don't you go play?"
Miranda looked up at her mommy,
"Would that be okay?"
"Are you kidding me, seeing you running around and having fun always makes me super happy. Now go and rescue AJ from your cousins."
"Okay." said Miranda; she gave her mommy one last squeeze before racing across the grass to join the boy's game.
Now the painkiller was beginning to work, Bianca sat up and shifted on the sun lounger so she could watch the kids properly and there was barely a twinge in her back and side.
She grinned as AJ and Miranda shared a high five before racing after a giggling Ian; the sound of children's laughter was the one thing that had been missing from this perfect day and now… now Bianca wished she could stay here forever.
…