Marilyn had been working almost all night through. Trying to support her family was a lot harder than she'd expected it to be, and even with Dad and Jenny helping out with childcare for Peter, it was a lot. She worked two jobs, and could feel it in every fiber of her being.
Her replacement showed up at the McDonald's Drive-Thru window five minutes after the end of her shift. She was tired and she was cranky, and she might have shouted at the other woman a bit too harshly.
She took the bus home, familiar with many of the other late night commuters. She hated when she had to work until midnight, but seemed to get that shift on her schedule more often than not.
Bedtime was her favorite time with Peter. He was never cranky when he got tired. She would take him to the bathroom and draw him a bubble bath. They'd splash around with his toys for a bit, then she'd wash his hair, drain the tub, and help him towel down.
He always had a bottle of milk while she read him a story, and by the time she was done, he was asleep, tiny hands still clutching the bottle.
She hated having to miss that.
She let herself into the dark house, and poured herself a drink. She was always wired after a long day of work, and even with an exhausted body needed some help convincing her brain to shut down to go to sleep. After a few more fingers of Jack, she walked over to Peter's bedroom and cracked open the door.
He was laying in his tiny bed, arms wrapped around a stuffed dog Dad had gotten him for his first Christmas. He barely went anywhere without the toy.
She walked over to the bed and ran her fingers through his curls, studying his face. Then she shifted his small body, knowing he was a deep sleeper who wouldn't wake for anything, and curled around him in the small bed.
This was her favorite place. Peter was her serenity, and he kept her calm.
A/N: Work has been insane and I barely have the spoons to get up each day, let alone simply copy-paste-post new chapters of this fic, and even though the reviews I get are giving me life/replacing those spoons, I need them for work.
So just know that I see every review, love every review, and want to interact with everyone about them.
But right now I can't. Right now I'm too bogged down by doubt and stress and anxiety about clients and making sure these kiddos get the best possible opportunities.
Soon, hopefully, things will be better, and I will be able to adequately express to each reader just how much I love and appreciate them. But for now, this is the best I can do.