AN: Dedicated to all the mother's out there, and to my own little ones who made this day special for me. Happy Mother's Day!

Warning: A little bit of this, a little bit of that, with a dash of the sacchrine and some angst for good measure. (Blame it on Train's Song "Marry Me" which has been eating my brain.)

A Day for Momma

"Keep stirring, Kenji. You want to make sure it dissolves all the way." Kenshin carefully observed his son on the stool, making sure he kept the liquid moving quickly enough to dissolve the miso, but not so quickly that he risked splashing and being burnt. "Good work!" he commended, ruffling the boy's russet hair before turning back to the tofu he was carefully dicing.

The five-year-old beamed under the praise from his father. "Momma will be so surprised," he enthused, bouncing excitedly on the balls of his feet.

Kenshin had quietly woken him up that morning with an idea to surprise his mother and Kenji had cheerfully taken to the role of co-conspirator. They'd snuck off to the market early for the tofu, planning and plotting as they walked the dirt road. First order of the day was to let Momma sleep as long as she wanted to. She'd been very busy lately teaching classes at home and at a neighboring dojo after Kobayashi-sensei had injured himself. Then Daddy said they would surprise her with breakfast in bed and Kenji was in charge of making the soup. It was a task he was taking very seriously.

"Let's see how we're doing… is it ready for the tofu yet?" Kenshin asked setting down his knife and taking the spoon from Kenji to inspect the soup.

"I think so," Kenji replied.

"Yep, we're ready!" Kenshin declared after testing the broth. "Why don't you get the bowls out while I finish this."

"M'kay!"

Hopping down from his perch, Kenji fished out the necessary dishes and placed them on the tray next to the grilled fish and rolled eggs. Kenshin carefully poured the hot soup from the ladle into the bowl and Kenji inspected the offering.

"Something's missing," he declared.

"Really?" Kenshin replied, looking over his son's head. "What else do we need?"

"Umm…" A small frown creased the smooth lines of Kenji's young face as he tried to piece together what else the tray needed. And then he remembered it – the story his mother had told him few nights ago when he couldn't sleep. It was the story about how his father had told his mother that he loved her.

"Be right back!"

Dashing out the door, he heard his father call after him, but didn't turn back. He knew of the perfect thing to put with her breakfast to tell her just how much he loved her, he just hoped there was still one left. He dashed around the corner of the house to the garden and Momma's "special place". It didn't take long to find what he was looking for – the bush his father had planted for Momma the year he was born.

He let out a whoop of joy when he spied a few of the crimson blooms still remained even this late in the season. There were even a couple that hadn't turned brown in the early spring rains. Hastily Kenji plucked two of the best flowers – one from him and one from his father. Running back inside, he tucked the two camellia blossoms amongst the plates and bowls of food.

"There!" he exclaimed, beaming up at his father proudly.

Kenshin smiled back at his son and nodded. "They're perfect," he said, chucking the boy playfully under the chin. "Now, let's go see if your mother is awake yet."

Kenji stepped out of the kitchen and led the way to his parents' bedroom. Carefully sliding it open, he saw Kaoru sitting up on the futon, blinking sleep from her eyes. At the sound of the scraping wood, she turned toward him and smiled.

"Good morning." Kaoru opened her arms and Kenji bounded into them without hesitation. He snuggled in as she pulled him close. "You're up early. And look at you already dressed!" she exclaimed holding him at arm's length as she inspected.

"Nope, you're up late," Kenji corrected, giggling.

"Oh really?" she asked raising a brow.

"Yep. Daddy said we should let you sleep."

"Well that was very nice of you. Thank you!" she said, giving him another squeeze. "Where is your Daddy, anyway?"

"Right here," said Kenshin walking in with the tray of food.

"Surprise!" cried Kenji, clapping his hands triumphantly.

"What's all this?" Kaoru said laughing as Kenshin set the tray on the floor next to the futon.

