Beaming Love

Late Work Nights

"Dada," Sienna slaps me in the face as we watch Jen on set "I go mama?"

"No not yet, baby.  She's working, you can't run out there."

"But mama wave!"

"Well then wave back.  You can't run onto set or they have to stop everything again.  We'll be here forever if you keep doing that."

She turns to face the set, staying on my lap as she bounces herself around completely unable to keep even a little still.  Her excitement rises as Jen gets closer to us, having to film on the side we're on.

"Look," I point to the paper Jen is holding "I think mama got to see your drawing now.  She loves it."

"I draw you, me, mama."

"It's perfect.  We have to hang it on the fridge when we get home."

I watch in amazement as the cast works endlessly to keep up with everything around them.  They're all exhausted, it's way later than they expected to be here, and the audience is roaring with excitement and laughter, tempting me to stick Sienna up there before she ruins another scene.  She's exhausted since it's past her bedtime, but she's doing everything she can think of to keep herself awake.

Courteney walks over to hold her for a little between scenes, letting her interact with some of the people to keep her from going crazy now that she's here much longer than any of us expected.

"She hasn't even noticed that I got a break," Jen walks over to me, watching Sisi dancing around with the writers "I've been replaced."

"If it makes you feel any better I've been having to hold her back from jumping out at you every time you get near us.  She's very determined to ruin the show, even if she has to keep jumping around just to stay awake."

"I know. She was telling me all about how she wants to be in the show to make it funnier earlier. At least we never have to worry about her not being confident."

"She says a lot of things. Too much I think."

Sisi runs over to her eventually, jumping into her arms to take full advantage of this little break she gets.

"Mama you so good!" She wraps her little arms around Jen's neck as she holds her closer.  Jen sways her slightly, probably hoping she'll go to sleep since it's way past her bedtime.

"She awake?" She leans in whispering, hoping she's quiet enough as she asks "She's staying still finally."

"Her eyes are wide open but she has her thumb in her mouth so you might be getting somewhere."

She continues swaying her as the writers work eagerly to change something in the script, giving us some extra time.

"Shhhh, just close your eyes, baby." Jen pleads with her "You're so tired."

Sienna of course doesn't fall for it and instead of being helpful decides to start screaming and crying to keep herself awake even longer.

"Maybe you should take her back to my dressing room. She can lay on the couch there."

I take Sienna from her as she continues crying, carrying her back to the dressing room so we can lay on the couch all cuddled up.

"I watch mamaaaaaaa!"

"Baby I know you want to watch her but they're almost done.  I think we should watch your show while you drink your milky."

"Mama's chowat milky?"

"Yeah mama put it in the bottles for you." I pull her up on my lap, turning the tv on as I'm exhausted myself too "Let's see what they're going to do tonight."

She curls up to me holding her bottle tightly as her little eyes are glued to the screen in front of her.  I wrap the blanket about us hoping she falls asleep while trying to keep myself awake.

I rest her little head on my chest once she hands me the bottle, replacing that with her thumb in her mouth as her free hand wraps around my finger.  Just feeling the warmth of her tiny body cuddled up to mine melts my heart as I think of all the times I dreamed of moments like these.

"Dada?" Her tiny eyes stare deeply into mine as I continue gently rubbing her back "Dada I wuv you."

I lean in to kiss her forehead, admiring all the perfect features she has from Jen while taking in this moment that I so rarely get.

"I love you more, princess."

Her breathing slows as I gently rock her, letting me know she's finally given in and decided to sleep.  I pull her closer for one last kiss before slowly falling asleep myself.

Jen's POV

"Jen maybe you should sit on the other side.  That way Matt can be closer."

I switch positions for what feels like the millionth time as the audience erupts in laughter from something Matty and Lisa are 'arguing' about on the side.

"It's like they don't realize they're on a show," Matt whispers as we sit in the background for David and Court's scene "They're oblivious."

"I think they're getting delusional from being so tired."

"I'm just glad the audience thinks us messing up everything is so funny."

Tonight has been filled with so many bloopers since we're all barley hanging onto our sanity from an exhausting week.

"They love it. We could do only mistakes and they'd think it's just as funny as the actual show."

They finish their scene, letting us move onto the next where I'm standing along the side facing the audience when I feel tiny arms wrap around my legs.  I look down to see the cutest little smirk on her face, proving that she knows she did something bad and should not be out here.

"Uh, Jen." Marta points out the obvious once Sienna starts literally trying to climb up my body "You have a visitor."

Luckily everyone thinks it's adorable that she ran out onto stage, gripping onto me. She rests her head on my shoulder in a cute, loving way once she knows I'm not too mad.

"Baby where's dada?" I hold her closer, trying to hide my laughter "You should be with him."

"He sweep and I run!"

The audience thinks this is hysterical since she climbs out of my arms to run over to the couch, acting like she's supposed to be out here as she shows me how fast she ran out of my dressing room.

"Sienna!" I hear Brad running down the hall looking for her "Sienna Mae!  We told you to stay away from here."

She stands up, hands on her hips, staring at us with the most serious face she can come up with.

"I work wif mama."

"You are so lucky you're cute, kid."