Mother's Day Challenge Submission #1

This story was submitted by amara z as a response to the challenge posted asking for stories about what Mother's Day with the Solo family might be like.  Enjoy!

Mother's Day At the Solos

Leia Organa Solo woke up to silence. Inexplicable, all encompassing silence. Not even her husband's usual snoring was present to break up the complete stillness that filled her bedroom. Looking at the chrono, she figured at this late hour she would already be knee deep in children shouting, clamoring for her attention. Especially since it was Mother's Day. In prior years, the kids would have her up at the crack of dawn, smothering her in kisses and urging her to eat their latest creative breakfast concoction.

But there was none of that today. Just blissful silence. It was completely disconcerting. She had come to believe over the years that when it came to her children if it got too quiet, that was when the worst trouble was about to start. And with Han, it was doubly so. Who knew what kind of trouble the four of them were getting into?

Curious about what they might be up to, she rose from the bed and slid on her robe before leaving the room in search of her family. It didn’t take long. As she entered the kitchen, she expected to find the children making a huge mess that she and Han would clean up later. Instead she found her two seven year olds and six year old quietly sitting at the table and dutifully eating their cereal under the watchful eye of their father as he hovered near the back counter. Anakin was the first to notice her, his mouth splitting into a wide grin around a mouthful of food and milk.

"Hi, Mommy! Happy Mother's Day!" he shouted, his bright blue eyes shining with delight. It reminded her of times long ago when her own brother’s eyes had shone with the same light.

Leia smiled at her youngest son as she stopped next to him to plant a kiss on top of his head. "Thank you, honey."

Ruffling his hair, she shifted to the other side of the table to stand between her twins, placing a hand on each of their shoulders. "And what are the three of you up to this morning?"

Jaina grimaced and opened her mouth to say something, but quickly reconsidered upon seeing the stern expression on her father’s face. She gave him an equally glowering look. "Behaving ourselves like Daddy told us to."

 

 

Leia didn't know what to say to that. It was rare that her children were quiet and even rarer that they would actually mind their father. She finally made her way over to Han, accepting a cup from him as she leaned against the counter next to him.

 

 

“So what did you do? Bribe them? Slip something into their cereal?” she asked quietly as she took a sip of caf and glanced at him over the rim.

Han chuckled, taking a sip of his own drink, and eyed his wife. “What did you expect? Them to be chasing each other around the house with their underwear on their heads?”

Leia laughed. “Something like that.”

He shifted closer, really giving her a long accessing look. "What? You don't think I can get my own kids to behave?"

Leia repressed an unladylike snort. "The operative words being 'your children.' I’m not sure if even New Republic Security could get them to listen once they get an idea in their heads,” she replied with a shake of her head.

 

 

Han settled back against the counter, considering her words, and took another a drink. He finally smiled at her.

 

 

“I bribed them.”

 

 

 “With what?”

 

 

 “Oh, a little outing together. Figured I’d take them to some of the places they really like.”

 

 

Leia looked a little taken aback by that. Mother’s Day without her family? She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. “What about me? I get the apartment to myself for the day?”

Han leaned in with a smirk and gave her a light kiss on the lips. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I took care of you, too. Winter and Mirax are picking you up.”

 

 

“Winter? I thought she was off planet until the end of the week.”

Han shook his head. “She came back early. She has the whole day planned for the three of you. Brunch, the spa. Whatever you ladies feel up to doing.”

 

 

“But what about the kids?”

 

 

“We’ll be fine. You go enjoy the day. You take care of enough other people as it is, Leia. Take some time for yourself for once.”

He glanced at the chrono. “They’ll be here in about an hour, so you better start getting ready.” He plucked the cup from her hand, and with another quick kiss, gave her a nudge towards the kitchen door.

 

 

Leia grudgingly moved to leave, giving her husband a small smile as she did. She stopped briefly to give each of her children a quick kiss in turn before leaving to spend the day with her friends.

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Leia's day ended much like it started - with silence. Entering their apartment, she found it much the same as she left it - eerily quiet - and too much so for it to be her apartment. But she let it slide. Han had never indicated when they might be back. So it was possible they weren't even home yet. And after a day with the girls, a massage, and more fizzy drinks than she could count, she was relaxed enough to feel as if she didn't have a bone in her body let alone a care.

