Opal had picked Miranda and AJ up after school and brought them out to the Tads place. They had the house pretty much to themselves as Tad and Dixie had taken Jenny and Kathy out for the day. They would be staying with Opal until Marissa had finished her shift at Krystal's and then they would be going to the hospital to see Bianca together; just the same as yesterday and the day before that.
Miranda didn't say much when they got to the house. She only switched on the television and collapsed on the couch; choosing to stare at the cartoon that was playing rather than talk to anyone.
AJ got busy with his art project. Daily get-better-pictures don't draw themselves. Today he decided he was going to draw a picture of the piggy back race they had at the pool party. Binks had laughed so much that day and he looked forward to being able to describe it to her later. Even though she was sleeping, he was sure she liked to hear about his pictures.
AJ looked across to Miranda, his birthday twin. She hadn't drawn a single picture for her mom. He knew something was wrong but didn't know what to do. His best friend was becoming someone he didn't recognise. She didn't want to play anymore, she hardly laughed and when Opal brought her a soda before disappearing back into the kitchen; Miranda, the politest girl he knew, didn't say thank you.
AJ knew it was to do with Binks. That Miranda was sad that her mommy was sick, but rather than do everything she could to make Bianca better Miranda was doing nothing. He didn't understand it.
AJ got on with his drawing. He used an orange pencil to put the finishing touched on his mom's hair and then drew Gabby clinging on to her back. The final figures to add were Miranda pushing Bianca's wheelchair and then he and Reggie out in front. A good ten minutes later he smiled proudly at his masterpiece.
"What do you think?" asked AJ showing Miranda his finished drawing.
Miranda glanced briefly at his picture.
"I think it's stupid." she said bluntly.
AJ chose to ignore her rude comment. He knew sometimes people who are upset say things they don't mean.
"Well I think Binks is going to like it." said AJ.
"Well then you're stupid too." said Miranda angrily. "Mommy's not waking up, she's never going to see it."
"You can't say that!" gasped AJ.
"Why not, it's true only no one says it." she snapped, jumping up from the couch to confront him.
"You're wrong. Binks is going to get better and my picture is going to help, like all the others."
"No." said Miranda snatching the drawing from his hand. "It's just a stupid picture. Pictures don't do anything!"
"Give it back." shouted AJ. "It's for Binks!"
"But it's just a stupid, stupid picture!" Miranda shouted back and ripped the drawing in two.
AJ jaw dropped at Miranda's actions and he saw red. Before he could stop himself he threw himself at his birthday twin and wrestled her to the ground trying to get the remains of his drawing from her hands.
"My picture!" he cried in a rage. "Give it back!"
Miranda yelled for him to let go of her but he held her down.
"Say sorry." he demanded.
"No!" screamed Miranda struggling in his grip.
"Say you're sorry!"
"No!"
"Say you're sorry!"
"Never. You are just a stupid boy drawing a stupid picture that my mommy will never see! My mommy will never see anything ever again!" Miranda started crying, her voice turning into great sobs. "Mommy… my mommy!"
Not knowing how to deal with Miranda's tears AJ let go and sat back on his knees. Miranda rolled onto her side and hugged herself.
"What's going on?"
AJ turned to see his mom coming from the front door.
…
Marissa arrived at Tad's place to find AJ and Miranda on the floor. Miranda was curled into a ball crying with AJ leaning over her.
"What happened?" gasped Marissa, rushing to the little girl's side and scooping her into a hug.
"Mommy…" she wept gripping tightly to Marissa.
She looked over to her son who had tears in his own eyes.
"She ruined my Get-better picture." sobbed AJ. "She said it was stupid and ripped it up! It's not stupid!"
Marissa noticed the two screwed up bits of paper in Miranda's fists. Miranda looked down guiltily. She opened her hands and let the paper drop to the floor.
"I don't know what's wrong with me." she cried, "I keep getting mad."
Marissa gave Miranda a comforting squeeze.
"You are upset about your mommy," said Marissa, "And sometimes being upset makes you angry. You have to blame someone because you want it to be someone else's fault. But you shouldn't be angry at AJ."
