#easterstory

“Daddy said he was downstairs.” Jack answers, mumbling his words.

Thinking the worst, I get up and race over to Abigail’s room to find…her father cradling her in his arms, rocking her from side to side.

Phew!

I stand by the doorway, leaning to the left of the door frame.

“Hey beautiful.” Christopher croons, grinning at me.

I look down at myself and I can see my hair is messy. I giggle at the state of myself. “I look like a mess.”

“A hot mess maybe?” Christopher raises his eyebrows playfully.

I giggle again. “My hair looks like a bird’s nest.”

Christopher shrugs. “You still look beautiful to me, regardless of how you look. Remember, I didn’t marry you based on your looks.” Christopher says, his voice soft and benign. “Your looks were a plus however.” he smiles in his dorkey yet cute way. I cannot help but smile right back at him.

“Nice nightwear by the way. I wonder who picked it out for you?” Christopher asks playfully.

I gaze down at the Captain America shirt Christopher told me to wear last night. I frown at Christopher, still smiling. “That’s because you gave me your t-shirt.”

“And you look absolutely gorgeous in it!” Christopher snickers. “Now come over here and kiss me.”

“No, I haven’t brushed my teeth yet.” I murmur.

“So?”

“So,” I place my hands on my hips, “I have morning breath.”

Christopher shakes his head nonchalantly. “Just get over here.”

“No. Besides, you are holding Abigail.”

“Oh? Well I think,” Christopher moves Abigail so that she is leaning against his chest “Abigail wants to see her mommy.”

Abigail looks to me and stretches out her arms, making noises.

“Yes, you want mommy?” Christopher asks, encouraging Abigail to make more noises, while she tries to reach out for me.

My beautiful daughter!

I enter the room and take Abigail from Christopher, holding her gently in my arms. “Hello my gorgeous child.” I give her a small kiss on her forehead.

“Christopher I have morning breath.” Christopher friskily says, animating a very good impression of me.

“Haha.” I snigger, looking back down to Abigail.

“Hey,” Christopher gently takes my head, rotating it toward him, “I want my kiss.” he pulls my lips to his and we kiss for a few seconds before he pulls away. “Your breath smells alright. It smells like apples.”

I titter, looking back down to Abigail. She reaches her hands out above her, and her fingers lightly touch my face.

“She loves her mom.”

“And her father.” I say quickly.

“And what about me?” Jack whines, running into the room.

“Of cause we love you!” Christopher exclaims, going to pick up Jack and holds him in the air, against his chest.

“Yay!” Jack screams for joy. “Now fly me like I am an airplane!”

Christopher moves around the room, flying Jack like he is flying in the air. Jack squeals with such enthusiasm, that it makes Abigail look at her brother, and she too screams.

Christopher abruptly stops and looks at Abigail. “Was that fun? Did you like seeing your brother flying like an airplane?”

Abigail moves her hands frantically, making noises. She sounds like she is saying “Choo…Choo.”

“Daddy!” Jack taps Christopher. “Can you lift me up? I want to do a superhero pose.”

“On the count of three. One…two…three.” Christopher lifts Jack up and he stretches his arm out in front of him.

OH!

“Are you Captain America?” I ask enthusiastically, not containing my excitement.

Christopher puts Jack down, and Jack nods his head vigorously, kneeling down on the ground and stretching his arm around the front of his body again.

“Dodgie! Dodgie! Come here!” Jack calls, and Dodger barks, running into the room.

Dodger jumps right into Christopher’s arms, and Christopher holds Dodger like he was holding Abigail earlier.

“Dodgie! You such a good doggy! Let’s go downstairs to say hello to Sox.”

Sox, our newest member to the family, a ginger kitten, has taken it upon himself to sleep in the lounge downstairs, since there can be quite a commotion upstairs. Case in point, all of us in Abigail’s room, making lots of noise.

“Come on Mommy! Daddy! Let’s say hello to Sox! Come Dodgie!” Jack is out the room, Dodger running after him.

Christopher and I exchange looks, knowing what each other is thinking. Sox is still getting used to being in the house, and we still need to make sure Sox is okay around Dodger.

“I’ll keep Abigail with me.” I say.

“I’ll keep an eye on Jack, Dodger and Sox.” Christopher says and he is out of the room.

***

“I cannot wait for the Easter Egg Hunt later.” Jack beams while he eats his breakfast. “Are you going to join me, Mommy?”

“I think your father should join you.” I suggest, while feeding Abigail smashed squash.

“Oh yes! Daddy! Can you go with me?” Jack asks, looking over to Christopher, who is too busy stroking Sox.

“Daddy? Oh! Sox loves you!” he beams.

“I told you Sox loves you.” I say to Christopher, laughing.

