Moments: A BWWM Short Story Collection

VIII. Pancakes

My eyes opened to light splashed across the ceiling. I didn't need to look at the clock to know it was 7:14, my body had already alerted my mind of this fact when it jolted me awake. I double checked the events of last night to ensure that today was indeed Saturday, and I allowed myself to relax as I confirmed that fact in my head.

I sighed and closed my eyes again; this week had been bad. The big storm that came through town on Tuesday had toppled no less than twelve trees, three of which had been huge ones that had stood for several decades. I was used to cutting limbs from healthy trees, not sawing apart dead ones that had fallen on lawns.

No one could accuse me of being unfit; besides landscaping I worked out four times a week. But the resurgent throbbing in my muscles made sure I was aware I'd pushed them too far, and I knew I'd have to skip weights this weekend.

There was a shifting beside me, followed by the delightful sensation of long nails running through my brown hair and beard. A soft arm wrapped around my chest, and I couldn't help a smile as a melodic voice whispered in my ear.

"Has Hercules rested from his twelve labors? Or is there more work to be done?"

I popped an eye open and flicked it over to the woman beside me, who lay there with a mischievous grin on her juicy lips. She titled her head, causing her mane of bouncy curls to flop onto her pale blue pajamas as I returned her smile.

"Funny, I could've sworn my name is Derek, not Hercules." I said. Lenora traced a nail along the muscles of my tanned arms in mock confusion.

"Are you sure?" she asked coyly. "Because you certainly are strong and handsome enough to be him... not to mention just as virile."

My eyes traced down my wife's body, falling on the swollen curvature of her belly as I turned to her. I teased the fabric of her shirt up to reveal a gravid hill of rich, sepia skin, which I stroked with my fingertips as Lenora smiled.

I grunted as I tried to sit up, but Lenora quickly pushed me back down and scooted over to snuggle next to me with a smoldering look.

"I had a very good dream about you last night; maybe you'd like to make it a reality? Even Hercules needs help when it comes to large quantities of wood..."

Lenora was eight months pregnant with our twins, and strange foods weren't the only cravings she'd been having lately. But just as she began kissing my neck to start the weekend off right, the door handle to our bedroom jiggled.

"Daaaadddy! Pamcakes! Time for pamcaaakes!" said a voice on the other side.

Lenora groaned and buried her curls in my face for a moment before perking up and raising her voice to the young boy beyond the door.

"Sweetie, it's not even 7:30 yet! Mommy and daddy are tired, go back to bed!"

But the boy continued to jiggle the locked handle with his pleas, and he was soon joined by a second voice also demanding "pamcakes" in turn. Lenora rolled off me as I sat up, blowing a strand of hair out of her face as she shook her head.

"You know, they're never going to learn to behave themselves if you keep caving in to their demands." she said as I walked to the door.

"They're four and five, they don't have self-control." I replied with a grin. "Let them enjoy their Saturdays while they're still young."

I teased the door open a crack to peer down at my two sons with a quizzical look.

"So... you two want some pancakes, do you?" I asked playfully.