charloft } { 2. Fireworks
[Set in Shelter. momslittlethief is used with permission and love.]
“You need to sit still, love.”
Cole squirmed as she pulled him back onto his lap, settling in against his mother. They were sitting up on the roof of their beach house, watching the skyline as the night slowly started to get darker. This trip to the beach used to be a regular family vacation for the five of them, but this fourth of July, it was becoming increasingly clear that her children were growing up. Lizzie was invited on another family’s vacation, Sara-Rose was at a sleepaway art camp, and Michael had a job that he promised Sam he’d help with, which meant that this year it was just her and Cole. Cole was too excited for the beach for her to tell him no.
Never mind the fact that it was the perfect night for fireworks.
Cole leaned back against her as she leaned back in the chair, his head resting against her shoulder as it tipped up towards the stars. “When it’s going to start?”
“Soon,” she replied, glancing towards to the sides as she tries to pinpoint which display is going to start first. “Just wait.”
He makes a face at her, before shaking his head. “I’m not good at waiting.”
“I know that,” she teased, tickling him a bit. “But you still have to wait.”
“Can’t you make it go faster?”
“I do not have magic powers,” she sighed softly. “If I could, I would.”
Cole sighed as well, leaning back against his mother again, and letting his hands rest over hers. “I bet Dad and Lizzie and Sara-Rose are mad that they’re missin’ it.”
“I bet they are,” she replied, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “But this has been fun, yeah? Just you and me.”
He nodded as he continued to watch the sky, legs kicking gently against Bela’s, until the first rocket shot up into the sky and covered them both in the red glow. Cole’s face lit up at the sight, a wide smile shooting across his face as the rocket exploded and sparked above them. After that, several more followed, sparking across the sky and covering their horizon with bright, burning lights. They were high enough with a clear enough view that they could watch five different shows at once, all at various distances from their location, but could see them all as clear as day. It was like the entire world was celebrating, but at the same time, it was just the two of them.
It wasn’t a feeling that Bela managed to feel often, the aloneness in a world as crowded as theirs, but for now, she intended to enjoy it. She didn’t get as much time alone with any of her children as she would like, so for now, she was going to take advantage of it while she could. The two of them sat there together, letting the sky sparkle and fizz in front of them up until the lights started to dim and the night returned to it’s normal, deep dark blue. Cole shifted in her arms, curling into her a bit. Now that the adrenaline was fading, he was as well, closing his eyes as he clung to her.
“I’m glad you’re here, Mama,” he said softly. “This was a good fourth of July.”
“Yes, sweetheart,” she murmured, carrying him down to put him to bed. “Yes it was.”
565 words
“You need to sit still, love.”
Cole squirmed as she pulled him back onto his lap, settling in against his mother. They were sitting up on the roof of their beach house, watching the skyline as the night slowly started to get darker. This trip to the beach used to be a regular family vacation for the five of them, but this fourth of July, it was becoming increasingly clear that her children were growing up. Lizzie was invited on another family’s vacation, Sara-Rose was at a sleepaway art camp, and Michael had a job that he promised Sam he’d help with, which meant that this year it was just her and Cole. Cole was too excited for the beach for her to tell him no.
Never mind the fact that it was the perfect night for fireworks.
Cole leaned back against her as she leaned back in the chair, his head resting against her shoulder as it tipped up towards the stars. “When it’s going to start?”
“Soon,” she replied, glancing towards to the sides as she tries to pinpoint which display is going to start first. “Just wait.”
He makes a face at her, before shaking his head. “I’m not good at waiting.”
“I know that,” she teased, tickling him a bit. “But you still have to wait.”
“Can’t you make it go faster?”
“I do not have magic powers,” she sighed softly. “If I could, I would.”
Cole sighed as well, leaning back against his mother again, and letting his hands rest over hers. “I bet Dad and Lizzie and Sara-Rose are mad that they’re missin’ it.”
“I bet they are,” she replied, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “But this has been fun, yeah? Just you and me.”
He nodded as he continued to watch the sky, legs kicking gently against Bela’s, until the first rocket shot up into the sky and covered them both in the red glow. Cole’s face lit up at the sight, a wide smile shooting across his face as the rocket exploded and sparked above them. After that, several more followed, sparking across the sky and covering their horizon with bright, burning lights. They were high enough with a clear enough view that they could watch five different shows at once, all at various distances from their location, but could see them all as clear as day. It was like the entire world was celebrating, but at the same time, it was just the two of them.
It wasn’t a feeling that Bela managed to feel often, the aloneness in a world as crowded as theirs, but for now, she intended to enjoy it. She didn’t get as much time alone with any of her children as she would like, so for now, she was going to take advantage of it while she could. The two of them sat there together, letting the sky sparkle and fizz in front of them up until the lights started to dim and the night returned to it’s normal, deep dark blue. Cole shifted in her arms, curling into her a bit. Now that the adrenaline was fading, he was as well, closing his eyes as he clung to her.
“I’m glad you’re here, Mama,” he said softly. “This was a good fourth of July.”
“Yes, sweetheart,” she murmured, carrying him down to put him to bed. “Yes it was.”
565 words