She sat on the bed, staring at her slumbering mother, Janet, with a great big smile on her face. The little one shifted her head slightly, her blond curls swaying just a bit.

(C’mon, Mom...my face is starting to hurt...)

After seeing no movement from Mom (besides the gentle rise and fall of her chest), the girl slowly crawled toward her, resting both hands on her when she got close enough.

“Hey...” she whispered, still smiling.

“...nnn...”

“Hey...!” she whispered slightly louder, shaking her mom a little.

“Mmm...Megan...?”

Mom slowly opened her eyes, and was greeted with her daughter’s grin.

“Happy Mot’er’s Day, Mommy!” she enthusiastically declared, raising her hands in celebration.

“Shh! Let Mommy wake up first...” Janet mumbled, sitting up and rubbing the back of her black-haired head.

“Sorry...” Megan frowned.

“It’s okay...” Mom spoke, yawning. “Just...not so loud next time, okay?”

“Okay!” The little one nodded.

With one arm, Janet reached for her glasses on the nearby nightstand, and with the other, she scooped her daughter into a hug.

“Love you Mommy!” Megan happily spoke.

“Love you too, sweetheart...”

Mother and daughter looked at one another, their eyes shining with joy.

“Now, let’s check on your sister...”

Janet picked up Megan and carried her to the room the little one shared with her baby sister.

It was generally what one might expect from a little kid’s room: Pale-yellow walls, two bins of toys (one per daughter), a small table with two chairs and materials for drawing, a bed and a crib against opposite walls, a rocking chair in a corner, and a changing table along the wall with the door, stocked with all the essentials.

“Good morning, Ming...” Mom spoke, approaching the crib.

Ming was black-haired and blue-eyed, and currently, those eyes stared upward at her mother and sister.

“Good mornin’ Ming!” Megan parroted, waving.

“Eh! Eh!” The younger child reached upward with both arms.

“I’ve got you, don’t worry...”

Janet placed Megan down on the ground, exchanging her for Ming and bringing her to the changing table.

“Megan, do you need changing too?” Mom asked as she changed her younger daughter.

“No...”

“Megan...” she sternly spoke.

“...yes...” The older daughter blushed, looking down in shame.

“Alright...I’m almost done here...”

“Mmmm...I don’ wanna wet the bed no more!”

“Anymore. And you’ll stop one day, sweetie...”

“Ohh...” Megan sighed, crossing her arms and frowning.

“There we go! Now, your turn...”

Megan was now the one at the table, looking embarrassed throughout the changing process. Her sister, meanwhile, clung to Janet’s leg, looking upward.

“All clean...”

The older daughter sighed, sitting up and looking irritated at the clean pull-up now around her waist.

“I know you hate it, Megan, but I’m sure it won’t be much longer...”

“Mmmm...” Megan nodded.

“Now, lemme fix us some breakfast!” Mom sweetly smiled.

“Ha ha! Yeah!” The older daughter grinned.


-------------------------


After breakfast was over, the two daughters were in the living room playpen, lying on their tummies across from each other. Megan wore purple overalls with a yellow shirt, while Ming had a light-purple shirt and white socks.

“Hmm...what’s the number on this card?”

The older daughter flipped over one of the large flash cards in front of them, revealing to the younger one the number displayed on the face side. Ming squinted at it, trying to decipher its form.

“Mmm...I think...that’s a 3...”

“Yeah!”

“Heh heh...” The younger girl smiled.

“Why’s it so hard for you anyway?” Megan asked, showing Ming another flash card.

“Babies have a hard time recognizing shapes and numbers. Uh...5?”

“Mmm-hmm.” Megan nodded. “I kinda remember that...”

“As good as I have gotten, I still need practice...7?”

“1.”

“Aagh!” Ming slapped herself on the forehead with both hands, frowning in anger.

“You sure do!” Her older sister chuckled.

“Rrrr...”

“Hey, even prodigies get stumped sometimes!”

“Yeah...I just hate it when it happens.”

“Heh heh...so...”

“So?” Ming tilted her head to one side.

“What’re you gonna do for Mother’s Day?”

“There’s not a lot I can do...except needing less diaper changes, I guess.”

“Can you even hold it?” Megan wondered.

“I can certainly try...”

“Hmm...well, you could always draw a picture!”

“I don’t draw very good...” Ming frowned, eyes looking downward.

