Welcome Home

[young_miranda]

For those of you new residents, you probably are wondering what the sudden banners and rain of confetti is all about (and why, when you stand under the confetti, it changes you colors) but it's clear it's welcoming someone home.

"Welcome Home Miranda"
banners are hung everywhere.

Miranda has been away for nearly two weeks now. She's finally coming home but she's not alone…

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[nightmares_and_kittens]

Cole is brushing confetti out of his hair and staring curiously at the banners as he makes his way through the halls.

He'd been intending to go for a quick run, but if Miranda is back...

He changes his direction and heads off in search of the woman. He wants to make sure she's okay since he hasn't seen her around in a few weeks.

[young_miranda]

Miranda is holding an array of balloons, several with the words "congratulations" on them. She's blinking at one of the banners, a small bag by her feet along with a few other things. She hadn't expected this. There's a small sound, like a coo, and she kneels down to tend to something by her bag. She hasn't noticed Cole yet.

[nightmares_and_kittens]

It's a relief to see she's okay. He's still not very good with expressing himself, but he has been kind of lurking around to keep an eye on her when he can. And leaving her flowers and pretty rocks he finds on his walks. Little things that might go unnoticed or at least not connected to him exactly.

But she is sort of like a sister now. He feels he needs to look after her a bit and make her happy.

He hangs back, watching curiously and wondering where she's been.

[young_miranda]

She really liked receiving the presents from him. She lined up the rocks on a shelf and pressed the flowers to make bookmarks. She hadn't connected them to him, not yet, but she'd love each and every little treasure.

She stands up again, cradling a fussy bundle. It wiggles in her arms, not exactly crying but definitely making tiny grunt-like noises. "Shh, shh, shh. It's okay. Mama's here." She soothes.

[nightmares_and_kittens]

He watches curiously for a moment. When he sees her with the bundle in her arms and hears her talking he figures out what's going on.

He sort of wants a closer look, but he's not sure if he should approach her. He's sort of worried he might startle her. And anyway, he's not sure if he should bother her. Maybe she's busy...

He stands there, debating internally.

[young_miranda]

He can probably now see the balloons are a) tied to her wrist and b) have a couple that say "It's a Girl!" mixed in. It seems she had a daughter. She rocking the fussy baby but really, she has no idea when it comes to children.

She looks around, hoping to see someone who could help her, just for a moment. She needs someone to hold the baby while she gets a bottle. She knows by now that when her daughter is fussy, she needs to be held or she'll really start wailing and won't stop until she falls asleep. She spots Cole and relief spreads across her features. She smiles at him hesitantly. Would he mind. "Ah, Cole. Um, hello…"

[nightmares_and_kittens]

"Ah... hello."

He gives a little shy smile back, watching her with the baby.

"I... I saw the signs... umm.. the banners. Saying you were back. And I thought I would come see you ...Is this a bad time?"

[young_miranda]

"No, no, this is perfect." She smiles at him. She missed him. It's good to be back, especially when it means seeing a friendly face. "It's, it's been a while. Have, have you been well?" The baby is still a bit fussy but she's keeping her calm for the moment.

[nightmares_and_kittens]

"Yes. I've been good. ...How have you been?"

Ah. That's right. That would be his niece there, wouldn't it? He's watching the little bundle curiously.

[young_miranda]

The little girl stirs and a tiny hand reaches up, turning the wrist this way and that. She's too young to grasp how her body moves yet so she hasn't learned out to use her fingers. Miranda rocks her ever so slightly before smiling at Cole. "I've been well. I, I just came home today." A shy blush. "Would, would you like to see her?"

[nightmares_and_kittens]

He nods.

"If... that's okay?"

He really would though. Even if he doesn't know much about babies or anything. He's just curious. She's part of his family now. Just like Miranda.

[young_miranda]

"It is." She smiles sweetly at him. Cole's a sweetheart and really, she doesn't mind him being around in the least. She's less nervous around him than most. Although right now, she's infused with motherly pride as well. She thinks her daughter is the most darling thing and she wants to show her off a little. She shifts the bundle so he can get a better look at her.

"I, I named her Silvia. Silvia Lotto…Eberling." Because, after all, Evan is the father. Although she's a bit comfortable speaking or even thinking about Evan. She's glad that Cole seems to be taking all this so well, though.

[nightmares_and_kittens]

So this is his niece. She's so tiny. He glances down at her in awe.

"Silvia... that's a really pretty name."

[young_miranda]

"I, I'm glad you think so…" She smiles at him, still cradling the babe. She's so happy that she decided to keep her.

When she first found out, she'd been scared. And one of the first things she'd thought of was giving her baby away. How could she raise a child? Especially with her line of work! Yet she'd decided to keep her and she couldn't be more glad. "Do you think…" She frowns and glances away. "I'd, I'd rather she…not meet her father. So I was w-wondering, would you mind terribly if…" She's not sure how to continue without upsetting him.

[nightmares_and_kittens]

"Not meet him..."

He doesn't know what she's going to ask of him, but he can understand what she's saying. He still loves his brother, even if the man is undoubtedly terrible at times. But it's not like he's forgotten some of the things he's seen Evan do. Some of the things he's done to Cole when he was young. It's definitely a little scary to think of the man raising this little girl.

"...He's not goo with children. That's probably best. Ah... was there something you wanted me to do? ...About that, I mean?"

[young_miranda]

She nods slowly. She'd guessed as much from the way he treated her. Men show how they are with children by how they treat women. If they don't treat women right, they probably won't care about children either. She couldn't trust him with her daughter, with their child, if he wouldn't even admit to it.

"Would, would you mind letting her think…he's dead? I, I don't want to bad mouth him or anything." She just wants what's best for her daughter. She looks away, clearly ashamed.

[nightmares_and_kittens]

He wasn't expecting that. He thought maybe she might want help keeping him from knowing or just keeping him away.

To be perfectly honest, he's not even sure his brother is going to be alive by the time Sylvia is old enough to start asking questions. What they tell her might very well be the truth by then.

He nods, doesn't mention what he's thinking. It's still pretty hard for him to face the idea that his brother may have to die to protect many other lives.

"If you think that's what's best... I won't tell her otherwise."

[young_miranda]

"Thank you… I'm sorry I had to ask that of you…"

She shakes her head slowly. It was wrong of her. She shouldn't be asking such things of him. The baby fusses and she remembers why she called him over in the first place.

"Um, Cole… Would you mind holding her? J-just for a bit?"

[nightmares_and_kittens]

"Ah?"

The request surprises him. "Hold her..? Oh. Okay... I think I can do that."

But she'll have to show him how probably. He's never held a baby before.