Flying Too Close to the Sun

Pippa

The first morning back at home, I slept in a little bit.  Lin got up with the twins and I could smell pancakes and bacon.  I turned over in bed as I heard little feet in the hallway and the sound of their hushed whispers.

The door opened and Lin came in carrying a tray.  The twins both carried something else - silverwear and napkins.  They had grins on their faces.

"Good morning, Mommy!" they said mischievously.  They launched themselves on the bed and crawled to either side of me.  I sat up, smiling, as Lin set a tray in my lap.  A pancake with a bacon smiley face on it.

"Look, Mommy!" Raina exclaimed.  "It has a bacon face!"

"I see!" I looked down at her.  "Was that your idea?"

"Uh-huh," she said proudly.  "Taste it, Mommy!"

I picked up my fork and poured on some syrup.  It was delicious, of course.  Lin made the best pancakes.

"Mmmm," I said loudly.  "So good.  It was so sweet of you to bring me breakfast in bed."

"Daddy said you're probably tired," Felix reported and Lin chuckled.

"I was, but now I think I'm awake," I said as I cut another piece of pancake.  We sat around in bed together as I ate, talking about all sorts of things.  The kids were still in their PJs, so when I finished, Lin told them to go change.

They raced out of the room and Lin sat on the edge of the bed.  "Want any more?"

"Pancakes?  Or you?" I smirked.

"Either," he said, leaning forward to kiss me.  We kissed deeply for several long moments.  "You taste like syrup."

I chuckled as he kissed me once more.  "Take your time," he said.  "I've got the kids."

He stood up and winked at me, taking the tray away.  I decided to indulge in being a bit lazy.  I laid back down and just lounged for another twenty minutes or so.

Molly was up by that time I wandered out in my robe.  Lin was making a second batch for the girls.  Maybe the smell would entice Cam to get up.  Probably not.

We had a relaxing morning together.  It was our first day back, so we didn't have any plans other than to get settled and just enjoy being together.  In the afternoon, we took the twins to the park.  Raina was keeping up very well.  I had her sit down to rest a couple times, which she didn't like, but I could tell she was getting winded.  In time, she'd be back to her rambunctious self.

At meal times, she ate and ate and ate, which we needed her to do.  She'd lost weight during her illness and looked thin.  That night, we tucked the kids into bed.  When we walked down the hall to go to bed ourselves, I pushed the door open to check on the twins like I usually did.  I found Felix curled up in Raina's bed, his arm around his sister.  It brought tears to my eyes.  I just leaned against the doorway and watched them.  Lin followed me, putting his hand on my hip as he paused behind me.  He saw the twins and pressed a kiss to my shoulder.

"They're so sweet," he said quietly.

"They are," I agreed, taking his hand.  "We're lucky parents."

Lin tugged me along with his hand and I closed the door.  We cuddled in bed, still reveling in the fact we were back together.

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Monday morning rolled around and Raina was excited to be able to go back to school.  We decided to have her go half days the first week so she could ease back into it.  After she'd eaten her breakfast, she found her backpack and was urging her siblings to hurry up.