The Last Bedtime Story
“I don’t want to read today,” Claire said.
“It’s all right, I’ll read to you,” I said.
“No, no one will read today,” she said and looked to the short bookcase that sat under the window by her toddler bed. “I’m too tired.”
“Me too, so good night then,” I said and stood up from the armchair in the corner. I leaned over her and kissed her forehead.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“I’m going to rest a little on the sofa, and read on my own.”
“But I don’t want you to leave, can’t I sit on your lap? Like when I was little?”
“Oh, of course you can. You said you didn’t want to do that anymore, you know, that thing about being a big girl and all,” I answered.
“Today, I want to,” she said and sat on my lap. Her feet hanged over my knees half way through my shins, and her head rested on my shoulder.
I need to update her furniture. A nine year old shouldn’t be sleeping in a crib converted into a toddler bed anymore. Tomorrow, I thought as I hugged her tight.
“Do you want to look at illustrations?” I asked. She loved doing that until only a couple of years ago. Did I just blink my eyes?
“Sure, let’s.”
“Pick one,” I said.
“The bunny book, I love this one. Oh look at that soft white fluffiness,” I smiled. “Tell me a story for that picture, may you?”
“Oh, all right. Once upon a time there was a white bunny that lived in a hole by a big fir tree. He loved leaping around the forest and eating lettuce. The end,” she told in a quick pace, a very quick pace.
“That doesn’t count at all,” I boxed her ear gently and she laughed, that defenseless hearty laugh that invites me irresistibly to laugh with her, and spreads a delicious warmth that spreads from my heart to my fingers and toes, and reaches the back of my nape all at once.
“Mom, you’re squishing me,” she wiggles her shoulders.
“Am I?”
“Your turn,” she says.
“The white bunny leaped such long distances hunting for the softest lettuces, that could only be found in the tender patches of the farms by the edge of the forest, that by the time he came back to his cozy nest the sun was about to set.
His mama cleaned his fur gently and held him on her furry lap. He snuggled against her softness and she told him it was time to go to sleep. Then she touched his little mouth and said, “This little mouth is so tired of eating lettuce, and drinking water from the spring by the boysenberry bushes, and talking all day long, it’s time to be very silent and rest.”
The white bunny smiled, but didn’t say a word.
Then mama touched his nose and said, “This little nose smelled so many lovely scents of berries, and flowers, and all the fresh smells of spring, it now must be content with the smells of home.”
The white bunny took a deep breath and exhaled slowly relaxing his little body against mama’s chest.
Then mama folded his ears over his eyes and said, “These little eyes saw so much adventure today they should stay close all night long to be ready for more tomorrow.”
The white bunny sighted and fell asleep. Mama gently placed him on his bed covered with fresh grass and kissed him goodnight. The end.”
“Seriously mom, SERIOUSLY?”
“What?”
“Do you expect me to fall asleep now, just like the bunny? P-LEASE. I’m a big girl. Remember? BIG.”
She stood up, took her copy of Harry Potter from the shelf and sat on her bed.
“You decided to read, now?” I asked
“I need to read something real to recover from all that baby stuff.”
“Since when is Harry Potter something real?”
“Since he’s eleven and not a silly baby bunny.”
“But you told me the beginning of the story yourself,” I nearly stammered.
“I was being sarcastic. You can leave now. Enjoy your book on the sofa mom, good night.”
“Of course, good night then. Have a good read.”
No more babies in the house. Oh well, at least she’s reading above her grade level.
I came back an hour later to check on her and found her fast asleep, hugging her stuffed bunny. I folded its soft white ears over its pink eyes and kissed them both good night.
I’ve been through this with both my daughters, and as happy as I am too see them growing stronger and more independent every day, I miss our bedtime stories so very much.