Have some fluff! The pain train will be back soon!
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Virgil stood in the center of the kitchen, staring at the toddler currently covered in flour and the slightly older blond holding a carton of eggs. He'd found his brother's like this, a path of destruction leading to the open refrigerator. At first, he wasn't sure what to say, but as Gordon went to open his mouth he held out a silencing hand.
"What are you two doing?" His voice was calmer than he felt.
"Lunch for mommy!" Alan clapped his hands together, a puff of white powder falling from the digits.
The raven haired sibling raised a brow towards the more articulate boy. "We wanted to make mom some lunch since she's having to work on the flowers."
"You mean the garden you two tore up yesterday?" He crossed his arms over his chest, mimicking the move he'd seen his father use multiple times.
Gordon nodded, as if the connection didn't matter. "We're baking bread!"
The confusion only grew. "Bread, Gordon, we already have bread. You could just use that."
"Not strawberry bread!" Alan giggled excitedly, pointing to the red mush sitting in a bowl on the table. Most of the ingredients were laid out, simply waiting for the appropriate combinations that would lead to something edible. Virgil had to admit, the idea wasn't terrible. The execution, however…
"Alright, you two get this mess cleaned up." He gestured to the floor and Alan. "And I'll help you make it."
Their eyes lit up with his words and Gordon was already grabbing a broom, handing Alan the dustpan. Within a few minutes, they had the floor clear and had disappeared to the bathroom, the older of the two helping to bathe the younger.
Never had Virgil seen his little brothers move so quickly to clean and he realized how devoted they were to the task. He smiled, pulling out the chair for Alan to stand on as they began the arduous task of making bread.
The dry ingredients became the responsibility of the youngest, after Virgil had measured them out. Gordon got to control the liquids, since he could control the steady flow of them into the dry mixture. Once combined, all three dumped in the strawberries, the eldest gently folding them in. They set it aside to rise, cleaning up their mess as they waited. It wasn't long before Virgil placed it in the oven.
Keeping the troublemakers busy for the next hour was the difficult part. Virgil tried everything from games to coloring, but eventually, they were all seated on the kitchen floor, watching the timer tick down.
"Five!" Alan was on his feet, bouncing from foot to foot. "Four! Three!"
The other brothers laughed, watching his excitement and joined in. "Two… One!"
"What's all this?" Their mother's voice sent the three of them jumping to attention, caught red handed. Virgil slowly turned to see her standing in the entryway, hands covered in soil. There was a smidge of dirt running across her forehead, mingling with the sweat from working in the summer sun. Her eyes regarded him, waiting for an answer. "Virgil?"
He felt the heat rise in his face as he whispered. "We were making lunch."
Her brow creased with confusion and she moved over to the sink, noting the pile of drying dishes. They watched her wash off the grime, wiping her face with a damp towel. When she was finished, she returned her attention to the group. "Lunch, hm?"
Alan answered and a finger pointing towards the oven, excited to see their creation. Their mother followed the hand, grabbing a pair of oven mitts. Virgil didn't miss the look she gave him that questioned why he was letting his baby brothers anywhere near the oven. She paused after opening the door, the smell of fresh baked bread and fruit wafting into the room. Carefully, she moved the loaf onto the stovetop, closing the oven door.
"What is it?" Her voice was soft.
"Strawberry bread!" The blonds shouted in unison, Gordon following it up with an explanation. "We wanted to make you something special because you were working so hard on the garden."
Alan's hand grabbed their mother's pulling her over to the table. "Sit, mommy." Virgil smiled, catching the glint of tears in her eyes. He quickly went to work prepping the lunch.
A short time later, four plates held slices of the warm bread, slathered with butter and fresh jam. There was no helping the mess currently smeared over the younger boys' faces as they took large bites. They laughed together over the ridiculous events that led to the extra work in the garden, the boys adamant they'd seen a leprechaun hiding in the squash plants. As they finished the lunch, each gave a kiss to their mother's cheeks, running off to play their games.
Virgil stayed, setting the plates in the sink. When he turned, his mother caught him in a tight hug.
"Thank you, sweetheart." She gave one more squeeze, leaning back to plant a kiss on his forehead. "Love you."
"Love you too, mom."