Family Portrait
INVOLED: Summer Townsend, Ellie Rose, London Townsend, Dalyia Rose, Kori Page TIME FRAME: Sunday, May 14, 2017 LOCATION: Townsend-Rose Residence; Los Angeles, CA SUMMARY: It’s Mother’s Day and Summer has been so caught up in Ellie’s well-being that she forget’s her own daughters birthday.
Ellie shifted on her feet as she blew out a tired breath. Never in her life could she have imagined that one day making eight cupcakes would tire her out so much that she could barely stand to stand on her feet any longer. She rested her hands on her counter as she leaned against it slightly. Her side was killing her, it started out as a small pinch of pain, nothing too bad, but as the minutes passed her that pain tripled and crippled her as it did. She closed her eyes for a moment. She was simply waiting for the timer to go off so that she could take the cupcakes out, all while trying to make icing from scratch. She moved back to the task wincing slightly before she cleared her throat a bit, she had a habit of doing that ever since she left the hospital.
Summer walked through the front door with a small sigh. She had spent over an hour at the bakery, trying to pick the perfect cake for today. It was Mother’s Day and she wanted to do something nice for Ellie since she was finally released from the hospital. Licking her lips, she tossed her keys down and shrugged her windbreaker off before she heard noise in the kitchen. “Londy is that you?” she questioned arching an eyebrow. She thought that London had taken the kids to the park to give Ellie a morning of peace and quiet but maybe they were back already.
Ellie’s timer went off ringing, loudly in the kitchen, and she opened the door and grabbed her mittens pulling the cupcake pan out and sitting it on the stove top to cool down a bit. She moved back to the counter turning her timer off finally, she hadn’t heard anyone walk in or speak as she moved to sluggishly pull a bar stool up to where she was finishing off her icing as she sat down on it, sighing a sigh of relief to be off her feet as she did.
Summer heard the blaring timer go off and she shook her head as she moved towards the kitchen. “London, I told you I was going to buy a cake, what are you…” she stopped short seeing Ellie sitting on the barstool at the counter. “Ellie,” Summer said gently as she sat the cake box down. “You didn’t have to bake a cake I got one. You’re supposed to be resting.”
Ellie looked to Summer and she blinked slowly as she shifted on the seat licking her lips. “I,” she spoke voice raspy and rigid as she did, “I wanted to make Kori cupcakes for her birthday.” She said before she cleared her throat a bit. “I wanted to make her something special,” she said biting her lip hard as she did.
Summer leaned against the counter as she gazed at Ellie with soft eyes. “What do you mean?” She questioned softly. “Today is Mother’s Day baby. Not Kori’s birthday,” she told Ellie. “So, I went out and got us a Mother’s Day cake.” Standing up straight, Summer grabbed the cake box and pulled it closer, lifting the top to show Ellie.
Ellie looked to Summer furrowing her brows a bit a she did. She licked her lips once more resting her hands in her lap as Summer spoke showing her the cake. “Today is Kori’s birthday Summer,” she repeated in case Summer didn’t hear her before. “That’s why I asked,” she paused resting her hand on her chest, it bothered her how much she was barely audible. “That’s why I asked if we were doing anything today,” she said breathing heavily. “I know it’s Mother’s Day,” she said pausing, “but it’s Kori’s birthday too Summer,” she told her. “I don’t want to disappoint her so I was making her cupcakes.”
Summer looked at the cake and then at Ellie shaking her head. “Baby, I think you’re confused. I know when Kori’s birthday is,” she said as she pulled her phone from her back pocket to check the day’s date. As she read the words on the screen she blinked slowly. Sunday, May 14, 2017. Today was her child’s birthday. “Oh, my God.” She said as she stood up straight. “How could I forget?!” She said shocked at herself. “I didn’t even realize what the actual date of today was,” she said shaking her head at herself before she looked at Ellie. “I’m such a bad mom,” she mumbled as she ran her fingers through her hair. “Here, come on,” she said as she rounded the counter. “Let’s get you back in bed and then I need to run back out and grab a gift or two for Kori.”
Ellie looked to Summer as she argued against her and she said nothing, she was already straining her voice enough replying to her she didn't want to strain her voice more. As Summer grabbed her phone to look at the date she shifted in the seat again. She couldn't believe Summer had forgotten herself but it spoke volumes. Summer had been too consumed with Ellie, it caused her to forget her own child's birthday. Ellie closed her eyes at her words and she looked to Summer again at her suggestion. “But the cupcakes,” she said voice deep as she did.
