Six Beating Hearts

The kids wanted to "fall asleep as a family" last night, in our bed. Together.
In light of recent events, I'm certainly not one to discourage family closeness.
So, together we lay....the baby on my left, then me, then the older girl, then the boy, then Daddy. The cat was curled at my feet.
As I listened to the precious sound of their collective rythmic breathing, I stared at a palm tree dancing in the breeze outside our window. Layers of vibrant orange framed the rooftop across the street, beyond the tree.
My mind wandered, but my eyes never wavered.
In....out....in.....out.
One of them was snoring lightly.
The cat started to purr.
I watched the queen palm dance until the orange sunset faded to purple, then gray, and finally black. A streetlight illuminated the dancing fronds as the frogs began their nighttime song.
By now, my husband had left the bed.
I stayed.
There was nowhere else I wanted to be.