"Are you ready for the wildest eight year old birthday party you've ever been to in your entire life?" Brandon walked into the kitchen with his arms thrown high in the air. A beaming smile was plastered on his face and he possibly seemed more excited then the two birthday girls.

Madison laughed a little and flipped the final chocolate chip pancake – the one favorite food that the girls shared. "I think we are all ready but the main question should be if you are ready or not" Madison said placing the freshly cooked meal on the table. She took out chocolate sauce and maple syrup to add.

Ella sat at the table looking pleasantly happy with her life. With her little hand she reached forward and grabbed one of the large pancakes with her tiny hand. Usually Madison would have corrected her but with it been such a special day she decided to let it slide.

Emma however looked a little less excited about today. She spent more time playing with her food then eating it.

"Why such a glum looking face?" Brandon teased sitting next to his gloomy looking daughter "feeling down cause you're getting older?"

Emma gave a small shrugged and spread some Nutella on her pancakes. She took a few little nibbles.

"And I thought the negativity about age didn't start until you were at least thirty" Brandon said trying to lighten the mood.

Madison just shook her head at his pitiful attempt and then sat down to eat.

"So what are the pans today?" Noah asked curiously.

"Well we have a wonderful birthday party planned" Madison said, "It'll be a teddy bear tea party".

"A tea party for teddy bears?" Noah asked a little stunned.

Madison laughed and looked at her clueless son "the girls are going to build a bear, where they will as the name suggests build a bear and then we will be going the royal York hotel where we will have a child friendly high tea".

"High tea?"

Now it was Brandon who laughed, "You have so much to learn son". He smiled playfully "it'll be sweet tea and little sandwiches".

"Oh..." Noah trailed off a little "that sounds like fun".

His dad laughed again "then you have even more to learn than I thought you did".

"Well you guys hurry up" Madison said grabbing her plate "we need to get dressed and start heading out to pick the kids up".

"How many are coming again?" Brandon asked helping to clean the table.

"There are eight including Emma and Ella" Madison said "right girls? All your friends from school are coming".

"Isn't that exciting girls?" Brandon said smiling. He seemed to be smiling a lot these last few days.

Emma gave a small shrug but other than that there was no answer. Ella however nodded excitedly "I can't wait to make my bear. I'm thinking I might do a white polar bear".

"There are more than just bears at build a bear" Brandon chuckles "you can make a unicorn or a raccoon or just about anything you can dream of".

"Really?" Ella said beaming. Madison watched the girl's face as it light up even more than before. She never realized how much her children maybe missed out on because she was unable to afford things. Of course these things weren't actually needed to have a happy and successful life, but it would have been nice for her to be able to spoil her children – especially on their birthdays.

"How about we get you girls dressed for the big day?" Madison says taking both their hands. "Grandma sent you girls two new dresses and I think you'll really like them". She led the girls to their rooms where they got changed into matching flowery dresses – the only difference being Emma's was pink and Ella's was purple.

"You two look so beautiful" Madison wiped her eyes a little "and the two of you have grown up far too fast. I can't believe how much you've grown". She pulled both girls into her arms and gave them a crushing hug.

"Mom" Emma whined, "You're going to crush us".

"I'm just so happy" she gave them a final squeeze and then released them.

Taking the family's two cars Madison and Brandon drove off to collect the kids for the party. Madison drove with Emma who seemed more quiet than usual "hey you okay back there little one?" she asked cheerfully.

Emma gave a small nod of her head "yeah".

"Excited to see all your friends today?" Madison asked glancing through the mirror at the little girl.

"Who's coming?" Emma asked dodging the question.

"All your friends from school" Madison said with a smile as she pulled in front of a large four story home with a huge hedge out front "in fact here we are now for your friend Lauren".

"Lauren is coming?" Emma asked finally looking at her mom. Her voice was little shaky.

"Yeah" Madison said turning to look at her "isn't that going to be fun?" but Emma just gave a weak small nod of her head. "Come on lets go get her". Madison helps her out of the car and the two of them walked up to the door. She barely had a chance to knock when the door swung open.

"Welcome, you must be Mrs. Haywood" a young woman in a storybook classic maid uniform stood in the entryway.

"Oh Maria" an older woman appeared in the hallway holding a martini glass – in Madison's personal opinion it was a little early to start drinking but who was she to judge? "I can't seem to find the vodka, and you know how I like my drinks in the morning – oh hello there I didn't realize we had company".

"This is Mrs. Haywood, Lauren is going to her daughter's birthday today" the maid – Maria – answered in a calm voice with a warm smile.

"Ah yes" the woman answered low and calm but then she raised her voice "Lauren! You better get down here this instant with your hair done and your dress on straight! Don't make me come up there".

Acting as if she was a dog being called by her master a little girl with chocolate brown hair and the face of a cute little monkey came running down "I'm ready mommy" she said proudly showing off her high pony tail and green dress.