“C’mon, Mom would love it!”

“Every mom says their child’s drawings are great.”

“But it still feels good, doesn’t it?”

“Mmm...yeah...” Ming sighed.

“Let’s make one together! It’ll make Mom really happy!”

Megan’s enthusiastic smile was too much for her younger sister to resist.

“Alright...let’s do it.”

“Ha ha! But first, we gotta get outta here...”

“I’ve got this...”

Ming took a deep breath, and...

“WAAAAAAAAHHH!”

Janet came rushing at the sound of her daughter’s crying, which stopped when she arrived.

“Ming?”

“I think she wants out...” Megan said, looking over at Ming.

“Ah! Eh!” The younger sister reached upward.

“Alright...”

Janet picked up Ming, and Megan climbed out of the playpen.

“Where do you want to go, sweetheart?” Mom asked the daughter in her arms.

“Our room!” Megan answered for her.

The look on Ming’s face seemed to confirm her sister’s choice.

“Okay...”

Janet walked toward the stairs, while Megan dashed up to her room.

“Ha ha ha!”

“Slow down, Megan!” Mom warned.

The older daughter, of course, reached the destination first.

“Megan, how many times have I told you not to run up the stairs?” Janet chided upon arrival, placing Ming onto the floor.

“Lots’a times.”

Mom sighed, shaking her head. “Your cousin’s such a bad influence sometimes...”

“Nuh-uh!” Megan crossed her arms, looking offended. “I don’ go in my pants like him!”

“That’s why I said sometimes.”

“Oh...” She blushed and smiled in slight embarrassment.

“Behave yourselves, girls.”

“Okay!” Megan nodded.

The two daughters watched their mother exit their room, going to the small drawing table afterward.

“We don’t even fight that much...” the older one complained.

“You know what she meant, sister,” the younger one explained.

“Still...”

Sighing, Megan sat down in one of the chairs.

“You need any help?” she spoke, seeing Ming having some trouble getting into the other chair.

“I’m not helpless, Megan.” The other girl looked annoyed as she sat down.

“You know what I meant.”

“Hmmph...so, let’s go over some ideas.”

“Alright. What have you got?” Megan asked.

“Well, obviously, there’s just drawing Mom...”

“Okay...” She nodded.

“Then...there’s...um...hmm...”

Ming placed a hand on her chin, looking in thought.

“...I think that’s all we can really draw, Ming.”

“...ohh...you’re right...” The little sister frowned.

“Heh heh...not everything’s worth thinkin’ that hard about!”

“True...alright then. Let’s start.”

Megan reached for the crayon box, opening it and taking out the flesh-colored one.

“Really?” Ming complained. “You had to take that one?”

“You can have it when I’m done!” the older sister spoke as she began to draw.

“That’s the most important color, Megan!”

“Start with another one, then!”

“I can’t--ugh! Fine!”

Grumbling, Ming tried to grab the black crayon in the box. However, due to her still-developing motor skills, she grasped multiple crayons in one fist, knocking the box over backwards.

“Heh heh...” Megan snickered as Ming continued to look sour.

“I can’t wait to be 1...” The younger one sighed.

“Your birthday’s next week!”

“And it can’t come soon enough...”

Megan continued to draw, using her index finger and thumb to guide her crayon across her canvas. Ming, meanwhile, had no choice but to grasp her drawing tool with her whole hand, and while her older sister’s work was still clearly childlike and imperfect, hers was even more jagged and rough.

“So...” Megan spoke.

“Hmm?”

“You think Marvin’s doin’ the same thing right now?”

“Probably.” Ming’s eyes were still on her paper.

“Hmm...he’s gotta do more than a picture to really prove his love!”

“Our cousin may be immature, but I doubt he really treats his parents that badly.”

“Really?” Megan spoke. “Tantrums day and night, always getting in trouble, making a mess of everything...and those diapers...ugh!”

She cringed at the mere thought, tongue sticking out in disgust.

“And? That sounds like typical toddler behavior,” Ming replied, unconvinced.

“He’s way worse than anyone we know, Ming!”

“Some kids are better-behaved than others. You forget that we’re not like a lot of kids.”

“How so?”

Ming sighed. “We don’t take a lot out of our mother, she doesn’t talk down to us, we’re pretty well-behaved...”

“And we’re not actually related?”

“...yes, that too.”

“So?”

