Angels Of Hope

Chapter 37

"I love you", I blurted as I woke. I found my bed to be cold and lonely. I missed Tanner's muscular arm that I dreamt was wrapped around me as much as I missed the smell of him. Mt room was filled with flowers, but their scent had turned to nothing since I saw him in board the plane to go to the Middle East. The petals of the flowers were an array of enchanting colors; teal, emerald, ruby, amethyst, and pearl, but to me they were only shades of grey. I missed him when he was gone, but it was only now that he was back I realized how much Tanner means to me. Not seeing him for a year had been tough enough, but seeing him again brought back those feelings I had hidden deep in myself. Love, lust and passion. No man had been the object of my desire in the last year. I had put love from my mind discarding it as though it was nothing more than a pair of shoes that I had outgrown.

The events of the night before had to have been a dream. Tanner really isn't home from the war. However the smell that was coming from the kitchen told me something different. The kids were laughing and cutting up as if their Uncle Tanner had never left.

I smelled the pancakes before my other senses registered their presence. The homey smell of frying butter reached my nostrils and assaulted my brain with mouth watering images of fluffy, warm goodness. I walked into the kitchen to see my best friend frying pancakes and humming a familiar tune, unaware of my presence. I snuck up behind him and snagged a soft piece of heaven off the platter stacked deep with the round, tan things. I grabbed a plate and retreated with my prize towards the syrup. After slathering the still steaming treat with liquid sugar, I gingerly cut off a bite and lifted it towards my mouth. Pure bliss. The first flavor to unfold on my tongue was the sweetness of the syrup, quickly followed by the delicate, buttery flavor of the pancake itself. The coolness of the syrup and heat of the pancake complemented one another perfectly and only served to bring out the subtle flavor of the pancake itself. I scooped up another bite to replace the one which was quickly dissolving in my mouth, and then another. Before I knew it, all that remained on my plate was dribbles of syrup. It was as if he had never left for the Middle East.

As we finished the delectable breakfast that Tanner eagerly made for the five of us it was almost time for the kids to get ready for the school bus. Marcie, Layne and Dixie was already hounding their Uncle to take them to the bus stop and wait with them until the bus came.