"I know." whispered Marissa, sobbing into Marissa's shirt. "I don't know why?"
Marissa gave her son a comforting smile before continuing.
"Well at times like this, sometimes it's easier to be mad at someone you care about because you know they will forgive you."
AJ was watching Miranda with wide eyes, clearly not knowing how to cope with his best friends tears. He reached out a tentative hand and patted her awkwardly on the shoulder.
"There, there." said AJ. "I'm sorry for your mommy. And I'm sorry if I hurt you. But you shouldn't have took my picture"
Miranda just cried all the harder.
"Shh." soothed Marissa, "Where's the big brave girl we know and love."
"I don't want to be a big brave girl." moaned Miranda inconsolable, "I want my mommy back!"
"Oh sweetheart." cooed Marissa, her own tears falling. "We all want that."
"Mom..?"
Marissa looked at AJ. He had tears trickling down his own cheek. Marissa held out her free arm and pulled him into her side, kissing his forehead.
"Are you sad too?" Marissa asked, trying to stop her own sob.
AJ nodded.
He only let her hold him for a little while before sitting back up a determined expression on his tear stained face.
"I'm sad for Binks." he said, "But I want to make her better, for you and Miranda. So I don't care that Miranda thinks, I am going to keep drawing pictures and wishing with all my heart to help her wake up again."
Miranda looked up at AJ.
"For me?" she asked surprise in her voice.
"You are my birthday-twin." said AJ. "I don't want you to lose your mommy. No one should lose their mommy."
Miranda looked at AJ's sad face. Marissa could see her pang of guilt; the little girl had forgotten that AJ lost his first mom.
"So…" said AJ, putting on a brave smile and wiping his snotty nose on his sleeve, "I am going to do your mommy another get-better picture even better than the last one." He crawled across to the coffee table and opened his pencil case. He looked back at his mom. "Do we have time?"
"We have time." said Marissa giving him a grateful smile. She looked down at Miranda, who's tears were now subsiding. "Do you want to help him?"
"But they don't work." sobbed Miranda, "Mommy keeps getting sicker. Pictures and magic kisses don't do anything!"
Marissa sighed.
"No, unfortunately there is no magic way to make Bianca well again." she admitted, "But those pictures and magic kisses are special because they are a way for us to show your mommy how much we love her and miss her. And love can never be a bad thing, now can it?
Miranda sniffled and sadly shook her head.
AJ glanced sideways at his birthday-twin.
"You can help if you want to." he said. "I like it when you help me, you're better at drawing faces."
Miranda silently nodded her head, staring at her birthday twin with sad eyes. She suddenly sprang out of Marissa's arms to give AJ a bear hug.
"I'm sorry." said Miranda, hugging him tight. "I'm so sorry I said you were stupid. And I'm sorry for ruining your picture."
AJ returned the hug; hoping that she would stop crying soon as it made him feel uncomfortable. He patted her awkwardly on the back as he didn't know what else to do.
"There, there." he said once again. "It's going to be alright."
Marissa smiled at the two birthday twins. She touched Miranda's shoulder.
"What do you say we go and wash our faces first? Mommy wouldn't like to know we have all been so sad." suggested Marissa, "And then we can come back and help AJ finish his Get-better picture?"
Miranda looked up; noticing for the first time that Marissa had been crying too.
"Okay." said the little girl, climbing onto her feet, walking slowly towards the bathroom.
Before she got up to follow her, Marissa hugged her son and kissed him.
"You are a wonderful little boy." she whispered. "Don't ever change."
…
AJ looked down at his blank piece of paper, but he was finding it hard to start drawing the same happy scene from before… he didn't feel happy. He hated that Miranda had got mad at him and he hated himself more for getting mad right back. He was also sad, sad for Bianca, sad for Miranda and sad for his mom too, he really hated it when she cried.
AJ watched his mom hurry after Miranda and hug her into her side as they left the room. He found that moment made him smile. That was something to be glad about. Miranda may be missing her mommy but he was happy that Marissa was being her mommy now too.
…