"I told you never to wear green, it makes your hips look big" the mother answered with a snort "well too late now to change, but be sure when you get home that dress goes straight into the garbage. I still can't believe my mother of all people would have the nerve to buy my daughter a green dress".

Madison was more stunned than anything. This is how the woman treated her eight-year-old daughter? She thought this was okay? Children need love and attention and encouragement. Not to be told every little thing about them that make them unique is wrong. And Madison was about to just tell the woman so when the little girl pushed pass Madison and headed towards the car.

"Well are we going or what?" Laruen called back to her.

"The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree does it" Madison mumbled to herself.

"What was that?" the mother scowled.

"I'll have her home in time for dinner" Madison grabbed Emma's hand and walked back to the car. She got both girls settle in their seats and then headed off towards the next house for another guest.

The silence in the backseat gave her a slight chill down her body and as she glanced back through the mirror she found Laruen whispering in Emma's ear. Was it just two friends telling secrets to each other? It was a possibility but Emma didn't giggle or even crack a smile. Instead she looked down at her lap and twisted her hands together in a seemingly nervous fashion.

By the time the other girls got picked up Emma sheltered herself even more inside her shell. Whilst the other girls laughed and played along together, Emma sat alone looking out the window in her own little world.

"Are you girls excited to make a bear?" Madison asked parking her car at the northern mall entrance.

"Nothing new" Lauren answered with a big warm smile – that was a little too fake for her own good "we've all done it before. Well not Emma of course" she said in a snide little voice.

Madison raised her eyebrow in a warning way and the girl shut her mouth but her fake smile remained and Madison knew it wasn't going to be the last issue she faced today.

The group of girls walked inside with their heads huddled together as they giggled and whispered. Emma followed after her mother with her head hung low.

Brandon stood in build a bear with the other remaining guests and Ella. Ella looked around with big and excited eyes. "Glad you could make it baby" Brandon said giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Hi" she answered with a soft forced smile.

"Hey you okay?" he asked softly in her ear.

Madison nodded a little "I'll explain later, it can wait". She turned towards the little girls and smiled "well everyone today we are going to make bears or other stuffed animals of your choosing. So lets get started shall we? You can pick the animal then dress it however you might like".

The little girls cheered and the moment they were set free they got to work.

Her friends surrounded Ella but Emma seemed to stand off on her own looking at each animal closely. Madison was going to head over and helps but Noah beat her to it.

"Hey sis what are you looking at there?" Noah kneeled down next to his little sister and smiled softly. Madison moved a little closer to listen to what the two said to each other. Maybe Emma would mention something to her brother that she wouldn't say to her mother or father.

"The different toys" Emma said touching the elephant with large ears and a long nose. 

"Do you like that one?" he asked smiling. When she nodded he grabbed it and passed it down to her.

Emma smiled and patted its big nose "I like this one" she said smile.

"I do too," Noah said kindly but Lauren giggled behind them.

"Big ear Emma is going to get the big ear elephant?" she giggled.

"Got a big nose too" another friend stated. Madison was going to step in but Noah beat her to it.

"Looks like you got a long neck, it's a perfect fit that you got the giraffe," Noah said sternly to Lauren. He fully faced her as she turned beat red and reached for her neck "look people can find anything negative about someone else and make them feel insecure about it. Don't pick on someone else. You wouldn't like it either. As you see," he pointed to her hand holding her neck.

He then turned away from the girls and selected a stuffed toy for himself "I think I'll get the hippo" he smiled at Emma.

"Seems we all have a jungle theme going on" Brandon said grabbing onto a stuffed monkey.

"I think I'll get the zebra" Madison said grabbing a stuffed toy "do we have an issue here?" she said looking at Lauren and the other girls.

"No ma'am" Lauren gave a smile.

"Getting the tiger Ella?" Madison smiled "seems everyone has selected the skin, now we can stuff them". She and Brandon led them towards the stuffing machine. With the help of the staff they got the toys all soft and fluffy.

Ella and Emma both selected matching dresses for their toys. A classic twin moves for the two of them. But Lauren didn't seem to like that idea "need to be a copy cat eh Emma?"

"What do you mean?" Ella said confused. She looked at her sister's toy's dress. They always dressed the same so what was the big deal now? But Emma just looked down.

"She can't just let you pick your own dress can she Ella? She has to follow after you like a little lost puppy".

"She's my twin sister" Ella answered back.

"Yeah but you're the cool one. She's lame" Lauren said.

"Okay lets break it up and hold our tongues' Brandon said intervening.

"My mother say's when somebody is doing something wrong then you need to tell them" Lauren held her head high "like the maids. When they screw up she tells them so".

