My Mom & My Dad

Chapter 4: Day Off

Stephen:

It had been a week since Emily came home from the hospital. Dad and I, of course, helped the big and small blondes with that after he had finished everything in the office that day. Emily was recovering nicely, so that Friday night when we came over for a third visit just before dinner time, my dad reminded Felicity about the day off that they had agreed on back at the hospital.

Emily and I were watching TV in the living room, waiting for our pizza dinner to be ready. Felicity stood near the kitchen sink, tossing the salad greens and mixing in the dressing. Her back was turned away from us, so she didn't see my dad walking over to the kitchen counter behind her. He placed both hands on the granite top about a meter apart and leaned over. "My offer is still on the table, you know," he smirked. She turned around and was startled at how close he had come from where he had sat in the living room.

"Oh, I haven't forgotten either," she replied with a twinkle in her eye. "I meant to ask you when you think would be the best time."

"How about tomorrow? Stephen and I are available," Dad said.

"Great! Can you come after breakfast, say 8:30?"

"Sure. Where are you planning on going?"

"Oh, Mr. Queen, that's for me to know and for you to wonder about."

I saw Felicity actually wink at him when she said that. My dad just grinned and said, "So, I give you a day off, and you pay me back by keeping secrets. That's just great."

Felicity giggled with glee as she brought the salad bowl and set it on the table beside the oversized pepperoni pizza. "I'm not telling! It's my day off after all. You did say I can do anything that I want. You didn't say you had to know."

"All right, you win." Dad gave up. He knew she wouldn't tell.

We all sat down on the table ready to dig in. Felicity said grace and in less than thirty minutes, the pizza was gone.

Emily:

The next day, I was just as excited as my mom. I woke up early, got out of bed, and found my mom fixing breakfast and lunch in the kitchen. When she saw me climbing on a chair at the dining table, she greeted me with a cheerful smile. "Mornin' sweetie! Isn't it a beautiful day?"

"Mmhmm," I answered, rubbing my eyes to see more clearly.

Mom was beaming. Her eyes were aglow. Her cheeks were rosy pink. And though she hadn't fixed her hair up very well yet, she looked to me like an angel. "I wish she were this happy every day," I remembered thinking at that moment.

Mom hummed a familiar tune as she glided from one part of our home to another, as if floating on a cloud while doing her early morning chores. After cooking both meals and feeding me breakfast, she tidied up the kitchen and the dining area. She did the laundry and folded the clothes that had come from the dryer. She prepared my medicines and wrote down specific instructions for the guys who volunteered to take care of me. She then gave me a quick bath and fixed me up, choosing a yellow printed shirt and denim shorts as my get-up for the day.

"You're all set now, Ems. Go on and watch some cartoons while Mommy gets ready for her big day. Okay?"

"Okay, Mommy." I got settled in the couch in the living room.

An episode of Phineas and Ferb had just finished when I heard knocking at the door. "That must be them!" I said to myself in excitement. I went to open the door.

"Good morning, Emily!" Oliver greeted. I raised both my arms, asking for a hug, but he did better. He picked me up, kissed my cheek, and carried me as he and Stephen came in. "How are you feeling today, little princess?"