back in the Christmas spirit, and prevent her from doing or saying something she would later regret.
11
Maddox woke early, as he always did. He played with the cool toys in his room as quietly as he could, because his mommy needed her sleep for the baby. He looked at the picture books. He stood at the window staring out at Granddad’s backyard. It was kind of interesting, with its toolshed and wooden picnic table and benches. If he tipped over the benches, and maybe if he could find a big cardboard box, he could make a fort like his friend Jeremy had. Cool!
He trotted out of his room, down the stairs, through the hall to the kitchen and the mudroom with the back door.
“Going somewhere, sport?” Granddad sat at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee and a newspaper.
Nicole was at the other end of the table, drinking coffee and making a list on a pad of paper. They were both wearing pajamas, robes, and furry slippers.
Maddox requested, politely, “May I please play in the backyard?”
“I don’t see why not,” Granddad answered.
“Hang on,” said Nicole. “You need to get dressed first, Maddox. You’ll freeze in your pajamas. Have you been to the bathroom yet?”
Maddox slumped. He’d thought Nicole was different, but she was just like the other adults, full of rules.
Nicole rose from the table and held out her hand. “Let me help you get dressed. I’ll pick out your warmest pants.”
Maddox stared at the door to the room where his mommy and daddy slept.
“We won’t wake your parents,” Nicole whispered. “We’ll be quiet as two little mice.”
She was as good as her word. She tiptoed with Maddox up the stairs. They didn’t speak as she helped him dress and use the bathroom. They went like pirates back down the stairs, and no one woke up.
In the kitchen, Nicole asked, “Want some breakfast before you go outside, Maddox?”
“No, thank you. I want to make a fort out of the picnic table and benches.” He thought he might as well just come out with the truth in case they didn’t like that sort of thing, their yard getting all messed up.
Nicole surprised him. “Good idea. We’ve got some folding lawn chairs in the shed that will make a good doorway on the ends. I’ll get them out for you after I get dressed.”
Maddox eyed her skeptically. He wasn’t sure about those lawn chairs. He wasn’t sure he wanted his idea tampered with.
“Boots,” Nicole said. “Coat, cap, and mittens.” She retrieved the items from the hooks in the mudroom and put them on Maddox, a cumbersome process he hated. He was never cold and the extra padding made it harder to move. But he allowed himself to be yanked, tugged, and zipped, because he understood the adults were right.
Finally, Nicole unlocked the back door. Maddox stepped onto the back porch.
“Stay in the backyard, now, Maddox,” Nicole warned. “Don’t go away, promise?”
“I promise.”
The back porch was like a room without walls. It had a swing hanging from the ceiling, and a wicker sofa and two wicker armchairs. The wide steps going down had railings on each side. Maddox hung on to them as he went, his slightly-too-big boots hampering him, making him clumsy.
The backyard was bordered by a fence and also by hedges with stubborn green-brown leaves hanging on to the brown twiggy branches. He could see where flowers had been in the summer, because the beds were edged with shells. A white birdbath stood at the other end of the yard. He ran through the brown grass to check—it had water in it, and a black feather. He picked out the feather and put it in his pocket. Returning to the flower beds bordering the lawn, he spent some time checking out the shells. Most were white, with pale purple streaks on the inside. Some had tips sharp enough to cut, others were rolled up like burritos. Here and there green or blue sea glass twinkled, edges smoothed to satin by the ocean waves.
A hawthorn tree grew at the end of the garden. It had a few red
11
Maddox woke early, as he always did. He played with the cool toys in his room as quietly as he could, because his mommy needed her sleep for the baby. He looked at the picture books. He stood at the window staring out at Granddad’s backyard. It was kind of interesting, with its toolshed and wooden picnic table and benches. If he tipped over the benches, and maybe if he could find a big cardboard box, he could make a fort like his friend Jeremy had. Cool!
He trotted out of his room, down the stairs, through the hall to the kitchen and the mudroom with the back door.
“Going somewhere, sport?” Granddad sat at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee and a newspaper.
Nicole was at the other end of the table, drinking coffee and making a list on a pad of paper. They were both wearing pajamas, robes, and furry slippers.
Maddox requested, politely, “May I please play in the backyard?”
“I don’t see why not,” Granddad answered.
“Hang on,” said Nicole. “You need to get dressed first, Maddox. You’ll freeze in your pajamas. Have you been to the bathroom yet?”
Maddox slumped. He’d thought Nicole was different, but she was just like the other adults, full of rules.
Nicole rose from the table and held out her hand. “Let me help you get dressed. I’ll pick out your warmest pants.”
Maddox stared at the door to the room where his mommy and daddy slept.
“We won’t wake your parents,” Nicole whispered. “We’ll be quiet as two little mice.”
She was as good as her word. She tiptoed with Maddox up the stairs. They didn’t speak as she helped him dress and use the bathroom. They went like pirates back down the stairs, and no one woke up.
In the kitchen, Nicole asked, “Want some breakfast before you go outside, Maddox?”
“No, thank you. I want to make a fort out of the picnic table and benches.” He thought he might as well just come out with the truth in case they didn’t like that sort of thing, their yard getting all messed up.
Nicole surprised him. “Good idea. We’ve got some folding lawn chairs in the shed that will make a good doorway on the ends. I’ll get them out for you after I get dressed.”
Maddox eyed her skeptically. He wasn’t sure about those lawn chairs. He wasn’t sure he wanted his idea tampered with.
“Boots,” Nicole said. “Coat, cap, and mittens.” She retrieved the items from the hooks in the mudroom and put them on Maddox, a cumbersome process he hated. He was never cold and the extra padding made it harder to move. But he allowed himself to be yanked, tugged, and zipped, because he understood the adults were right.
Finally, Nicole unlocked the back door. Maddox stepped onto the back porch.
“Stay in the backyard, now, Maddox,” Nicole warned. “Don’t go away, promise?”
“I promise.”
The back porch was like a room without walls. It had a swing hanging from the ceiling, and a wicker sofa and two wicker armchairs. The wide steps going down had railings on each side. Maddox hung on to them as he went, his slightly-too-big boots hampering him, making him clumsy.
The backyard was bordered by a fence and also by hedges with stubborn green-brown leaves hanging on to the brown twiggy branches. He could see where flowers had been in the summer, because the beds were edged with shells. A white birdbath stood at the other end of the yard. He ran through the brown grass to check—it had water in it, and a black feather. He picked out the feather and put it in his pocket. Returning to the flower beds bordering the lawn, he spent some time checking out the shells. Most were white, with pale purple streaks on the inside. Some had tips sharp enough to cut, others were rolled up like burritos. Here and there green or blue sea glass twinkled, edges smoothed to satin by the ocean waves.
A hawthorn tree grew at the end of the garden. It had a few red
Similar Books
