A/N: Just a oneshot for you all to digest. This was written for the 'one word' challenge for the group Fanfiction Writers Unite on Facebook. The word was 'breakfast'. Not sure where this idea came from, but I couldn't resist writing it!
When Stephanie awoke, she was at first surprised to see that DJ was not in the bed across from her. DJ always slept later than Stephanie; their parents claimed that this was because Stephanie could not sleep any longer than a few hours because that was the longest that she could go without talking. Stephanie was quite the chatterbox, and it was very true that she hated not having anyone to talk to.
It wasn't until Stephanie noticed how smooth and perfectly made the bed was that she remembered that her sister hadn't slept in her bed at all last night, because she was away at summer camp for a couple of days. DJ could go because she was nine years old, which seemed ancient to Stephanie. Stephanie had kicked up a fuss about this, claiming that even though she was only four, she should get to go away, too. Her mommy and daddy had told her that she might be able to go next year (next year! How far away!) when she was five. Then, she would be a big girl, and could leave Mommy and Daddy for two whole days.
Hearing noises coming from the kitchen, Stephanie raced downstairs to see which of her parents were up. She clattered down the stairs and found her mother in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. She was just pouring chocolate chips into some pancake mix when Stephanie reached her, throwing her arms around the backs of her mother's knees.
"Good morning, Mommy!" she squealed, hugging her mother tightly. "Good morning, baby!" she added, reaching up and placing her hand on her mother's big belly. Stephanie knew that her baby brother or sister was living inside Mommy's belly, and Stephanie couldn't wait to see him or her. Stephanie hoped that it was a girl; boys were icky.
"Good morning, early bird!" her mother responded, stopping in the middle of what she was doing and bending to pick up her youngest daughter with some difficulty. She kissed her on the top of her curly blonde head. "Did you sleep well?"
Stephanie nodded, and then squirmed to be put down. Her mother released her and resumed her cooking.
"We're having pancakes with chocolate chips?" Stephanie questioned, hopping up and down eagerly. "Yummy, yummy, yummy!"
"We sure are!" her mother said with a smile, pouring some of the pancake mixture into the skillet on the oven. "I know that Daddy and I said before that chocolate is not good to eat for breakfast, but I thought since it was just me and you here today, we would have a special breakfast."
"Just Mommy and me!" Stephanie crowed, spinning around. "But where's Daddy?" she asked after a moment.
"Daddy has a big day at work today," her mother explained, flipping over the pancake that she'd put in. "He wanted to go early to make sure that he was all ready for TV."
"Okay," Stephanie said, accepting her mother's explanation without question. This wasn't anything out of the ordinary. "Can I help with breakfast?"
Her mother thought for a moment. "Sure you can. Why don't you pour us up drinks for breakfast? What do you want to drink?"
"Milk!" Stephanie enthused, and her mother nodded her agreement. Stephanie waited patiently in a seat at the kitchen table as her mother retrieved the milk and two cups and placed them in front of her.
"Be careful when you pour it, okay?" her mother reminded her. Stephanie nodded seriously, and concentrated all her energy on pouring the milk into the two cups. It was easy because there wasn't much milk left in the carton, and so she didn't spill a drop.
"You're such a good girl!" her mother praised, as she brought two plates of pancakes over to the table. She placed a plate with one pancake on it in front of Stephanie, and took two for herself.
"How come you get more?" Stephanie pouted, beginning to dig in.
"Because I'm a grown up! Plus, the baby is hungry too," her mother said with a laugh. "But if you're still hungry after that one there's an extra one, honey."
Stephanie munched contentedly on her pancake. "I like when it's just me and you, Mommy."
"Don't you miss your sister?" Her mother looked up, sounding surprised. "And what about Daddy?"
"Yes, I miss them," Stephanie said with a nod, "but today I get to have you all by myself." She scooted closer to her mother, and leaned her head against her.
"Oh, Stephanie," her mother said, sounding like she was trying not to cry. She wrapped her arm around her daughter and squeezed her close. "I love you so much, honey." She sniffled, and swiped at her eyes.
"I love you too! But why are you crying, Mommy?" Stephanie looked concerned.
"Sometimes when a woman has a baby inside her, she cries more than she used to," her mother said with a laugh. She cuddled Stephanie closer to her. "Don't worry, honey, it's a good cry, not a bad cry. I just love you and your sister and your daddy and the baby so much."
Stephanie wiped her hand across her mouth, smearing chocolate all over her face. She grinned at her mother. She did love her sister and her daddy very much, but there was nothing like having a special breakfast, just her and Mommy.