Summer’s mind was running a mile a minute as she tried to help Ellie up. “I’ll finish them baby,” she said looking down at the cupcakes. “We have to get you back in bed though. If you made these then you’ve already over exerted yourself,” she said knowingly. “At the least I need you on the couch,” she said gently as she tried to figure out how she could've managed to forget her child birthday and what she was going to buy from the store as a last-minute present.
Ellie looked to Summer nodding her head as she climbed down from the stool, Summer couldn’t cook so there was no telling how the cupcakes would turn out. She sighed as she moved to go back upstairs as she was instructed.
Summer placed her hand on Ellie’s lower back, gently helping her get up. “Don’t worry. It’s just icing, I can do icing,” she said gently as she pressed a kiss to Ellie’s cheek. She watched as Ellie slowly moved out the kitchen before she asked. “Do you need help getting up the stairs?”
Ellie shook her head at Summer as she moved up the stairs. She used the railing to her advantage and put all her weight on it as she moved her other hand to cup her side. She bit down on her lip and moved to their room pushing the door open. She climbed in the bed slowly groaning a bit. She got under the covers and pulled them up as she adjusted herself. Ellie breathed out, blowing air out through her lips as she closed her eyes tiredly.
Summer bit her lip gently as Ellie shook her head and she watched as Ellie made her way up the steps before she sighed. Sitting down on the barstool, she dropped her head into her hands, gripping her hair at the roots as she tugged gently. She felt horrible. What kind of mother was she to forget that her baby girl was turning three? Shaking her head, she stood up slowly and moved out of the kitchen, the cupcakes the last thing on her mind as she snatched her keys up.
London unlocked the door, letting the two toddlers run into the house before her. “Careful, careful,” she told them as they knocked into each other accidentally. Looking up, London gazed at Summer with a soft chuckle before she stopped at the expression on her sister's face. “What’s wrong?”
“Mommy, mommy look!” Kori said suddenly holding up an acorn for Summer to see.
Dalyia went trotting up the steps one by one to see her mother. When she reached the top, she walked towards the bedroom door that she knew to be her mothers and entered slowly. She stood at the head of the bed, leaning up on her tippy-toes to view her mother as she laid there before she began her climb into the bed, tugging at the covers as she did.
Ellie let out a loud snore into the room, she shifted in the bed a bit trying to lay on the opposite side of her body so that she wasn’t on her back nor her wounded side. She closed her eyes again for a bit before she felt a presence in the room. She opened her eyes to see Dalyia moving to climb up on the bed with her and she smirked. She wanted to say something but for the moment she didn’t. She knew the children didn’t understand and she never really tried to talk around them out of fear of scaring them. Dalyia was already a curious kid, it was bad enough she sported a big bandage over her throat.
Summer stared at her sister, her face going through a varying range of emotions before she looked down at her daughter. “I’m fine,” she mumbled. “I’ll be back. I need to go back to the store, I forgot something,” she said to London before she looked down at Kori again. “I see, I see,” she said with a small soft smile. Leaning down she pressed a kiss to Kori’s forehead before she hugged her close. “I love you baby girl,” she said sweetly.
London’s eyebrows pulled together but she stayed silent as Summer spoke and she nodded slowly, unsure of what the issue was. “Alright, I got the kids, you go.” She said before she looked around. “Where’s Rae?” she questioned before she looked up the steps knowingly. “I’ll go get her. I know Ellie needs her rest.” After Summer finished hugging Kori, she scooped the child into her arms and began carrying her up the steps.
Dalyia smiled right back at her mother as she fought tooth and nail to climb into the large bed. It took her three tries and a few grunts before she had finally reached the top. She steadied herself, gripping the covers in her tiny hands as she let out a small huff from the exertion. Finally, she crawled across the bed to her mother. “Mama,” she cooed gently, laying down beside her.
Ellie watched Dalyia and she pulled herself up a bit, trying to help the child as she struggled to climb up the bed successfully. She watched her and chuckled proudly as she finally made her way onto the bed. She watched her crawl across the covers towards her and she hugged her close to her chest. Closing her eyes, her smile grew hearing Dalyia call her name. It filled her heart with so much joy. “Hi,” she replied as softly as she could before she kissed her forehead sweetly.
Summer pulled away from Kori, watching as she and London went up the steps before she exited the house.
London held Kori in her arms as she moved down the hallway towards Summer and Ellie’s bedroom. She knocked on the door frame twice before she entered slowly, smiling at the sight of Dalyia and Ellie. “Hey,” London said gently. “I was just coming to get her,” she said as she adjusted Kori in her arms, sitting the toddler on her hip. Walking a little further into the room, she grabbed a notepad and a pen from Summer’s nightstand drawer before handing it to Ellie. “So, you don’t have to talk,” she said with a thoughtful smile.
