Caroline turns her glare on her mother.
"Really Mom? After everything she did. SHE left us." She waves her arm at Andy. "Left us to pick up the pieces of you that she left broken behind her. We're not stupid! We know it wasn't Stephen who left you like that, but we're expected to be okay with this, now? No!" She stomps her foot before she slams her way out of the room, hissing at Andy that she was not wanted here as she passes her, a second bang following thirty seconds later as she slams her bedroom door closed.
Miranda can only stare after her departed child in shock before turning to look at a subdued Cassidy, who is still standing with one arm wrapped around Andy, but facing her mother.
Cassidy shrugs, her face sad. "She's hurt. I always knew she hadn't let the anger go. I think she buried it so she didn't have to think about it." She glances up at Andy with a grimace, sadness evident in her eyes. "You leaving all of us did hurt."
Andy's eyes close, wanting to hide from the eyes that look so much like her daughter's and just as knowing, as the pain from that revelation rips through her, unexpected but there. She believed none of them would miss her. "I never meant…"
Cassidy squeezes her. "I know. Truly Andy. I do. Things had to work out the way they did. You needed to grow and become, well… More. You weren't ready for this. Any of this." She waves her hand around in a circular motion. "And now you are. I always knew you would come back to us. Caro did too, but the longer it took the more hurt she became, I guess." The teen shrugs again.
Miranda recognizes Cassidy using the same tone of knowing she has become used to hearing from the child in her lap to calm Andrèa and wonders when her child became so grown up and mature.
"I should probably go calm her down." Cassidy grimaces. "It might take a while though…"
"I will do it," Miranda says, looking pointedly at Cassidy as she stands and slides Ciri gently off her lap. "You stay here with Andrèa and Ciri. I'm sure Andrèa would love to hear about you and what you've been up to since…" She trails off, not wanting to bring up Andrèa leaving, again, at this time. She knows they will have to discuss it at some point, especially after Caroline's comment but she doesn't feel ready yet. She wonders if she ever hates exposing herself.
Miranda feels Ciri slide her hand in hers. "I come wiv you Mommy. Cawo sad. Ciri helps."
There's that tone again. Miranda understands this is part of what must be, so she acquiesces. She squeezes Ciri's hand gently.
"Come along then, my little one. Let's go see your sister." She leaves the room with Ciri trailing just behind her, leaving Andy and Cassidy looking at each other.
Cassidy shrugs before she throws her arms around Andy's shoulders once more. "I've missed you."
Andy blinks back tears as she returns the hug as tight as she can. "I've missed you too Munchkin. So much."
After long moments they finally release each other and Cassidy drags her over to the sofa, grinning madly. "Siddown. I wanna hear everything that's happened this weekend. I wanna know about Ciri and just… everything."
She tugs Andy down next to her, and as she does she notices Andy's wrist. Cassidy pushes Andy's sleeve back further to her elbow. "What is this?"
She looks up as Andy flushes a bright shade of scarlet.
"Oh… umm." Andy closes her eyes briefly before opening them and gently tracing the tattoo on the inside of her forearm. "I got this not long after Ciri was born. I wanted…" She exhales roughly. "No, I needed something to remind me of her… and, and of you two girls. I missed you guys so much, and Ciri reminded me so much of you two as she grew…" She continues tracing the 3 interlocked C's which sit perfectly under a line of a pair of blue eyed, mischievous looking Pippi Longstockings and Strawberry Shortcake. It was just the heads, running down from her elbow, taking up most of her forearm with the C's closest to her hand.
Cassidy places her hand on Andy's cheek, causing her to look up at the teen.
"You loved us? Like Ciri?" She asks softly.
Andy nods, blinking as she finds she cannot stop the tears falling. "Always."
Cassidy throws herself into Andy's arms feeling them close around her and she burrows as deep as she can, her own tears free-falling now as her emotions threaten to overwhelm her. She had hoped for this, but has not been able to bring herself to believe until this very moment.
Miranda finds herself looking at her middle daughter's bedroom door, hoping she can fix this. Caroline has every right to be hurt; she knows this. She knows, unquestionably, this is all her own fault and she needs to fix this before everything else crowds in demanding her attention. It will; is already trying to. However, her girls come first. Especially right now, in this moment.
She looks down at Ciri, giving her a wobbly smile which the toddler returns before she knocks at the door.
"GO AWAY!" Caroline yells from the other side.
Miranda can hear the tears in her voice and she hurts for her.
"Bobbsey? It's me. I just want to talk."
"No!"
Miranda huffs softly before trying the door, although she suspects it is locked. It is.
She knocks again. "Caroline! Please open the door. I'm not going away until you do."
She hears Caroline stomping towards her before the lock clicks and the door is flung open. Caroline turns her back and walks back to her bed, throwing herself face down on it.
"I don't want to hear it." Caroline's voice is muffled, buried in the pillow, as it is.
Miranda sits on the side of the bed, her hip tucked into her daughter's side and she rubs her hand up and down her back, trying to comfort her.
"I know, darling. I have to tell you though. You don't have to talk, just listen."
Ciri stands there quietly, before reaching over to place her hand gently on her sister's shoulder.
Caroline knows by the size of the hand that it's Ciri and Caroline wants to shrug her off, but even as hurt as she is, she does not want to do that to Ciri. She is only a baby after all, and won't understand.
