Two

Note: Not sure if the transition from character's point of view is too abrupt. I might change this to two chapters, elaborating on the daughter first, and then on the mother in the next chapter.



Katie kept her eyes closed as she hit the snooze alarm on her clock radio. The early morning made it impossible to open her eyes just yet, and she could still feel the remnants of her dream overcoming reality. But as the last images were stripped from her mind, she sleepily rolled over and looked at the clock. 6:32. She sighed. Mornings were getting earlier and earlier, especially after this past weekend. Katie smiled as she recalled lounging at the beach with Beth and Sami, watching the boys show off in front of them with an overly energetic game of football. She touched her smiling lips as she mentally relived the memory of a first kiss from Brad Dennon, her high school's soccer hero.

"Katie! Time to get up," her mom called from down the hall. Katie reluctantly pulled the covers back and padded down the hall to the bathroom to take a shower. The hot water woke her senses, and she stood under the water 5 minutes longer than necessary to enjoy the pressure from the spray on her back. She then went through the normal routine of blowdrying her long brown hair, applying the slightest amount of make-up so her mom might not notice, and then choosing the perfect outfit to show off the tan she had accomplished over the weekend. Once satisfied, she bounced down the stairs and sat at the table where her mom already had a stack of pancakes waiting for her.

"Katie, I really hope you plan on wearing a sweater over that. It's a little....provocative," Mary Ellen said, taking in the tank top and skirt her daughter was wearing.

"Mom, it's hardly provocative. The straps are an inch wide. The only thing showing is my shoulder," Katie argued. Mary Ellen stopped flipping pancakes and reached over to pointedly tuck one of Katie's bra straps back underneath the strap of her tank top. Katie rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll wear a sweater," she said, knowing full well that the sweater would be stuffed in her backpack as soon as she was out of view.

"Wipe off the lip gloss as well," Mary Ellen said as she kissed her daughter on the cheek. "Brian!" she called. "Would you kindly get your tush down here for breakfast! We're going to be late!" Katie's younger brother came into the kitchen, still wiping the sleep from his eyes, holding a shirt in his hands. Mary Ellen took the shirt and pulled it over his head, giving him a playful swat as he stumbled to the table to sleep-eat his breakfast. "Brian, don't lag, we have to leave in 15 minutes or you're going to be late."

A car horn sounded outside, and Katie jumped up from the table and grabbed her bag. "Gotta go, Mom. And I'll be late after school. Several of us are going to the Flying Pig after school."

"Katie, I don't know about you going with Beth to school. She only just got her license, and let's face it, she's a little reckless in that car of hers." Mary Ellen looked outside at the red convertible already holding Beth and Sami, the music a little too loud for the early morning. She waved at Mrs. Johnson across the street who was glaring out at the girls from her front window.

"Mother, Beth drives just fine. I've gotta go, they're waiting for me."

"Still, I could drop you off on the way to Brian's school. It wouldn't be any trouble," she said, knowing her words were falling on deaf ears.

"See you later!" Katie called, slamming the door behind her.

Mary Ellen sighed, wiping her hands on the hem of her robe. "Brian, when you're done eating, please clear your place and brush your teeth," she said. Then she went to her room and closed the door. Her husband was kneeling on the floor. He was already dressed in his business suit, though he was still barefoot. His eyes were closed and his lips barely moved as she heard his murmured whispers. Silently, she moved around him to get her dress from the closet. Slipping off her robe, she moved to pull the dress over her head, but paused as she observed the man she had been married to for 18 years. His back was to her, and he was so absorbed in his prayers that she wondered if he even knew she was there. It was then that he turned his head and looked at her. Mary Ellen made no move to put the dress on, standing in front of him naked, holding the dress in her hand. She didn't move, holding her breath as he looked at her, his eyes never shifting but taking in the sight of her full self in one uninterrupted image. For a brief moment, she saw his eyes soften. But it was only a moment. The seriousness in his eyes returned as he came back to the world she knew. She slipped the dress over her head and tied the strings in the back. "I have to take Brian to school. Are you going in late to the office today?" Joseph smoothed his pants as he stood up to sit on the bed.

"No, though I really should have left already. I'm meeting with the church council today to go over funding and I need to prepare." He put his socks on, one by one, as if there was a more distinct purpose to each sock than covering his feet. Mary Ellen always found it odd and intriguing how he could do that, take each moment and experience it as its own when she always found herself doing three tasks at once, and thinking of three others she needed to be doing. Even as rushed as he should be, Joseph moved gently and purposefully. When his shoes were on, he stood up and kissed her softly on the corner of her mouth. "I should be home for dinner. Do you think we can have that roast you've been setting aside? Bill and Sarah might be coming over for dinner." Mary Ellen smiled and nodded, frowning in her mind's eye. Bill was a part of the council, and more than likely Joseph and Bill would be talking shop while she was left to tend to Sarah. Sarah seemed to know every single person in the world who was suffering, and this put a terrible burden on her, as if she herself was suffering. Mary Ellen knew that she would be spending the evening suffering herself through the burdensome life of Sarah.

"Of course, honey. We haven't had the Richardsons over here in a couple weeks. I'm looking forward to it."

"Mom..." Brian called from the doorway. His shoes were untied and his hair was still a mess. Mary Ellen bent down to tie his shoes, and then smoothed his hair as best as it would smooth. At 7 years old he was more than capable of getting ready, but Mary Ellen relished his dependancy, especially since 16 year old Katie was so independent.

"Get your backpack, and let's go," she said. She gave her husband another kiss on the cheek and followed her son out to the station wagon in the driveway.