Just Breathe

Chapter Thirty Eight

The holidays came and went and soon the temperatures were rising in the city as the summer weather started to hit.  The new year brought more milestones for the Miranda-Nadal family including Lin's Puerto Rico run reprising his role as Alexander Hamilton and Lia's eighteenth birthday. It didn't seem like things were likely to slow down anytime soon. The twins' third birthday was just around the corner, Vanessa's work had been ramping up, Lin had his hand in a multitude of projects, and Lia's graduation was rapidly approaching.

It was a quiet night in their apartment with only Lia and Vanessa in the home. Lin was in California for the week at ComicCon promoting 'His Dark Materials' and Vanessa's parents had asked for a sleepover with the twins to celebrate their upcoming birthday. For years, it had just been Lia and Vanessa. Now, it was a rare occasion and, especially with Lia having decided she was going to Stanford in the Fall, Vanessa was grateful for the time her eldest was still living at home. 

Vanessa was vegged out on the couch with a glass of merlot on the side as she worked on deposition questions and had 'Maid in Manhattan', streaming in the background. She and Lia had watched it countless times over the years so neither was giving it their full attention.

"Tobi lives such a plush life." Lia commented from her place at the kitchen sink, as she meticulously hand washed each individual item, "She has everything done for her and she lives rent free."

"Sounds a lot like you kids," Vanessa joked, rubbing Tobi over who was cuddled into her side.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Lia rolled her eyes, "Speaking of plush, would it really kill us to run the dishwasher every hundred years?"

"Your dad says that it builds character." She replied with a smirk, hearing her husband's voice in her head. She remembered when they had been teenagers and Lin would balk at his own father's insistence on never using the dishwasher. She laughed at him endlessly the first time he had suggested the rule for their own home.

"Dad says and does a lot of things." Lia said over the sound of the running faucet.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Vanessa asked.

"Have you seen what your husband put on the internet?"

Vanessa slowly shook her head, not at all phased, as she reworked one of the questions in her word document. "That statement should probably worry me more than it does."

Lia dropped the plastic dish in her hand into the sink and immediately went over to her mother. She handed off her phone to Vanessa, who didn't press play until she shooed her daughter back to finish her chore.  When the quick video ended, Vanessa looked up at Lia, who was already stewing at the sink, undoubtedly from listening to the audio that had played from her phone. standing over her not at all trying to hide the look of disgust on her face, "It's a video of your dad and Dafne rapping 'My Shot',"

"It's ridiculous!"

Vanessa turned her attention back to her laptop from her dramatic daughter, "Emilia," 

Lia continued washing, a bit rougher than her mother would have preferred, as her rant continued, "What middle aged man wants to rap with some teenager?"

"Lia, they are co-workers who have a job to promote the show," Vanessa tried to reason with her eldest daughter but was quickly cut off. "Posting on social media is just part of the gig."

"They are promoting 'His Dark Materials', not High School Hamilton!" Lia argued, "And they are getting paid obscene amounts of money to hang out in interviews and gush all about how much fun the project was and how close they all are," Her voice reached a higher octave as she animatedly explained.

"You want to talk about what's actually bothering you?"

"The fact that dad is acting insane and putting out a dumb video for the entire world to see?!" Lia said as she turned the water off as she dried off the last bowl.

"No. That even though you are now legally an adult, you are still incredibly immature about some things." Vanessa patted the couch cushion as Lia sat down next to her. "You're jealous of your dad's friendship with Dafne."  "