To Be With You
Part 1
"Mom! Mom!! Wake up! I'm hungry!"
Meg looked at the alarmclock at the night stand and groaned.
"Jason, it's five o'clock in the morning! You can't be hungry. Go back to sleep."
" But mom..."
"Jason please. You can't have breakfast yet."
Meg looked at the boy standing next to the bed. His head was hanging.
"Ok mom. Can I sleep with you? Please!"
"You know you're really to big for that." She saw the pleading look on his face. "Ok, just this once."
Jason crawled in to bed and settled next to her. He was soon fast asleep again.
Meg watched him. She couldn't believe how lucky she was to have him. He was getting so big. It seemed like only yesterday when he was tiny little baby. Next week he was going to be six years old. She just couldn't believe it. And that it was almost four years since her divorce. She and Jason had moved across the country as soon as it came through. She just wanted to start her new life and forget about the past. They both loved it here. It was a nice and quiet neighbour hood. She only wished there could be a few more kids Jason's age here. Most of them were a few years older than him. But two weeks ago the For Sale sign at Mrs. Kelly's house across the street had been replaced with a Sold. Maybe the family who bought it had a boy Jasons' age.
Meg pushed a few strands of hair from her son's face and settled next to him. Soon she too was asleep.
Part 2
"Katie, wake up honey. Breakfast is almost ready. Come on sweetie."
Ben gently shook the bundle under the covers.
"Go away daddy. I want to sleep!"
" You have to get up. Come on Katie!"
"Ok, ok. I will get up. Can I have pancakes?"
"Well, I already made breakfast. But you can have it tomorrow. Deal?"
"Deal."
The bundle started to move and suddenly Ben was sitting with his six-year-old daughter on his lap. She hugged him and gave him a kiss.
"Good morning daddy. Ouch, dad you need to shave!"
Ben laughed and started to tickle her.
"I will. You get dressed and I'll go shave, ok? And then we'll go downstaris and eat."
"Ok." Katied gave him another kiss and jumped of his lap and ran to the bathroom.
Ben sat on her bed for a moment and looked after her. He was so blessed to have her. She was the reason he could go on when his wife died four years ago. Katie was only two years then and didn't remember much of her mother. But sometimes she came to him with the photoalbum and they would sit down and look at the pictures and he would tell her about her mom.
And now they were going to move. Leave the house where Katie's grown up and where he had lived for the last eight years. It was time to let go.
Part 3
Meg leaned her head against the cushion on the couch and closed her eyes. Jason had finally fallen asleep, after five stories and bribes of going swimming tomorrow. She couldn't belive that boy sometimes. Where did he get all that energy? I wish I had half of it, she thought.
"Tea's ready. Boy, you look like you're about to fall asleep any second. Are you sure you don't want me to go?"
"No, of course not. That tea is just what I need. Thanks." Meg smiled at her friend and took the teacup she offered.
Jennifer was her nextdoor neighbour. She lived there with her husband and their two daughters. Meg and her had become friends just after Meg and Jason moved into the house.
"So, what do you think about our new neighbour?" Jennifer asked.
"I really couldn't say. Every time I saw him he was hidden behind a stack of boxes or some furniture. But his little girl is really cute."
"Oh, come on Meg. He's been out there carrying furniture and boxes all day. You must have seen something. I did."
"Yes, but only beacuse you were standing at your window staring all day. Did you manage to get anything done?"
"Hey, just because I'm a happily married woman doesn't mean I can't look. Besides, I had to check him out. I want to know what's going on in our neighbourhood."
"And you just had to do it today when he was without his shirt most of the time?" Meg realized her mistake as soon as she saw the gleam in Jennifer's eyes.
"Aha! I knew it! You were looking at him too! So what do you think?"
"He looks okay I guess."
"Ok? Is that all you can say? Meg Cummings, you need to get your eyes checked. That man is a gift from the gods. To see the way his muscles moved when he was working..." Jennifer stopped short when she heard a "hmmm" behind her. "Max, what are you doing? You shouldn't sneak up on people like that. Meg, why didn't you tell me he was here?"
"Oh, I just wanted to see how you will get yourself out of this one." Meg was smiling behind her teacup.
"Well, Jennifer, how are you goung to do it? Should I be worried about his?" Jennifer's husband tried to look stern but Meg could see the twinkle in his eyes.
