Page 1 of Heart of a Hero

1

“Laura! Olivia! You know the rule about breakfast before school!”

The early morning sun filtered through the kitchen window, casting a warm glow on the modest, cozy space. Karen Drummond stood at the counter, her movements practiced as she set out bowls for cereal and dropped bagels into the toaster. The comforting scent of coffee mingled with the toasted bread.

She would have taken the time to fix a hardier breakfast but had enough trouble getting her daughters to eat on a school day. Olivia bounded into the kitchen. She’d dressed in a carefully chosen outfit and pulled her hair into a ponytail.

Smiling, Karen asked, “Is Laura on her way?”

Olivia responded with a smirk, an expression Karen recognized as a blend of sisterly exasperation and amusement. Chuckling, Karen pushed the box of cereal and carton of milk closer to Olivia before pouring a glass of orange juice. “Cream cheese or butter today?”

Olivia’s lips curved upward as she eyed the bagel when it popped up from the toaster. “Butter and jelly.” Her not-quite teenage voice at twelve years old still held a touch of excitement over something so simple.

Karen savored these moments, knowing all too well that the days when Olivia would be eager to share her preferences with such joy were numbered. Soon, there would be scoffs or eye rolls, as though she should know her daughter’s wishes without asking.

“I’m here, I’m here!” Fourteen-year-old Laura walked into the room, her voice breathless. Her hair was partially dry but fell in natural waves below her shoulders. She recently began wearing a touch of makeup, but Karen convinced Laura to do only mascara and lip gloss. Both girls had natural beauty, and Karen was grateful for every week that went by without their desire to succumb to the beauty rituals found in the media.

Laura flashed a grin. “Cream cheese on my bagel, please.”

The girls ate their cereal while chatting and laughing, and Karen loved the sound of easy banter filling the kitchen. She fixed their bagels before placing them on the counter. While the girls got ready, Karen had already applied makeup, fixed her hair, and dressed. She’d also had her breakfast. She liked to get up early to spend time with the girls before their school day started.

“You’re lucky, Mom,” Laura said between bites.

Lifting a brow, she waited to see what her daughter's explanation would be.

“You just wear scrubs to work. We have to figure out what pants work with what shirt and what shoes to wear.”

“That’s not necessarily true,” Olivia piped up. “Mom has different scrub colors, so she has to choose the color to match her mood for the day.”

Laughing, Karen stepped back and twirled in the middle of the kitchen, her arms stretched out to the side as though on a model’s runway in her red scrubs. “What mood am I in today?”

“Red is the color of passion. Excitement. Maybe even danger,” Olivia replied.

Karen stopped twirling and stared at Olivia, calmly spooning cereal into her mouth while Laura lifted her brows as though amused.

“Sorry I asked,” Karen mumbled. “Danger… I hope not. Excitement… questionable. Passion… undoubtedly no.”

“Mom, you’re beautiful no matter what you wear,” Olivia added. “You should have more passion in your life.”

There was no time before school to even discuss how she had no time for passion. Taking the conversation back to clothes, Karen shrugged. “It’s true, I don’t have to give a lot of thought to my work clothes. But then, I’ve worn nursing scrubs for so many years, I would find it strange to have to choose my outfit each day.”

“Sometimes I wish our school had uniforms,” Olivia said. “Then it would be easy each morning to figure out what to wear.”

“There is a dress code at the middle and high school,” Laura announced. “Of course, not all kids adhere to it.”

“What happens then?” Karen asked as she peered at her daughters over the rim of her coffee cup.

Laura laughed. “The principal keeps a supply of giant ugly T-shirts they have to wear until their parents bring something appropriate. Believe me, no one wants that to happen.”

By now, the girls had downed their breakfast, loaded their dishes into the dishwasher, and raced back upstairs to brush their teeth. Karen glanced to the side, checking that their backpacks were next to the kitchen door. She smiled, her heart full. Life had brought unexpected changes, including heart-wrenching losses. But she’d been gifted with two beautiful daughters, and the three of them were forging ahead. She loved the small, mundane conversations that were the thread of their lives, weaving together the moments that mattered the most.

Karen walked into her bedroom. Stepping into the bathroom, she also brushed her teeth and ran a brush through hershoulder-length bob. A few stray gray strands were sneaking in, but her blond hair hid them well for now. Hearing the girls' footsteps on the stairs coming back down, she hurried out to meet them in the kitchen.

After Karen locked the door, the girls climbed into their small SUV. It didn’t take long to arrive at the high school where her oldest was a ninth grader. Before Laura alighted, Karen glanced at her in the rearview mirror. She saw her daughter’s gaze scan the sidewalks, looking for friends. Karen could tell the moment Laura’s eyes landed on people she knew when a smile crossed her face.

“Have a good day, sweetheart,” Karen said softly.

Laura smiled in return, a mixture of confidence and teenage nonchalance filling her expression before hopping out of the vehicle. Laura hurried over to a group of girls who greeted her warmly, and Karen offered a little sigh for the passage of time that seemed to go by faster each year.

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