She thought about slipping into bed for a little bit and extending the relaxation out a little further. But she was pretty sure she could hear low sounds coming from the back and she made her way there first. She found her children spread out on the floor of the twins' room coloring. As soon as they spotted her, they let out a loud cry.

 

 

"Mommy!" they yelled as they all rushed forward at once and Leia found herself contending with each of them trying to wrap their arms around her legs at the same time. She gave each of them a kiss and a hug as they danced around her excitedly, anxious to tell her about their day. It took her a moment before she could get them to calm down enough to stop talking over one another.

"Mommy, you wouldn't believe what we saw at the zoo today," Jacen told her as he bounced in front of her, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

 

 

 

"That was nothing compared to all the ships we saw at Eastport. Daddy named them all for us!" Jaina said cutting her brother off. "We must have been there for hours.”

 

 

Anakin was next and quick to break in, beaming at her. "Daddy let me run around the Falcon for a while and gave me some old parts to play with.”

Leia smiled to herself. That's how Han had done it. Spent the day doing something each of them would like. It was impressive.

"And now we're making cards for you!" Jacen told her, pointing to the mess in the middle of the floor. Tugging on her hands and arms, they pulled her forward and she sat down next to them so they could show her their work. She ooh'd and ahh'd at all the right parts as they continued to tell her about their day and periodically grabbed her for emphasis. As much as she loved the break and the time spent with her friends, she treasured these moments. When it was just her and her babies and she could bask in their innocence and joy.

 

 

Eventually the kids settled down and moved onto other projects while Leia watched. She shifted Anakin off of her lap and onto the floor. "What do you say I track down your father and then see about making us some dinner?"

“Daddy said he already had something made. He just needs to put it in the oven for a little bit,” Jaina told her absently, not looking up from her drawing.

 

 

Leia sat back on her heels for a moment before standing. “Why don’t you kids keep playing? I’ll check on you in a little bit.” Heading towards her bedroom, she felt overwhelmed and amazed by Han’s thoughtfulness and planning. He had really thought of everything and he typically wasn’t one to think much past the current moment let alone plan a whole day out.

As she neared the bedroom doorway, she could see her husband standing at the dresser. Although he was fully dressed, she could tell he had just finished in the refresher. His hair was sopping wet and he was currently staring in the mirror and slicking it back from his face. Unfortunately, she had missed the rest of his routine. She put a hand on the doorframe and smiled. “Darn. Looks like I missed the best part.”

 

 

Han turned towards her, surprise running across his face. “What part is that?”

 

 

She straightened and started towards him. “You in only a towel.”

“You like that part, huh?” he asked with a grin.

Leia merely nodded before burying her face in his chest and sliding her arms around him. She held him close for a few moments, letting his arms come around her and enveloping her in his warmth. This was home to her; of all the places in the galaxy, here in his arms was the place she felt the most comfortable and the most safe.

“How was your day? Did you have a good time?”

 

 

Leia nodded again and let out a long satisfied sigh. “Mmm-hmm. Bliss was definitely achieved.”

 

 

He had a lopsided grin on his face when she looked up at him again and he gently ran a finger down her jaw. “I’m glad. Someone has to take care of you too, you know.”

 

 

He bent down to kiss her and she lifted onto her toes to meet him. It was a soft, gentle, lingering kiss that had electricity running through her veins and held the promise of more things to come. She gave him a coy smile as she pulled away and splayed her hands across his chest. “Don’t suppose you have something planned for us later?”

“I might have some ideas,” he replied as he lowered his head to kiss her again.

 

 

Suddenly, there was a loud crash followed by a scream and then the high pitched wail of their youngest son. Leia sighed, her head drooping into his chest. This was more like how she had expected the day to go.

“I’ll handle it,” he said as shifted to move past her and towards the door. Leia quickly put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. “Why don’t you take care of dinner? I’ll deal with them.”

 

 

Han nodded and stepped aside, allowing her to go ahead of him. Leia hesitated in the doorway and turned to glance back at him. “And, Han? Thanks.”

 

 

His brow furrowed. “For what?”

 

 

“The break today. For the kids.” She shrugged. “For everything,” she told him and turned to go, leaving Han with a self-satisfied smile on his face.

 

Thanks for the contribution, amara!  And remember, if anyone has anything else they would like to add, please send it!