"Good morning sweetpea." Jackson announces as he pushes open Harriet's bedroom door and walks over to her window pulling up the blinds. "Time to get up and ready, we have to meet mommy at church in a little bit." Jackson explains. He sits on the side of Harriet's bed pushing her curls away from her face, as she rubs her eyes.
"Morning daddy." she says reaching her arms around his neck and allowing him to sit her up from under her covers. "It's Easter!" she exclaims suddenly realizing what day it is.
"It sure is." Jackson chuckles as he heads to the closest to pick out Harriet's outfit for church.
"I want the yellow dress today dad! Mama will love it." she says.
"Sounds good to me." Jackson says as he takes the yellow short sleeve dress covered in white daisies out of Harriet's closet along with white frilly socks, pale pink scalloped mary janes and a pale pink cardigan. Jackson helps Harriet get dressed and combs out her hair before they both head downstairs into the kitchen. Jackson had set Harriet's Easter basket in the solarium and had hidden brightly coloured plastic eggs throughout the backyard so he and April could participate in those traditions together, with Harriet once they returned from church.
"Fruit salad ok for breakfast?" he asks Harriet as she climbs up into her booster seat.
"Yes please!" she exclaims as Jackson brings that along with a cup of water over to her and a bowl of oatmeal for himself. After a quick breakfast, they both get cleaned up and head out the door to meet April at church.
"Hi Mama!" Harriet exclaims as soon as she sees April come up to the car in the parking lot.
"Hi baby girl! You look so grown up in your dress." she says as she unbuckles Harriet from her car seat and puts her on her hip.
"Thanks! I picked it out and Daddy helped. I wanted yellow for Easter!" she explains.
"Hi Jackson." April says setting Harriet down and holding one of her hands while hugging Jackson with the other.
"Hey Babe. You look incredible for just finishing a 12 hour shift." he exclaims returning her hug and taking in April's mint top and floral skirt with her hair tied in a perfectly done messy updo.
"You have to say that because you love me but I appreciate it because it was a real long shift. Just happy to be done and get to spend Easter with my family." she says as Jackson grabs Harriet's other hand and the three of them head into church together; Harriet gleefully skipping between her parents as they hold on tight to her hands.
When church is over Harriet excitedly asks her parents "Is it time for waffles now?"
April giggles at her daughter's enthusiasm for food "You're so much like your daddy sometimes bug. I think we're going to head home and see what the Easter Bunny brought you but then we're going to have chicken and waffles for lunch at home together. Sound good to you?" she asks her daughter
"Yes!" Harriet exclaims.
"I'll go grab the chicken and waffles and meet you two at home." April says giving Jackson a kiss and heading to her car.
Once the three of them get home, Jackson plates the food and brings it into the solarium where April and Harriet have started admiring what Harriet got in her basket. "Someone got spoiled!" Jackson says. He sets the food down and ruffles his daughter's hair before placing a kiss on the top of her head.
"Look dad! I got a Queen of Africa book and doll and some new jammies with bunnies on them and also a new soccer ball!" she squeals with excitement.
"The Easter bunny knows just what you like!" Jackson says giving his wife a wink. "We don't have any dessert though so I think it's time you hunt for the eggs I saw in the backyard earlier today." Jackson suggests as he opens the solarium doors and moves the food out onto the patio where he and April can sit and watch their daughter on her egg hunt.
"That's a great idea! Let's go bug!" April says as she and Harriet grab her basket and start running through the backyard gathering all the Easter eggs they can find. After a few minutes they sit down in the grass and Harriet starts to giggle as she and April try to hide the fact their digging into the chocolates in the eggs without Jackson.
"Hey munchkins, I see you over there!" he exclaims as he heads out to the spot they're seated. He scoops Harriet up into his arms tickling her belly. "You think you could eat all the chocolate without me?, huh….huh...ya I don't think so" he continues to tease as he spins her around.
"Mama, help!" Harriet squeals with glee.
April gets up from her spot and grabs Harriet from Jackson exclaiming "Run Harriet, get more eggs before daddy finds them!" as she runs after her daughter.
Jackson soon catches up with April standing behind her and wraps his hands around her waist pulling her into a bear hug. Both of them laughing and watching their daughter sprint around the yard trying to hold as many as eggs as she can in her tiny hands, basket abandoned from when the tickle fight ensued.
"Who knew all those years ago when I said I'd go to church with you, it would lead us here." Jackson whispers to his wife.
"I did." she says matter a factly as they both go to their daughter and envelope her in hug. All three of them collapsing in the soft green grass surrounded by the smell of waffles, half eaten chocolate eggs and each other.