"Nothing much," Kenshin replied, chuckling at Kenji who was still squirming excitedly in his mother's lap. "We just though we would show you how much we appreciate all that you do." Leaning over, Kenshin placed a light kiss on his wife's cheek.

"I made the soup!" Kenji declared, puffing out his small chest proudly.

"Did you now… well, then, I shall have to try that first," Kaoru said, pinching his chubby cheek. Shifting her grip on her son, Kaoru reached for the soup and lifted the bowl to her lips. Kenji watched her face carefully, his little heart beating a nervous rhythm against his ribs.

'Please let her like it… please let her like it…' he chanted silently, teeth catching his lower lip in a perfect imitation of his mother's nervous gesture.

"Mmmmm…" Kaoru hummed as the liquid slid down her throat. "That is some of the best miso soup I've ever had! Where did you learn to make that, honey?"

"Daddy showed me!"

"Are you sure? Because I think that's even better than Daddy's soup!" Kaoru sent a conspiratorial wink toward Kenshin.

"Really?" Kenji's face brightened.

"Yep! Now what should I try next?"

Kenshin slipped from the room as Kenji directed Kaoru's food choices. Moments later, he brought in two more trays so that the family could share breakfast together. When the meal was finally finished, the three Kamiya's had a full day of relaxation and fun planned. Kenshin and Kenji cleared the dishes away and left Kaoru to get dressed.

"Kenji, why don't you run up to Dr. Gensai's and see if they want to join us for our picnic today?"

"Can I?" he asked, eyes alight. When Kenshin nodded, Kenji did a little jump for joy. "Yay!"

Kenji didn't have to be asked twice. He was out the gate before his father could blink and Kenshin couldn't do anything except laugh as he put the dishes in the soapy wash bucket. A few minutes later, slim arms snaked around his middle and squeezed lightly.

"Thank you for this morning," Karou whispered, pressing a light kiss against Kenshin's neck. "Can I help?" she asked as she moved around him and grabbed the wash rag from the suds.

"Oh no you don't," Kenshin scolded, taking the rag from her. "Kenji and I already told you – this is your day."

"Oh, pfft. I feel guilty just sitting around doing nothing." Kaoru paused, looking around. "Where's Kenji?"

"I sent him off to Dr. Genzai's to see if he and the girls wanted to join us."

"You mean, we're… alone?" Kaoru's tone turned mischievous. "We should take advantage of this rare moment," she said, shifting so that she stood between Kenshin and the dirty dishes.

"Oh? What did you have in mind?" Kenshin asked, loving the twinkling light in his wife's eyes.

"Well…. I haven't properly thanked you for breakfast," she purred, pressing her lips to the underside of Kenshin's jaw as her hands reached around to grab his backside, headless of the soapy water still dripping from her fingers.

Kenshin's smile turned wicked as he returned the favor, leaving his own set of wet prints on the cotton of her green kimono, before capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. He purred in satisfaction when she melted into his embrace and his hands snaked up to find purchase in her thick hair.

For several minutes they stood locked in each other's embrace, relishing the stolen moment together. Slowly, the sound of young voices drifting in from the yard registered and the lip-locked couple jumped apart, quickly attempting to right rumpled clothing and smooth mussed hair.

"Momma! Daddy! They said yes!" Kenji's voice preceded him by mere seconds before he appeared in the kitchen doorway, followed moments later by Ayame and Suzume who set down a basket of offerings for that afternoon's outing.

"That's great!" exclaimed Kaoru a little too brightly, brushing her bangs from her face. "Isn't that great Kenshin?" she asked, nudging her husband who had his back to the doorway as he resumed his dish washing.

"Sure is!" Kenshin replied glancing over his shoulder. "Hi girls!"

They waved at him, smothering giggles behind their other hands as they glanced at the back of his hakama. Kenji looked at the older girls strangely before following their line of sight and catching a glimpse of the wet handprint. "Daddy, why is your butt all wet?" he asked, cocking his head to the side in confusion. At that, Ayame and Suzume burst out in full-blown laughter.

