The Miranda MacArthur Story

chapter 4

Jen stayed home to call up the local school to get Miranda registered while the girl was going to visit the cemetery. She looked around the various other graves and went to find the one that belonged to her late aunt who died by suicide. Miranda knew her aunt wouldn't respond to her from anything she would say, but she thought now would be a good time for them to get to know each other better. 

Miranda heaved a sharp sigh as she saw the grave marked 'R.I.P. Michelene 'Mike' Mavinsky'. That was her aunt, no doubt about it. "Hey, Aunt Michelene..." Miranda whispered as she knelt by the grave. "Or Aunt Mike, you'd probably prefer that... I came to say that after seven years of being homeschooled by Mom and Dad, I'm finally going out into the world and going to school like my friends... You probably know them..."

The grave stood there, the gentle wind blowing and making Miranda's scarlet hair flow back a little off the ends of her head, but tied firmly against her headband. 

"I wish we could've met, Aunt Mike," Miranda continued. "I never knew all those stories about you... And I'm glad to know they are true... I really miss you, even if you weren't here before I was born..." She extended her hand and stroked the stony grave as she felt a little sick to her stomach and her eyes felt like they were being stabbed with incoming tears. Was this what it was like to be in grief?

Miranda stared at the grave, especially to know her aunt had committed suicide before she was born. That really hit her hard, it made her wonder why her aunt would kill herself. Was she ashamed of her life? Did her heritage bother her? A lot of these ideas plagued the seven-year-old's mind and overwhelmed her brain. 

"Wish me luck..." Miranda had a sad smile as she stood up and kissed the tip of the grave, then walked off to get back home. 

Jen had just gotten off the telephone and hung up as she turned to look down to her daughter with a smile. "Well, dear... You're going to school next week, on your first day, I'm going to help register you and the principal will get one of the students to help show us around."

"I hope it's Layla or Devin," Miranda's eyes lit up. "They're so smart."

"We can only hope, sweetie," Jen chuckled at her daughter's optimism. "Did you have a nice visit to your aunt's grave?"

"Yeah, Mom," Miranda said sadly, but kept the smile. "What was she like?"

Jen looked back gently to her daughter. "You remind me a little of her... You're bold and daring, not afraid to let anything stand in your way, and you protect your friends when they really need your help."

"Wow..."

"Yeah, I'll get Uncle Jamie to send you a picture of her if you'd like."

"Thanks, Mom, that'd be the best." Miranda sounded excited.

Jen gently ruffled up her daughter's hair. "Whatya say we get back to dinner?"

"Okay." Miranda beamed.

After eating dinner, Jen and Miranda retired to the couch. After Jen had asked Miranda to put away the dishes for her while she would call Brick and tell her the news of Miranda wanting to go into public school and she informed him she had told their daughter everything that had been hidden from her whole life, Brick was proud and happy.

"Your father is so proud of you for going through with this, sweetie..." Jen said, looking down to Miranda. "You're his little soldier."

"So I've heard." Miranda chuckled.

"I'm sure your grandparents and aunt are proud too," Jen continued. "I just really wish Mom and Dad hadn't died when they did..."

"I know, Mom, I wish I could've met them too..." Miranda said softly.

Jen hugged her daughter and kissed her forehead. "This is a lovely day..."

Miranda smiled, excited about going into school like her friends and wondered what futures would await her. She just couldn't wait to transfer over as an enrolled student like everyone else.