Light pours in through my window and hits me directly in the face. I glance at the clock on my nightstand, 06:00 am. I turn, trying to catch a couple of hours more of sleep.

I've barely closed my eyes when birds start chirping outside my window.

Because why wouldn't they.

I groan. Apparently, today, Katie Gardner is getting no more than six hours of sleep. I guess I'll have to get out of bed. Oh, joy!

I pull my hair up into a messy bun and wash my face. I look like a dead girl. I sigh, grabbing a couple of towels. I guess I'll have to shower, because there's nothing else I'd rather do at 6am on a Friday!

I slide into the shower, feeling the hot water pour against my bare skin, my knotted hair reaching down the middle of my back and I absentmindedly run my fingers through it.

I hold up the soap to my face and smell it; I smile. It smells like him. It used to be his favorite.

I decide to stop dwelling on it and resume my morning shower before stepping outside and brushing my wavy hair.

Once I decide my hair is combed well enough and I don't look completely lifeless, I throw on a flowery dress and quickly do my makeup.

I glance at the clock, once again, 7:00 am, I should make breakfast for Rob.

It's still early, I have time for cookies. I can make the chocolate chip cookies Trav made for me every Sunday.

They're easy enough, I can throw them in the oven and read a book for a while. Maybe I can read To Kill a Mockingbird, it's been a while since I read that one. I used to love it, back when I was around seventeen.

I pick up the gorgeous, hand painted copy and prop myself down on the plum colored couch. Light filters in through the window behind me, forming a perfect spot to read, almost as if Apollo himself is personally apologizing for interrupting my sleep.

I lose myself between the pages of my once favorite novel, drinking in the innocent narrative that Jean Scout provides. I'm barely aware of the passing of time and I'm suddenly screaming, in a panicked frenzy.

"Robert Travis Stoll, come down here before I drag you myself!"

It's already past eight and my son hasn't even gotten out of bed. At this rate, not only will he be late to school but I will also be late to work.

I laugh, picturing Travis's distress, troublesome as he was, he couldn't deal with being late, he was always exasperated with me.

"Katie, I swear, if you arrived one minute later I might have had a stroke"

He would say all sorts of dramatic things like that.

"Shouldn't you greet the love of your life? The light of your eyes? The moon of your nights and the sun of your days?"

He said all sorts of ridiculous things.

"Betrayal! Treason! Treachery! Deception! I can't believe you did this to me Katie-kat! My legally bound love! How shall I ever trust you again after you ate my chocolate!"

Suddenly I'm laughing loudly in the middle of my disheveled living room. I miss him more every day.

"Mom?" I hear my son come down the stairs, rubbing his eyes sleepily, "Why are you laughing?"

I shake my head, still giggling, "Your dad would want to kill us!"

At the mention of Travis, Rob smiled a little. He loves hearing about his father and aims to be like him.

"Would he now?"

"Mhm." I smile, "He would be all over the place. Quoting Mulan and Shakespeare and whatnot. You would've loved his theatrics. I can almost hear him."

I clear my throat at Rob's laughs as I lower my voice, it comes out raspy and cracked, a horrible impression of what he used to sound like.

"Dishonor! Dishonor on you! Dishonor on your family! Dishonor on your cow! My own flesh and blood! Still in bed at eight on a school day! I can't believe this! I knew you came out like your mother! Gods help me, for I can no longer thrive in this household!"

By now we're both doubled over laughing at my horrible impression of Travis.

"Did he really say those things?" Robert gasped for breath.

I nodded, still laughing, "He used to call me Katie-kat, too, and would annoy me every chance he got with his quick quips and remarks. He was terrible at flirting too, he used the cheesiest pick up lines."

Our laughs are cut short by a knock on the door, "Connor!"

"Uncle Connor is here already?" Rob's face scrunches up in confusion, his nose wrinkling the same way his father's did.

I glanced at the clock and felt myself choking for a whole new reason.

"It's eight thirty! You're not even dressed, oh my Gods! You're going to be late! I promised Cal and Leo I'd meet them for breakfast before work!"

Rob rushes up the stairs, his auburn curls bouncing around him. I grab a bunch of cookies and throw them into his bookbag.

"Go! Go! Go!" I urge, as he runs out the door, bookbag in one hand and shoes in the other.

"I love you!" I call after him as he rushes out the door.

"Love you too, mom!"

I throw the cookie plate into the sink and pull on the heels Annabeth gave me last Christmas.

"Dammit, I forgot to water the garden."

I rush outside and grab the hose, watering the sunflowers I planted all those years ago. I try not to cry but fail, as I always do. I can still remember what Trav said.

"Plant a sunflower for me?"

I smile through the tears, he would be proud, I think, I've thrived almost as much as the sunflowers I planted for him.

I kept my promise, just like he asked. Biologist with a PhD in toxicology, head of my department, with the same friends - some new ones - as ten years ago.

I kept my promise. I tried to be happy.

I am happy.