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It was a long shift yesterday, so Hen is sleeping in. Though, right now, she would call it more snoozing than sleeping. She’s in that little limbo between sleep and waking as she snuggles into her pillow and listens to the noises in the house.
She’s pretty sure Karen is making breakfast, because she can hear clattering coming from the kitchen as well as the noise of vague chatter. A smile comes over Hen’ s face as she burrows into the pillow. This is her life, the life she has always wanted and it’s all hers.
A part of her wants to join them out there, but another part of her is just so content to lay in bed and listen to the domestic life happening around her.
Five more minutes, she decides.
Denny’s voice gets louder, tinted with enthusiasm. Probably explaining something, Hen guesses. He’s been really into this game recently and tells them all about the lore at any chance. Both her and Karen hope he never loses that joy in sharing his passions.
Hen doesn’t know what was said, but Mara has joined in now, her higher pitched voice echoing through the home. She has become more comfortable with being loud and taking up space, both her moms are so very proud of her.
Mara’s stint in the Buckley-Han household has turned her into a bit of a movie buff and a fan girl. It’s something they try to encourage, wanting her to have hobbies, but it can lead to sometimes loud discussions between her and Denny if a video game has a movie or adjacent series.
This morning is not the exception, but Hen doesn’t care. She loves her kids. Their kids. Karen’s laughter can also be heard, so whatever the topic is, it must be a little silly, not heated.
She just lays there smile wide as she listens, basking in the sounds of her family that make this house into their home.
At some point, the clattering increases, before she can hear two pairs of smaller feet coming down the hall. The noise reminds her of when her and Karen decided to expand their family, what they said to each other then: ‘A couple more footsteps stomping around the house might be nice.’
The journey to getting there is definitely not what either of them imagined back then, but Hen wouldn’t change it for the world. They way they got their kids might not be what one would call conventional, but it’s theirs and it’s perfect.
The door of the bedroom opens and Hen rolls over to peer at it, still blinking sleep out of her eyes as she does. Mara jumps on the bed, smiling: “Mama!” before burrowing under her arm.
Denny follows in behind her, carrying a big steaming mug of coffee. He puts it down on the bed side table, saying: “Mom told me to bring this to you. And to call you for breakfast.”
“Thank you,” Hen says, scooting over a little and lifting her other arm as well as quirking a brow. For a moment, it seems like teenage embarrassment will prevent Denny from taking her up on the offer, but then he smiles and also climbs into the bed on Hen’s other side.
“You two having a good morning?” she asks once they’re all settled in bed.
Both nod, launching into a recap of their discussion of the morning as well as excitedly informing Hen about the fact that Karen is making them all pancakes. Hen listens attentively, but mostly lets their voices wash over her .
Last shift was not jus long, but also rough, hearing her kids babble the way they are, is the most soothing thing that can exist for her right now. There is no better medicine if she’s honest.
Their cuddle is interrupted by Karen, who appears in the threshold, leaning against the doorframe and crossing her arms. She’s clearly going for stern, but her amusement is too strong and overrides it too much to be taken seriously as she says: “Wow, so much for getting mama out of bed. You all got in.”
Denny just grins back at her mischievously. “It’s really comfortable, mom. You should try it.”
“Maybe I will,” Karen tells him, rising to his bait. She quickly closes the distance between her and the bed, actually hopping on it and falling forward over them with an: “Ahhhh!”
Mara shrieks with delight and Denny nearly rolls off the bed with how he braces himself for the impact of her landing. Hen, who takes her brunt of her weight, just lets out a whoosh of air, before a startled laugh escapes her.
The four of them have a giggle fit on the bed. W hen the dust settles, Hen in the middle with Karen half on top of her, Mara on her one side and Denny on the other.
When they’re finally done, Denny suggests: “Pancake s?”
“Oh, I see how it is,” Karen snorts.
“I’m down for pancakes,” Hen grins at her.
“Pancakes!” Mara also cheers.
“Alright, let’s go see if the pancakes are still warm,” Karen smiles a little faux-exasperation present in her voice, before she rolls off everyone, setting them free.
Mara instantly bounces off the bed, Denny right behind her, the two of them more excited about the pancakes than the two adults still on the bed.
Once they’re out the door, Karen turns back to Hen, her fond smile turning into gentle curiosity as she asks: “How are you feeling? Sleep well?”
“I did, thank you,” Hen replies, her own expression filled with adoration. “You had a good morning with the kids?”
“It was perfect, but better now that you’re awake,” Karen grins, pecking Hen on the lips, before pulling back and climbing off the bed to where Denny and Mara are calling for them.
Hen smiles dopily at where she had just been for a moment, before blinking and shaking her head. She throws the covers off her and rubs the last bit of sleep out of her eyes. The coffee is still warm, so she takes a gulp, before joining her family at the table.
Denny is already shoveling pancakes into his mouth. Lately he’s been eating like it’s nobody’s business, growing like a weed too. Ahh, teenagehood. Mara is still busy with the honey, which she is attempting to drown the pancakes with.
Hen takes a seat behind her own plate and puts some strawberries on hers, then nudges Mara softly and asks: “May I have the honey, please? Or are you not done yet?”
It’s a habit they’ve developed by fostering so much, to always politely ask for stuff without the expectation that they have to give it, especially when it’s food. The result is that the whole Wilson household has become more polite when it comes about asking things and Hen doesn’t think it will go away anytime soon.
Fortunately, Mara isn’t too attached to the honey and is done waterboarding her pancakes. So, she happily hands it over with a: “Here you go, mama.”
“Thank you, sweetheart,” Hen smiles, unable to help her self and ruffling the top of her head for a second, as she takes the honey.
Their little family of four eat their breakfast as they chat about their day.
Denny wants to beat this level in his game and promises to make his homework before he does. Mara really wants to go grocery shopping with Karen – Hen suspects it’s primarily for the candy bars she always manages to weasel out of Karen, but it’s cute how much Karen and Mara like going grocery shopping together, so she’s not saying anything.
After a little while, it turns to Karen’s job, since she says she wants to work on her project for a bit this weekend. Both Denny and Mara think Karen’s job is the coolest. Hen pretends it hurts, since firefighter is one of the coolest job, but she can’t fully disagree either. Karen has a way to make it sound like the most fascinating thing there is. Plus, it’s literally rocket science, what beats out rocket science? It’s space!
As Karen excitedly explains what they’re doing now, Hen just sits there and watches them all. When she was a little kid herself, sitting in her room in the small apartment her mom could afford, wondering if her dad would ever come into her life, if she would ever make it further, if she would ever be able to get out of here, she never could have imagined having this, but she does.
Life can work in mysterious ways and the Universe doesn’t always set you on a direct path, but Hen believes that if you keep going, you’ll end up where you need to be. And this? This is right where she needs to be.
She takes another sip of coffee and smiles. Life is good, even with the rough shifts and how she’s had to fight for her family.