Airam was the first to wake, blinking slowly as she realized all four of them, herself, Laila, Jane, and their mother, had somehow squeezed into their mother's bed. Warm limbs tangled, soft breathing, and a peace she hadn't felt in years.
"I don't think I've slept this well in forever," Airam murmured, stretching.
Jane and Laila lifted their heads at the same time, their eyes drifting toward their mother's sleeping face. They giggled like they were children again.
Then Airam glanced at the clock.
"Oh my God!" she shouted, springing out of bed.
Jane jolted upright. "What?!"
"The time!" Airam yelped.
Chaos broke instantly. Airam ran for the kitchen, Jane rushed to wake the kids, and Laila sped off to prepare their baths.
But the moment Airam stepped into the kitchen, she froze.
The delicious smell of pancakes and fresh juice filled the air. And there he was.
Harry.
Wearing her apron.
Tall, concentrated, gently flipping pancakes one by one as seven neatly dressed children sat in a row quietly, patiently waiting like soldiers for their turn.
Jane and Laila appeared behind Airam and froze just the same.
"This one is a good one," Laila whispered.
"A hot guy in the kitchen? I must be dreaming," Jane added.
"I'll eat anything he cooks," Laila said.
"I'll eat him," Jane murmured, tilting her head.
"Will you two stop talking nonsense?" Airam hissed, shushing them.
Harry finally turned, surprised. "There you are. Sit. I made plenty of pancakes. I'm sorry for the mess, but..."
"Forget the mess," Laila said, already reaching for a plate. "I would love some."
The kids immediately burst into playful arguments over who got the next pancake, laughing and trying to outdo each other.
Harry smiled and glanced at Airam. "Great. Would you want some, Airam? Oh...oh, I think I'm about to get my ass kicked again?"
His teasing made the air tighten. The room seemed to pause, everyone waiting.
"I…I'll go get ready," Airam said, turning away.
Laila tugged her back. "Sit. Eat. It looks delicious."
"She doesn't like being taken care of," Jane chimed in. "Not since we were kids. She's always been the one doing everything for everyone else."
Jane nudged her sister playfully. "Remember when she was little? She'd wake up early, fix breakfast for herself and all of us. I used to wonder who she took after because really she got the looks, the brains, and she works harder than all of us put together."
Harry watched Airam with quiet awe, like each sentence revealed another secret layer about her.
"And she's single, you know," Laila added with a shameless grin.
Jane turned to Harry. "Are you single?"
Harry nearly dropped the spatula. "I...uh...yes, yes I am."
"Oh, you two can't be serious right now!" Airam exclaimed, blushing as the kids burst into giggles.
Jane smirked. "See? He's single."
Harry recovered enough to smile gently at Airam. "Would you like some more?"
For the first time that morning, his voice was soft, almost hopeful. Like he enjoyed seeing her world unfold around him. Like he wanted to be part of it.
Airam avoided his eyes. "No, it's fine. I need to get ready for work."
Then she turned to the children. "And you seven better hurry up before you miss the school bus."
"Yes, aunty!" they chorused.
On her way out, Airam paused beside Harry, just long enough to whisper, "Thank you."
Then she disappeared down the hallway, leaving Harry standing in her apron, staring after her like she had just made his whole morning worth waking up for.