Marissa turned one eye to the bedside clock. It was almost seven. She reached out and silenced the alarm before it sounded. Bianca had been tossing and turning all night, keeping her awake, and had only recently fallen asleep. She knew Bianca could use at least another hour in bed to make up for her restless night.

As she lay awoke to the soft light of morning Marissa realised something else significant. There was no Miranda...

…

Concerned Marissa got up, careful not to disturb Bianca, and headed for Miranda's room. She found the little girl sat up in bed surrounded by a sea of paper covered in drawings and pages of writing.

"Miranda, are you okay?" Marissa asked, stepping cautiously into the room.

Miranda looked up, she looked tired.

"I wanted to stay in my bed all night, to prove that I could!" she said determinedly.

"And are all these your happy thoughts that got you through?" Marissa asked, moving aside some of the papers so that she could take a seat on the edge of the bed.

Miranda nodded, looking down at the pictures covering the bedspread.

"And did you get any actual sleep?" Marissa asked tenderly, reaching out to tuck a few stray hairs behind Miranda's ear.

"A little." said Miranda quietly, but it was safe to assume she didn't get enough.

"And did you have bad dreams?"

Miranda nodded and looked down.

Marissa smiled warmly,

"Then I am very impressed." she said. "You had bad dreams and yet you stayed in bed! That is so brave!"

Marissa knew she had to make a big deal out of this. This was a huge breakthrough for Miranda, and although she would have liked it if maybe she looked less exhausted, Miranda had endured her nightmares and slept in her own bed for the first time in over a month!

"We should celebrate." exclaimed Marissa, giving the girl an enthusiastic hug. "What do you want for breakfast?"

A smile appeared on Miranda's lips, although she was a little overwhelmed by the big fuss Marissa was making.

"Can we have strawberry pancakes? Round ones, with the strawberries on the side not in the batter."

Marissa thought back to what was in the fridge.

"You can." she said. "In fact you can have your pancakes with a whole side of fruit! We never ate the fruit salad your mommy made for dessert last night!"

Miranda looked back towards the door.

"Is mommy still sleeping?" she asked.

"Yeah, she had a restless night so I thought she deserved a lie-in." said Marissa, and then regretted it when she saw Miranda's face drop.

"Was she worrying about me?" Miranda asked quietly.

Marissa stroked Miranda's cheek.

"Of course she was. She's your mommy. Mommies worry about their kids all the time. I was worrying about you too. We all want to see these nightmares disappear."

Miranda nodded and then bit her lip.

"I don't want to see Dr Stanhope today." she said pleadingly. "Can we not go? I slept in my bed all night so I don't need to go, do I?"

"Hmm." sighed Marissa, suddenly realising the true reason for Miranda's determination to stay in her room. "Don't you want him to help you?"

"I don't want to make mommy sad."

"I think not going would make you mommy sadder." said Marissa sympathetically. "She wants you to get better! And you having a chance to ask all these questions I'm sure you have bottled up inside, is what's going to help you! Your mommy loves you, and I love you, and your sister and AJ loves you… Whatever happens today, that is not going to change! Have you got that in your noggin?" Marissa added with a playful rap on the side of Miranda's head. "Not ever!"

Miranda smiled at Marissa's silliness and nodded.

"Good." Marissa said, and then she paused when she heard a thump from the next room. "I think I hear the sound of a Gabby monster stirring, are you alright to get yourself up while I go deal with her?"

"I'm okay." said Miranda.

Marissa smiled, and then couldn't stop herself hugging the little girl again and planting a big kiss on her cheek.

"And you were so brave last night, I am incredibly proud of you!"

…

"So do we know what we are all doing today?" Marissa asked as she sat at the table to join the rest of the family for the breakfast feast she had prepared in Miranda's honour.

"Well, I am taking Gabby with me to the Miranda Centre this morning and then picking Miranda up straight after school and we are going to see Dr Stanhope!" said Bianca, after swallowing her last pill with a mouthful of water.

"And I'm going to Spike's for a sleepover!" said AJ happily. "He's got new game for his DS which he wants to show me!"

"That's great." said Marissa giving him a grin. "And you are now packed?"

He nodded, feeling guilty. This morning, Marissa had succeeded in diverting Gabby so Bianca could get the extra sleep Marissa knew she needed. AJ however had wandered into their bedroom looking for his mom to ask what bag he needed to pack for tonight and had been the one to wake Bianca up instead.

"Excellent." Marissa exclaimed, giving her son a grin. "And this morning I am dropping the B-twins off at school and then leaving AJ's bag at Kendall's on the way to work. …I am then working the morning and lunch shift at the bistro …And then this evening I will be collecting Gabby and Ayesha from the Miranda Centre because it's Reggie's college night for his child-care certificate…"

"Mr Nanny diploma!" corrected AJ, "He calls it his Mr Nanny diploma!"

"My mistake." said Marissa with a chuckle, "… working on his Mr Nanny diploma… and Camilla has the late shift. …So the little ones can help me make pizza tonight…"

"Yay!" cheered Gabby.

"…And then you'll have something nice to eat when you get back from the doc's." she finished, turning her grin to Bianca.

"You have a full day!" said Bianca, with an amused smirk.

Marissa smiled turned sympathetic,

"So do you!"

Bianca nodded

Marissa however noticed Miranda was being very subdued. They probably shouldn't have started breakfast with a reminder of what was coming tonight.

"Aren't you hungry?" Marissa asked as she watched Miranda pick at her pancake.

"Not really." she said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"Well you can't face today with an empty stomach; you need to keep your strength up." said Marissa encouragingly. "If you don't want the pancake, just eat the fruit. And if you are worrying about seeing the doctor tonight, don't! It's not a bad thing, remember; it is a good thing, because it's going to help you chase the nightmares away!"

Bianca was watching her daughter in concern and then looked guiltily down at her own plate. Marissa could easily have been speaking to both of them. Bianca had been so lost in nerves about the conversation at the doctor's scheduled for this evening that she had been doing a similar job of playing with her food rather than eating. She knew she had to buck up. Marissa was right, tonight was a good thing. Miranda had already proven she had the strength to fight her bad dreams. Maybe after their session with Dr Stanhope, Bianca could help banish them entirely.

She could do this!

"She's right you know." said Bianca, taking a large bite of pancake, and grinning encouragingly at her daughter. "And let's not forget, you spent a whole night alone in your bed, you braved your nightmares and you stayed strong, that is a fantastic achievement! We should be celebrating with cake and balloons and champagne and song!" From a look off of the kids she added, "Okay maybe not the champagne …but we should be celebrating! We shouldn't be spoiling it by worrying about what's happening tonight because tonight is a long way off and you still have a whole day of school to enjoy first …and this delicious breakfast!"

Miranda smiled at her mommy and dutifully ate a mouthful of strawberries. If mommy wasn't worried, maybe she shouldn't be worrying either. Maybe it was all going to be all right, just like Marissa said!

"So I think we need a toast," said Marissa, raising her glass of orange juice. "Here's to Miranda, who takes after her mommy by being one of the bravest people I know!"

Everyone joined in; reaching across the table to make sure every glass had been clinked with everyone else's.

"To Miranda!" they all cheered.

…