What's Next?

Sweet Emotion

Rory lingered out of bed at the sound of her babies crying blaring from the baby monitor. She checked the clock that sat on the nightstand: 4:30 a.m. "Early risers." She said under a tired breath.

Rory opened the door to the nursery and sure enough, two babies stood in their cribs with wet eyes and red cheeks. "Come here, honey." Rory picked up Rosalyn, her brown eyes were barely visible in the dim light.

Pretty soon Jess walked in and picked up Adley.

"I didn't mean to wake you," Rory whispered.

"No, you didn't. It's okay." Jess began rocking Adley until she fell asleep.

Rory kissed Rosalyn goodnight and set her in the crib.

Right as Jess closed the door to the nursery, he saw the door across the hall open and Haeven's small figure came out from behind. "Daddy, mommy..." She yawned and sleepily walked over to the two of them. "I can't sleep."

Jess picked her up and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He walked into her bedroom and sat on the rocking chair.

"Want me to take her?" Rory asked as she noticed her toddler slowly going to sleep.

"It's okay, you get your sleep." Jess knew how much Rory worked all day with the kids preparing most of the meals, cleaning the clothes. Jess did it too, but Rory kind of enjoyed it. They believed in both doing their part but Rory had gone all out and was under a lot of extra stress.

"Goodnight." Rory kissed him and smoothed out Haeven's hair. "Sleep tight."

"Good sleep, Mommy," Haeven said, mixing good night and sleep tight together under her sleepiness.

"Thank you, dear." Rory left the room and Jess stayed with his daughter until she was asleep and placed her back in the bed.

*****

At 10:00 a.m, everyone was up. Haeven had run into her parent's bedroom as she had done almost every day for the last week.

"Happy morning!" She said as she jumped into the bed that Rory and Jess shared.

"Hello, Haeven." Rory grabbed her into her arms and pushed the hair away from her daughter's eyes.

Haeven grabbed Rory's hand and attempted to pull her out of bed.

"I guess I'm getting up now." Rory secretly hated when Haeven got up first because that meant she had to go get her ready and distracted with something else while she got herself and the babies ready.

"Mommy, I want pancakes with chocolate and syrup and...and chocolate."

Rory laughed and began brushing Haeven's hair. "You've got a serious case of bedhead, Ozzy Osborn."

"Who?"

"I haven't told you about him yet?" Rory made a fake shocked face.

"No, mommy." Haeven giggled.

"That is something I must do very soon."

"Allll aboard!" Jess came in with Rosalyn and Adley.

Haeven ran away from Rory and reached up. "Hold!"

"Honey, I kind of have a full load here."

"Hold!" She repeated.

Rory got her hand. "You're a big girl, you don't need daddy to carry you right now. Let me finish with your hair."

"Hold!" She said one more time, ignoring Rory. "Up."

"Haeven, did you still want those pancakes?"