Reggie checked briefly in the rear-view mirror. The kids were very subdued in the back. They were on their way home from the airport. Gabby was already missing her mommy, AJ was clearly worried about his daddy and Miranda was worrying about her nightmares.
"Who's for some music?" Reggie asked, turning on the radio.
But the kids didn't look all that interested in any kind of distraction.
…
When they got back to the house Camilla had baked a large lasagne for supper. But the kids only picked at their plates and despite the fact that Ayesha was there to keep her company Gabby started fussing about the pasta on her plate. In fact she was so close to a full on paddy that Reggie had to pick her up and take her out of the room and sit with her in the lounge until she calmed down again.
After the fun they'd had together in Disneyland, Reggie had not expected this time alone with the kids to be so difficult. He hadn't realised how much he had relied on the kids keeping each other going. Now their own worries were taking over and he couldn't find a way to bring them back to themselves.
Their dinners only half eaten, Reggie led the kids through to the den. They clearly weren't up for computer games but he thought a nice movie would at least distract them from their woes. A calmer Gabby was munching on a peanut butter sandwich in lieu of the lasagne she refused to eat and it was up to Ayesha to pick the movie from the shelf of animated wonder that belonged to the Montgomery-Tasker-Chandler family. She picked a DVD at random simply because she liked the picture on the front. So they found themselves watching Roald Dahl's Matilda.
Very early on Reggie couldn't help but notice how the film drew in AJ and Miranda's attention until they were both sitting at the edge of their seats. Gabby watched the film nervously because she didn't like Miss Trunchbull, but she loved the pranks Matilda pulled. Ayesha wasn't sure about the whole thing and by barely a quarter way in had fallen asleep on her mommy so Camilla took her off to bed. Gabby insisted she stay until the glued hat bit before her bedtime.
...
When Reggie came back down from the den after reading Gabby her bedtime story and doing her nightly monster check, he found AJ and Miranda having a hush conversation. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop but he couldn't help it. The film had finished and the title screen was playing a short burst of music in a loop but the kids didn't seem to care.
"I wish I had those powers." said Miranda.
"Maybe you do." said AJ.
Miranda shook her head.
"It's just a pretend story. No one can really do that without magic."
"But Binks always says you are special. Maybe that is how you are special?"
Miranda laughed at the thought.
"Mommy says everyone is special."
"Then maybe they are." said AJ diplomatically. He scooted closer. "What would you do if you did have those powers? I would do to daddy what Matilda did to Miss Trunchbull. Make him as scared as he made me and then he'll run away and never come back!"
"I would make a magic bubble around my mommy so that no one and nothing could ever hurt her ever again." said Miranda.
"But we couldn't touch her if she was in a bubble."
"Yes we could." said Miranda. "It's a magic bubble that lets good people through but not the bad ones. The bad ones bounce off."
"Could we make one for my mom too just in case of daddy…"
Miranda shook her head.
"We can't really…" she said.
"We could try. If we concentrate really really hard maybe it will work."
Miranda looked at her birthday twin, and although the sensible part of her was rebelling she really wanted to believe that such a thing was possible.
"So what do we do?" Miranda asked.
"We hold hands." suggested AJ, "To make the magic stronger."
"Okay." said Miranda taking both his hands in hers.
"Then we close our eyes tight and we wish really really hard about a big bubble around our mommies."
"I'm ready." said Miranda her eyes screwed up tight.
"Wish as hard as you can!" said AJ.
They were concentrating with all their might. AJ was putting in so much effort his face was turning red.
Reggie decided then and there to do something unorthodox. He was going to use Mary Poppins and Nanny MacPhee as his inspiration and help the kids to believe in this magic for their own peace of minds. He crept back into the parlour and counted to five.
"Whoa, what was that!" Reggie suddenly exclaimed, as loudly as he dared without waking the little ones upstairs. "AJ, Miranda; did you just see that!?"
Miranda and AJ appeared from the den a little confused by all the shouting.
"Tell me you saw that!" Reggie said, making a show of being terrified.
"See what?" AJ asked.
"Two huge bubbles of light that floated through the fireplace and then shot right out the window!"
"Two bubbles?" asked Miranda her face suddenly pale. The magic was real and had really worked!
"You saw something, right?" Reggie asked.
"We were doing a spell." said Miranda, "Wishing for a bubble to protect our mommies."
"You were doing magic?" said Reggie, still wearing a mask of surprise although inside he was grinning with delight. "Well it looks like it worked. I had no idea you two had so much power." He collapsed back into the sofa in apparent shock and then made a show of checking his watch. "It's about your bedtime and I'll bet that spell has taken a lot out of you. Why don't you two go and get ready for bed and then you'll be all set for when your mom's call to wish you goodnight?"
The two kids nodded still a little shell-shocked by their apparent magical powers and hurried up the stairs.
"Did we really do it?" AJ whispered. "Now no one can ever hurt our mommies ever again?"
"I think so." said Miranda, a small relieved smile finally appearing on her face. "I think mommy is safe."
"How long will it last though, our magic?" AJ asked.
"As long as we keep wishing." said Miranda. "I want it to last forever."
"Or at least until their mommies get back home." muttered Reggie to himself as he followed them up the stairs.
…
This chapter didn't go exactly where I envisioned it but as it turned out so cute I'd kept it this way.
That's the trouble with muse it keeps getting sidetracked!