I parked the car outside the school, my heart filled with a mix of excitement and nervousness. Today was special because Lily and Jake had made drawings for their mom, Rebecca. I hoped these would bring her some comfort, even though she couldn't see them yet.
As the school bell rang, kids spilled out of the building, laughing and talking. I spotted my twins running toward me, their faces bright with smiles.
"Dad!" Lily shouted, waving her drawing proudly. "Look what I made for Mommy!"
Jake held up his drawing, too. "Mine is better, right?" he joked, grinning.
I chuckled, kneeling down to give them both a big hug. "Both of your drawings are amazing! I can't wait to show them to Mom."
We hopped into the car, and I could feel the excitement buzzing in the air. "What did you draw?" I asked as I started the engine.
"I drew flowers, her favorite ones!" Lily said, her eyes sparkling. "And I wrote 'We love you, Mommy' on it."
Jake added, "I drew a rocket ship because I know she loves space! I wrote, 'You'll be our star!'"
"That's perfect, buddy," I said, feeling a warmth in my heart. Their innocent hope was contagious.
When we arrived at the hospital, I parked and took a deep breath. "Okay, you two, let's go see Mommy," I said, feeling a mix of hope and worry.
We walked through the sterile hallways, the smell of disinfectant filling the air. I led them to Rebecca's room, and as we entered, I felt a wave of emotions wash over me. Rebecca lay there, still and quiet, but I knew she could feel our presence.
"Look, Mom! We made these for you!" Lily said, her voice brightening the dim room.
Jake carefully placed his drawing on the table next to Rebecca. "I hope you like them. They're really special," he said softly.
I set Lily's drawing beside Jake's, and for a moment, we stood together, looking at their creations. I could almost imagine Rebecca smiling at them.
"Do you think she can hear us?" Lily asked, her voice full of hope.
"I believe she can," I replied. "Love travels, and we're sending her all of ours right now."
As we stood there, I felt the strength of their love. It made me more determined than ever to keep fighting for our family. "Let's sit and talk to her for a little while," I suggested, pulling up a chair.
Jake and Lily each took a seat, their little hands resting on the edge of the bed. "Mommy, we miss you so much," Lily said, her eyes shining with tears. "I want you to come back home and see us draw more pictures together."
Jake added, "Yeah! We can go to the park and have ice cream, just like we used to. We want you back, Mommy!"
Their innocent words struck a chord deep inside me. I couldn't let them down. I would do whatever it took to help Rebecca wake up.
**Making Plans**
After some time, we decided to leave. I knew the twins needed a break, and I wanted to keep their spirits up. As we walked out, I took out my phone and called Collins, my friend who helped with my business.
"Hey, Ryan! What's up?" Collins answered cheerfully.
"Hey, I have an idea," I said, feeling a surge of excitement. "I want to rent out the whole cinema for the kids. Can you help me with that?"
"Of course! What do you have in mind?" Collins asked, intrigued.
"I want to show eleven movies that the kids will love. And we need a ton of snacks—popcorn, candy, drinks, everything!" I said, my mind racing with possibilities.
"Sounds like a big party! What movies are you thinking?" Collins asked.
I thought for a moment. "Let's go with some fun ones. How about 'The Great Adventure,' 'Space Explorers,' and 'The Magic Garden'? And for some laughs, let's add 'Animal City' and 'Superhero Academy.' They love those!"
"Great choices! What about some newer ones?" Collins suggested.
"Sure! We can include 'The Secret World,' 'The Quest for Treasure,' and 'The Amazing Race.' How about 'The Legend of the Lost Kingdom' and 'Funny Monsters' too?" I added, feeling the excitement building.
"This is going to be awesome! I'll arrange everything and make sure there's enough food," Collins said. "When do you want to do this?"
"How about this weekend?" I replied. "I want to make it special for the kids. They deserve some joy right now."
"Done! I'll take care of it. Just focus on being there for them," Collins assured me.
After ending the call, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. I was determined to create a fun day for Jake and Lily, a day filled with laughter and joy. They needed it, especially with everything happening.
"Dad, what are we doing this weekend?" Jake asked, his curiosity piqued.
"I have a surprise for you two," I said, grinning. "We're going to a special movie event!"
"Movies? Like, all the movies?" Lily exclaimed, her eyes wide.
"Exactly! We'll watch eleven of them, and there will be lots of snacks," I said, trying to contain my excitement.
"Yay! That's awesome!" Jake shouted, bouncing in his seat.
As we drove home, I felt a sense of hope. I knew that despite the struggles we faced, we could find happiness together. I glanced at the twins in the backseat, their faces lit up with joy.
When we got home, I encouraged them to pick their favorite snacks for the movie day. "Let's make a list of everything you want!" I said, grabbing a notepad.
"I want popcorn and candy!" Jake shouted.
"Me too! And we need soda!" Lily added, her enthusiasm contagious.
As we wrote down our list, I felt grateful for these little moments. They reminded me of what was truly important—family, love, and creating happy memories together.
Later that evening, after dinner, I tucked the twins into bed. "Goodnight, my little artists," I said, kissing them on their foreheads. "Tomorrow is going to be an amazing day."
"Goodnight, Dad! We love you!" they replied, their voices sleepy but filled with happiness.
With that thought in my heart, I drifted off to sleep, excited for what tomorrow would bring.