MIRACLES

Chapter - 2

“Look who came to visit baby, Brenda! She came all the way from London just for you.”

Brenda slowly made her way across the room and to the bed that held her young god daughter. Brooke Lynn Ashton had always been the glint in both her parents’ eyes, and had actually saved their marriage more than once, but the girl before her she barely recognized.

“How’s my favorite little girl” she asked but if Brooke heard her she gave no indication. She seemed in a daze; caught somewhere between consciousness and sleep a place where Brenda could not reach her.

“Brooke….. sweetie?” she called.

Lois could hear the urgency in her voice, and she lightly squeezed Brenda’s shoulder.

“She’s just having one of her bad days Brenda; it’s the medication. She should be better tomorrow”.

But Brenda could see the tears welling up in her eyes; she knew that this was killing Lois more and more every day. She didn’t know what to say or what to do for her friend to help her through this, but then again she wasn’t sure how she was dealing with it either.

“Lois…”
“No I’m fine it’s just so overwhelming sometimes. I just need some air, maybe a walk in Lila’s garden; that always makes me feel better.”

“Well then you should go. I’ll stay here with her.”
“Are you sure? You don’t mind?”
“Of course not honey, whatever you need; that’s why I’m here.”
“I should only be 10mins or so and then when I get back maybe we could talk a little. I missed you so much Bren”
“I missed you too.”

Brenda watched Lois walk over to the bed and softly kissed her only daughter on the forehead. She must have seen her do this a million times before while Brooke was growing up but it was different this time and Brenda could feel her heart breaking.

“Baby girl, I’ll be back soon. Your aunt Brenda is going to take good care of you” she whispered.

Tenderly holding on to Brooke’s hand, Brenda tried to assure her but Brenda couldn’t help but doubt it herself.

“If only someone would do the same for her and tell her that everything would be alright” she thought as she watched Lois leave the room silently.

Brenda continued to softly hold the hand of her god daughter, hoping that any moment she should sit up and demand that Brenda tell her one of her famous stories that she loved so much. It had only been a few short months that her and Lois had come to visit her in London. They had spent the whole time laughing and playing, never having a dull moment.

“How can this be the same little girl?” she thought. Brooke was so full of laughter and endless energy; she never ran out of questions and picked up her father’s habit of constantly singing.

She reached out and softly began sweeping Brooke’s dark brown hair off her cheek as she thought of how much fun they always had together. Brooke was like a daughter to her; the closest she would ever have anyway. She reminded her so much of Lois and maybe that was why they had such a close bond. They would spend nights playing dress-up and reliving Brenda’s modeling days as they did fashion shows for Lois. And then right before they would drift off to sleep Brooke would request one of Brenda’s famous fairytale stories. And looking back at it all now Brenda realized how lucky they had been, and how much they all had to lose. Then gripping Brooke’s hand as tightly as possible; Brenda made a promise to stand by her no matter what.

“Brooke, I know you can feel that I’m here. You don’t have to say anything; I’ll talk for the both of us. I just wanted you to know how much I missed you! Remember how much fun we had when you came to visit me in London? Well guess what? Now it’s my turn to visit you and Ill stay as long as you want, ok? And I’ll even make you a deal; one story a day, I promise. Now which one would you like today? Hmm, well how about the your favorite about the princess and the magic lamp?

Ok then, let’s see….. Once upon a time in a far away land they lived a young princess and she had everything any girl would ever want except for one thing. She wanted true love but at time she didn’t believe it was real, not until one day she was given a magic lamp…..

And it was right at that moment; Brenda thought she saw a twinkle in Brooke eyes! She felt as if her heart might burst from the excitement until she suddenly realized it wasn’t her at all that Brooke was smiling at; it was something else completely. And as Brenda turned to find out what had finally roused her young god daughter out of her trance; she heard her murmur.

“Uncle Jax”.