Ming sighed again, even more annoyed. “So you’re not really being fair when you complain about other people!”

“I am being fair!” Megan glared at her sister.

“Look, I don’t want to get into this, especially today.”

“Hmmph. You mean you can’t win this argument!”

“Let it go, Megan.”

“Fine...ya sore loser.”

Ming breathed in and out, trying not to let her sister’s taunting get to her.

(Sometimes I wish you weren’t so antagonistic...)

The two worked on their drawings in less-than-peaceful silence, the only sound coming from the crayons’ movements on paper.

“This one’s done...”

Ming, finished with her black crayon, placed it close to Megan, and reached for the brown one.

“Oh...thanks...” the older sister said.

“Of course.” The younger one smiled.

“Um, sorry...” Megan frowned.

“It’s okay. I’ve gotten used to it.”

She sighed. “I’m trying not to be such a jerk, but...it’s hard.”

“I know. You’re getting better.”

Megan blushed and smiled. “Heh heh...thanks sis.”

“Of course, Megan.”

The older one’s green eyes and the younger one’s blue eyes met, both filled with happiness.

“So...you want my crayon?” Megan offered the flesh-colored one.

“Are you done with it already?”

“No, but...”

Ming shook her head. “Keep it until you’re done. It’s okay.”

“Um...i-if you say so...”

“Stop trying so hard to make up, sis,” Ming teased.

“Hey, at least I’m tryin’!”

“Ha ha!”

“Heh heh heh!”


-------------------------


“Mommy!”

Megan rushed up to her mother sitting at the kitchen table, showing her the drawing.

“Did you make this for me?” Janet replied, smiling.

“Yeah! You like it?”

Mom observed the picture, which was a childlike image of her: Short black hair, brown eyes, glasses, business suit, and a smile on her face. There wasn’t a lot of detail, and while an attempt was made to stay within the outline of her body, there were still a few lines jutting out in places. In the corner was Megan’s name, written in capital letters and in different colors.

“Wow...I love it!”

“Ha ha ha!” Megan beamed.

“Thank you so much, Megan!”

Janet pulled her daughter into a tight hug.

“Happy Mot’er’s Day, Mommy!”

“Ohhhh...sweetheart...”

Sighing in utmost bliss, she released Megan, contently smiling.

“I love you very much, Mommy...”

“I know...thank you...” Janet felt her eyes begin to water.

“Ming’s makin’ a pi’ture too!” Megan spoke.

“Ah! I bet it’ll be just as good as yours!”

“Nuh-uh!” She shook her head. “Mine’s better ‘cause I’m older!”

“Ha ha ha...Ming’s not even a year old, and you’re 3. It’s not really fair to compare them...”

“Oh...sorry...” Megan frowned.

“It’s okay. Can you go check up on her?” Mom asked, placing her daughter onto the ground.

“Yes!” Megan dashed off.

“Slow down!”

“Sorry!”

She obeyed, now quickly walking up the stairs and into her room.

“Ming?”

Megan’s younger sister was still drawing, looking completely concentrated on it and nothing else.

“Ming!”

“Don’t bother me! I’m busy!” Ming replied, irritated, still looking at her drawing.

“Mom wants to know if you’re okay.”

“I’m fine, now please, let me finish this.”

“But...you need changing...like, real badly...” Megan waved a hand in front of her nose, tongue out.

“I don’t care. I’ll live.”

“You know I hate the smell!”

“Then go somewhere else!”

“Grrr...fine!”

“And don’t tell her either!” Ming added as her sister grumpily walked away.

(What the heck’s gotten into her?!)

Megan soon returned to the kitchen, where her drawing was now prominently displayed on the refrigerator.

“Ming’s fine,” she reported.

“Thank you, sweetie.” Janet smiled.

“You’re welcome...” Megan continued to frown.

“What’s wrong?”

“Um...well...”

She looked around, trying to invent a reason for her demeanor.

“...should I make a pi’ture for Fat’er’s Day?”

It felt as if all the joy that had just visited them was sucked out of the room.

“...if you want to,” Janet replied.

“Um...will you show it off?” Megan asked, looking at the ground.

“Maybe.”

Megan bit her lip. “Mommy...do you still hate him?”

“It’s hard to forgive someone who abandons their family, Megan.”

“Mmm...I-I’m sorry...I...I jus’ miss ‘im...”

Janet sighed. “I know you do, but you have to understand...”

