Prompt: Stef and Lena + Under the Rain
A flash of lighting lit up the room, revealing two sleeping forms. Tucked into one bed, their limbs wound together between them as they faced each other, their bodies melded together into one beneath the blankets. Darkness swallowed them. A crack of thunder. Another strike of lightening showed one form growing restless while the other dreamt on. The patter of rain on the rooftop, against a window. Another crash, louder, as if the sky itself would crack open like a rock crushed beneath a hammer. More lightning. One body still cradled by sleep, the other further stirred, grasping at consciousness. Rolling thunder, longer and louder. Lightning. This time revealing a third form. Small, closed around itself, creeping slowly as if the sound of tiny footsteps would entice more anger from the sky. Another crack. A flash. A whimper. A word. "Mommies?" A light flicked on and the restless form was sitting up in the bed, squinting around the room. The small voice and the flooding lamplight stirred the other and slowly pulled her out of the arms of sleep.
"Did the storm scare you, Mariana?" Stef asked. The small child nodded her head. She stood in the middle of the room, a tattered blanket clutched beneath her chin, dragging on the floor behind her.
"C'mere, baby," Lena said, sleep making the words thick in her mouth. Having grown up in the Midwest, Lena was not bothered by storms. In fact, the opposite was true. She often found them comforting, bringing a sense of nostalgia as they rolled through. But her California family was not as accustomed. Sitting up, she opened her arms in invitation and the young girl shuffled over and onto the bed. She crawled between her mothers, who were only recently awarded the legal titles, and settled beneath the blankets. Her big brown eyes were wide with fright as the storm raged on, violent and loud. It wasn't long before one and then another son straggled their way into the bedroom, seeking comfort less willingly than their sister. But neither turned down the invitation into the big bed and soon the five of them were snuggled in.
Mariana was tucked safely in the crook of her Mama's arm. Her twin brother was unwilling to leave her other side and so was nestled in the middle. Their older brother was safely pressed between Jesús and their Mommy. The mothers exchanged sleepy glances over the heads of their unusually quiet children. Jesús' eyes were half closed, heavy with sleep. Taking up half of his face, Brandon's stood wide open. Mariana buried her face against her Mama's side and she shook beside her, letting out a quiet whimper with every crash of thunder. Lena shifted to curl her body protectively around her daughter and pulled her in close against her. She kissed the girl's temple and smoothed her mussy hair away from her face.
"¿Quieres oir un cuento, Mariana? Would you like to hear a story?" Lena repeated in English for Stef and Brandon who were still working on their Spanish. The little girls' eyes cracked open as she turned her head to look up at her Mama and she nodded. Lena smiled down at her. Looking across the bed she suddenly felt conspicuous as she realized she had three more sets of eyes on her. Her partner offered an encouraging smile which Lena graciously returned. Clearing her throat, she thought back, recalling the words from the depths of her memory. It had been a lifetime since she'd heard this story and she had never actually told it herself.
"Once upon a time there were three baby bears," she began, keeping her voice quiet and steady. "One little bear was a gentle princess who could make even the grumpiest bears smile." Lena stroked her daughter's hair as she spoke. "And there was another little bear with so much energy he could outrun the fastest creatures in the woods," Lena continued. Tickling beneath Jesús' chin this time, she altered the story to fit her children. "The third little bear made beautiful music and loved to share it with anyone who would listen." She reached to touch Brandon's cheek as he blushed up at her. "These little bears loved to play and run and go on adventures. They would play hide and seek in the tree tops and go searching for dragons dwelling in caves and swim with mermaids in the lagoon. The little bears were very brave and never got scared on their many adventures because they always had each other." As Lena wove her story, the words came back easier with each line. All of her children watched her, captivated. A note of excitement threaded into her voice as she continued.
"Then one night, when the sky was at its blackest and clouds covered the moon, a loud rumble woke the little bears in their beds. It was unlike any sound they had heard and they pulled their blankets up to their chins, listening for the sound. Then a flash lit up the dark sky, followed by another rumble. 'Dragon!' one little bear cried and all three cubs ran from their beds. You see, the little bears had only ever looked for dragons but they had never found one. Now, as light flashed and the rumbles grew louder, they were sure the dragon had found them instead. The baby bears ran to their mama bears who caught them in their big bear arms.
