With the sunshine warming her face on the pillow, Melina awoke to the sound of muffled music. There was an even beat that rattled the windows at certain levels of the song. She opened one eye. The other side of the bed was empty. She slowly sat up, noticing the absence of her children, who were usually her wake up call. Her phone told her the time; her red eyes widened.
If it were any other weekday, she would have already been late in taking the kids to school, however, Gryder was off work on weekends, and Melina had a suspicion that he somehow coerced the kids into letting her sleep in. Pulling on a t-shirt, she walked through the hallway. The music grew louder as she neared the living room.
Last night's toys that she had been too tired to pick up no longer littered their house. They were replaced with freshly vacuumed rugs, swept hardwood floors, and a few lit candles she could immediately tell had revitalized the room. Trying to hide her pleased expression, she cautiously turned the corner into the kitchen, her presence masked by the loud rock music blaring from the radio.
Her youngest sat at the table drawing with her crayons. Gryder stood in front of the sink. The open window allowed the crisp late morning air to flow through the warm kitchen. His head bobbed to the old song that would have been new to their kids. He handed off a rinsed mug to his son, who sat on the countertop next to the full dish rack. Owen swung his legs to the beat of the music, giggling as his father made faces as he sung along with it.
"She's got a smile it that seems to me reminds me of childhood memories, where everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky," Gryder sang as he washed and rinsed a dinner plate. He handed it to Owen. The eight-year-old wiped it with a dishtowel and stacked it along with the others on the rack.
"Now and then when I see her face, she takes me away to that special place, and if I'd stare too long, I'd probably break down and cry. Oh, oh, oh, sweet child of mine," he noticed Owen's attention was now turned to something else behind him. He smiled and waved.
Gryder turned his head as Melina began to walk further into the room, her lips drawn into a full smile on her face as she realized what her husband had done for her. He returned it with his own as he continued with the song as it played, "Oh, oh, oh, sweet love of mine."
Melina took a deep breath and wrapped her arms around his torso, burying her face into the back of his t-shirt. She rested her chin on him and spoke up above the music, "You didn't have to do all of this, you know."
"Yea, but I wanted to. And I've got a good helper today." He said as he handed Owen a few plastic cups to dry. He was about to sing along with the second verse, but his wife beat him to it.
"She's got eyes of the bluest skies as if they thought of rain, I'd hate to look into those eyes and see an ounce of pain," Melina stood up on her toes and touched her lips to his cheek, then turned to plant a kiss on her son's.
"Her hair reminds me of a warm safe place where as a child I'd hide and pray for the thunder and the rain to quietly pass me by," Gryder finished in a solo. He unplugged the drain before rinsing his hands of the soap bubbles. "Oh, oh, oh, sweet child of mine. Oh, oh, oh sweet love of mine."
Melina started giggling as her daughter jumped down off the chair to join them. She scooped her up in her arms and began to dance to the instrumental part of the familiar song she knew by heart. Owen hopped to the floor and jumped up and down next to her, excited that everyone was singing and enjoying themselves.
As he finished wiping his hands, Gryder's smile widened. He forgot to sing aloud as he watched his family. His blue eyes lingered on their happy faces. He crossed his arms over his chest. Eyes swept over his children until they settled on his beautiful wife.
'Oh, sweet love of mine...'