Work Text:
Sunday May 8th, 2022
The sun was shining bright through the curtains of Max and Helen’s NYC apartment. Max was savouring the last moments of cuddling with Helen in bed before he was going to get up and make her a special Mother’s Day breakfast with Luna.
He was peppering kisses all over her face and neck and just didn’t want this time with her to end. Today was her last day
Max rolled over onto his back and looked up at the ceiling and sighed. He could hardly wait to marry this woman and head back to London with her for good! He was hoping things with Veronica would be resolved soon and he would be able to do that. However, today he wanted to focus on the positive and make this a special day for Helen and Luna.
Max reached over for his iPhone on the night table to check the time. After unlocking the screen he beamed when he started at the phone background he had of him and Helen. He remembered that day so well! It was a walk to work early on in their relationship and they walked through the park and were so lovey dovey. Max remembered stopping so he could kiss her many times before they finally ended up at a coffee stand. They both looked so happy in the photo. Large smiles on both their faces. He could hardly wait to make this woman his wife and hopefully mother to a baby of her own! A little baby that looked just like Helen! How freaking adorable would that be he thought to himself.
After a couple minutes he put his phone back on the table after seeing the time was 7:45 am. He wanted to get an early start to the day since tomorrow they would have to be up a little earlier as Helen was leaving for the airport. Max sighed as he saw Helen’s luggage all ready to go by their bed. He shook his head pushing all the sadness out of his mind for now at least.
Once Max got Luna out of bed they made their way to the kitchen to get started on breakfast. “How many pancakes would you like Lu?” Max asks as he grabs everything he’s going to need. Fresh strawberries, box of pancake batter, eggs milk. Setting everything up on the counter and the frying pan on the stove, he decides to let Luna cut up strawberries on the cutting board using a kiddy knife.
“We make special breakfast for mum.” Luna says happily as she cuts up the strawberries and Max mixes the pancake batter into a bowl. “That’s right Lu. How many would you like?”
“Um two daddy.”
Once the pancakes are made Max stacks them on a plate. He grabs the breakfast tray from a cabinet and begins putting two pancakes on a plate for Helen and making two cute happy faces with help from Luna with chocolate chips. The strawberries are put into a bowl, and lastly he puts her coffee mug on the tray. He poured it into her white mug that has Best Mum Ever written in gold writing on it.
Luna quickly grabs her homemade card from the kitchen table and they make their way into the bedroom, Max carrying the breakfast tray for Helen and Luna trailing behind him.
The smell of pancakes and coffee wakes Helen up. She sits up in bed and smiles when she sees Max and Luna coming towards her. She opens her arms and Luna runs toward her hugging her back.
“I love my little girl so much!” Helen says as she hugs Luna tightly.
“Happy Mother’s Day babe!” Max says to Helen as he gently lays the breakfast tray down on the bed as he sits down. “We wanted to make your first Mother’s Day extra special. So we made you breakfast.” Helen leans forward to kiss Max after picking up Luna and sitting her on the bed beside her.
“I can see that. Thanks to both of you! I love you both so much! This day is already extra special. I’m an engaged woman and a mum to a beautiful little girl!” Helen beams with happiness as Max hands her the breakfast tray and she begins eating.
“Have you two eaten yet?” Helen says referring to Max and Luna who are sitting on the bed with her. She loves that their there with her and will miss them when she leaves for London again, hoping it’s not too long before they’re back and in their London home with her and they can all start their new life.
“Um we’re going to in a few minutes. Lu, why don’t you give mum your card you made for her?” Max says referring to the card Luna is holding.
Luna hands Helen the card in between bites of her pancakes.
“Thanks sweetheart!” Helen takes the card from Luna and smiles. There on the front is the cutest drawing of a stick family. It melts Helen’s heart every time she thinks of the love Max and Luna have for her and how much Luna has accepted Helen to be her mum. Although, Helen would never try to replace Georgia and she would always want Luna to know and never forget that there was another special mum who loved her so much as well. Someone she never got to meet but would meet one day in heaven.
“Babe.” Helen says as she puts her arm around Luna and turns to face Max who is leaving the room. “Grab your breakfast and Luna’s and bring it here. You two can eat here with me on the bed.”
“You sure?”
Helen nods her head.
“I want to savour all the time I have with you two today!”
They eat breakfast all together on the bed. In between bites they discuss their plans for the day. Max offering to stay home and clean the apartment while Helen takes Luna out for the afternoon to Central Park.
“Thanks for breakfast you two! And the flowers!” Helen announces as they all get up off the bed and Max clears the dishes off to bring everything back to the kitchen to be washed.
“Luna let’s get dressed!” Helen says as she makes her way out of her and Max’s bedroom and out to go help Luna get dressed in hers. “Ok what do we want to wear today?” Helen asks Luna as she opens up Luna’s closet which is not the thanks to Helen, colour coordinated thanks to Helen helping Max clean and organize the apartment after she moved in last fall.