Megan was brought into her mother’s lap, where she looked into Mom’s hurt, stern eyes.

“He may have been nice to you, but he...he wasn’t always nice to me. And I know you really want him back, but that isn’t going to happen.”

“But...but he loves me!” Megan whined.

“And where has he been these past 2 years?”

The little one felt a tear crawl down her face as she looked downward.

“Even if he showed up tomorrow, I’m not letting him back into our lives. He’s gone, and we’re better off.”

“Nnn...but...!” Megan desperately looked into her mother’s eyes.

“No buts!”

Janet’s harsh tone caused her daughter to cry; she was brought into a hug.

“I-I’m sorry, Megan, but...I can’t! I’m not going to risk him hurting us again!”

“I wan’ Daddy! I wan’ my Daddy back!” Megan sorrowfully spoke, sobbing into her mom’s shirt.

“I know...please don’t cry anymore...”

Janet felt tears of her own as she embraced her upset daughter, her arms wrapped tight around her.

“You and Ming mean everything to me...you two come before anyone else. I...I have to do what’s best for us, and right now, your father is not that.”

“Nnnngh...”

“It hurts, I know...it hurts me too, sweetheart...but I promise you, it’ll hurt more with him here. He may have been a good dad, but...he wasn’t a good husband...”

“Mmm...I-I’m sorry...” Megan moaned.

“I know. It’s okay...”

Janet caressed her daugher’s locks, still holding onto her with one arm.

“...can I still draw Daddy?” Megan quietly asked.

“...yes. You can.”

“Th...t’ank you...” She sadly smiled.

“You’re welcome...” Mom smiled back.

Sighing, she put Megan onto the floor, and stood up.

“Where’re you goin’ Mommy?” Megan asked as she followed her.

“To check on your sister.”

“But I just did that!”

“I know...I just want to see her.”

“Okay...”

Frowning, Megan stood outside of her room and peered in.

“C’mon Ming...”

“Aaah!”

Ming struggled as Janet brought her onto the changing table. Although she looked on the verge of a tantrum, she held her anger inside, and stared at her mother in irritation.

“I’m sorry, sweetie, but I have to change you.”

The little one’s gaze became less angry during her diaper change, though it didn’t completely fade.

“There...all clean.”

Janet smiled at her younger daughter, who was now curiously staring into her eyes.

“Mommy’s fine, Ming. Just...a little sad.”

She picked up her now-clean daughter and sat her onto her chair, as Megan entered the room.

“Oh! Here’s your drawing...”

Mom knelt down to take a look at the mostly-finished picture: It depicted two peachy stick figures, who were both female and had black hair. However, the women’s hairstyles seemed different from one another; one’s was shorter, while the other’s seemed to flow down her back.

“Ming...is this...?”

The younger daughter frowned, looking at her mother.

“I...see...it’s great, sweetie!” Janet smiled.

Ming looked away, blushing and still frowning, as Mom picked up the drawing to get a better look at it.

“There’s stuff on the back too!” Megan pointed out.

“Really?”

Mom flipped over the image, and saw what seemed to be failed attempts at the drawing she previously saw. Arms and legs looked far wavier than they should be, and the heads were a lot less round than the apparent finished product.

“It’s good to see you’re practicing, Ming,” Janet spoke in encouragement. “You’ll only get better in time.”

Ming smiled from the praise, still red-faced.

“I love it! Thank you so much!”

Janet tightly hugged Ming, kissing her on her head.

“Mmmmm...”

“I love you too, sweetheart.”

“Me too!” Megan affectionately squeezed her mom’s leg.

“Ha ha! Jealous, Megan?”

“No! I jus’ wanna hug too!”

“Of course!”

Mom was now hugging both of her daughters, and kissed her older one on her forehead.

“Thank you so much, girls. You make everything worth it.”

“Eee!” Ming cooed in glee.

“You’re welcome, Mommy!”


-------------------------


As afternoon began, the two daughters felt sleepiness come over them as they sat in the living room.

“Time for your nap, girls,” Janet spoke, walking up to them.

“Mmmm...” Megan had trouble keeping her eyes open.

“Uh...” Ming’s eyes were closed as she swayed in place.

“Mommy...I...”

“Yes?”

“I...I wanna s...sweep in your bed...” Megan let out a great yawn.

“Mmm...alright. Just for today.”

“T’anks...” She smiled. “Ming too, pwease...”

