Owen could feel that Cristina was trying to get out of bed. He grabbed her before she could do so. His fingers ran over her smooth, naked body.
"Where are you going? It is Sunday and it is too early to get up," he protested, holding on to his wife.
"I have to get up. I have to help Iris and Laurel," she said, trying to remove his hands.
"Help them with what?" Owen asked. "It is too early for them to be up, too."
"With your Father's Day breakfast," she said. "It's no ordinary Sunday. It is Father's Day and the girls and I had a discussion yesterday. They said they wanted to give you breakfast in bed. Since they are only five and three, I think it would a wise idea for me to help them."
Owen grinned. Father's Day – he hadn't really thought about it much. Technically, this would be his second Father's Day. His first Father's Day was last year when they had just got married. He had already been back in Iraq. However, even if he had been with them at the base last year, it would have been weird and awkward, given that their marriage had been one of convenience and the girls had just lost their father. This year, it was different. They were a real family.
"Okay, I am waiting with bated breath to see what you guys have cooked up," he said. "It will probably be me," she told him. "I don't think I trust them around the stove." She got up from the bed, pulled on her nightshirt and underwear and headed to the bathroom. She had finished brushing her teeth, when she came out and looked at him, still in all of his naked glory.
"Listen, you better put your pajamas on because I don't want my babies to be alarmed to see you in that state. They may be traumatized forever," she said. "I enjoy you in that state but not them." Owen laughed, loudly, as he found his t-shirt and pj bottoms and put them on, before climbing back into bed.
"And another thing, can you pretend to be asleep and act like it is a big surprise, when we bring you breakfast in bed?" she said, as she opened the bedroom door to leave.
"Yes, ma'am," he said. "I will pretend to be asleep. In fact, I may be truly asleep by the time you guys get here."
"That will also do," she said, as she closed the door and left.
Cristina went to the kitchen, where she found Iris trying to take out the eggs from the egg tray in the refrigerator. She was standing on a step stool but she was still on her tip-toes to reach the egg tray. One egg dropped to the floor. "Oops," she said.
"Oh, Iris, come down from there, I will take out the eggs," she said, staring at the broken egg on the floor. Iris came down and Cristina removed the step stool. She took out the eggs and put them on the counter and got to work, cleaning up the mess on the floor.
"Where is your sister?" Cristina asked. "She couldn't get up," Iris said. It was just as well. Iris was enough trouble in the kitchen and to have Laurel underfoot, too, would make things even more difficult. "Do you want me to try and wake her up?" Iris asked, trying to be helpful.
"No, no, we will wake her up when we are ready with the breakfast," Cristina said. "Do you have your card ready for Papa?"
"Yes," Iris said proudly. She had done a large card with a drawing of her papa in his uniform on the front with the words, "To Papa, Happy Father's day." Inside the card, she had drawn a picture of the rest of their family – Cristina, Iris and Laurel. Iris had written her name under the figure that was her. Laurel also wrote her name, too, under the drawing that represented her. Actually, Cristina held Laurel's hand so she could write her name. It came out very shaky but Laurel was very pleased with it. Cristina signed her name under the mommy figure. To finish it off, Iris had put the appropriate green glitter on it. She explained that it was the same color as her papa's uniform.
"So are you ready to help me?" Cristina asked. "Yes," Iris asked. Together, they put together a breakfast of scrambled eggs, ham and toast. There was also fruit comprising watermelon, cantaloupe and strawberries. This was accompanied by a cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice. To top it off, there was a small vase with daisies.
"Okay, this is so ready for Papa. Go wake Laurel up," Cristina said. Iris ran off to her sister's bedroom and came back, dragging a half-asleep, crying Laurel, who did not seem too happy that she had been awakened.
"Awww, Laurel," Cristina said. The little girl came and buried her face on the front of Cristina's legs. "Let's just wash that face to wake you up." Cristina cleaned and washed her younger daughter's face. It worked as Laurel brightened up, immediately.
"Okay, I think we are ready now," Cristina said. "Do you have your confetti, girls?" Iris and Laurel nodded. "Okay, follow me."
Owen lay on the bed, awaiting the arrival of his family. He could hear them outside of the bedroom door. He shut his eyes, tightly. "Turn the knob, Iris," he heard Cristina say. There was a little struggle, as it seemed that both Laurel and Iris were trying to turn the knob. "She told me, Laurel, take your hand off the doorknob," Iris chided her sister. "Just open the door," Cristina said, in exasperation. Owen had to smile, even though he was pretending to be asleep.
