Meet Me at the Telephone

Miranda stared up at the smooth white ceiling as she lay on the inflatable mattress a few hours later. It was another one of those nights when the sand man didn’t pay her a visit. Because of this, she wasn’t able to shut her mind off. She had thoughts about different recipes she wanted to try, orders that she had to do the following week, and what she was low on in the stock room in her bakery.

Miranda also couldn’t stop the thoughts that came to her mind about her parents. Tonight she didn’t feel like crying, so she shook her head before the water works started. She knew that once she started to cry, she wouldn’t stop.

Miranda looked over her left shoulder and saw Niall sound asleep. His blonde hair was standing up in different directions. The blanket that he was using was half on him, half off. Niall’s mouth was slightly open and she could hear quite snores coming from his lips.

Miranda stood up slowly from her mattress, hoping that it wouldn’t make any noise and wake up the other three people who were still sleeping. Once she was standing up right, Miranda walked around Niall and into the kitchen. She didn’t bother on turning on the light because she didn’t want to wake them. She walked over to the fridge and slowly opened it, pulling out a lemon flavored Snapple. After she closed the fridge, she walked through the living room again and towards the sliding glass doors that would lead to their balcony. She pulled open the doors and stepped out, breathing in the cool midnight air. She sat down in one of the brown whicker chair that were on the sides of a brown whicker table. Miranda has always loved being outside during the nighttime. Miranda felt that she could let her imagination run wild. Times like this was when Miranda came up with her best recipes.

After ten minutes of being outside, Miranda noticed two butterflies sitting on the railing. When she looked closer and noticed what type of butterflies they were, tears came to her eyes as she remembered a memory.

Candace and Miranda laid on the grass in their backyard as the sun rays warmed their slightly tanned skin. These were the days Miranda cherished the most. Her and her sister would lay side by side on a blanket while their mom messed with their hair and their dad stood at the grill making his three favorite girls lunch.

“How much longer daddy? My stomach is yelling at me.” Candace complained.

Their father, Noah, laughed as he placed the last turkey burger onto the plate with the rest of the barbequed food. “All done. Come on girls, food is ready!”

“Oh good, just in time. I just finished making my famous lemonade!” Johanna, Candace’s and Miranda’s beautiful mother informed her family as she walked outside and towards the patio table.

Johanna set the pitcher down on the table before walking over to her husband of 20 years and giving him a kiss on his cheek, “Everything looks delicious hunny.”

Noah smiled and turned to his wife, “Thank you, now lets eat.”

Candace groaned in annoyance as a monarch butterfly fluttered around her face, “Go away stupid butterfly.”

“Look Noah! It’s our favorite butterfly.” Johanna laughed as she stuck her finger out and watched the butterfly flutter over before landing on her finger.

Noah smiled, “Did you girls know that once a humans soul leaves the physical body, it’s still in the real world?”

Both, Candace and Miranda shook their head “no”. “If something were to ever happen to your mother and I and your suddenly being followed by two monarch butterflies, just remember that it is us and we are looking after you two.” Noah finished before he leaned over and kissed both of his daughter’s head.

Miranda pulled her legs up to her chest and stuck her finger out just like her mom used to do. She watched as the two monarch butterflies fluttered onto her finger. She brought her finger close to her knees so that she could get a better look at them. “I miss you mom and dad. Did you know Candace and I opened our own bakery? You two would have been so proud of us! It’s what we dreamed it would be like. Candace’s did the interior design in the bakery and it fits us.”

Miranda could feel tears coming and she tried her hardest to hold them back as she spoke, “ I wish you two wouldn’t have gone out that night in the rain. You two did not need to go and get us Sprinkles. We were fine until the morning. I know you two wanted to do that because we graduated from high school at the top of our class but getting cupcakes could have waited.”

Miranda couldn’t stop the tears from falling, “I miss you guys so much! I miss arguing with dad about putting his finger into the batter, and I miss the kiss mom always gave me after I completed a new recipe.” While Miranda was talking she didn’t hear the sliding glass door open.

As Miranda was crying, one of the Monarch butterflies flew onto Miranda’s cheek and fluttered its wings. This action made Miranda cry harder. The last time she cried this hard was when the police officers showed up at the house and informed them of their parent’s death.

Miranda jumped a few inches into the air when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She was surprised that she didn’t hear the sliding glass door open. She quickly wiped her eyes before turning her head and seeing a tan hand on her shoulder. Miranda looked up into sad brown eyes, “Did I wake you?” She asked.