“Mmm...” The younger one smiled, seemingly in agreement.

“Okay.”

Janet held one daughter per arm as she brought them upstairs and into the master bedroom. Here, she laid her daughters down next to each other, their heads resting on the pillows.

“Sweet dreams, Megan, Ming.”

She softly planted a kiss onto both of their foreheads, gently moving a hand across their cheeks.

“T’ank...you...”

“Mmmm...”

Mom left the room and soon returned, with her daughters’ pillows in hand. However, before she could place them next to her children...

“Ming?”

Megan was sound asleep, but Ming had crawled to the edge of the bed, gazing at her mother with tired, blue eyes.

“What is it?” she whispered, placing the pillows onto the bed.

The little one’s stare was concerning, and Janet could practically hear the question she was asking her.

“Ming...if you want to talk, we can talk.”

Mom knelt in front of the bed, now eye-level with her younger daughter.

“I...I know you’re probably wondering if...if your real mom loves you. And I want to say she does, but...I just don’t know, sweetie.”

Sadness filled Ming’s little blue eyes as her mouth wavered.

“You probably have a ton of questions to ask her. ‘Why did you give me up?’ ‘Did you ever love me?’ ‘Do I have any brothers or sisters?’ I can’t answer any of those questions, but...I can answer one question: Yes, I do.”

Janet smiled and caressed her daughter’s soft, black hair, as Ming desperately fought back tears.

“I love you just as much as my own daughter. You are just as important to me as Megan, and I couldn’t ask for anyone better. It doesn’t matter if I gave birth to you or not, I promise to make you feel just as much a part of this family as anyone else.”

“Eehhhh...!” Ming whined, tears trailing down her cheeks.

“Shhh...come here...”

Mom brought her daughter into a loving embrace.

“You’ll always have us,” she whispered. “Megan and I, Marvin, Aunt Jenny and Uncle Jeff...and your grandparents too. Even if you never see your real mom...you’re not alone.”

Tears left Janet’s eyes too, as she smiled.

“I love you Ming...I love you two more than you can imagine.”

“Mmmm...”

The two finally parted, happily staring into each other’s wet eyes.

“...would it be okay if I asked you something as well?” Janet spoke.

Ming continued to smile, hands resting between her legs.

“Am...am I a good mother? Be honest, Ming.”

The little one merely resumed her smiling.

“I...I know things aren’t perfect. There’s no father in your life, and you two don’t see me nearly as much as you should. You’re at daycare during the week, with no one but Marvin and your friends...not that it’s bad! It’s good that you’re with other babies, but...it’s no substitute for a mommy...”

Janet and Ming both frowned at one another.

“I do my best to make you both happy, but...some days, I feel like I didn’t do enough. I wish things were better, and I wish I weren’t so tired after working all day! But...all I can do is make sure you’re both okay. I...I hope I’ve been even a decent mommy...”

Mom bit her lip, feeling tears in her eyes again. She closed them, but soon felt her daughter’s hand on her forehead; when she opened her eyes, she saw Ming smiling at her.

“Mmmm...mmmmma...”

“Ming...?”

“Mmma. Mama.”

Janet smiled as tears trailed down her face. “Thank you...thank you for everything...”

The two were in another tight hug.

“You and Megan are the reason why I work so hard. Without you...I’m lost.”

“Mama...Mama...!”

“I love you too...I know I’ve said that a million times by now, but I mean it.”

“Mama...”

Ming yawned, still in the embrace. Janet yawned herself as she felt sleepy too.

“Now...it’s about time you had your nap, young lady.”

“Mmm...”

Ming was laid down next to Megan, and the younger daughter’s eyes were barely open.

“Have a good nap...”

“Mmmma...ma...”

She soon fell into slumber, as Janet smiled over her and Megan. She placed the pillows next to her daughters, and as she did so, the older one, in her sleep, brought Ming into a loose hug.

(You two really are sisters...)

Janet’s smile widened, as she yawned again; drowsiness was overtaking her as well.

(I...I suppose I could use a nap myself...)

She checked the rest of the house to make sure nothing was on, and afterward, joined her daughters on the bed. Her eyes closed as soon as she lay onto the pillow, feeling the presence of her daughters next to her.

(I...I may not be a perfect mom, but...I will do all that I can for them. As long as I still live...I’ll protect them...it’s...it’s a mother’s...duty...)