The Labors of Love: Short Stories

A Little Off the Top

It's a quiet day in Paisley Park. Prince sits in Studio B working on music, Genevieve is enjoying a break out in the garden, and the children are sitting inside enjoying lunch under Ronnie's watchful eye. He isn't their babysitter but on days like today being with Elijah, Lyra, and Cadence bring him silent joy. The type of joy that sits in your heart for a long while. He agreed to entertain them for a while knowing Genevieve and Prince needed to get some work done. So they've been playing games and watching movies until the happy couple can rejoin the group.

As Genevieve sits with her eyes closed, enjoying the sounds of nature, tiny whispers fill her ears. She smiles knowing her children are near and obviously plotting. One by one they walk around the corner. Elijah sits on her left, Lyra sits in her right, and tiny Cadence, with no room to sit, taps her mother's leg.

"Who is it?" Genevieve smiles not opening her eyes.

"It's me!" Cadence grins.

"I'm sorry, I do not know anyone named me." Genevieve offers without looking.

"But mommy its me!"

"Me who?"

"Mommy!" She whines not wanting to play this game anymore.

"I thought I was mommy."

"You are!!"

"So, if I'm mommy you must be... my Cadybug." She opens her eyes and greets her excited three year old by scooping her into her lap. She pretends to be shocked when she looks beside her and sees her seven year old twins. "Oh my, it's seems we have two more guests in the garden today."

"Hi, mommy!"

"Hello, Pip."

"Hello, mommy."

"Hello, to you too, Eli. What brings you all into the garden?" The three children look at each other. The older two make faces at Cadence encouraging her to speak.

"Mommy, we want gum." She says softly looking up at her mother with her big golden eyes.

"Okay." Genevieve shrugs.

"Awesome!" Elijah grins hopping down from the bench.

"And where are you going?"

"T-to get gum."

"Who said you could have gum? You didn't ask for gum you only told me you wanted it."

"Can we have gum, please?" Lyra asks.

"Bonus points for saying please but you just had lunch. I'll get it for you a little later."

"But, mommy, we asked!"

"And we asked nicely!"

"I didn't say no. I only said not right now. Ask Ronnie to keep track of time for you and in an hour, if you still want it, you can have gum."

"Okay." They sigh walking back into the house.

"I knew we should've asked Daddy." Lyra whispers angrily.

Some time goes by and Genevieve returns to the house. She smiles as she passes Ronnie and her children watching a movie. They giggle and wave as she disappears into the house, snuggling deeper into the covers. She makes her way to the studios, knocking gently once she reaches the door. She opens it and finds her husband sitting with his guitar.

"Hello, husband."

"Hey, mama. How was the garden?"

"Peaceful until your mischievous children came to ask for gum."

"My mischievous children? What happened to them being our little angels?"

"When they're scheming they're yours."