Mary narrowed her eyes as she ascertained the best way to pull on little Reggie's socks. His tiny feet were moving so quickly as he wriggled around on his back, threatening to burst into tears, that she was completely at a loss for how to accomplish it. She'd spent nearly forty minutes getting him dressed and he still had no trousers on and was sock-less.
"Now, Reggie, darling, please settle down for Mama. We're going to be late to meet your Papa," she said, hoping her voice sounded soothing and not as strained as she felt.
She sighed as tears began to fall from his sleepy eyes and he struggled to sit up. Reggie looked up at his mother, his blonde curls mussed to the back of his head. He wiped at his eyes, continuing to cry as he toddled to Mary and collapsed into her arms. He laid his head on her shoulder as he cried.
She let him cry for a while, smoothing down his hair and kissing the top of his head as his breathing slowed and he finally fell asleep. Noticing that he was unconscious, Mary gently tugged the little socks onto her baby's fat feet. He still had no trousers, and she could tell he would be woken easily if she tried anything else. So she remained seated on the nursery floor, her legs tucked underneath her falling asleep as Reggie's wet cheeks pressed against her arm.
Nearly half an hour had passed since Reggie had cried himself to sleep in her arms. She would have been worried that he was ill, but his forehead was cool and she knew he had refused to take a nap for the nanny earlier, who had the rest of the day off, to Mary's dismay for now she had no one to help get Reggie off her lap.
"Oh, my dear boy," Mary whispered gently, pressing her lips to her small son's forehead. "We're quite late to meet your father."
"It's good I came to you, then."
Mary turned her head quickly, her eyes falling on her husband, his bright blue eyes gleaming as he made his way across the room.
"Matthew! I thought we were meeting you at your mother's," Mary said. As Matthew approached, he loosened his tie.
"You never showed. I thought there may have been trouble with the nanny taking a half-day to visit her sister," he said, sitting on the floor beside her.
"You'll wrinkle your trousers," Mary scolded.
Matthew sighed, rolling his eyes dramatically. "We'll stay in tonight. Mother understands what it's like to have a two-year-old. Especially such a stubborn one."
"He gets it from you," Mary replied. Matthew laughed, nearly waking little Reggie from his nap.
"With two such stubborn parents, it's a wonder we get him to do anything," Matthew said as Mary relaxed against his shoulder. He kissed her temple as he reached over and ruffled his son's hair. Mary tilted her head to look at her husband, a smile forming on her lips as he looked at her.
"What?" Matthew asked playfully, pulling his hand away from Reggie to touch his wife's cheek.
"I've just missed you, is all," she said, displaying a vulnerability she only let Matthew see.
"My darling Mary," he said gently. "I'm right here." He kissed her forehead before resting his cheek on the top of her head.
They sat silently for a while as both listened to their son's rhythmic breathing. The little boy's eyelids slowly fluttered open. Reggie looked around, his bleary eyes settling on his father.
"Papa!" he cried happily, wriggling out of Mary's arms and throwing himself at Matthew, who laughed as he caught the small form, planting a kiss on his son's cheek.
"Have you been a good boy today?" Matthew asked as Reggie pulled away.
Reggie could never lie to Matthew, so instead he patted his father's stubbly cheek with his plump hands. "No, Papa," he admitted shamefully, averting his gaze from Matthew's. "I was naughty for Mama."
"Did you know you were wrong?" Matthew asked in a stern voice.
"Yes, sir," the little boy said, his eyes glossing over with tears. The sight of the boy's tears cut at Matthew's heart—he hated scolding Reggie.
"Don't you think you should apologize, son?" he asked more gently.
Reggie pressed his lips together, his eyes on the ground. "I'm sorry, Mama," he said in a penitent voice.
Mary, who had been suppressing a grin though the whole exchange, smiled as she tilted his chin up.
"I forgive you, my darling," she told him. "Promise me you'll try to behave better."
"I will, Mama!" he said, crocodile tears falling from his eyes in remorse. He flung his arms around his mother's neck, burying his face into her neck.
Mary turned to look at Matthew who was smiling at his son. Meeting Mary's eyes, he leaned forward and kissed her, enjoying this precious moment with the family he had wanted for so long.