Dear Connor

Title: Dear Connor

Author: A.M. Glass

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: The characters from “All My Children,” belong respectively to Agnes Nixon, A.B.C. and the Disney Co. No copyright infringement is intended or inferred. The story along with any/all original characters are the sole property of the author and cannot be used without expressed permission first.

Notes: This is the first of the two endings I have for the “Dear Miranda” series. I would like to thank all of you who’ve written and let me know how much you’ve enjoyed the stories.

Dear Con,

How are you? Good, good. Not getting into any more trouble are you? I thought as much.

Do you remember, not too long ago you were bugging me about your favorite story?

Well, I had some time on my hands and I decided to write it down.

I’ve gone over it and it doesn’t exactly read the way I wanted but, hey, it’s only you. : P

So, here goes:

“Once upon a time – you know, all great stories should start off like this. Anyway, your story didn’t happen right away – in fact it took almost eighteen years to come about.

It wasn’t a happily ever after one either. It had its hardships – its tragedies – misunderstandings – betrayals – anger – deception – basically it had everything, including love.

Love.

It’s such a tiny word – four letters long, but it can make your world change.

It can and did make you.

Before I was born, yeah I know – a long time ago, a woman came into town. Her arrival brought forth a change that would touch almost everyone’s lives in Pine Valley.

Who was she you ask?

Her name was Lena Kundera – that’s right, Matka.

How could one person affect so many? Ask yourself this: how could one drop of water change the course of a river.

Matka came to Pine Valley to steal – to take something from Grandma’s company.

What she ended up stealing was Mom’s heart instead.

* * *

This is taking longer than I thought, but as you’ve read, it’s not a cut and dried story.

If it wasn’t for Aunt Kendall, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you half of things I have. Let me get back to the story.

Mama and I were talking outside of the hospital. I was a mess – I didn’t want to hear Mom tell me that Fish Face had adopted me, was my legal “Mother” and no matter how many prayers I’d sent to great grandma Mona – Matka would never be my mother.

I was furious with Mom – and you know how the Kane temperament is nothing to mess with.

It took Mama about half an hour to calm me down. I love her so much Con, I hope you never have to go through any of this – or anything remotely like it.

She kept telling me: “It’s all right. It’s going to be all right.”

“How can you be sure? Mama – Matka... can I still call you that? I won’t get in trouble will I?”

“No – never. As long as I live you can call me that,” she told me and she held me tight.

Aunt Kendall came out looking for us – she asked if we were okay. Did we think we’d go inside?

“It’s up to Miranda,” Mama answered. She looked at me and said, “Sweetheart, I won’t force you to do a thing.”

“Has she said anything yet?” I asked Aunt Kendall without looking away from Matka.

“She hasn’t said a word. She said she’d wait until you were ready.”

I wasn’t ready Connor – I didn’t want to leave Matka’s arms and walk into the hospital and listen to Mom ruin my life.

Connor – you’ve never met “Aunt Maggie” – trust me you don’t want to.

I took a deep breath and I knew it was now or never. “I’m scared,” I whispered as we started walking to the hospital entrance.

“So am I Sweetheart – so am I.”

The closer we got, the harder it became to take another step.

“You’re doing great Kiddo,” Aunt Kendall said, trying to encourage me.

My heart was beating so loud I hardly heard Aunt Kendall. Mama was at my side, our hands locked – squeezing – I think she was trying to give me some of her strength.

We had walked up to the entrance. It was less than five feet away and I couldn’t take another step. I actually looked down at my shoes.

“What’s wrong?”

“I... I can’t make – I’m telling myself to pick up my feet, take another step, but it’s not working!” I was panicking.

“Kendall, give us a moment.”

I watched as Aunt Kendall walked through the sliding glass doors. Grandpa Jack was waiting. She told him something, ‘cause he looked outside and smiled at me, then, he left.

I guess she told him what was happening and we needed a little more time.

I felt Mama's hand on my cheek. I looked up and I saw her smiling at me. I’ll never forget what she told me.

“We can go if you want – say the word and we can disappear. They’ll never find us, I promise.”

“Really?” I was ready to go Connor.

“But listen carefully Miranda. You’ll never see your mother again. Never speak with her – or your grandparents – your Aunt Kendall – Reggie – all the people you love, who love you very much – ever again.”

Not see Grandma or Grandpa Jack?

“Miranda Mona Montgomery will cease to exist.”

WHOA!! Back up there – I won’t exist.

“Lena Kundera will no longer exist.”

Okay – that tears it.

“Matka...”

“Yes.”

“Let’s go.”

Connor, I swear to you I think I saw a flash of disappointment in her eyes, disappointment ‘cause I wasn’t going to face Mom.

“Okay.”

She started to turn around.

“Matka...”

“Yes? We have to hurry.”

“You’re going the wrong way,” I told her.

I knew I’d made the right choice – Mama gave me one of her famous bone-crushing hugs.

“Can’t breathe...”