'What is it my baby bears?' Mommy bear asked. Mommy Bear was strong and brave, with beautiful golden fur."
"That's you, Mommy!" Jesús called excitedly as he reached toward his Mom. There was the slightest blush blooming in her cheeks.
"Shh. We don't interrupt when someone is talking," Stef reminded him gently, turning a firm but kind gaze on their younger son.
"Sorry," he muttered and turned his face back to the storyteller. Stef reached over Brandon to Jesús and stroked his forearm tenderly while Lena continued.
"'The dragon is coming!' cried one bear cub as he buried his face in his Mommy's shoulder. 'What dragon, little one?' The other Mama Bear asked. Before a-"
"And that Mama Bear was the smartest, prettiest bear with the kindest heart," Stef cut in, making Lena look across to her. Stef wore such a tender smile that it took Lena's breath away.
"That's Mama," Jesús whispered as he leaned toward Stef. She looked at him with her eyebrows raised in warning. But then she winked at him and he giggled as though he was in on a great secret. The exchange brought a warmth to Lena's chest and she couldn't contain her smile as she continued her story.
"Before anyone could say another word there was another rumble and a blinding flash. The baby bears all gasped and clung to their mommies who held them tight.
'That dragon!'
'It's going to burn our house down!'
'It's going to eat us!'
The three baby bears all spoke at once, sure the dragon was coming for them. 'Shh,' Mama Bear said, soothing her babies. 'There is no dragon, little ones,' said Mommy Bear.
'There's not?' asked one little bear, looking up at her mommies.
'No, baby.' Another crash made the little bear jump and hide her face again.
'Listen,' Mama Bear said. All the bears held still, perking up their ears. 'Do you hear that pitter patter? That's rain. There's nothing outside but a thunderstorm.'
'So there's really no dragon?' asked one baby bear, not sure he believed his mamas.
'That's right. But whether it's thunder or dragons or anything else, Mamas will always keep you safe," Mommy Bear assured him. After another crash of thunder, the mama bears scooped up their cubs and carried them to their big Mama Bear bed. They tucked them in and kissed them all goodnight." Lena and Stef kissed each of their own children whose eyes grew heavy as they listened, lulled by the story. "As the little bears snuggled in, safe between their mommies, the thunder rolled on and the lightening flashed. But the baby bears were not scared anymore. They drifted off to sleep in safety of their mommies' arms as they whispered goodnight to them.
'Goodnight my babies, do not fear. Sleep well little ones, Mamas are near,' Mommy Bear whispered. Mama Bear finished, 'We'll keep you safe and hold you tight. Through the night 'til morning's light.' The End." Lena said softly, though only her partner heard her. Their own babies were fast asleep with their chins tucked against their chests and their breathing slow and deep. Lena caught Stef's eye over their heads. Her partner wore a dreamy smile, peering back at her. Lena tilted her head in a silent question.
"That was a beautiful story, love." Stef's voice was barely more than a whisper and the compliment made Lena grin bashfully.
"My mom used to tell it to me when I was scared by storms as a child. Though, her version was a little different."
"Well, it's a good one. Worked like a charm," she said, nodding toward their kids. Lena gazed at the three sleeping forms and felt a warm contentment wash over her, realizing just how much she had to be grateful for.
"I love you," she said as she turned her attention back to her partner. There was a heaviness in Stef's eyelids that matched the feeling in her own. It was very late and the storm was already moving along; each roll of thunder grew more distant.
"Love you, too," Stef sighed. Reaching back, she flipped off her lamp and the room was engulfed in darkness. Lena searched for Stef's hand. When she found it she laced their fingers together, their arms draped across their children like a barrier that could protect them from anything.
"Goodnight," Lena muttered.
"'Night, Mama Bear," Stef replied with a gentle squeeze of her hand. Sleep tugged at Lena's eyes as the sound of rain was accompanied by a soft chorus of breathing. She listened, content with her little bears tucked safely beneath her arm as she drifted off to sleep, under the rain.
