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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Family & Friends
- Subject: Family
- Published: 08/10/2023
Late Night Secret
Born 1980, F, from Eagan, MN, United States![Late Night Secret](/storage/story/986A1532-CAB6-8A47-476D-9FAD5134426D_1691697181-image(301x285-crop).jpeg)
The two kids were whispering. Their dad, Jason, could hear them, but they didn’t know that.
Jason listened intently.
“….and now I can’t sleep,” he heard his daughter say.
“It’s okay, Ashley. Mom and Dad are sleeping. I’ll help you,” Todd said.
“Okay.”
Jason silently opened his bedroom door. His wife was asleep, and he decided not to wake her up.
He watched as the two slinked down the stairs. He followed, unseen, unheard. The kids went to the living room. He watched as his son, Todd, put a blanket on the floor. He watched as Todd arranged the couch pillows on the blanket, against the couch. Ashley sat on the blanket and held her favorite teddy bear.
“I’ll be right back,” whispered Todd.
Jason held still as Todd went to the kitchen. He quietly watched as Todd carefully made two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. And he watched as Todd went back to the living room and sweetly handed his sister a sandwich. Ashley gave Todd an adoring smile.
Jason wondered what show the kids would watch on television so late at night. He decided to find out before making his presence known. He did not expect to see what he saw next.
Ashley turned on a small flashlight. Todd picked up a book that Jason hadn’t noticed before. One of the two had carried it downstairs.
“Okay, Ash, this was one of my favorites when I was little,” said Todd.
Jason smiled in his hidden place in the dark. Todd was only nine.
He watched, unable and not wanting to look away. Todd read in a voice just above a whisper while Ashley sat and listened and very quietly chewed. Her head rested on her brother's shoulder, and she looked so peaceful. Could these really be the same children who had been fighting only a few hours earlier?
Todd read another book (which Jason had also not seen earlier) and then said, “That’s all we can do, Ashley. My teacher said we have to get at least eight hours of sleep. Give me a sec to eat my sandwich, okay?”
Jason stifled his laugh. His kid, up at night when he wasn’t supposed to be, eating a snack when he wasn’t supposed to be, was making sure that he did what his teacher said.
He watched the two kids pick up the blanket and the books, put the pillows back, and go quietly up the stairs. He waited a while before going up the stairs and checking on the kids. Both were in their own beds, fast asleep. He went quietly into his room and turned on a lamp, being sure to keep the light on the lowest setting to avoid waking up his wife. He opened his journal and wrote: “Tonight I witnessed Todd being so good to Ashley…” he continued until he had everything he’d just seen. Content, he put the journal away, turned off his lamp, and went to sleep.
Late Night Secret(Marla)
The two kids were whispering. Their dad, Jason, could hear them, but they didn’t know that.
Jason listened intently.
“….and now I can’t sleep,” he heard his daughter say.
“It’s okay, Ashley. Mom and Dad are sleeping. I’ll help you,” Todd said.
“Okay.”
Jason silently opened his bedroom door. His wife was asleep, and he decided not to wake her up.
He watched as the two slinked down the stairs. He followed, unseen, unheard. The kids went to the living room. He watched as his son, Todd, put a blanket on the floor. He watched as Todd arranged the couch pillows on the blanket, against the couch. Ashley sat on the blanket and held her favorite teddy bear.
“I’ll be right back,” whispered Todd.
Jason held still as Todd went to the kitchen. He quietly watched as Todd carefully made two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. And he watched as Todd went back to the living room and sweetly handed his sister a sandwich. Ashley gave Todd an adoring smile.
Jason wondered what show the kids would watch on television so late at night. He decided to find out before making his presence known. He did not expect to see what he saw next.
Ashley turned on a small flashlight. Todd picked up a book that Jason hadn’t noticed before. One of the two had carried it downstairs.
“Okay, Ash, this was one of my favorites when I was little,” said Todd.
Jason smiled in his hidden place in the dark. Todd was only nine.
He watched, unable and not wanting to look away. Todd read in a voice just above a whisper while Ashley sat and listened and very quietly chewed. Her head rested on her brother's shoulder, and she looked so peaceful. Could these really be the same children who had been fighting only a few hours earlier?
Todd read another book (which Jason had also not seen earlier) and then said, “That’s all we can do, Ashley. My teacher said we have to get at least eight hours of sleep. Give me a sec to eat my sandwich, okay?”
Jason stifled his laugh. His kid, up at night when he wasn’t supposed to be, eating a snack when he wasn’t supposed to be, was making sure that he did what his teacher said.
He watched the two kids pick up the blanket and the books, put the pillows back, and go quietly up the stairs. He waited a while before going up the stairs and checking on the kids. Both were in their own beds, fast asleep. He went quietly into his room and turned on a lamp, being sure to keep the light on the lowest setting to avoid waking up his wife. He opened his journal and wrote: “Tonight I witnessed Todd being so good to Ashley…” he continued until he had everything he’d just seen. Content, he put the journal away, turned off his lamp, and went to sleep.
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Marla
06/22/2024Thanks for reading, Joel!
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Cheryl Ryan
06/22/2024Enjoyed reading this.
I love fathers who look after their kids and care from afar even without the kids realising this. This is so sweet.
Thank you for sharing!
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Marla
06/22/2024Thanks for reading!
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Help Us Understand What's Happening
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Marla
08/12/2023Thank you!
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