Miranda
“So dear sister, how was lunch with Wayne and his daughter?”
“Wonderful, she is so cute. I want to take her shopping and go down the slides at the park with her. She sat on my lap and shared my ice cream with me, it was so special.”
"Well, then I am happy for you. Are you going to see Wayne again?"
“I am, although I wouldn’t exactly call it a date, I don’t know if he even sees me as someone other than a friend.”
"it's a good start, though."
“That it is M. So what’s up with Alyssa, why is she cooking in the kitchen?”
“I have no idea, something about cooking for Rick. I think something is going on there, but she denies it. I think she even denies it to herself. He too, they both just seem to tongue-tied, but every time I turn the corner or enter a room they are in, they laugh, smile, and giggle."
“You know M, I am thinking of adopting a child after our summer is over here.”
"Really?" Miranda didn't know what to say or do; it was such fantastic news, so she reached over and hugged her sister. "Well, I know you are going to be a great mother."
“When and if it happens, I suppose. I hope so."
“You’ll likely spoil the baby; you know this, don't you." Miranda couldn’t help but smirk; she knew her sister would make a great mother judging by the beautiful way she always helped take care of her nieces.
"Well, at least I won't be a drill sergeant." Her sister was smiling from ear to ear.
"Yeah, well, my daughters needed that kind of treatment, or they would have run me over a long time ago." Her words sounded ridiculous even to herself when she spoke them.
"So how is the bakeshop coming along? I know you painted the outside and inside, did you get those new light fixtures you wanted?"
“Nope, too expensive for right now. Maybe in a month or so, I want to see how sales go with the changes to the menu that I made with Stephanie.”
“You didn’t get rid of the lemon muffins, did you?"
“No, but I changed the apple cinnamon to pumpkin spice, everyone loves pumpkin spice.”
"I am going to have to stay away from there, you know, way too many goodies for my diet!"
"Oh, stop, you're like a twig!”
“I am not, I will have you know all this rich food we have been eating since summer started here has caused me to gain close to twenty pounds.”
"Well, Jas, you still look beautiful in my eyes."
“Thank you, dear sister. So who do you think will outlast who here, me or you?”
"You, I don't know how long I can sit here in this sweatbox."
After about ten minutes, Miranda was ready to exit the sweat lodge. Her sister decided to join her shortly after, and together they headed up to the patio for a game of cards and some wine.
It was a perfect way to spend the night, reconnecting with each other. By the time both sisters had tired, they had played some cards, shared some wine, and way too much gossip. Miranda was all too happy she had decided to spend this summer with her sister and daughters.
What had started out as stress from her daughter's chaotic lives turned out to be a blessing in disguise that allowed them all to redirect their lives and time. Miranda hoped that her sister would find some happiness.
Too many times people misunderstood Jasmins bold and over the top personality for happiness and joy. In reality it was actually a cover for her real self that not many people saw except for Miranda. The confused, lonely and sometimes insecure young woman that still lived inside her.
Miranda knew on many levels that Jasmin was the stronger of the two despite most people thinking it was her, including her sometimes. Jasmin had a will of iron that not even she possessed. Through every trial and tribulation Jasmin had encountered in her life, she managed to see the sunny side, find a solution, and move forward despite the hurdle.
It was one of the reasons she leaned on her sister so often, she knew she could. Miranda only hoped that someday soon, she would find a man who could see past her sisters crazy to the woman within and love her.
She was happy that Jas was thinking about adopting. It didn’t matter that she didn't have a husband or significant other, she had a secure life and lots of love to share. Miranda hoped all went smoothly.
In the meantime, she would wait and watch to see what happened between her sister and Wayne. She, for one, thought they would make an excellent pair. This thought lingered with her well after she put her phone down, closed her eyes, and drifted into dream land that night.
6
Alyssa
Alyssa woke early to find her aunt cooking breakfast of egg and bacon croissant sandwiches. The music played in the background, a soft Spanish guitar as she splattered grease everywhere. “I absolutely love bacon Aunt Jas.”
“Me too, it has its own food group.”
Her aunt always made her laugh. "Yeah, right along with chocolate."
"Same food group, the fun, and fatty food group."
“Oh, aunt Jas I found this in the hall closet.”
Jasmin took the photo from her and studied it, Alyssa couldn’t help but wonder who it was. There had been no name on the photo but judging by the look on her Aunt Jasmins face, it had been someone in her life.
“Thank you dear.”
“Who is it?”
“Just a man from my past.”
“Aunt Jas, do you believe in marriage?”
Her aunt set down her spatula and settled them both in with a cup of tea and toast after she moved the pan off the burner. “No for someone as young as you dearest.”
“No I wasn’t thinking about myself. I was just wondering if you believed in it in the general sense, for anyone?”
“Yes, I do. I believe that we all need someone to love, that loves us. To share a life with someone, caring for them, and they you. Sharing secret jokes, having a shoulder to lean on when tears come. Someone to boost you up when you fall down. Yes I do.”
“Me too.”
“Why do you ask dearest?”
“Just curious, both you and mom always seem so headstrong like you don’t need or want a serious relationship with a man in your life.”
“Well, I can’t speak for your mother but I want and need a man in my life, I just haven’t found anyone I would want to marry yet. It is hard when your older dear. Once you have had children and had a life with a home and everything you don’t always need that commitment. Usually when it happens after all that it is because you want it to, not because you need it to.”
“I understand.”
“Well I am glad you do because I don’t. I say a lot of things and sometimes my emotions tell me who cares what makes sense I know what I feel.”
By the time the conversation was over between her and her aunt she was in stitches as always with the quirky way her aunt looked at things and her unique sense of humor.
Rick was picking her up to go to the movies, things were changing between them and she didn’t know how she felt about that.
She didn’t want to rush into anything anymore, especially with a man but she couldn’t help but feel deep down how much she wanted him as her boyfriend. She didn’t know what to do so she just left it be, sooner or later the answer would come to her, or so her aunt Jasmin told her.