The shrill wail of an infant pierced Annie's ears. Slowly she lifted her tired aching body from her bed and fumbled her way to the cradle. Her arms felt strong and powerful as they wrapped around the tiny body. Knowing her hunger would soon be diminished, Grace nuzzled into her mothers breast as Annie settled herself into the rocking chair. She sat there, feeding her child that she had dreamed about for so long and smiled. Time seemed to stand still in these moments and yet it slipped by so fast with the bat of an eye.

Annie didn't hear the blankets rustle as James slid out of bed and crept up behind her. Never in his wildest dreams had he ever imagined he would be in this moment. The moonlight streamedthrough the window and created a halo around the two most important things in his life, his wife and his newborn daughter. James bent over and kissed the top of Annie's head and felt the sting of tears. This was something new for James. He had spent so many years holding back tears but the day Annie walked towards him in a white gown it seemed as if he hadn't stopped crying. Maybe it was that the bitterness had been overwhelmed by joy and admiration, he may never know, but one thing was for certain, he didn't mind one bit.

"Go back to bed. You have to work in the morning." Annie's voice was scratchy with happiness and exhaustion.

"You have been up three times already. Let me take care of her for a while. Besides, I wont get to see my girls for 24 whole hours. I need to get in as much as I can now." With a wink, James lifted his sleeping daughter from Annie's arms. The sweet smell of infant floated to his nostrils and squeezed his heart.




The alarm woke James at precisely six. With a groan and a smile, he reached out to pull Annie into him, his favorite excuse for another five minutes. Finding only an empty bed and a cold pillow, he sat up, confused. The smell of pancakes and coffee resolved all of his questions. Pulling a t-shirt over his head, he headed down the hall to the kitchen but stopped short to watch the chaos that was unfolding before him. James crossed his arms and leaned against the door jamb, a smile spreading over his face.

The kitchen was a mess. The only thing that seemed to be going right, was Grace, sound asleep in her seat on the only counter space not covered in batter. James stifled a laugh. The whole scene was like a bad movie - her hair was twisted and crazy, her makeup from the day before starting to pool under her lashes, her old sweatpants showing their wear and a glimpse of what she didn't have underneath all with flour smudged on her cheek. She was quite a sight and yet she was the most beautiful site he had ever laid eyes on.

James sauntered into the kitchen, trying hard not to laugh. Annie turned at the sound of footsteps and her eyes flashed a warning. It was the last straw for James and the laughter came bubbling out. Defiant, Annie crossed her arms and the tears started to fall, streaking through the flour on her cheek.

"Come on! Don't do that!" James was trying hard not to laugh, causing his sentences to come out choppy and marred with giggles.

"I just wanted to make you a nice breakfast and I can't! I can't do anything! I burned the first batch, melted the spatula making the second batch and... and..." Annie couldn't finish her rant and instead relented to the sobs that were taking over. All she wanted to do was surprise James with a big breakfast before he headed off to his shift knowing he would eat nothing more than Red Bull and whatever else he could find at the gas station. And yet here she was, a dirty, crying mess with nothing more to offer him than a bowl of Lucky Charms.

As he always did, James took Annie into his arms and traced a path with kisses on her neck. Annie barely even noticed that he managed to flip the set of pancakes on the stove behind her without letting go. When the crying stopped, James put Annie at arms length and wiped the flour and tears from her cheek with his thumb.

"Thank you, Annie. You know you don't have to do this for me, but you do. And that is one of the million reasons why I love you. Besides, I think I salvaged this last batch." James nodded toward the stove and the perfectly golden brown pancakes.

Knowing her knight in boxers and a t-shirt had saved the day once again, she couldn't help but smile. Who knew this quiet man would be the answer to all her prayers. Annie leaned over and kissed James behind his ear, a place she knew would cause trouble and she was right. The groan that escaped James was just the reaction she was looking for and before she knew it, they had both forgotten about the pancakes and breakfast all together.