Christopher shakes his head. “But I thought cats didn’t like me.” he places his hand in front of Sox, and Sox rubs his cheek along Christopher’s finger, purring. Sox is purring so loud that I can hear it from where I am sitting, and I am a couple of meters away from Christopher.

“Well, clearly, Sox loves you.” I say.

Christopher looks over to me and smiles broadly, showing his teeth. “I’m glad we adopted him, and who said he wouldn’t get along with Dodger, or get used to me?”

“That was you, you said that.” I point out, not containing my laughter. Christopher laughs back.

“Daddy! Are you going to join me on my Easter Egg Hunt?” Jack asks, his voice radiating with elation.

“Of cause I can.”

Jack looks at me, his eyes twinkling with happiness, and I smile at him. He finishes his breakfast and sits with Christopher and Sox, while I finish feeding Abigail.

***

“Look at all the Easter eggs I have found!” Jack screams across the room, holding his basket up for me to see. I give him a thumbs up and he goes back to looking for more Easter eggs.

I rock Abigail in her chair while I watch Christopher and Jack hunt for Easter eggs. We are in a big room where the Easter Eggs Hunt is being held. Half of the room is taken up with the Easter Egg Garden, where all the children are looking for the Easter eggs, while the other half of the room have the parents spectating their children. The rules do state that the parents can help their children, but the other parents are not helping their children, like Christopher is helping Jack.

In fact, none of the other parents are even sitting by me, they are too busy making coffee or tea at the beverage stand. They are all standing around, making small conversations with each other, and none of the parents have spoken to me yet.

I don’t mind though, because I am too busy enjoying watching my husband and my son look for Easter eggs. The other children are looking around too in the Easter Egg Garden, but I know Jack has a good eye for finding the Easter eggs. Since Christopher and I have hidden Easter eggs in our house, Jack has a good idea as to where the Easter eggs would be hiding.

“I found another one!” Jack screams, looking at me, and I wave my hands in the air.

“Hi,” A parent approaches me, “could you please tell your son to stop screaming? It’s getting annoying.”

Excuse me?

I stare at the parent and smile. “He is just excited about the Easter Egg Hunt. That’s all.”

“But he is screaming all the time. Could you just tell him to shut up?” The parent asks with such a harsh tone.

“So do you want me to tell my son that he cannot have a good time?”

The parent rolls her eyes. “Fine. Hey, you!” she turns around to face Jack. “Could you shut up? You are very annoying.” she asks, her tone cold and hard.

WHAT?

“Excuse me?” Christopher asks, his voice firm and not so happy anymore. “Why don’t you tell your son to stop pushing my son whenever my son finds an Easter egg?” Christopher points to a boy, who shoves Jack aside.

“And my son is being annoying?” I question sarcastically.

The parent huffs and attends to her son, taking him to the other side of the Easter Egg Garden. Why did she have to be so mean to Jack? He is just a very happy boy, why would she want to take his joyfulness away?

Christopher and I exchange looks, like we are talking with our minds. Jack does initially start to cry, but after Christopher consoles him, they go back to finding more Easter eggs.

At the end of the event, when the siren goes off to indicate the time is up to search for Easter eggs, the judges start counting each child’s Easter bag, and the judges announce the top three winners.

“We have Tommy, in third place. Next, we have Henry in second. Lastly, we have Jack, who is the winner of the Easter Egg Hunt!” The judge beams, giving Jack a giant chocolate-looking Easter bunny trophy, along with an envelope of cash.

Christopher and I rejoice, embracing our son, and Abigail even makes a noise of excitement.

“Look at all the Easter eggs I got!” Jack unloads his bag onto the table.

“Wow!” I clasp my hands together, looking at all the Easter eggs piling on the table.

“What are you going to do with all these Easter eggs?” Christopher asks.

“I am going to give it all to that place you go see.”

Christopher frowns. “What place?”

“That place where there are children in hospital.” Jack taps Christopher’s arm.

“Oh! Christopher’s Haven?”

“Yes! Can we give these Easter eggs to them? And, and, and this money?” Jacks pushes the envelope into Christopher’s chest.

“You want to give all of this to charity?” I ask, pointing to the mountain of Easter eggs.

“Yes I do! Will the children like it?” Jack grimaces.

This brings tears to my eyes. My son wants to give to charity, and I couldn’t be prouder of him.

Bless his beautiful heart!

“They will – They will love it.” I choke, tears streaming down my face.

“Oh Sapphira!” Christopher’s voice croaks, and he opens his arms, embracing me. I pick up Abigail for her to join the embrace, and Jack runs in and we all hug.

I am so happy I have this family! I love that Jack is growing up to be like his father – kind, caring and most of all, loving.

“Happy Easter!” I say, my voice shaking while the happy tears continue to stream down my face.

“Happy Easter.” Christopher says softly.

“Happy Easter!” Jack says.

“Ooh! Choo!” Abigail emits.