A Story For Mother's Day.
Thanks to Susan G!
It was the sound of feet padding down the hallway that woke Carolyn up that morning. Glancing at the clock on her bedside, she noticed wearily that it was only 6:30. Her tired mind tried to calculate the hours of sleep she had received up to his point. Three? No, four, maybe. No, three, three and half hours of sleep. Moaning, she rolled over and tried to fit her head to the pillow. "Please just two more hours," she said out loud. "I just need two more hours."
The article she had been working on last night popped into her head and she gave out another groan. Frankly, she didn't care if she ever looked at another Maine blueberry again after last night. Some people might find the history of a blue piece of fruit exciting. She did not. Especially when it meant staying up until 3:30 in the morning trying to figure out a way to make it sound like something people had to know or their lives would not be complete.
Just as she was drifting back into semi-unconsciousness, she heard her daughter's giggle and then an over-loud whisper of "Be quiet," from her son. What in the world were they up to this time of morning? Obviously, they had gotten plenty of sleep last night. Oh, to be young and think that sleeping in was a punishment.
Sleep finally began to overtake her once more when she heard a loud thump, followed by a sharp bark and then an exasperated Candy. "Jonathan you have to be careful." Punching the pillows into a mound, Carolyn laid her head back down and closed her eyes.
"I AM being careful," her son's voice came across as a high pitched wail.
"Be quiet, you'll wake up Mom," his sister said just a bit too loudly.
Too late, Carolyn thought with a grimace. Looking over at the clock again, she saw the hands standing at a quarter to seven. Where was Martha? Why wasn't she making sure that the children were downstairs and out of harm's way, watching cartoons or something? Isn't that what she was paid for?
Two seconds later, her eyes jerked open. Now, that wasn't nice, Carolyn! she scolded herself. Martha was much more than the housekeeper. Martha was her friend. Even more than that, Martha Grant was her savior. She never would have managed these last few months in Gull Cottage without her. Not to mention the years before that. When Bobby had insisted that she would need help after their first child arrived, she had told him no. She could handle things just fine, thank you. How happy she was she hadn't listened to him. At least, not about this.
"Jonathan, where did you go?" their voices were becoming louder.
"I forgot the flowers." Carolyn heard him run up the stairs.
"And the vase." Candy sighed. "Can't you do ANYTHING right?
"I do lots of things right," he began to protest. "More than you. I didn't bring the vase on purpose. I thought Mommy might like to wear them in her hair or something."
"She hasn't done that in simply years." Candy answered back in a theatrical tone. "She's outgrown such things."
Carolyn bit down on her bottom lip, so she wouldn't laugh out loud. What were they doing?
"Daddy liked it when she wore flowers in her hair." Jonathan answered back. "I bet Captain Gregg would too."
"Oh, you and that ghost," she heard the agitation in her daughter's voice. "Just because you think he's real doesn't mean Mommy does."
"She does too." He was getting much better at holding his own.
"All right. I have the tray, you have the flowers without a vase. " her voice trailed off. "Did you get the card?"
"Yes. It's in my pocket."
"Don't scrunch it." Oh, she sounded so much like a little mother, Carolyn couldn't help but think. But what were they up too -- flowers, cards, trays?
"Let's see if we can wake her up," she heard Candy say which made her give out an ironic groan. As if I could sleep.
"Remember I get to kiss her on the cheek." Jonathan warned. "You say Mom? and then I kiss her and then when she wakes up we say it. That's how we do it."
"I know." Candy sighed. "Why don't we try something different this year?"
"Because Mom likes it this way. The first year we did it, she cried happy tears."
"You don't even remember that," his sister pointed out. "You were just a baby."
They continued their conversation but Carolyn wasn't listening anymore. Was it Mother's Day? Getting out of bed, she walked over to the desk, taking a quick look at the calendar beside the typewriter. Flowers, a tray, a card, getting up early. "It IS Mother's Day!"
Hurriedly she got back into bed, pulling the covers up to her chin and trying to make it look as though she had been sleeping soundly for hours. Not being able to resist, she opened her lids a crack when the bedroom door came open and then she shut them quickly. The children were trying their best not to giggle or make noise and she did her best to lay there quietly.
"Mom?" she heard Candy's voice.
Jonathan touched her cheek gently, his lips barely brushing her skin. "Mommy."
She pretended to wake up slowly, opening her eyes to see the eager faces of her children, standing over her. "What is this?" she hoped she looked surprised.
"Happy Mother' s Day," they said at the same time and she wondered how long they had practiced to say it so perfectly.
"We brought you breakfast." Candy said proudly, laying the tray on her lap. "I made it myself."
"And flowers." Jonathan held out some half-wilted daises. Carolyn took them and promptly put them in her hair. "They are beautiful," she assured them, giving each child a hug and a kiss.
"Oh and a card." Jonathan pulled out the piece of paper from the pocket of his bathrobe and handed it to his mother. On the front was a drawing of a rainbow and it said in her son's best printing. "Happy Mother's Day."
"I'll keep it always," she assured them, giving them each another hug and kiss. "I love you both so very much."
"Open the card, Mom." Candy said as she snuggled closer. "I wrote the inside."
"I told her what to write." Jonathan made sure she knew.
Flipping it open, there was a picture of a sea gull and words in Candy's newly learned cursive.
To our mother, who is the best no matter what.
We love you with all of our hearts.
Forever and Always.
Love, Candy and Jonathan.
It was more than worth losing two hours of sleep. This was something that would last a lifetime.