“Don’t worry about me. I couldn’t sleep anyways and I heard someone out here crying. Are you okay Miranda?” Zayn asked as he pulled the other whicker chair over next to the one Miranda was occupying and sat down.

Miranda looked away from his questioning gaze and looked out towards where the butterflies had fluttered to on the railing, “It’s nothing.” She told him, hoping he would leave it alone. She never liked talking about her parents death.

Unfortunately for her, Zayn didn’t drop it. “Miranda, I’m your friend and you can tell me anything. It will stay between us. What is wrong?”

Miranda sighed as she continued to look out into the midnight skyline, “Do you ever wonder where mine and Candace’s parents are?”

Zayn was confused by the question, “Um, yeah. We all were wondering that but we didn’t want to ask. Is that why you were crying?”

Miranda nodded her head, “I’m going to tell you what happened to our parents. Please don’t say anything until I’m done.”

Miranda sighed again before turning in her seat and facing Zayn, “I was bullied in high school. The bullying was done by Candace’s friends.” Miranda closed her eye’s as she told Zayn about the bullying that she was receiving. She told him about the day she told Candace what was happening and how a few days later they tested out of high school.

As Zayn listened to Miranda tell him about what happened to her in high school his blood being to boil and he just wanted to go to America, find the people who hurt Miranda and make sure they feel as much pain as what Miranda felt. Even though the pain would not be verbal.

Miranda took a deep breath before she started to tell Zayn about the night her and Candace graduated.

“Congratulations baby girl! I’m so proud of you! “Johanna smiled as she hugged Miranda.

Miranda smiled as she hugged her mom back. Noah snuck up behind Candace and picked her up causing her to sqeal in surprise. “I say this calls for a cupcake celebration! Who wants sprinkles?”

Candace and Miranda both smiled and nodded their head, “I can speak for the both of us when I say we both do.” Candace smiled.

Miranda looked out the window and saw that it was raining. “But we can wait until tomorrow day to get them cant we Candace?”

Noah shook his head, “Nonsense, your mother and I will be right back. You two stay here while we go get cupcakes and pick up a surprise for the both of you.”

Johanna walked over to the dinning room table and grabbed her purse and car keys. She then walked over to her daughters and kissed them on their foreheads, “We will be back soon. I love you girls.”

“Love you too” Candace and Miranda said at the same time.

“See you soon girls” Noah said repeating the same action as his wife.

Noah and Johanna walked out into the rain and quickly got into the car to head into town. Miranda stood at the bay front window watching the taillights of the car fade, “Do you have a feeling that tonight is going to turn our lives around?” Miranda asked as she wrapped her arms around her waist.

Candace plopped down onto the couch and placed her feet onto the coffee table, “Kind of, but I’m not going to let it bother me. Let’s just watch some TV to kill time while we wait.”

A few hours had passed and both sisters were getting extremely as to where their parents were. Normally a trip to Sprinkles and a quick stop somewhere normally would take about an hour and it now was getting close to three hours of them being gone.

Miranda pressed end on her cell phone and looked out the front bay window, “There’s no answer. Candace do you think something happened?”

Candace walked up next to her window, “I don’t know where they can be. I know dad wouldn’t drive far since it is- Miranda is that a cop coming?”

Miranda turned her eyes to where her sister was starring and indeed a cop was coming and pulling into their drive way, “Candace.”

Candace grabbed her sister’s hand and walked over to the door and opened it, “Hello sir. Can I help you?”

The officer walked up the pathway and Candace allowed him to walk into the foyer, “Are you Candace and Miranda Keller?”

Candace slowly nodded her head, “That’s us. Is there something wrong?”

The officer looked down before looking at the two sisters who were clutching each other tightly, “It’s about your parents. There was a car crash two miles south of here and your parents were hit. I’m afraid the car was severally damaged and your parents didn’t make it. I’m sorry for your loss.”

Miranda broke down in her sister’s arms, “Thank you for letting us know officer.” Candace said as she bit her tongue to keep her self strong for her sister.

“After the funeral Candace and I sold everything in our house, sold our house and using that money we earned to buy two plane tickets to London and we used our parents funds and savings to open the bakery.” Miranda finished telling Zayn.

Zayn was quiet as his mind processed what Miranda told him. “I’m sorry for your loss Miranda.” Zayn stood up and hugged Miranda.

Miranda wrapped her arms around his torso, “Could we not tell anyone about this?” Only you and Candace know the truth and I don’t want anyone else to know. Please promise me you will not tell anyone.”

Zayn slowly nodded his head even though he wanted to tell his best mate why the girl he fancied was sad, “I promise Miranda.”