Crazy = Genius

Chapter 27: New Perspective

'I feel the salty waves come in, I feel them crash against my skin, And I smile as I respire because I know they'll never win'

The house was quiet, the only sound heard on the property coming from the moving ocean. The sun was shining and the palm trees swayed as a light breeze drifted across the island.

Lilianna and Terrence remained sleeping, the chow-chow she loved dearly resting its head on her stomach in a protective manner. Similarly, Terrence had his arm tucked over her body, his hand holding a tight grip on her waist.

The door to the bedroom suddenly swung open and a small set of feet came running in. The bed suddenly moved as another body joined the two adults, slightly making them aware of the world outside of sleep.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! It's Saturday and that means I want pancakes!" Hannah cheered, crawling over to the two and wriggling under Terrence's arm and laying between them, her head resting on Baloo.

Lilianna opened her eyes and giggled at the four-year-old. "Someone is happy today."

"Because I get pancakes!"

"Go back to bed, it's too early," Terrence grumbled, shoving his face further into his pillow and pulling the covers over his head.

"But it's time for breakfast!"

"Come on Hannah, you and I will go make Pancakes together while your uncle remains a lazy butt in bed." Lilianna offered, sitting up and scratching the dog's head one last time before slipping to the floor and pulling on a pair of wool socks.

"Okay. Come on Baloo!" Hannah sighed, jumping over Terrence and running out of the room with the chow-chow on her heels. Lilianna smiled as she tossed her hair up into a bun and pulled a sweater on, Terrence's eyes peeking at her the whole time.

"Any special requests for your pancakes?" She asked him as she set her glasses on her nose.

"I'm a sucker for banana pancakes, I won't lie." He smiled at her, stretching and spreading out across the bed to be more comfortable.

"Noted." She nodded, skipping to the kitchen.

"Definitely in a better mood today." He sighed, gaze stuck to the doorway where she last stood. "Progress, very little progress, but still progress."

Lilianna tied the navy blue, floral printed apron Maria left in the kitchen around herself as Hannah pushed one of the dining chairs to the countertop. She stood on it as she happily held a whisk for the preparation of the pancakes.

"We need the ingredients first sweet cheeks." Lilianna giggled as she opened the door to the walk-in pantry.

"Like flour?" The child asked in confusion.

"Yes, and a lot of other things as well." She nodded in response.

"Dad makes them Aunt Jemima style."

"Repeat that?" Lilianna looked at the child in shock.

"Aunt Jemima style."

"Like from a box?"

"Yep."

"You are never eating boxed pancakes again, not as long as I'm alive," Lilianna told her, grabbing all the ingredients needed as well as chocolate chips and a few bananas.

"Why can't I have the box pancakes? They taste good!" Hannah asked whilst trying to defend her traditional pancake-making knowledge.

"They will taste even better without the box. I promise." Lilianna smiled, measuring the ingredients and letting Hannah mix everything with the giant whisk.