Ellie cuddled Dalyia sleepily, she rested her head against her daughter's sweetly before she looked up to London. As she entered the room she nodded her head at her. Grabbing the notepad, she wrote, it’s okay, she can stay, before showing London. She knew her child missed her, they had never been a part so she understood how clingy she was as of late. Even though she was still recovering was trying to supply her with that same love and comfort she’d been missing for 2 months.
London watched Ellie write on the notepad before she read it and she nodded slowly. She looked at Kori in her arms, bouncing the toddler a few times before she turned to leave. “It’s okay,” she said. “You have your phone, right? If you need anything shoot me a text,” she said as she moved to exit the room.
Kori rested in London’s arms, head lying on the older girl’s shoulder. However, as she walked out the room, she reached out, arms stretched towards Ellie sadly. “Stay,” she whispered to London gently.
Ellie nodded her head at London, her phone was on the night stand beside her. She rubbed Dalyia’s back lovingly as London moved to leave the room. At Kori’s words Ellie’s heart broke and she scribbled on the notepad, she can stay!, before holding it up for London.
London stopped short at Kori’s words and she looked back at Ellie, reading the words on the notepad. She nodded slowly, walking back into the room, and sitting Kori down on the edge of the bed. London stood there for a moment before she sat down on the bed as well. She rested with her back against the headboard, looking over at Ellie with sad eyes.
Kori began to crawl towards Ellie the moment London set her down and she rested beside Dalyia, laying her head on her little sister shoulder. “Love you,” Kori said looking at Ellie.
Ellie watched Kori move towards her and she smiled faintly leaning over to kiss the child’s forehead gently. “Love you too,” she said quietly before she shifted onto her side more. She held onto them both and closed her eyes gently as she did.
London looked at Kori and Daylia cuddled up to Ellie and she frowned a little. Toeing off her shoes, she laid down in the bed, joining in on the cuddles.
Summer rushed back through the front door, holding a bag of toys in one hand and a second cake box in another. She moved into the kitchen, sitting the box on the counter and the bag down on the floor. Quickly she began to ice the cupcakes Ellie made, trying to be as precise as possible, but it still ended up looking a mess. Huffing she rolled her eyes and gave up before she placed both cakes in the fridge and picked up the bag. Moving back into the living room, she pulled the gift wrap from the closet and began to wrap the gifts up. Once she was finished she let out a deep sigh. Her fingers ran through her wild hair as she stood up and she finally began moving up the steps to check on Ellie.
Ellie let out a small snore as she fell asleep once more, she shifted slightly in the bed as she rested peacefully with London, Kori, and Dalyia.
Summer took the steps two at a time, climbing them quickly. When she reached the top, she made a beeline for their bedroom, stopping short when she saw her family lying in bed together. The sight brought tears to her eyes and a smile to her face. Quietly she slid out of her shoes and moved into the bed as well. She laid beside her little sister, her arm curling over London, Kori, Dalyia, and her hand tenderly resting against Ellie’s hip.
As Summer came into the room, shifting, and climbing into bed with everyone. Ellie popped an eye open keeping a laugh in as she did. Ellie grabbed the notepad and flipped a page saying, we are packed in this bed like Mexicans and she held it up for it to be read.
Summer looked over at Ellie with a small smile on her face, watching as one of her eyes opened. She watched in silence as Ellie scribbled on the notepad before she turned it for her to see and in an instant, she was howling with laughter as she sat up.
London looked back at Summer as she slid into the bed beside her before her eyes closed once more. However, at Summer’s laughter, she opened her eyes and looked at what Ellie had written, causing her to laugh out as well.
Ellie smirked widely as London and Summer laughed at her. She sat the notepad back aside as she licked her lips looking to the kids. They both laid near her cuddling each other eyes closed and she rubbed both of their back sweetly as she shifted in the bed again. She grabbed the notepad one last time as a thought hit her. Did you fix the cupcakes? She asked Summer.
Summer looked at the notepad as Ellie write something else down. Reading the question, Summer bit her lip. “I tried my best baby,” she said honestly.
Ellie chuckled slightly with a shake of her head. Summer couldn’t cook and she knew that so she wasn’t even upset about it. She tried and that’s all she could ask of her. She still was a little sad that she wasn’t herself 100 percent and she wish she could be for Kori’s sake.
Summer sent Ellie a cheeky smile before she laid back down, whispering, “I love you guys.”
