Moment

It was the sound of the car that woke me. I rolled over and the bright red of the clock told me it was 1:50am almost simultaneously I heard the click of the hallway door and the soft padding of almost four year old feet on the wooden floor. He paused in the hallway murmuring with fright no doubt at the shadowy figure that was looming in the long opaque glass panels of the front door. He stood rooted to the spot. I delicately as possible leapt from the bed so as not to wake the baby and whispered into the night "It's alright buddy". Then the front door opened and the feeling of relief was as audible as his words; "Oh, yes". And at the moment all was right with the world because after three long, tiring, aching weeks, daddy was finally home.

Finally we are all three tucked into our respective beds, after welcome cuddles, cool drinks and murmured stories. The baby is having a drink of his own between us as we lay in the heat on the sheets. The padding came again and the door cricked open and the voice brightly chirped into the wee hours of the morning: "I am the champion of Tennis Dad!" Just one more story that needed to be told before morning. The tucking in is repeated and it's quiet again. Till morning.

♥