“I’m sorry Sweetheart, I’m sorry. Are you okay?”

“Fine Great.”

She hugged me again – kissing the top of my head, you know Mom type things. And as much as I love her, it gets kinda embarrassing. We walked inside and went to Mom’s room.

When I pushed the door open, I saw Grandma, Grandpa Jack and Aunt Kendall waiting for us.

Mom started crying – I guess she was glad I came.

You can’t know what it felt like to see her crying and not go to her and try to make it better, to make her stop.

It hurt to see – but I remembered why we were there and I felt this chill run down my spine and for a split second – I was glad Mom was crying.

I was glad she was in pain. There was a part of me – one I didn’t know about – that wanted to get even for what she’d put me through.

If Mama hadn’t put her hands on my shoulders, interrupting my train of thoughts... it scared me Connor. You have to promise you won’t tell Mom or Matka this, promise.

When I think about that moment – how I felt – I became aware of something: I carry the blood of Michael Cambias in me. Those thoughts of wanting Mom to feel – experience pain had to come from him. I’ve looked him up – he wasn’t a nice man Connor, in fact he was downright evil.

And for that blink of an eye, I was as well.

“Was there something you wanted to tell us Bianca?” Mama asked.

Mom wiped her tears away.

I felt sick – for having those thought about her, for what was coming. I knew before she said a word, I’d changed my mind about running away.

“When Maggie and I were in Paris...”

Oh no...

“We – we talked about a lot of things. Us – family – marriage – and adoption.”

“Be brave,” Mama whispered.

“Maggie... Maggie thought it would be a good idea to adopt Miranda...”

Grandma’s hand rushed to her mouth as she gasped.

“Shit!”

Hey, don’t look at me, I’m writing what Aunt Kendall said.

“I love you always,” Mama told me, I could feel her tears on my cheek.

“Maggie had contacted a lawyer about the adoption protocols for France,” Mom said in a hushed tone.

You could have heard a pin drop it was so quite.

“She wanted to be connected to the both of us. I told her I had to think about it – that I needed time,” Mom stopped and looked at Mama. “Lena had... no, I can’t put the blame on her. She only wanted me to come to Poland – at the time she thought Paulina was dying.”

“Babcia.”

“Yes Sweetheart. Your mother is correct, my mother was hanging on by a thread and I wanted to have Bianca by my side, incase the worse happened. Luckily for us all, she went into remission long enough for you two to have spent some time together.”

“This is all well...”

“Erica...”

“No Jack. My – our grand daughters happiness is in question.”

When Grandma said that, I wasn’t sure which way she was headed.

“We all want to know if Maggie is Miranda’s parent, legally,” Grandma said.

“Please Bianca, just tell us – I don’t think Miranda and I can take it any longer,” Mama pleaded.

While this was happening, I was having serious doubts about hearing the answer – Mom seemed to be taking forever – so I figured Maggie “Fish Face” Stone was my other – mom.

“Grandpa?”

“Yes Sweetheart.”

“I... I want you to... Mama, what’s the word I’m looking for? It’s when I want a judge to declare me an adult...”

“Emancipated.”

“OH HELL NO! This is going to stop!”

“You’d do that Miranda?” Mom asked.

“Mom – I’d rather die than have her as my other Mother.”

“What would you do? Where would you live?”

“Bianca! You can’t seriously think we’d allow this to happen. She’s only fifteen – Jack you’ll do no such thing.”

“Mom stop! I need to know what Miranda would do,” Mom told her.

“I’d live with Matka – that’s all right, isn’t it Matka?”

I hadn’t given it any thought. I know she said we could run away – but I didn’t think it would have happened. Knowing her she would have sat me down and explained things to me and I probably would’ve changed my mind.

“If that’s what you truly want, yes you could live with me.”

“Uncle Jack...”

“Yes Honey.”

“Can you change my will please,” Mom looked at me and I couldn’t look away. “If something ever happens to me before Miranda becomes an adult, I want Lena to have legal guardianship of her...”

“Does that mean?”

“Maggie is not – nor will she ever be your legal mother.”

“YES!!” I shouted. I turned around and hugged Mama. I heard her say, “Thank you Bianca – thank you for this gift.”

“I’ll get to it in the morning.”

“Thank you Uncle Jack.”

“Well, congratulations Lena.”

“What Kendall?”

“You’re a mom and it’s a girl.” Aunt Kendall laughed. She has the oddest sense of humor at times, but you all ready know that.

“Kendall, I’ll have you know I’ve been a “Mom” for quite some time now, but thank you anyway.”

“Now that that’s taken care of, I think I’ll head out.”

They came and hugged me goodbye. Grandma spoke with Mama for a minute before doing something that surprised everyone.

She gave Mama a hug – she told her something that made her cry. I was about to give Grandma a piece of my mind when Mama said, “Thank you Erica.”

Huh?

Mama and Aunt Kendall spoke before she gave me a kiss goodbye. But you know Aunt Kendall, she couldn’t just leave – no she had to tell me: “You’ve got a big set there kid.”

