Serenade:

Simone’s Notes:

In music, a serenade, or sometimes serenata, from the Italian word is a musical composition, and/or performance, in someone's honor. Serenades are typically calm, light music. The word serenade is the translation of the Italian word serenata, derived from the word sereno, which means "calm". In the oldest usage, which survives in informal form to the present day, a serenade is a musical greeting performed for a lover, friend, person of rank or other person to be honored. The classic serenade usage would be from a lover to his lady love through a window. It was considered an evening piece, one to be performed on a quiet and pleasant evening, as opposed to an aubade, which would be performed in the morning. The custom of serenading in this manner began in the Medieval era, and the word "serenade" as commonly used in current English is related to this custom. Music performed followed no one particular form, except that it was typically sung by one person accompanying himself on a portable instrument, most likely a guitar, lute or other plucked instrument. Works of this type also appeared in later eras, but usually in a context that referred specifically to a past time, such as arias in an opera; there is a famous example in Mozart's Don Giovanni. Carl Maria von Weber composed his serenade for voice and guitar, "Horch'! Leise horch', Geliebte!" (1809).

-Steven-

I love nights like this. Yasmine and I have nothing to do, but cuddle up with each other on the couch. Paul’s at a friend’s house and Malachi’s in bed sound asleep. Yasmine rested her head on my shoulder. I ran my fingers through her dark hair.

“I love you,” she whispered. My fingers wrapped hers.

“I love you too, baby,” I whispered back. The crickets outside added to the current mood as an idea crossed my mind.

“Hey, what are you doing tomorrow?” I asked. She looked me in the eye.

“Nothing much,” Yasmine answered. “Why do you ask?”

“Let’s stay in and doing nothing,” I offered. My wife gave me a confused look.

“How?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” I said with a shrug. “We could just spend the day in bed and just cuddle and sleep like little babies.”

“What about work?” she asked.

“I’m off tomorrow,” I told her. “And if I happened to get called in, I’ll just get someone to cover for me.”

“What about the kids?” Yasmine asked.

“Ah, yes. The kids,” I said with a little thought behind it. “Paul’s going to be at another friend’s house studying for mid-terms. Malachi’s going to be a bit of a challenge and the baby’s resting comfortably in your belly.” I put my hand on her stomach as I said the last part.

“What will we do with our son?” she asked. I looked at her caught off-guard when she said that.

“Our son?” I asked. She rested her head on my chest.

“Yes, our son,” she repeated. “He is half yours now.” I smiled and shook my head.

“I know,” I said in a low voice. “It still feels weird calling him our son from time to time.” Yasmine made a funny face as she tapped me on the nose.

“You should be used to it by now,” she pointed. I shrugged my shoulders with a goofy grin on my face.

“I will when this one is born,” I said as I rubbed on her stomach. Yasmine gave me a little smile.

“That still doesn’t answer the question of what we’re going to do with Malachi tomorrow,” she said.

“Ooo, I almost forgot about that little snag,” I said. “Hm…” I chuckled nervously as I ended up drawing blanks in my mind. “I’m sorry, I can’t really think of answer to that,” I admitted.

“Steven!” my wife complained. I rubbed her on the shoulder.

“It’s okay,” I insisted. “We’ll think of something.” Yasmine rested her head on my lap this time. I looked down at her as she got comfortable again.

“Aw! Are you getting sleepy now?” I asked.

“Mmm…” Yasmine murmured. I ran my fingers through her hair again.

“Do you want to me to turn on the TV?” I asked. She shook her head in my lap.

“Do you want to go bed now?” I asked.

“No,” Yasmine mumbled with her eyes closed. I nodded at her.

“Okay then,” I reasoned at last. “We can just stay down here until morning. I’ll make you breakfast and then go back to bed. Maybe by then, I’ll have a plan to deal with Malachi. Sound good?” My wife had already fallen asleep. I couldn’t help but to smile to myself as I brush aside some hair from her forehead. I leaned back against the couch as I took in the reasons of why I adore nights like this around me.