Only in Your Dreams

Mack shook his young daughter awake. "Come on, baby girl, Daddy needs a helper." He scooped up his three year old, holding her close to him as he went downstairs to the kitchen.

Once he had assembled the materials needed, he scooped Jamie up again and sat her on the counter. "OK, I need two eggs." Jamie smiled up at him and opened the egg carton, choosing two of them. He smiled back at her before cracking the eggs into the bowl.

"What next, Daddy?"

"I need a half cup of water." The older Hartford measured the water carefully and poured it into the bowl. He took a wooden spoon from the utensil drawer. "Do you wanna stir?" Jamie nodded eagerly and took the large utensil from her father. She sang to herself as she stirred the pancake batter. Mack checked that his baby girl wasn't going to fall off the counter before crossing to the coffee pot.

"All done!" Jamie chirped brightly a few minutes later. She smiled up at him again. "Did I do good, Daddy?" Jamie asked, holding out the bowl for Mack to inspect.

Mack poked around with the spoon for a moment. "You did great, sweetheart." Mack kissed the top of Jamie's head and then took a frying pan from the cupboard. He poured a large amount of batter into it, forming a perfect circle. Once that had started to cook, he found another frying pan and took a pound of bacon from the fridge.

Satisfied with the progress breakfast was making, Mack put Jamie down and went to watch cartoons with her. After ten minutes, he got the breakfast tray ready and spoke to Jamie. "Baby, I need you to get your mommy up. Tell her 'Happy Birthday.'"

Jamie did just as her father had asked her to. She skipped upstairs and into her parents' room. "Mommy!" her little voice mewed. "Mommy, wake up! It's your birthday, it's your birthday!" Jamie climbed onto the bed and gave her mother's shoulder a gentle shove.

Rose gave a sleepy smile and opened her eyes. "Good morning." She held out her arms and her daughter eagerly snuggled in. "You're up early."

"Daddy needed a helper!" Jamie exclaimed. "We cooked breakfast for you!" She beamed with pride at this, looking to her mother for approval. Rose felt her heart melt. God she loved this little girl.

"You did?" Rose asked, weaving her fingers through Jamie's dark hair. "Where is it?"

"Daddy's bringing it up," Jamie answered. "Oops! I forgot to tell you 'Happy Birthday!' Happy birthday, Mommy. I love you this much." Jamie spread her arms out as wide as she possibly could.

"That seems about right. I love you too, Jamie. You're my favorite little girl."

"Well, isn't this a precious moment?" Mack asked as he entered the room with a tray in his hands. "Happy birthday, Rose. We made you pancakes, bacon and coffee for breakfast. Eat up." Mack carefully set the tray down onto Rose's lap, leaned in for a quick kiss, and then reached for Jamie. "Hungry?"

The young girl nodded. "Can I have pancakes, Daddy?" Her blue eyes shined as they looked up at her father.

"Of course you can." Jamie beamed and wrapped her tiny arms around Mack's neck. He waved to Rose as he took their daughter downstairs once more.

Many hours later, Rose held a sleeping Jamie in her arms and carried her to the pink bedroom. "Goodnight, my little Jamie," Rose whispered as she peeled back her daughter's quilt and sheets. "I love you so much, my angel."

As the older Hartford slipped out of Jamie's bedroom, Mack came up the stairs. "Now that Jamie's all taken care of…" Mack hugged his wife tightly and leaned in to kiss her. "I love you. Happy birthday."

Rose chuckled softly. "I'm just glad it didn't turn out the way you dreamed my twenty-fifth birthday did."