Love You Forever Baby Girl

makeup madness

I juggle a million thoughts as I rush through the chaos that is our typical morning. The smell of pancakes drifts through our home, still mingling with the fresh air wafting in through the kitchen window. I pull off my apron, only to find Sabrina lounging in front of the mirror, her hair cascading like a waterfall as she examines herself close up.

"Sabrina! Are you seriously still doing your makeup? You know we have to leave in ten minutes!"

"I'll be done in a sec, Mom! I just need to finish this eyeliner!" she insists, her gaze glued to the mirror. She's at that age where makeup is more than just paint; it's a form of self-expression. But still, there's a line between self-expression and pure procrastination.

I push my hair back, which, let's be honest, could use a good brush. "Victor! Have you even put on pants?" I yell towards the other end of the house, only to hear a muffled "Ughhh..." in response.

"Come on, buddy! We don't have time for this!"

"Five more minutes!" He shrieks from his room.

Luke appears at the kitchen entrance, a sly smile breaking across his face. "You know, if you're quick, I can help you with your morning speed round, Taylor," he says in a low voice, stepping closer, that ever-so-familiar glint in his eyes that says the word 'seduce' in neon lights.

"Luke!" I hiss, putting my hands on my hips. "The kids are right there!"

Sabrina spins around, wide-eyed. "Ew, Dad! Gross!" She scrunches her nose, not even bothering to conceal her disdain.

Victor pops his head out from his room, still wearing a wrinkled T-shirt I'm pretty sure he wore yesterday. "Yeah, seriously! Nobody wants to see that!" he adds, a "yuck" written all over his face.

"It's called romance, kids," Luke counters playfully, glancing my way with that infuriating charm. "Your mother and I were just discussing how to balance—"

"Please stop!" I cut him off before the imagination of his ideas spirals out of control. "Focus on the morning, enough with the 'romance'!"

Sabrina, returning her focus to her makeup with a detailed look, darts a glance at her twin brother. "What if Mom actually is too busy to talk about 'romance' because we might be late to school?" she quips, her tone mock-serious.

Victor shrugs, sliding into a pair of shorts that are two sizes too big. "I bet if Dad was the one telling her 'romance' stuff, she would actually listen," he says nonchalantly.

And I can't help but roll my eyes. "Sabrina, can you help your brother? He looks like a walking potato sack!"

Sabrina puts her makeup brush down, exasperated. "I cannot believe I share genes with that," she replies dramatically, hopping out of her chair to help him choose a shirt that doesn't scream 'disheveled.'

"Hey! The sack is fashionable!" he protests, somewhat proud of his messy look.

"Fashionable? I can see the years of faded pizza stains!" I call back, now looking for Victor's backpack, which seems to play hide-and-seek each morning.

"Mom, it's fine, I've got it," Victor asserts but without much enthusiasm. "I can just wear this. No one cares what I look like."

"Honey, it's not about caring what others think. It's about respecting yourself."

"Target's sales on graphic tees disagree with you, Mom!" he shoots back, causing Sabrina to snicker.

"You two are too much," Luke chuckles from the doorway, clearly enjoying this. "But Vic, if you look good, you feel good—"

"Ew, Dad! Not the 'look good, feel good' speech!" Victor groans and pretends to gag.

I clap my hands together, trying to keep the peace. "Okay, enough, everyone. We're not gossiping about clothes, we're running late."

Luke steps closer to me as I hurry around the kitchen, tossing things into lunchboxes. "Just remember what I said last night," he whispers, leaning toward me, his voice now just above a murmur.

I force a grin while trying to suppress my annoyance and embarrassment. "Not now, Luke," I murmur, half-heartedly avoiding the heat in my cheeks.

"Really—can't I get just a moment?" He leans down to steal a quick kiss on my cheek, only to hear Victor scream behind us:

"DAD!"

"Okay, okay!" Luke laughs, albeit a little too much.

Sabrina picks up her backpack, nearly tearing off the cover of her geometry book. As she heads to the doorway, she shouts, "If you have any more of those 'moments,' I swear I'll die of embarrassment!"

"Don't worry, I know you won't appreciate what a beautiful thing love is until you're older!" Luke calls after her, a mischief-filled smile plastered on his face.

"Guys, stop joking around!" I shout while fixing my own appearance in the reflection of the microwave. "Let's head out while everyone is still semi-civil."

As we make our way out the door, Victor sighs, "This is like a reality show. I should get paid to be a part of this."

Sabrina quips, "Wouldn't that be nice? Ten bucks for every cringe-worthy moment?"

"We'll chip in! How about a dollar per second?" I add before realizing I'm contributing to the chaos.

With a final playful nudge from Luke that I can't resist, I watch as the kids pile into the car, each rolling their eyes at whatever antics their father tries next.

Right as we close the door, I lean against it for a brief second, catching my breath amidst the fleeting insanity. A moment of calm before we plunge back into the joyful madness of family life.

"Ready for round two?" Luke teases beside me, and I can't help but smile despite everything.

"Always, as long as it doesn't get too crazy!" I reply, shaking my head.

"Just think about all the stories we'll tell one day," he winks, and in that abundant chaos, the reality of our life feels oddly perfect.