The bedroom arrangement in our family’s home is sort-of unique. Not to them. To them it is perfectly normal, but others might not see it that way.
The three girls all sleep in the same large room that has its own doorway to the hall, but there, on the far wall, is a pair of French doors and these lead right into Mom and Dad’s bedroom. Some scary moments have been quickly calmed . . . or averted entirely . . . by this close though unique arrangement.
Everyone is in bed now, awake, but in bed. The girls have just turned off their lights and Mom and Dad are playing rummy on their bed. Suddenly, there is a clap of thunder. Ashley turns her light back on. Thunder, as we know, rarely scares you once and then leaves you alone, so it is likely that more thunder is on its way. Mom and Dad look at each other and . . . smile a little knowing smile.
More thunder does arrive.
Tammy: It’s all right Ashley. It’s nothing to be afraid of.
Erin: Yeah. It’s just a storm.
But Ashley isn’t so sure.
After a pretty loud one, Dad comes running in . . . looking kind-of scared. “Ashley darlin’ is it OK if I sit here with you for a while?” “Sure Dad.” she tells him. Tammy and Erin both smile. They have seen this before. Dad pulls up a chair and gingerly sits down on it. “Where’s Mom?” Ashley asks.
“Oh, she’s still in bed. She’s brave.” But at the very next thunder boom . . . yep . . . Mom comes running in. She is wearing pajamas that match Dad’s, and she says, “Ashley honey, would it be all right if I sat here with you for a while?” And, after being given the OK, she settles in a chair next to Dad.
Mom and Dad are just starting to get a little comfortable when yet another loud thunder boom is heard. They bounce in their chairs and then reach for and cling to each other . . . and begin to shake. And Ashley laughs.
“How about a story?” Dad suggests, and he looks over the books sitting right there. He pulls one out and says, “Junie B. Jones and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying.” From behind him Erin says “Good one.” Dad stops. He slowly looks up, then down, and then over at Mom . . . and the two of them shrug their shoulders. Erin grins. Dad starts to read, “Junie B. Jones and Some Sneaky Peek . . .” when there is another loud thunder boom, and he fumbles the book up into the air. “Mom,” he says, “you better help me hold the book.” And she does. And they read the story together.
Well, the storm finally passes, and Ashley feels that she is safe now, but she also did a good thing. She helped her mom and dad get through the storm. Mom and Dad kiss the girls goodnight and head back to their room.
“Do you want to keep playing rummy? Dad asks. “Sure.” says Mom. And they pick up where they left off. Then, one last sneaky bit of thunder makes its way across the sky and into our family’s home, and a six-year old’s little voice is heard:
Ashley: You two all right in there?
Mom: Yes yes. We’re fine.
And then Dad . . . in a last bit of conversation for the night . . . says,
Dad: I’m leaving my light on . . . all night!
And there is a little . . . giggling all around.