Once Helen and Luna are finally dressed and getting their shoes on by the front door, Helen admires the vase of flowers that’s sitting on the kitchen table full of the light pink tulips Max gave to her after breakfast. Helen smiled. She couldn’t believe that she was finally building a shared life with someone after all the doubt she had felt over the past several years. Her life finally felt complete. She could hardly wait to marry Max!
Helen finished putting on her ankle boots and helped Luna with her shoes before pulling Max in for a hug and kissing him on the lips.
“I love you.” She whispered into his ear.
“I love you too. I can hardly wait to marry you and grow old and grey with you!”
“I can’t wait for all of that too. Uh except I can do without the grey part.” Helen replied with a laugh. “Anyway we should get going munchkin.” Helen told Luna.
“Ok mum! We go to park!” Luna replied with excitement as she clapped her hands.
“Yes that’s right! We’re going to Central Park. I’m taking my special girl for a ride on the carousel.”
Wanting to make up for all the special times like this she hardly had with her mother, Helen wanted to spoil Luna and enjoy every part of her growing up. It was going to be so hard to leave her tomorrow along with the man of her dreams, her fiancé and her precious little girl. Anyway, wanting to push those thoughts out of her head at least for now and enjoy today, Helen and Luna made their way out of the apartment waving one final goodbye to Max who waved back to them.
Helen and Luna arrive to Central Park around 2 pm. Helen takes Luna’s hand and takes in the sights and sounds of the park. People are flying kites, couples are pushing strollers, people are eating at picnic tables.
Once Luna spots the carousel she can’t contain her excitement any longer. They make their way onto the carousel and Luna decides she wants to sit on a brown horse. Helen helps her onto it and sits on a black horse beside her.
After the carousel ride Helen and Luna look for a place in the park to get a light snack. Still a bit full from the delicious breakfast Luna and Max made her, Helen spots a cart where a woman is selling ice cream
Luna loves ice cream so Helen decides to head over there. After deciding on their flavours mint chocolate for Helen and cotton candy for Luna, they head over to a bench under a tree so they’re sitting in the shade and begin to eat their ice cream.
All of a sudden Luna notices a mother duck walking by on the pavement with her five little ducklings trailing behind her.
“Aww Luna look at the mother duck with her babies!” Helen smiles at them as they walk by.
“Happy mother’s day duckies!” Luna replies with excitement and then they both continue eating their ice cream.
“I love you mum!” Luna tells Helen taking her hand as they make their way to exit the park and head home to Max at the apartment.
“I love you too munchkin. Now and forever.” Helen pulls Luna closer to her and wraps an arm around her. Never wanting to let go.
They arrive back home at 4:30. Feeling exhausted but feeling very happy with the day she’s had with her little girl and being spoiled by her amazing fiancé, Helen is now ready to have a relaxing evening with Max and Luna before she has to leave tomorrow.
“How was your afternoon at the park?” Max asks Helen and Luna after they’ve taken off their shoes and made themselves comfortable on the couch.
“It was wonderful. We rode on the carousel and got some ice cream.” Luna interrupts to tell Max about the little duck family they saw. “Sounds like you had a good time.” “We did.” Helen starts. “But I am ready to relax.”
Helen reaches forward and pulls Max in for a kiss. After they break apart he gets up from the living room floor and heads to the bedroom to grab Helen’s Mother’s Day gift. When he re enters the living room he finds Helen with her arm around Luna.
“I have something for you.” Max hands Helen a light pink envelope with a card inside and a gift bag to match.
“Max you didn’t have to.” Helen stares at the gifts and is not the least bit surprised that Max put in the extra effort to make her feel special today.
“I wrote something in it too.”
“Ok I’ll read the card first.” Helen tells him as she opens the envelope.
Helen reads the message Max wrote to her while Luna sits next to her and while Max is on the floor looking up at her.
To the best mum there is. I never thought Luna and I would be lucky to find happiness again. You mean the world to both of us and I am thankful the universe brought us together. I can hardly wait to call you my wife and I will always be grateful of the amazing mum you are to Luna. I am in awe of you every single day. You’re one and only Max. “Oh Max.” Helen looks up at him her eyes now filled with tears.
Helen gets off the couch and so does Luna and they all embrace for a group hug in the middle of the living room. Never wanting to forget this special first Mother’s Day.
“I love you both very much.” Helen tells Max and Luna. “Now and forever.”
“Oh!” Helen realizes she hasn’t opened up her gift. “I almost forgot your gift Max!” They all break apart from the group hug and Helen picks up the gift bag off of the coffee table.
After removing the tissue paper, Helen notices a light grey box. She opens it up and pulls out a gold heart shaped locket and opens it up to find a picture of her and Luna in it. It was taken on Luna’s first Christmas in London. Helen and Luna are smiling and Helen has her arms wrapped around Luna.
“This way you can always have your little girl close to your heart.” Max helps Helen put it on.
“It’s beautiful Max. I’m so lucky to have you both in my life.”
The rest of the night is quiet and relaxing. They all enjoy some takeout Max has delivered while Helen and Luna were out, Helen and Max read Luna one of her favourite bedtime stories Goodnight Moon, they tuck Luna into bed together and kiss her good night.