"I know Andrèa leaving hurt you and your sister." Miranda starts softly. "I was unaware until today that it had. I am so sorry that me pushing her into doing so caused this. You are right, of course. Andrèa leaving hurt far more than Stephen's departure. I was ignorant at the time as to the reason. So, so ignorant." Miranda shakes her head at herself. "Undoubtedly, it was my fault though. I pushed her to breaking point, trying to force her to become someone she was not, until she had no choice but to leave. I was harsh and critical, more so than with any other employee. Even then, she was able to get under my skin and I fought against that every step of the way."
Caroline rolls on to her side to look up at her mother but doesn't say anything, wanting to hear the whole story. Ciri chooses this moment to try and scramble up onto the bed. Caroline helps her and her sister settles in beside her, her back to Caroline's front, and Caroline feels like this was how it has always been. Despite knowing it has not. She finds it comforting and it just feels right.
Miranda watches this interaction softly as she continues. "She was a subordinate and it was improper for me to develop feelings for her. It was only on the night of Ciri's conception that I saw Andrèa again and, while I will not go into details…"
Caroline rolls her eyes. No, she does not want details. She was fully aware of how babies are made. As well as being aware of her mother's capabilities as a child of the Bond.
"... I realised that night, Andrèa is my Mate."
Caroline's eyes boggle. She knows what the Bond means, hoping for her own one day and she can't believe her mother walked away from that. "You left her? Wh… but, but the Bond?!"
Miranda nods. "You girls needed me more. I made the choice willingly, knowing what it meant to me. I hurt her in the process, badly, though I did not know this at the time. I am aware of it now because Andrèa's feelings have always shown through her actions. I believe I hurt you and your sister that night too, but I believed my choice was in your best interests at the time. None of this is Andrèa's fault. I am sorry my actions then, and when I forced Andrèa to leave Runway have hurt you and your sister so. Please believe that." Miranda trails off into silence, knowing Caroline needs a moment to process, but watches her closely.
Caroline hugs her sister, taking comfort from the tiny body. Ciri rolls in her arms and puts her tiny arms around her, knowing her sister needs comfort in this moment as she comes to acceptance.
"Cawo, it's otay. Mama and I's here now. No leaves no more." She puts her tiny hand on Caroline's cheek. "Wuv you Cawo."
Caroline bursts into tears and Miranda gathers both her daughters into her arms as she attempts to comfort Caroline.
If only she can go back and make a different choice.
It is some time before Caroline's cries taper off, and Ciri starts dozing in her mother's arms. In the quiet that follows, Caroline tells Miranda how Andy wormed her way into their hearts while at Runway; always taking a moment to spend with girls when dropping off The Book, if they were awake. Making sure they knew they could contact her if they needed anything. Never denying them access to their mother, no matter when it was needed.
She dropped by their afternoon activities to drop off a snack and encouraging words if she was out and about, running errands for Miranda. Making them feel noticed and loved, even, probably especially, when Andy was aware their father was being an ass. Which was a lot. Even now , he constantly cancels on them, and his indifference hurts.
Eventually Caroline stops, and Miranda just holds them. Absorbing the love she feels for these children, she projects it back, so they feel loved and safe. She is disinclined to move at this moment, so just enjoys the moment.
While Miranda seeks out Caroline, Andy spends some time catching up with Cassidy's last few years, while she tells her all about Ciri, who is just like her big sisters in so many ways. They discuss Andy's limited knowledge of the changes Ciri will go through, Cassidy able to tell her more in this moment than the books she has buried her head in all day. After all, Cassidy also went through this, and dragons have exceptional memories.
It is an hour or so later when Andy realises that Miranda and the girls have not returned. She looks over at Cassidy. "Do you think they're ok?"
Cassidy seems to look inward before letting out a sigh of relief.
"They're okay." She smiles at Andy. "I think Mum and Caro needed to get all of that out. Caro doesn't blame you anymore." She reaches for Andy's hand and squeezes it. "In fact, we could probably go in there now."
They get up from the sofa, and Andy follows Cassidy to her sister's bedroom. Cassidy wanders over to flop on to the top of the bed next to Miranda and her sisters. Ciri wakes again, wasting no time to scramble off Miranda's lap and throws herself at her other sister.
"Cassy!" Cassidy smiles at the tot as she hugs her, over the moon she finally has the little sibling they've always wanted. This will all work itself out. She just knows.
Caroline looks up and, realising Andy followed her sister, scrambles off Miranda's lap, somewhat embarrassed that she took comfort from her mother's lap; she feels too old for it.
She brings herself to stand in front of Andy, clasping her hands behind her back, a picture of remorse. She stares at the ground for a minute before looking up at the other woman, regret clear to see on her face.
"Andy, I'm sorry. I should not have treated you like that when I didn't have the full story, despite being hurt. You didn't deserve to be spoken to like that."
Andy looks at her for a long moment, trying to decide how to react. Yes, Caroline's words hurt, but she is not willing however, to hurt this child of her heart in return.
"You're forgiven, Munchkin." She holds her arms open in hope. "Can I have a hug now?"
Caroline almost falls over herself as she throws herself into the arms of the woman who is the only other person aside from her mother, who has ever made her feel like she is home.