Butter Pecan 29 + FOTD
Author: Marina
Story: The Dragon World
Challenge: Butter Pecan 29 (steady), FOTD (materfamilias)
Toppings/Extras: Caramel (the last two), Whipped Cream (Laura is eleven in the first), Malt (Summer Challenge 2010, Ice Cream #41 - Stitch things together), Pocky Chain
Word Count: 500
Rating: G
Summary: Five times Laura acted like a mom to someone who wasn’t Chase.
Notes: Happy Mother’s Day!
Aaron had brought two books with him: a nature book, and a Superman comic. He was buried up to his glasses in the former, eyes darting up every now and then to observe the noisy antics of the others.
Laura felt bad about his solitude and obvious discontent. She walked over to his easy chair. “Are you hungry? Did you eat before you came?”
“Yes,” he said shortly, without looking at her.
“Do you want a milkshake then? I could make you one.”
He hesitated. “What kind?”
“Chocolate, or strawberry.”
“Chocolate sounds good,” he said.
Laura smiled. “Coming right up.”
***
“Knock it off!”
Jason and Shannon stopped yelling and turned to look at her, and Brent looked up from the soundboard to stare as well. The scrutiny made Laura blush, but she did not back down. “Sit down,” she ordered, pointing Jason to one of the plastic folding chairs, and Shannon to another several feet away. “Both of you. This is ridiculous, we have a show tomorrow and we’re wasting valuable rehearsal time fighting over stupid things. So just take a second and calm down and then work this out like adults, okay?”
They sat.
“That’s better,” she said, relieved.
***
Carrie kept up a passably brave face in the daytime, but Laura caught sight of the tear streaks and exhaustion that betrayed vulnerability as she passed to go to her own bed. She stopped immediately and knelt down next to Carrie’s hunched-up frame. “Carrie?” she whispered.
The little girl’s eyes popped open, and she began to uncurl. “Did I wake you up?”
“No,” said Laura. “I haven’t tried to sleep yet. Are you okay?”
Carrie bit her lip. “Can I have a hug?” she asked, voice wavering.
Laura held out her arms. “Of course you can, sweetie,” she said, soothingly.
***
Kevin snatched up a tissue just in time to cover a massive sneeze. “Being sick sucks ass.”
Laura lifted an eyebrow, but decided not to comment. Instead, she passed him a fresh tissue box and a mug of tea. Kevin flashed her a rueful grimace. “Sorry,” he said, “but it does.”
“I know,” she replied, sitting down in a nearby chair. “It’ll go away soon enough. Do you need anything else?”
He snorted, trying for superiority and failing. “Would you sing me a lullaby if I asked you to?”
She laughed. “I could…”
“Never mind,” he said, and sneezed again.
***
“Everyone who ever called me a ‘mom’ would probably laugh if they saw me now,” Laura said, conversationally, to the screaming infant in her arms. “Your mom probably thought I wouldn’t have any trouble with you tonight. Guess she was wrong, too.”
She spoke calmly, but inwardly panicked. Kaylee didn’t need to be changed or fed, but she wailed on and on without any signs of stopping. Frowning, Laura patted her back in an attempt to soothe her.
She was rewarded with two seconds of silence before the baby spit up on her shoulder.
“Oh.” Laura glanced down. “Okay, then.”
Story: The Dragon World
Challenge: Butter Pecan 29 (steady), FOTD (materfamilias)
Toppings/Extras: Caramel (the last two), Whipped Cream (Laura is eleven in the first), Malt (Summer Challenge 2010, Ice Cream #41 - Stitch things together), Pocky Chain
Word Count: 500
Rating: G
Summary: Five times Laura acted like a mom to someone who wasn’t Chase.
Notes: Happy Mother’s Day!
Aaron had brought two books with him: a nature book, and a Superman comic. He was buried up to his glasses in the former, eyes darting up every now and then to observe the noisy antics of the others.
Laura felt bad about his solitude and obvious discontent. She walked over to his easy chair. “Are you hungry? Did you eat before you came?”
“Yes,” he said shortly, without looking at her.
“Do you want a milkshake then? I could make you one.”
He hesitated. “What kind?”
“Chocolate, or strawberry.”
“Chocolate sounds good,” he said.
Laura smiled. “Coming right up.”
***
“Knock it off!”
Jason and Shannon stopped yelling and turned to look at her, and Brent looked up from the soundboard to stare as well. The scrutiny made Laura blush, but she did not back down. “Sit down,” she ordered, pointing Jason to one of the plastic folding chairs, and Shannon to another several feet away. “Both of you. This is ridiculous, we have a show tomorrow and we’re wasting valuable rehearsal time fighting over stupid things. So just take a second and calm down and then work this out like adults, okay?”
They sat.
“That’s better,” she said, relieved.
***
Carrie kept up a passably brave face in the daytime, but Laura caught sight of the tear streaks and exhaustion that betrayed vulnerability as she passed to go to her own bed. She stopped immediately and knelt down next to Carrie’s hunched-up frame. “Carrie?” she whispered.
The little girl’s eyes popped open, and she began to uncurl. “Did I wake you up?”
“No,” said Laura. “I haven’t tried to sleep yet. Are you okay?”
Carrie bit her lip. “Can I have a hug?” she asked, voice wavering.
Laura held out her arms. “Of course you can, sweetie,” she said, soothingly.
***
Kevin snatched up a tissue just in time to cover a massive sneeze. “Being sick sucks ass.”
Laura lifted an eyebrow, but decided not to comment. Instead, she passed him a fresh tissue box and a mug of tea. Kevin flashed her a rueful grimace. “Sorry,” he said, “but it does.”
“I know,” she replied, sitting down in a nearby chair. “It’ll go away soon enough. Do you need anything else?”
He snorted, trying for superiority and failing. “Would you sing me a lullaby if I asked you to?”
She laughed. “I could…”
“Never mind,” he said, and sneezed again.
***
“Everyone who ever called me a ‘mom’ would probably laugh if they saw me now,” Laura said, conversationally, to the screaming infant in her arms. “Your mom probably thought I wouldn’t have any trouble with you tonight. Guess she was wrong, too.”
She spoke calmly, but inwardly panicked. Kaylee didn’t need to be changed or fed, but she wailed on and on without any signs of stopping. Frowning, Laura patted her back in an attempt to soothe her.
She was rewarded with two seconds of silence before the baby spit up on her shoulder.
“Oh.” Laura glanced down. “Okay, then.”