Ups&Downs

7

Miranda was in the living room blowing up balloons when the doorbell rung.

"Great are you the cake maker because you are behind... oh." Miranda stopped looking at Ben's girlfriend.

"Hi I'm Adrian, Ben's girlfriend." She smiled brightly at the door.

"Hi, nice to meet you...Ben's not here yet." Miranda informed.

"Oh yeah I know, he told me that he was suppose to bring some more decorations but was falling behind because of work." She informed gesturing her hands full of bags.

"Oh okay come in." Miranda backed up to let her inside. She could choke Ben for not telling her she was coming here.

"What can I help you with?”

"Well right now I was blowing up balloons and creating this balloon garland. So you can help with that."

"This is a lovely home you have." She complimented.

"Thank you. Ben picked it out." Miranda replied

"Hmmm." Adrian replied back.

"Is there anything else you need help with. I'm a great cook."

"Nope everybody likes the certain things that I make so I'm good on that."

"Okayyyy." Adrian dragged out awkwardly.

"Hey." Ben greeted coming into the house.

"Hey." Miranda greeted.

"Hey babe." Adrian said and Miranda gritted her teeth. She was starting to get a major headache.

"Oh could you take these drinks and put them in the cooler. Also you could make the tea... and you….."  Miranda pointed at Ben.  "Come help me get these things out the trunk."

Ben walked outside with Miranda over to her car and he opened the trunk only seeing one bag.

"There's only one bag back here."

"I know that...Benjamin do you think I'm crazy. "

"I know I know I thought that she was still at work. I didn't think she would beat me here. I wanted to properly introduce you all I'm sorry."

"You've been really testing my patience and do you think a month is a good enough to meet your entire family."

"I was going introduce her as my friend and I knew by the first date about you."

Miranda's eyes widen.  "You think she's the one?"

"Um I wouldn't say that. We are still getting to know each other. I know that she's nice and very funny and

"Okay I heard enough. Congratulations." Miranda said walking away.

Miranda walked back inside and she looked around. Where did that dam girl go?

Miranda looked through the back window and saw Adrian climbing her tree house. Now enough is enough.

"Ben get your girl out of my tree house. That is my sanctuary and I don't even let you or the kids go up there." Miranda huffed.

"Okay I'll go get her." Ben responded walking quickly to the back door.

"Hey Adrian. Miranda doesn’t let anyone go up there."

"Oh I'm sorry. She already hates me. Let me get down " she chuckled.

"She doesn’t hate you." Ben replied to her comment.

"Yes, she does. She hates that we are together. You sure she is the one that asked for the divorce and do you know she thought I was the cake maker. "

"She said that?" Ben laughed.

"Yes." She stressed.

"I'm sorry about that. You caught her by surprise."

"Who did you all get to build the tree house?" She questioned.

"I built it about about 3 almost 4 years ago." Ben smiled looking up at it before saying. "I'm going to heat the grill up. It's cold out here. You can go in so you won't freeze."

Miranda came down stairs. She'd forgotten to take her medicine this morning and the stress of Ben and his personal life reminded her.

"What are you doing?" Miranda asked Adrian.

"I was putting the decorations up."

"Those aren't the decorations...that's not the theme."

"Well Ben said."

"Well Benjamin was wrong. We spent weeks talking about a theme and that's not it."

"Are you sure."

"What do you mean am I sure. And why are you steady putting them up." Miranda huffed walking over and snatching it down.  She went  to the closet and dragged out all the pink, white and black decorations. "The theme is mini mouse. That's what my baby wanted. You clearly see that you helped blow up black, white, and pink balloons...why would assume that you would still put up sesame street theme. She hasn't even seen that show a day in her life." Miranda argued pulling out the stuff.

"I'm sorry I was just going by what Ben said."

Miranda put her hand on her forehead. This girl had to be dumb. If you saw pink balloons and things around that clearly didn't match what you bought why wouldn't you asked first and it pissed her off that she used push pins in her wall.

"Clearly Ben doesn’t make good choices." Miranda snapped obviously knowing that it was a double meaning to her words.

"He does because he picked me." She hissed

"For now, last I checked we're not divorced and that man just can't get enough of me." Insisted with a chuckle.

"You are a piece.

"A piece of what?...what" Miranda snapped putting the streamer down putting her hands on her hips.

Ben opened the door and he could see the two women standing in the dining room looking furious.

"Everything alright?" Ben questioned walking across the room.  Adrian looked at Ben and shoved the decorations in his hand before storming out the door.
Ben looked at Miranda who rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulder before he followed out behind Adrian.

"Hey wait where are you going? Talk to me." Ben called out as he stopped her.

