The Thunderstorm:
It's still dark outside, made much darker by the rain pelting the window but broken by the occasional flashes of light caused by the storm raging outside. Snuggled deeply in his arms is the love of his life, his Elsie. They haven't been asleep very long. Making love until the wee hours of morning had reduced her to a sound sleep. Her leg is tossed over his, her warm body pressed against the entire length of his side, her hair tickling his nose, and the smell of her lavender soap invades even his dreams. The warm blankets and her soft nightgown brush against his bare chest and he's never felt more at peace. His dreams are filled with images, both real and imagined, of days when he and Elsie used to take long afternoon picnics, using their time away from the house for more recreational activities than eating the food he'd packed in the basket. And suddenly, there is a little girl, their little darling, their little Elisabeth. In his dream, he can hear her softly calling his name.
"Papa ... Papa ...wake up, please."
His eyes spring open and he's suddenly staring into the very concerned face of his three year old daughter. Her blue eyes are filled with tears and her face, even in the darkness, is one of unhappiness and fear. Gently, he shifts so that Elsie is no longer in his arms and he's on his side, gathering his little girl into his arms and into the bed. "What's the matter, lass? Did the storm wake you?"
The little girl nods and buries her head in her father's chest as a loud clap of thunder shakes the windows and the lightning that flashes afterwards illuminates the entire room. Beside him, he feels Elsie jump, no doubt awakened by the same noise. "Shhh, my loves, it's just a storm," he soothes as he begins to shift once more. This time, he is moving away from Elsie, making room for their little girl to be snuggled between them. "She's scared of the storm, love," he says softly as Elsie moves away from the center of the bed to make enough space for their baby before instantly moving back towards the middle, wrapping her arm around the little girl.
"It's alright, love. Mummy and Papa are here. A silly little storm, that's all, and you're safe and warm. We won't let anything happen to you. We promise." Elsie drops a kiss to Elisabeth's forehead and rests her cheek on top of her head. Charles watches all of this with an overwhelming love for both of his girls. His life couldn't possibly get any better, could it? Well, he hadn't though so until a few hours ago, at least.
He shifts closer to his family, his daughter, his wife, and wraps his arms around both of them, offering them both his unending love, his protection, his strength, everything he has in him to give. His palm rests on Elsie's stomach, letting even their unborn child know that his love stretches to him or her as well. Yes, his life is going to be much better in a few months and he couldn't be more pleased. Silently, he sends up a prayer of thanks for the thunderstorm. While it may have scared his precious girls, it also offered him yet another way of showing them how much he loves them. He leans over and kisses Elsie softly on the lips, his thumb rubbing a small circle on her belly, and then he kisses Elisabeth on her cheek before resting his head next to hers on the pillow, drifting back to sleep with his happy but growing family.
TBC … reviews are very much welcomed and appreciated. Thank you in advance.