"Yes, if I were like ten years younger." Jennifer stood up an walked over to him. She kissed him on the nose. "You know I wouldn't trade you for anything. Meg, thank's for the tea and the chat. Bye."
"Bye."
Meg looked after them as they walked out the door. Jennifer was such a good friend even though she was a lot older than Meg. And Max was such a sweet man. He was always there to help her when she needed something done. And their daughters loved to babysit for Jason. She smiled and shook her head when she thought about Max's question if he should be worrie. It was so obvious that even after a long marriage they were head over heels in love with each other. Meg hoped that one day she would find that kind of love too.
Part 4
Ben sat down on one of the boxes in the room. He was exhausted. He'd been carrying boxes and furniture all day. He never realized before how many things they actually had. I will never move again, he thought. he took a sip from the bottle of water he held in his hand. He should get something to eat but he was too tired. He had ordered pizza for Katie earlier but was too busy to eat himself.
I wonder how it's going to be living here, he thought. It's a lot different from where they used to live. He smiled when he thought about the neighbours. One of them had been peeking through her window all day. She probably didn't think he saw her. But then he waved at her and she dissapeared faster than Katie did when she knew she was in trouble. He didn't see her again. And then there was a woman living across the street. He had only seen a glimpse of her when she got out of her car toghether with a little boy. She had long dark hair.
Just then he saw the door to her house open and two people leave. Aha, the woman in the window! And probably her husband. He watched them walk up to their own door where they stopped and kissed. Ben moved his gaze to the other door again. He saw someone move inside and then the lights went out.
"Daddy. I can't sleep."
"Katie, it's very late. What's the matter?"
"I don't know. It just feels strange. It doesn't look like my room. And there are boxes everywhere. And I can't find Puffy anywhere."
Puffy was Katie's old toy rabbit. Her mother gave it to her when she was born, and she had loved it ever since.
"How about I let you sleep in my bed tonight? I know it can be kind of scary the first night an a brand new house " Ben said as he stroked his daughters hair.
"Yes" Katie hugged him. "Are we going to unpack all the boxes tomorrow?"
"Sure. And then we will explore the neighbourhood. Maybe there are some more kids around. I know there's one in the house across the street."
"But dad, that's a boy!" Katie looked at him as if he had lost his mind.
"Why don't you go lie down in my bed and I'll just lock up and turn the lights out." Ben gave her a kiss. "I will be right there."
"Ok. I love you , daddy."
"I love you too sweetheart. Now go and lie down."
Katie ran into his bedroom and Ben went to lock the door. I wonder what the future holds for us here, he thought before he turned the lights out.
Part 5
"Jason, will you please stop that!"
"But mom, I have nothing to do. Can you play ball with me? Pleeaase??"
"I'm sorry Jason, but I have to finish this. Maybe later."
Jason started bouncing the ball on the kitchen floor again. Meg closed her eyes and slowly counted to ten.
"Jason, please!!"
"But mom....."
"Jason, I'm making these cookies for your school bazaar. You asked me to do that, remember?"
"Oh, ok."
"Why don't you go play with that new kid across the street?"
Jason looked at her as if she had lost her mind.
"Mom, it's a girl! I can't play with a girl!!"
"Oh, and why not?"
"Well, girls are....girls are....icky!"
"Jason Alexander Cummings!"
"What? What did I say not?"
"You don't call other people icky. That's not very nice."
"But she's a girl and girls are...."
"Jason." Meg gave him a warning look.
"Ok, mom. Can I watch TV?
"Why don't you go outside for a while. Take the ball with you and I'll come out as soon as I'm finished in here, ok?"
Jason took the ball and walked towards the door. Meg looked at him and shook her head. Well, she thought, I guess I can forget about the neighbouts child becoming Jasons friend. But maybe he will change his mind.
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Jason took the ball and went out in front of the house. He started bouncing the ball on the drive way. In the corner of his eye he saw the door to the house across the street open and the girl came out. He quickly looked down and pretended not to see her.
Katie saw the boy across the street and thought about what her dad had said. He had told her to be polite to their new neighbours. Well, she thought, I might as well go over there and say hello. She walked over to Jason.
"Hello" she said. " My name is Katie and me and my dad just moved into that house" she pointed to the house across the street. "What's your name? Can I play with you?"
"NO!" Jason screamed "you're just a stupid girl and I don't want to play with you!"
Just as Jason uttered those words, the door to the house across the street opened and Ben stepped out.
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