Delima Kasih

Serene's parents

'Honey! I'm home!'

He juggled a bunch of roses, his briefcase, keys and a box of chocolate as the door closed behind him. The day at work had been short and he had hurried home to spend some time with her.

'Go find mummy,' he told their grey-striped tabby cat. She looked up inquiringly at him, then wound herself around his ankles. 'Serene, go find mummy,' he said more insistently as she tangled herself in his feet -- quite deliberately, he thought.

Serene dismissed him with an imperious flick of her nose, then turned and padded silently down the hallway.

Briefly pausing to preen himself in front of a mirror, he marched off purposefully after their cat. Bouquet in one hand, chocolates in the other and a single white rose caught in his teeth, he strode into the living room. 'Surprise!'

The love of his life was not impressed, that much he could see. Standing there with offerings in his outstretched arms, he saw that she was quite literally unmoved.

She lay asleep, curled up on the couch. Nothing stirred in the room and the sound of her breathing quietly filled the silence.

She had been working hard all week, he knew. Long nights, tight deadlines and last-minute changes made for seven very uncomfortable days.

She stirred briefly, muttering to herself as an errant breeze brushed a stray lock of hair across her face. Colour flashed in her pale skin as she irritably drew her hair back into place. Then she was deep in sleep once more.

The woman he loved juggled career, house and cat in a fierce whirlwind of energy. Even at the height of the week's difficulties, their house had been as it was now: spotless.

Now, the whirlwind was spent and she lay asleep before him. The stray lock of hair fell again and she made a little sound of discontent, irritation crinkling her pretty little nose. 'Serene,' she murmured, 'don't disturb mummy.' She stopped when he replaced that little lock of hair and slept soundly again.

He looked across to where Serene had been toying with a dust bunny. She miaowed back, mocking him with a flick of her ear before returning to her pastime.

The bouquet seemed to wilt in his hand and he sighed in resignation. She needed her rest; the evening they had planned would have to wait. Setting the gifts aside, he went to pick up her light, almost elfin form.

Her large eyes opened then. Dark and mysterious, they gazed longingly into his.

'Serene,' she whispered, 'don't disturb mummy. I need my rest for daddy....'

posted by plink @ 8:36 pm