"I only bought the decorations that you asked for but the theme was mini mouse."

"Oh shit I'm sorry A, I was sleepy when I was talking to you. I was trying to remember the theme we picked and I thought that was it." Ben sighed.

"She told me that you don't make good choices but I could tell it was a double meaning about the decorations and our relationship. So I countered back that you do because you picked me." She explained.

Ben looked at Adrian and he knew that she was a tough one because no body really ever had the balls to say something back to Miranda.

"And what did she say?" Ben asked knowing it was rude.

"She said for now, you all are not divorced and that you can't get enough of her." She repeated hurt.

"I am so sorry about that and you already know why we aren't divorced yet but we did start the process back up, plus I brought you here with me because I care about you."

"I wanted this to go right but Ben I don't think I should stay. I don't want to be in anymore arguments or feel uncomfortable, so I'll just go home. Call me when everything is done and we can talk later tonight." She suggested pulling him into a hug and then kiss.

Ben walked back in the house and he wanted to ask Miranda what the hell was that but she looked stressed and was on the phone with the cake maker.

Tuck and Joey came from the mall and they helped decorate and set up.

"This is so beautiful." Miranda marveled looking around. She knew that Pruitt was going to love it.

The door bell rung and Miranda walked to go answer it.

"Hey come in." Miranda greeted ushering Teddy, Owen, Alison and Leo in side.

"Oh Bailey this is so nice." Teddy commented looking around.

"Thank you...just when you think you are done with kid birthday parties. You are gifted with one more special baby to pour your love on."

People kept piling in and soon the house was filed with loud laughter and talking.

The doorbell rung once again and Miranda walked to go get it. "Hi Randa!" Pru said excitedly.

"Aww Hi baby girl. Happy Birthday." Miranda cheered pulling her into a hug as she squatted.

"Oh my goodness. I love your outfit. You look so beautiful." Miranda chimed looking at the pink tutu with white polka-dots on them. Her shirt was white with birthday girl on it in the Disney font and she had on Mini ears for a head band.

Miranda took her by the hand and twirled her around smiling.

"Aww is that our birthday girl." Ben exclaimed.
"Hi Ben." Pru smiled laughing hard as he scooped her up into his arms and began to tickle her.

"Did you have fun with auntie Vic?" Ben asked and she nodded.

Miranda walked beside Ben as he brought Pru in the living room with all the other children.

They began to play games with them before they ate.

After dinner and more games and prizes. Ben lifted Pru up and carried her in the dinning room as everyone gathered around. Both him and Miranda said a few words before everyone began to sing happy birthday.

They let Pru open a few gifts before the party eventually came to a close.

"I'm going to get her bathed and down for bed and then I will come back and help clean up." Miranda told Ben as Pru laid into her chest.

Pru was quickly sleep after her bath and Miranda walked back down stairs and began to clean up plates and cups throwing them in the trash.

"You made Adrian not want to stay." Ben voiced softly.

"It's not my fault, she doesn't listen to people. I told her those were not the decorations and she was steady putting them up.

"You just don't want to see me happy." Ben concluded.

"That's not true?" Miranda countered softly.

"Why?" Ben asked his voice e raising.

"Why Miranda....why?" Ben questioned snatching the wine glass from her hand.

"Because I am in love with you. I still love you. Of course I want to see you happy but I can't take seeing you happy with out me. I don't even believe in fairy tales nor am I romancey but I whole heartily believe that you were made for me. You're my prince charming not hers and I know I messed up. I messed up real bad and I hurt you. I hurt you because I got scared again. After that hospital explosion, you literally were almost blown to pieces. I'm trying to protect myself from heart break and misery. I left you because I don't want you to leave me eternally. Which was stupid because it wouldn't hurt any less if you died. I wanted to make you mad because I figured the process of us splitting would be easier with anger, but this is agonizing, torture. You mean everything to me. You and those kids are my whole world and you are sharing your world with someone else. I'm not your world and it hurts. It hurts and it's my own dam fault.

I came to tell you about my feelings months ago but you were kissing her so I shoved them down. I shoved my feelings down because you were happy. I watched you smile after she left. So I let you be.”

Ben stared at her before shaking his head. " I gotta go." He spoke.

"So that’s it?" Miranda asked wiping her tears.

"Yes that's it. In the beginning I begged you to work this out. That this was a mistake and now. Now you finally realized that. You put me through hell Miranda and you want me to jump back with you because now you're going through hell. I have a girlfriend." He stated.

Miranda nodded her head at him. He was right. "Go. I'm sure she's waiting on you. I’ll finish cleaning up.”