A sunny start, OTA

[stepfordbot]

Routines are important. Establishing them, maintaining them- a lifetime spent with a house full of children that required minding and strict standards to follow as to their care filled Grace's days and gave her purpose. As the family waxed and waned, as the children grew and lives became infinitely more complicated the routine changed. But one thing remains the same no matter how old or young, no matter how full or empty the house has become. The most important meal of the day.



Nutrition dictates a certain variation now and then, but a single dish tends to surface over and over. Be it the dietary value or the aesthetic- or that it was one of the few ways she could, when they were young, offer the children a moment that was close to normal. Normal children aren't raised with an unloving and distant father, Normal families don't run drills with knives and violence instead of nursery rhymes and storybooks. Normal families and normal children had eggs sunny side up with smiling faces made with bacon.

Which is on the menu today alongside a stack of pancakes and a few prepared, wrapped and warmed sandwiches of egg, sausage, cheese, and english muffins for those that need to eat and run. Sliced fruit and glasses of fresh squeezed orange juice.

She's singing under her breath, something simple and lilting as the smell of bacon fat and frying eggs fills the air. No matter what happens, she's been able to feed and provide. As soon as the first set of eggs are finished she calls out- "Children! Eggs are ready."

Comments

[ouiking_ouija]

"Regular eggs is fine, honest." Mostly because it wasn't necessarily a health thing as much as it had been a 'way too high while watching a documentary about how smart pigs are' thing, followed by the somewhat irrational fear that he was going to start being haunted by them as well, despite the fact that he'd only ever been haunted by the ghosts of people and not animals.

Any music was automatically better than the lectures on things that they weren't likely to ever need, and he smiled, leaving his mug on the counter so he could swing her into an easy waltz-turn on her way back to the stove, not quite in time with the music, but close enough to it. Of course, he also let her go again almost immediately, so as not to leave any pancakes in danger of getting burnt.

"I can help with dishes, once the stampede's over." He said, picking his mug up again to sip carefully at his coffee, as if deciding whether or not it needed more sugar.

[stepfordbot]

She's startled into quiet laughter, leaning into the impromptu dance and finishing with a flourish as she returns to the stove. Little moments like this that they're allowed now, that she can enjoy? Almost make the years alone with Reginald worthwhile. Not that she holds the kids leaving when they could against them- they earned their own lives. She worried, of course, she did but- it's better now.

For however long this lasts, it's better, and she's grateful to have them.

"That's very sweet of you, dear, I appreciate it. Diego keeps telling me I should delegate a little more." It wasn't in her to do for the longest time but- there are more than enough mouths to feed, now, and more than enough hands to help afterwards. She'll take all the help that's offered gladly.

Half an eye on his mug, she pulls a handful of chocolate chips from the pantry, sprinkling them into the pancake batter browning away on the stove, just for Klaus.

[ouiking_ouija]

"Sometimes he actually has good ideas." He replied, tone jovial enough to indicate that it was mostly a tease. He was a little surprised that there hadn't been more instances of anyone being at each other's throats -metaphorically or literally- since the house had filled up again, but he also wasn't going to think on it too hard just in case he visualized it into being.

He reached over to grab a chunk of melon off of one of the serving plates, careful not to touch anything else on it while he did so, nibbling at it to hide the smile at that handful of chocolate chips, "You know, we're all tall enough to reach the counters now, you could probably get us to help with meal prep, too." Because clearly being too short to reach was all that had stopped them before, "I bet most of us would be happy to." He knew he would, at least most of the time, if only because of his need for something to do to keep himself from backsliding into old habits.

[stepfordbot]

"But will any of you wake up early enough to help with breakfast?" She leans enough to bump Klaus with her hip gently, something light, playful. They haven't had much chance for 'playful' with Reginald in the house. Perhaps the lack of expectation hanging over their heads has helped prevent some arguing- Grace stepping up to take a more active role in parenting might mitigate the rest. Or it might be the details of the week she missed that few talk about- that she's learned not to ask over. "I'll sign you up for lunch duty if you keep asking." A flick of the wrist and she flips Klaus' pancakes, waiting for them to finish browning before plating them. "Though Lunch is more grab and go than sit and eat than any other meal in the house."

[ouiking_ouija]

"Mom, of any of us I'm probably going to be the one that's already awake in time to help with breakfast." Already awake or just still awake, either way, but he nodded all the same, "And even if lunch is more grab-and-run, still couldn't hurt to have, like, sandwiches or something, just leave them in the cold case." He gestured to the refrigerated dessert case in the corner, one that he could remember the lights working in, though he couldn't remember it ever actually having desserts in it.

"Maybe something like apple slices and a dish of peanut butter, or carrot sticks and dressing. Cheese and crackers, maybe. You know, just, finger food, easy to just snag and run off with, or sit here if somebody wants to." That and he knew that even if people didn't come in to eat them for lunch, snacks were something they all needed from time to time, and given his own sleeping habits, he would definitely be happy to help.

[stepfordbot]

"That's an excellent idea." Small plates to grab as needed- and using the dessert case that... Why do they have that in the first place? Sometimes things seemed to simply appear in the house that she was expected to clean or maintain and much as she'd never thought of it, she now has to sit back and wonder at the bones of what Reginald had hoped would lead to greatness. As if other families would leave their children with the Academy after his callous attempt to purchase them. "You can help me stock the case after breakfast."

[ouiking_ouija]

He beamed as he tossed her a mock salute, managing not to jostle the cup of coffee in his other hand too badly, not enough to spill it, anyway, "Yes ma'am, my idea after all, only fair if I help make it happen."

He was pretty sure it was something that they'd have to do for a day or two before anyone really noticed, but maybe not. Sometimes things happened in the house and everybody knew about it within hours, he just wasn't totally sure where this one was going to fall on the scale.