Mother's Day Cards

The spoon whipped through the bowl at lightning speed, flour clouding into Sonic's face. He closed his eyes against it.

"Woah," Tom put a hand on his arm, "we're making waffles, not a tornado."

"Sorry," he smiled shyly.

"It's OK." Getting a napkin he wiped the powder off Sonic's face. "Most of it's still in the bowl."

While mixing nowhere near as fast he was still done in record time. Tom watched over his shoulder as he poured the batter into the waffle iron. He watched the iron while Tom cooked at the stove. "Is it done now?"

"It's only been a minute."

"How long does it take to cook?"

"About five."

Looking back at the waffle iron he watched the steam waft out. "How long has it been now?"

"Not quite two."

His shoulders drooped. Running over to the stove he stood on his toes, trying to see in the frypan but not quite making it. "Can I help?"

Picking him up Tom held him in one arm, handing him the spatula with the other.

They put the waffles and scrambled eggs on a tray with a glass of milk and a card.

Tom handed him the tray. "I'll stay and clean up, you take this to her, carefully."

"On it!" With a big smile he took it and ran off.

He sighed.

Maddie stood on the porch in the tree pose. Before her a laptop sat on a table as she followed along a video.

"Happy Mother's Day!"

Startled, she leaned and dropped one leg to stand on both feet. Looking back she saw Sonic with the tray. "You made me breakfast?" she smiled surprised.

He winced at having startled her, smile brightening with hers.

"That's so sweet!" She closed her laptop and settled on her yoga mat, Sonic walking over to hand her the tray. She read the card first, "awwing" and giving him a hug.

His ears perked up, smile warming. He sat next to her as she started to eat. "Is it good? I helped."

"Mhm."

After a moment he felt awkward watching her eat and glanced around, bobbing his feet.

"Do you want a bite?" She offered a forkful of waffle.

He pulled it off the fork and popped it in his mouth. "Mmm, we make good waffles."

At a whistle they turned to a bird standing on the porch railing.

Sonic's smile slowly faded, gaze growing distant and sad. He was still fixed on the spot after the bird flew away.

A few minutes later Maddie realized he'd grown too quiet. "Everything OK?"

"Yeah," he turned back to her with a fake smile.

Seeing through it she looked sympathetic. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You know you can talk to me right?"

He glanced off. "Of course."

"Then talk to me."

"Today's about you not me."

She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Let me help."

His smile fell, gaze drifting to the porch. "It's just... I had a guardian before, she was like a mom, but she stayed behind to protect me." The sorrow in his voice grew deep. "She got hurt because of me, and with the government looking for me it could happen again."

"It won't." She wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "We've already got through so much together and we always will," she smiled, "that's what families do."

He looked up at her with a sad smile.

Hers widened before turning serious. "And she didn't get hurt because of you, that's the fault of whatever tried to hurt you."

He glanced off. "I don't even know if she made it or not, sometimes I consider using a ring to check but... part of me doesn't want to know."

She nodded, understanding. "You don't have to till you're ready."

"And when you are," Tom came up from behind them, sitting on the other side of Sonic, "we'll go together."

Turning to him the sadness faded a little more.

"All three of us," she added.

Tom looked at her.

"You two are going to need a doctor," a smirk creeped up, "and adult supervision."

"Oh!" They looked mock offended at her.

She laughed.

"Thanks guys," his smile widened.

She leaned closer and Tom wrapped an arm around both their shoulders.

He closed his eyes, just enjoying the hug for a moment. Opening them he glanced down. "If she is OK I wish I could at least let her know that I am."

Maddie's eyes narrowed and she looked down at her card, "I have an idea."

Clouds hung over the checkered green hills.

A gold ring appeared in the sky, a portal opening and a paper airplane flying through. It drifted through the air to land in the grass by an old hut. The portal closed.

The corner of the paper flapped in the gentle breeze, the plane sitting alone until a wing reached down to pick it up.