"Emma hasn't done anything to screw up" Madison rested her hand on her daughters shoulder "in fact the one who screwed up here is you. We offered you a chance to come to this party and the only things you've done are complaining and bully my daughter. We offer you a day out with friends and this is how you answer it? By bullying my child?"

"I'm not a bully" Lauren crossed her arms over her chest.

"The thing is yes you are Lauren" Brandon said standing his ground with his wife "you purposely make someone feel small about themselves and point out flaws. That isn't kind and it is down right rude".

"But my mom said-"

"Your mother is just as much of a bully as much as you are" Madison said "she has taught you the ways of being unkind and treating people without so much of a second thought".

Lauren glanced at Emma "your mother is as big a loser as you are. My mom was right she's a big old –"

"That is enough!" Brandon said loudly and sternly.

"Come on Ella lets go finish our stuffed toy" Lauren ordered the birthday girl around.

"Actually" Brandon grabbed the toy from Lauren's hand "I think you're done here. In fact all of you are done here. Lets go. I'm driving you all home".

"Are we going too?" Ella asked looking at her mom and dad.

Madison glanced at Brandon "nah, you know what girls, we can finish here and your dad will drive the girls home to explain what went on today. I'll call your grandparents and maybe they'll meet us here for a movie and dinner. How does that sound?"

"Better" Emma agreed.

In less than an hour Madison and Brandon had made a change to the plans. Brandon drove each girl home and explained to their parents about their rude behaviour. Most responded in positive ways of saying they'll fix it but other's like Lauren's mother brushed it off and said simply that Emma was the one who needed to change.

Madison on the other hand had gotten in contact with Rebecca to cancel the tea party. She was expecting Rebecca to fight against it but she was really understanding about it and agreed to meet them at the mall instead. She also messaged Brooklyn who was coming down too with her daughter and without even thinking she invited Kennedy and Caleb to come along too.

"All done here guys?" she smiled and took the girls hands "lets go get a seat at the restaurant. She led them down the hallways past the other entire store until they reached east side Mario's, a popular Italian restaurant.

"Noodles?" Emma asked.

"of course and garlic bread" she answered. She couldn't believe how this day had turned out. She thought she was going to be able to give her girls a dream birthday party filled with laughter, pretty dresses and good food. Everything the girl's would really enjoy.

But here she was struggling to find something that the girls would enjoy at the last minute after Emma was bullied right in front of her eyes. How could this have been going on without her knowing? How could Emma be going to school with these girls? She was bullied this whole time without telling her?

Did Ella know what was going on? Ella wouldn't bully her own sister. But why wouldn't she stand up for her?

"Hey there you are" Brandon met them at the doorway.

"Hey" Madison smiled "I called some friends and they're going to come join us".

"Parents and Brooklyn?" Brandon smiled.

"And Kennedy" Madison followed the waitress to their table.

"That is a great idea" Brandon said next to Emma and kissed the top of her head.

"Emma" Madison smiled "are you okay sweetie?"

"I'm fine" Emma said softly.

She reached across the table and stroked her daughters cheek "Emma you know you can always come to daddy and I with any problems that you might have".

"We will always take care of you baby girl," Brandon promised.

"I'm sorry" Ella gasped out.

"Oh Ella" Madison rubbed her back "it isn't your fault".

"I didn't know" Ella said, "Lauren said Emma was having fun. I didn't know". Tears formed in her eyes and she hung her head low.

Brandon reached over and lifted Ella's chin "bullying is used to purposely make someone feel bad about him or her. You didn't mean to make Emma feel bad and I am certain that you wouldn't do it on purpose'.

"It's okay sissy," Emma said with a soft smile to her twin.

"Emma we aren't going to allow this to continue" Brandon said, "We promise you. I've talked to the girl's parents and on Monday we will go in to see the teacher. We wont allow this to continue".

"You promise?" Emma whispered.

"We promise baby girl" Madison and Bandon said together.

The conversation came to an end after that because the Haywood's had come to the table now. "And there is my sweet granddaughters".

The rest of the afternoon was filled with laughter and a lot of good family time. Brooklyn had come with her daughter and her husband. Brandon enjoyed talking to Hunter and Noah was busy with Carson.

"We hope you two had a good day" Madison smiled softly to the girls.

"We did mommy," Emma said smiling as she ate a piece of chocolate cake.

"How about we take a photo of you all together?" Brooklyn asks holding her phone.

"Sure" Madison got with Brandon on the same side of the booth with the girls and Noah. But the photos didn't stop there. Rebecca and John got in one photo and Kennedy got in with all of them and Caleb for a final one. And as the camera flashed Madison couldn't help but look at Kennedy and her son and think about how this was the first somewhat family like photo she had with them all. Her children with their half brother.

She guessed that overall this night hadn't turned out as badly as she thought it would after the incident. Her girls seemed to be having a great time and she was happy to say she was really enjoying herself too.