Day 23/366

"Mom?  Mom, wake up!"  Leslie felt a gentle pat on her face, and she strained to open her eyes.  The blurry faces of her two daughters slowly came into focus.  "I think she's waking up!"

"Not so loud, Jess.  She's probably got a massive headache," Ellie advised.  She placed a cool cloth on her mother's forehead.  "Hey, Mom.  You scared us, you know."  Dimples flashed...just like her father.  That was her Ellie.

"What happened, Mommy?"  Jessica must have been really shaken.  She hadn't called Leslie mommy in a couple of years.  "We heard a loud crash, then Kyle said you were laying on the floor."

She grabbed the damp cloth and sat up against the sofa cushions.  "I...I think I slipped on the floor,"  Leslie gingerly touched the back of her head and felt a huge lump.  "The coatrack attacked me."

Ellie winced and pulled back a bit.  "That would be my fault.  I'm sorry for the mess on the floor, Mom."

Leslie grabbed her daughter's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.  "It was just an accident, baby.  I'm fine."

"You didn't wake up for a long time, Mom.  Maybe we should call 911.  Remember the mom from Parent Trap?"  Jess started chewing on her thumbnail nervously.  "We don't want to lose you."

Leslie smiled and sat up more.  "No, girls, I'm fine.  Just a headache, that's all."  She moved her legs so the girls could sit closer to her.  "Where's your brother?"

"He's upstairs, want me to go and get him?"  Jessica barely waited for her mother to nod before she was up the stairs, shouting for her brother.  Before long, both came trampling down the stairs, a laptop in Kyle's hands.

"Hey, Mom," he called, "you look pretty good, all things considering."  He flashed a sheepish grin, then turned the computer screen toward her.  "What do you think, Dad?"

Leslie's eyes teared up at the sight of her handsome husband.  "You guys didn't have to call your dad.  I told you, I'm fine."  She couldn't help herself, and reached out to touch the screen.  "Hey, hon."

Patrick's dimples flashed and his eyes sparkled with relief and humor.  "Yes, indeedy, you are mighty fine, Lady Mine."

She blushed.  "You know what I mean," she admonished him, taking in the smiles on her children's faces.  They had always loved knowing their dad loved their mom, and it never seemed to embarrass them much.

"And you know what I mean,"  Patrick replied.  "You really all right, baby?"

Leslie nodded, then winced.  "Nothing that a couple of Advil and a glass of Diet Pepsi couldn't cure."  Ellie was off to the kitchen to fulfill her mother's request.  "Just took a tumble in the entryway, that's all."

"I never did like that coatrack much," Kyle said. placing the laptop on his mom's lap, then joining her on the sofa.  "And we got Ellie squeaky clean, Mom.  Bathroom's a mess, but we'll take care of it.  Don't worry."

"Sounds like you've had your hands full today, Leslie.  Everything going all right??"  She loved her husband's concern for her.  When had she last said thank you to him?  "Good think I'm going to stateside in just a few days."

"Really?"  Leslie hadn't realized his return was so close.  "I can't wait!"

"Wow, that's nice to hear.  Sometimes I'm not sure I'm all that needed there.  You run a tight ship, woman."  Leslie read the doubt in his gaze, and quickly reassured him, "Oh, no, baby!  I need you, we all need you."

"Yeah, Dad," Kyle chimed in.  "The girls can get a little squirrelly.  I could use some manpower back here, you know."  He nudged his mom playfully, then grinned when she shoved him back.  "Not that Mom doesn't do a great job, but..."

"...but a boy needs his dad, a girl needs her father, and a wife needs her husband," Leslie finished.  "Hurry home, Pat.  We've got a lot to share with you."  They wrapped up their conversation, then the call disconnected.

Ellie returned with a glass of soda and a bottle of pain medicine for her mom.  "Kids, I'm really sorry about today.  I didn't give any of you the chance to tell me what was going on before I shut you down." 

Jessica shrugged.  "I shouldn't have slammed the door." 

And Kyle added, "I know it looked kind of hinky, Mom, but I swear I wasn't..."

Leslie put up her hand.  "Let me take something for my head, call in pizza, and we can all sit down and talk it through.  How's that sound?"

All words are property of Deena Peterson and not to be used without permission.