Despite the protestations of the meteorologists on television that the island of Manhattan wouldn't get walloped by the incoming snow-storm from Vermont and upstate New York, Cam George awoke on his on-call day to see nothing but a two-inch blanket of white over everything up and down their street.
On the one hand, Cam was relieved, as Rosie had a P.A. day so she wouldn't be braving the streets in her schoolbus, but on the other, he knew the first heavy snowfall of the season meant banged-up pedestrians, not to mention the fender-benders and the other . It left him praying the three-hour window he had from seven-to-ten that morning would leave him be so he would have an uninterrupted day at home with his kids.
Turning on the coffee maker so Lili's brew would be fresh for work by the time she was out of the shower, Cam made do with orange juice. He never drank hot beverages first thing in the morning, as they tended to make him sleepy and if his wife was rushing to get out the door early to avoid the craziness such weather in mid-November brought on, she needed him one-hundred percent awake.
Sure enough, Lili flew into the kitchen in her pants-suit, watch in her mouth while she finished putting the pins in her hair. As she fastened on her watch, she gave Cam the morning checklist.
'Let the kids sleep, baby,' she told him, popping a bagel into the toaster. 'Rosie was so worried about her math test this week and Duncan was worried because she was worrying so they both need to catch up their rest. Oh, and my mother said she's home today if you need her since you'll probably get called into work today.'
'Don't jinx it, Lucita,' Cam pleaded with her, pouring her coffee and adding cream for her. 'I've been on for twelve days straight, I would love to have the day with my children.'
'I know, I know.' Lili looked at her watch and squeaked a little. 'Okay, I have to go. I already gave Duncan and Rosie kisses bye-bye, so now it's your turn.'
Cam took Lili into his arms, gave her a blood-pounding kiss, the kind he knew would send her to work with stars in her eyes. 'I love you Lucita Lourdes.'
'I love you too Cameron Duncan.'
He pecked her lips once more and gave her ass a playful pat as she headed out the door. The locks were barely turned behind her when he heard the pounding of little feet on the floor, running toward the kitchen.
'Daddy! I'm late for school!' Rosie hollered in a panic, and Cameron saw she was already half dressed, her pants and socks on underneath her night-shirt. 'Where is my backpack? What about my lunch? What-'
'Rosita, cari, calm down. It's your P.A. day, remember? No school today.'
Rosie blinked at her father, then gave him a wary look. 'You're tricking me, aren't you?'
'No, sweetie, remember? You get Friday off this week.'
'Oh. Oh, yeah!' She looked around, then down at herself. 'Then why am I getting ready for school? Can we have pancakes or waffles or something for breakfast?'
'When your brother wakes up,' Cam agreed, 'you know you won't hear the end of it if we make his favourites without him.'
'I know Daddy. Are you off work today? No one needing your help at the hospital?'
'Don't know yet, baby-girl, I'm on call until ten this morning.'
'Oh. Well, hopefully everyone is staying safe today.'
'Daddy? Why ever'one so loud?' Duncan wandered into the kitchen, knuckling his eyes and staring at them in confusion. 'Why you not at suh-chool, Rosie?'
'The teachers are going to a P.A. meeting all day,' she explained to her brother, 'and I forgot about it, I thought I had to get ready for school.'
'Oh. Time for buh-reak-fast now?'
'Sure is, little man. What do you feel like having?' Cam asked, knowing the answer already.
'Pan-cakes! Wit' apples and butter-scotch!'
'We can do pancakes with apples but you might have to settle for plain old fashioned syrup, buddy.'
'O-kay, Daddy, tha' work too!'
The phone rang on the wall and for a moment, Cam saw all his lovely ideas of making a pancake breakfast with his children - normally reserved for weekend mornings when Lili and he were both home - fly right out the window. He breathed a little easier when he saw it was only his mother-in-law calling from her cellphone.
'Morning Rosalita,' he answered the call.
'Ola, Cameron, I am on my way to your house.'
'But I haven't been called in yet, Rosa-'
'I know, but Lili, she calls me and she says why you don't come to my house just in case, Mami.'
