#japriet

because the night

Harriet is scared. Just a little, because it's very dark, the house is completely silent, and the dream she's just had was not nice at all. She knows now it was only a dream, and she’s not really in the park, falling from the red swing over and over: she's in her room (well, her messy room), with her toys (not all of them, of course), and her mommy is surely in the bedroom next to hers. Everything is fine, Harriet. She is fine. But just to be sure, just to be sung to sleep by her mommy’s sweet voice, she decides to go to her and sneak into the big bed her mommy has all to herself. Her mom is taller than Harriet, but not really that tall; and surely not as tall as her daddy. A few days ago, she heard him say with a smile, so much vigour in such a tiny woman. Then her mommy slapped him on the chest - gently. Her daddy wasn’t mad — he was still smiling — and actually, his eyes were even brighter than usual. Harriet didn’t understand why her mom slapped him or what the word vigour meant. Mommy and daddy are silly sometimes, she thought, and then carelessly returned to the new Lego set sprawled on the carpet. Anyway, daddy is right: her mommy is tiny. So Harriet doesn’t understand why she needs such a big bed if Harriet isn’t allowed to sleep with her every night — well, the nights when she stays in her home number one, the messy home with the messy pillows. Harriet rolls out of bed and goes straight to her mom. Her eyes have adjusted to the dark, and she doesn’t have to walk far. When she enters her mommy’s bedroom, though, something is off. Something is different. She squeezes her eyes to get a better look and — what? Does mommy know someone is sleeping in the big bed with her? Did she notice? It wouldn’t be the first time she hadn’t noticed something. Harriet remembers when mommy was taking a shower for so long that daddy had to use his special emergency key to get into the house (Harriet isn’t allowed to open the front door - yet). He brought ice cream to share with them — his two favorite girls, he said— but mommy was taking so long in the shower that she didn’t even realize daddy was in the house, waiting with Harriet in the kitchen! So when she finally came out in her soft lilac robe, her hair all wet, saying Hattie, we should get dressed! Daddy called twice, and for sure he’s on his way here. We don’t want to be late for the mov— Harriet and daddy both laughed, their mouths full of ice cream — she was talking so fast! Mommy looked a little surprised to see him in the kitchen, but definitely not unhappy. I had to use the emergency key - he said - The ice cream was melting, and you weren’t picking up your phone or answering the doorbell — that's emergency enough, right, munchkin? Harriet nodded, focused on the delicious chunk of chocolate brownie she had just found. I was only in the shower for ten minutes! (Daddy raised his eyebrows at her) And you both finished the chocolate brownie! There’s another tub waiting for you in the freezer, mommy! Daddy brought one just for you! So mommy had the ice cream too, and daddy couldn’t help but touch her lilac robe — it really was the softest robe. Because mommy sometimes gets distracted, Harriet tiptoes closer to the bed, her bad dream completely forgotten. She has to tell her mommy — because what if mommy doesn’t know? But first, Harriet has to know herself, because she is a curious little munchkin, after all — her daddy tells her that all the time. Who is this other person?

One small step toward the big bed; another and — "Daddy???" She doesn’t mean to speak out loud — mommy and daddy are both sleeping — but she is surprised. Very surprised. Daddy sleeps in her house number two: the one without the messy pillows. They always see each other now: he drives her to school almost every day, they all go to the park together, and to the cinema, and to Balloon Benny every Sunday, because Sunday is for waffles after church, and Balloon Benny makes the best waffles in the whole universe. But right after dinner, after mommy and daddy tuck her in and kiss her goodnight, he goes to his pillow-free house. She knows that because sometimes she sleeps there too, in her room number two (the un-messy one), while mommy stays here. Did he forget? "Daddy?? Daddy!! Wake up!!" "Sweetheart, what happened? Are you all right?" His voice is groggy and quiet, much quieter than Harriet’s, who’s getting a little excited. "Daddy, what are you doing? Do you know this is mommy’s bed? Did you forget to go back to your home for the night? You have your own big bed, don’t you remember?"