When she left I asked Mama – she went to the door, pulled it open and shouted, “KENDALL!!”

I could hear her laugh all the way down the hall. After everyone left, it was just the three of us. Mom and Mama spent most of the night talking. I fell asleep. Mama woke me up in the morning and took me to BJ’s for breakfast, then she drove me home.

I had to tell her how to get there as she’d never seen where Mom and I live. The closer we got, the odder she acted. She kept leaning forward, looking out as if she were looking for something.

“Turn right...”

“You live here?”

“Yeah, I really love it – school was...”

“Nearby...”

She kept asking me all these questions, I couldn’t figure out what the big deal was. Mom told me she bought the house before I was born. We’ve lived here since we got back from Paris.

By the time we pulled into the driveway Mama was crying and it made me nervous. We went inside and I showed her around, I told her she could sleep in Mom’s room if she wanted.

I was too wiped out, so I gave her a kiss goodnight and went to my room. Mom was released from the hospital a day later and we had a long talk.

Uncle Reggie called and told us that Maggie was claiming she didn’t touch me. I had to show Mom the proof, when she saw the bruises on my arms, she was livid. Mama had to talk her out of going to the police department and well, opening a can of whoop ass – another Aunt Kendall favorite.

Mama had to stay in town for about a month – with the trial and everything. In the end Maggie, ‘ol Fish Face spent some time in jail – not enough according to both Mom and Mama.

I was crying my eyes out when we took Mama to the airport. She told me she’d call as soon as she got home. I didn’t want her to leave – she held on to me for as long as she could before the announcement for her flight came over the speakers.

Mom was trying not to cry, I could tell she didn’t want Mama to leave either. They said goodbye to each other and Mama started to walk towards the boarding gate.

Mom called out to Mama.

Mama stopped and turned around.

“I... I’m not sorry for the way I feel for you. You touched my heart and I will always treasure that... have a safe flight.”

Huh. I’m not sure why, but they were both crying at this point. Mama said Mom’s name in a way I’d never heard before, “Bianca.”

We – you and I have heard it since. It’s the one that makes us want to leave the room, ‘cause when Mama says it, it’s not like they notice we’re in the room anymore. Anyway, Mama says, “Bianca,” drops her carry on and lays one on Mom. She kisses her doofus.

After I closed my mouth, I started jumping up and down, shouting, “YES! YES!! YES!!!”

They announced the final boarding for Mama’s flight.

“I love you,” Mom said.

“Oh Bianca – I love you too.”

“Excuse me Madam, you’ll have to board now or miss the flight.”

“I have to go.”

“I’ll be waiting for your call.”

“Okay.” Mama gave me a hug and quick kiss, told me to look after Mom and myself before boarding the plane.

Now, before you get ahead of yourself, Mom and Mama didn’t get back together right away – they took it slow – doing some of the things they apparently didn’t do the first time around – like date.

On my sixteenth birthday, Mama came to town and the day before my party Mama asked me into the living room. She was acting nervous. I asked her what was wrong, she told me she would explain shortly.

She called Mom into the living room as well. Here we are sitting on the couch both wondering what was going on.

“Miranda...”

“Yes Mama...”

“Are you happy that your mother and I are seeing each other?”

I couldn’t help but say, “Well, DUH!”

She gave me such a look.

“I’m sorry Matka. Yes, I’m very happy that you and Mom are seeing each other.”

“Jeżeli JA potrzebowal pytać wasze zezwolenie żenić się jej?”

“What?” I couldn’t have heard that right.

“I said, “And if I were to ask your permission to marry her…”

I did hear it right.

“WHAT?” Mom blurted out.

“Bianca – long ago I asked you to wait – for this ring.”

“Oh my lord.”

“To let me put it on your finger – to make it official...”

“You kept them?”

“They are as much a part of me as you and Miranda are,” Mama looked at me. “Miranda, may I have your permission?”

I nodded my head like one of those bobble-headed dolls.

“Dziękują Sweetheart. Bianca Montgomery will you marry me?”

Mom jumped into Mama’s arms, “Yes! Yes! I’ll marry you.”

I had to clear my throat a few times to get them to break up. I know they don’t think I know when Matka stopped sleeping in the study and started sleeping with...

Never mind.

Let’s see, Matka proposed, Mom accepted, they got married, the end.

Oh – you Connor come two years later.

Matka has a cousin in Chicago – you know, Janus. We’ve never kept it a secret from you and Cousin Janus is pretty cool anyway. Because of him, here you are.

Connor Montgomery-Kundera.

There you have it. Like I said before, it’s not exactly a fairy tale and I guess I couldn’t write it like I wanted to, but I hope you’ll understand what a special family you were born into.

Oh – just to let you know – I was the one who took the baby shower picture this time. You know, the one with Mom and Matka – it looks like mine.

I may not say this too often Connor but, I’m glad you’re here.

Love your sister,

Miranda M. Montgomery-Kundera