Suzume put her arms around Kenji and started to steer the five-year-old out of the room. "I think your parents need a few minutes alone, Kenji-kun," she said, shooting a knowing look at her sister.

"But – "

"Why don't we go play, Kenji-kun. Didn't you tell me Misao-chan sent you a set of koma from Kyoto?" Ayame asked, interrupting Kenji's protests.

"Oh yeah! C'mon!" he shouted, breaking free of Suzume's grip and dashing toward his room.

The girls started after him, but before she left the kitchen, the twelve-year-old Ayame turned toward a now-furiously blushing Kaoru. "Don't worry. We'll keep him occupied." With that, and a conspiratorial wink, she disappeared around the corner.

Kaoru buried her face in Kenshin's shoulder as she burst into a fit of embarrassed giggles and wrapped her arms around Kenshin's waist once more.

"You're gonna get it later, koi," Kenshin said, continuing to scrub and rise the morning's dishes despite his wife's hold on him which only made Kaoru laugh harder.

"Promise?" she asked, nipping at his shoulder with her teeth.

Kenshin paused in his scrubbing and turned eyes on her that were quickly shifting to amber. "Count on it."

"Looking forward to it, anata," she replied playfully, giving him a swat on his backside as she released her grip on him.

Kaoru's only warning was the low growl before Kenshin had her pinned against the counter, trapped between his arms as he stole her breath with another kiss. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Kaoru slowed the kiss and gently pulled away.

"We need to get ready if we're going to pick up food at the Akebeko before heading down the river," she said softly, fingering the edge of his navy gi where it rested at the nape of his neck. She didn't really want to leave the circle of Kenshin's arms, but she knew how excited her son was about a day out with his parents. "Momma's special day" he'd called it.

Kenshin moaned in frustration, burying his face in the crook of her neck. "You're a tease, you know that?"

Kaoru giggled, turning her head to give him a quick lick on the shell of his ear. "And you love that about me. Admit it."

Kenshin sighed, nuzzling her skin. "Frustrating woman."

"I love you," she whispered quietly, seriously, the playfulness suddenly draining from her.

Kenshin pulled back to look into her blue, blue eyes. Capturing her face between his hands, he pressed a firm, chaste kiss against her lips. Kaoru reached grasped his wrists tightly as her heart swelled. "And I love you," Kenshin said, running his thumbs over her cheeks lightly. "Now get out of here while I still have the strength to let you out of my sight."

Standing on tip toes, Kaoru pressed a final, quick kiss against Kenshin's lips before hurrying from the kitchen. Once safely outside the door, she leaned heavily against the wall. Closing her eyes, she listened to the sounds filtering through the house – the clack of Kenshin doing dishes; the laughter of her son and adopted nieces as they played – and her heart swelled with so much love and thankfulness, she felt like it would burst from her chest.

'How did I get so lucky?' she wondered silently.

Kaoru pushed away from the wall, feeling the sudden urge to share her special "Mother's Day" with the mother she had lost so early in her life – a mother remembered only in fleeting memories of laughter, joy and love. Stepping into the sunlight, she made her way to the garden and the small shrine her father had built in her mother's memory. Kneeling down in the soft grass, she pressed her hands together and closed her eyes.

"Did you see Kenji today, Momma? I can't believe how fast he's growing up. He's gotten so big…" Kaoru's prayer drifted off as she swallowed around the lump forming in her throat. "Thank you, Momma. Thank you for always watching over us… I love you…"

xxx

AN: I hope you enjoyed my little tribute to mother's day. This oneshot, weighing in at a hefty 2143 words, was written for the LJ community rk_challenge and their prompts for May – Mother, Thankful, Basket, Pour, and Sunshine.

A couple of references:

The red camellia signifies love in hanakotoba (flower language). Use in this drabble refers back to my oneshot, The Dragon and the Rose, in which Kenshin finally declared his love to Kaoru through the use of flowers after their return from Enishi's island.

Koma are traditional Japanese spinning tops. Some of them are amazing works of art.