He’s slightly taken aback by the stream of questions in the middle of the night, but he chuckles softly as he says "Sweetheart, isn’t this home too?" After thinking for half a second, a cascade of fast-paced words tumbles out of her. "Well of course, daddy, it’s your home too because we’re here all the time, mommy and me, and you always say home is wherever I am, and I’m here, and mommy’s here, and you like mommy, and you always come here to stay with us and have dinner and play and watch movies, but then you go sleep in your own big bed. Mommy only shares her big bed with me - sometimes. Did you tell her you’re sleeping next to her tonight? You know mommy, maybe she hasn’t noticed, and we should tell her you’re here, so she knows." Her daddy laughs; Harriet doesn’t get why this is so funny, but she laughs too. She loves it when they laugh together — Harriet, daddy, and mommy, of course. She loves them so much, and she knows they love her too — to the moon and back, they always say. "I think you’re right, maybe she doesn’t know I’m here. So we should definitely tell her, and then we can all go back to sleep. Come on, sweetie, come here. Did you have a bad dream?" he asks, reaching out for her hand. "Wait, daddy. Mommy is tiny, and I am tiny, but you are not tiny. Are you sure there’s room for me on the bed?" "There’s always space for my munchkin"

So Harriet climbs onto her mommy’s bed, her mommy still asleep (Harriet, on the other hand, is wide awake now). Her daddy kisses her sweetly on the cheek before settling her between him and her mom. The bed is bigger than she remembered because the three of them fit perfectly. How exciting. Harriet snuggles under the covers and whispers "Daddy, can I tell her? Can I wake her? Can we sleep with our eyes open like fishes do?" "You wake her, Hattie, if you can. I’m sure her eyes are pretty closed though" he says, still smiling with his voice as he strokes her curls. Harriet turns her back to her dad and gently touches her mommy’s peaceful face. This is too exciting. This is the best surprise. "Mommy!! Mommy, wake up!! Do you know daddy is sleeping next to you? Well, he’s not sleeping anymore because I woke him up, but do you know he’s here?? AND IT’S THE NIGHT! I think he forgot he has his big bed in the other home, but it’s okay, right? I don’t really mind. Do you? This is the best bed with the fluffiest pillows" It takes her mom a couple of seconds to register what’s happening. When she opens her eyes — Harriet knows she’s sooo sleepy — she looks at Harriet, then at daddy, and then… she gives her a huge smile and the biggest hug. "This is the best bed, peanut, and it really has the fluffiest pillows. And you know why?" Her voice sounds a bit emotional, but Harriet doesn’t quite get why. It’s just so exciting to snuggle in bed with her two favorite people. Harriet knows what’s coming next; a smirk plays on her lips as she turns to face her daddy again. It’s really dark, but she can see his smile and his eyes so clearly. He knows what’s coming too, and tries to give an unconvincing look of disapproval. "Because mommy and Hattie always know best, daddy!" Mommy and Harriet recite in unison their not-so-secret mantra; it’s their joyful pact of unity. Daddy always pretends to resist, but Harriet knows he loves it.

"Yeah, yeah, you’re the most perfect bubbly duo. I don’t think there’s a higher concentration of stubbornness in the world. Happy, ladies? As usual, you win the argument" "And your heart, daddy?" "That you won a long time ago, sweetheart" "Yeah, but I wasn’t born a long time ago, daddy. I’m a child. You and mommy are old. So mommy must have won it first" Her parents both laugh, gently caressing her hair and her belly. It’s soothing and calming and so full of love. It’s the best feeling for Harriet. It even tops Grandma Catherine’s bedtime stories. She could stay here forever. "See? I have nothing left to add, your honor, this child of mine, who wasn’t born a long time ago, is too prepared” “And on this note, child of yours, it’s time to return to our good night’s sleep” Mommy looks at Harriet, but Harriet’s eyes are already closed; apparently, she can’t fall asleep with her eyes open like fishes do. However, she doesn’t mind now. She’s too comfy. The last image she captures before drifting off again is her daddy’s bright eyes, looking intently at her mom. He’s so focused, and his eyes are so alive. Her mommy looks at him too, and Harriet knows she’s smiling. I know you so well, she thinks, already half-asleep.