With the door finally open, the two little girls burst into the bedroom. They threw their confetti over the "sleeping" Owen and screamed, "Happy Father's Day, Papa!" Owen "woke" up and rubbed his eyes. He acted totally surprised by all of the fanfare. "All of this for me," he said. "Thank you so much. Let me give you girls a hug." The two girls climbed into the bed and hugged and kissed their papa.
"The confetti was their idea. I wasn't too keen on it, given that I will have to clean it up with the vacuum. We have made you breakfast in bed," Cristina said, placing the bed tray over her husband's legs.
"I thought the confetti was a brilliant idea. What a wonderful breakfast," Owen said, checking out the meal. "Did you girls help?"
"Yes," Iris said, even though in reality, she didn't do much as Cristina did most of the work. All Iris did was arrange the daisies in the vase and pour the orange juice into a glass. Laurel said nothing because she knew she hadn't helped. At least her younger daughter was honest about it, Cristina thought. "It really looks good, Cristina," Owen said, smiling at his wife. He knew that his wife had actually made the breakfast, without much help from their children. "I just hope that it tastes good," she said. Owen took a forkful of eggs and bit into his buttered toast. "Scrumptious," he told her.
"I have a card for you," Iris said, handing over her hand-made card. Owen took the card from her and examined the drawing of himself on the front of the card. "That is a very good likeness, Iris," he said. "Good job." He then opened the card and looked at the drawing of his family and their signatures. He felt his eyes getting a little moist. Iris was alarmed when she saw the tears in his eyes.
"You don't like it, papa?" she asked. "I will do another one, if you want." She was ready to take the card and tear it up and start all over, again.
"No, no, baby. I love it very much. It is the best card I have ever received. Thank you so much," he said, giving her a hug. "Also, Laurel did a great job, writing her name." Laurel smiled, broadly. It had taken a lot of effort on her part to write her name, even though Mommy had been holding her hand to do it.
"We also got you a little present," Cristina said, handing over a small bag. He dug into the bag and pulled out a tan, leather wallet with his name on it. "Major Owen Hunt," he said. "You got it personalized." He noted that it was a designer wallet. He had to chuckle because he realized that he would be in the middle of the desert with a Ralph Lauren wallet.
"Yes, we thought that your old wallet was on its last legs. You have had it so long," she said. "Open it." He did as he was told and was touched to find that she had already included a brand new picture of herself and the girls. He could tell that it was professionally done and Cristina had taken the time to dress up the girls.
"Just something to remember us by when you go back," she said.
"It is a beautiful picture, Cristina. Thank you very much. Even though I have to tell you that I don't need pictures to remember my family. You are always in my heart," he said, pointing to his chest. She came to him and gave him a kiss on the lips. "Happy Father's Day, Owen."
"Okay, girls, let's get you breakfast and leave Papa to finish off his," she said. "I thought we could grill for lunch. You can do the meat and I will handle all of the sides. Is that okay with you?"
"Yup," he said. "I am up for that." Cristina gathered the two girls and they headed out of the bedroom. Owen continued to eat his breakfast and picked up the card, again and stared at it. How did he ever get so lucky, he thought.
After lunch in the backyard, everyone went down for a nap. They were all so full. The girls were each in their own rooms, fast asleep. Owen and Cristina lay on their bed, wrapped around each other. "So how is your first Father's Day?" she asked. "Were the kids a little too much for you?"
"Never. I loved everything. The card, the breakfast, the gift and the picture were all brilliant. I have enjoyed my Father's Day celebration very much," he said, happily. He had a wistful, faraway expression. "What was that look about?" she asked. "Why are you looking at me that way?"
"Maybe next year, this time, we will have added another baby to the brood," he said, rubbing her stomach. "Maybe we are already pregnant." He was very enthusiastic and his eyes were sparkling with hope.
Cristina wanted to temper his enthusiasm. "Owen, we may not get pregnant, this time. A lot of people try for months and months before they get pregnant. We only have this month before you go back." While it was true that she had conceived both Iris and Laurel, when Josh had been on leave, it didn't particularly mean that it was going to happen this time.
"I am confident that it is going to happen," he said. Cristina was suddenly very wary. She wondered if she should have even told him that she wasn't using birth control. In retrospect, it may have been a bad idea. How disappointed was he going to be if they weren't pregnant.
"It is going to be soooooo good," he continued. "Imagine you, me, the girls and the baby. We can change the last room into a nursery." He pulled her closer towards him, so he could kiss her lips. After their kiss, she rested her head on his chest. Their faces were a contrast – his was full of happiness and hope, hers was marked with worry.
A/N Please leave your thoughts and comments. I do appreciate when readers take the time to do so. Happy Father's Day to all your dads.