You Outshine the Morning Sun

Molly

           

I woke up the next morning and rubbed my eyes.  I could hear Mom and Lin out in the kitchen, talking, and babies babbling.  They were probably drinking coffee.  I'd tasted coffee once.  It was disgusting.

As I swung my legs over the edge of my bed, I thought back to yesterday.  There was still a rock in my chest.  I'd been having a fun time with Grandma and Grandpa, but all of a sudden I really started to miss Mom.  I don't know where it came from really.  I was eight years old.  I wasn't a baby, so why did I miss my mom after only a few hours away from her?  Grandma was probably right.  I was being such a baby.

I went to the restroom and brushed my teeth, then went to the kitchen to get breakfast.  Mom and Lin greeted me, smiling.  Mom got out a bowl for me when she saw me go for the Lucky Charms.  She didn't let me eat them every day, since it was sugary.  It was the weekend, though, so I was allowed one bowl.

"How'd you sleep?" she asked as she poured the milk in.

"Fine," I said, digging in.  "Are Grandma and Grandpa coming over?"

My Mom looked down for a moment, and I could tell she was a little stressed about it.  Did she need to talk to me about not being such a baby?  I bet that's what she and Lin were talking about.  About how they had an eight year old who was such a crybaby.

"Sweetheart, they're not gonna come over anymore," she told me.  I was surprised.

"Why not?" I asked, my spoon hovering over my bowl.

Mom rubbed at one of her arms with her hand.  "Well, I don't like how they made you feel yesterday," she said.  "When you missed me, that was perfectly fine.  Grandma shouldn't have made you feel bad about it."

"You don't think I was being a baby?" I asked, looking up at her.  Mom looked upset, and I was afraid I'd said something stupid.

"No, Molly," she said, walking around the kitchen island.  She wrapped her arms around me.  "You are not a baby for having feelings.  And you're right to express your feelings."

I didn't say anything as Mom held me for a long time.  It seemed like she needed the hug maybe more than I did.  I was ready for it to be over, but just stayed still until Mom let me go.  She kissed my head and played with my hair a little.

"You're a good kid," she told me, looking at me with teary eyes.

"Mom, don't cry," I told her.  She laughed at that and wiped at her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she apologized.  "I just love you so much, and I don't want anyone telling you you need to change.  You're perfect."

"Nobody's perfect," I reminded her.  She chuckled at that as well.  Lin walked over with Felix in his arms.  He was bouncing him a little bit, and Felix was cooing.  As he was bounced, his voice hiccupped a little bit and it made me laugh.

"Good morning, Felix," I called kindly.  Lin smiled and turned my brother towards me.  Half brother, I guess.  It was kinda of weird – I had a stepsister and two half-siblings.  But, it just felt like a regular family. 

"When you get done, you can hold him," Lin told me.  That made me want to hurry up.  I loved snuggling with Felix and Raina.  They were both really sweet babies and didn't cry all that much.  Well, they still cried a lot at night, so their cribs were still in Mom and Lin's room.

I finished up my cereal and rinsed it out in the sink.  I ran to the couch and Lin brought my brother to me.  He propped up a pillow in my lap and set Felix down.  I started talking to him as we snuggled.