Laura was hiding behind boxes in her basement. She was playing hide ‘n’ seek with her friends Mary, Amy and Josh. Josh was “it.” In her six-year old mind, she felt like she had been waiting for a long time. Laura silently chuckled, holding her hand over her mouth. She was pleased that she had picked such a good hiding place. If Josh didn’t find her soon, she was going to sneak out and try to win by getting to home base without being caught.
It was quiet and warm in the basement. Laura started to feel herself getting sleepy. She struggled to stay awake, straining to hear Josh coming to find her. This reminded her of when she was four and Mommy and Daddy had gone away and come back with John, her younger brother.
Daddy had left her with Aunt Barbara. Aunt Barbara put Laura on the big bed in her bedroom. “But I don’t want to take a nap Aunt Barbara,” said Laura. “I don’t have any toys for you to play with so you’re just going to have to take a nap,” said Aunt Barbara. After Aunt Barbara left and closed the door, Laura got off the bed and looked for something to play with. She pulled clothes out of the drawers and looked under the bed. She found a box of colors, like her watercolors. Using her fingers, she painted a picture onto the mirror behind the bedroom door. She knew Aunt Barbara would like it because she already had Laura’s watercolor pictures on her refrigerator. Then she opened the closet door and found lots of blue, red and black high heels. After trying on all the shoes and leaving them all over the bedroom, she started pulling down Aunt Barbara’s pretty dresses. She wanted to look pretty for Mommy and Daddy when they came back to get her. Laura found a blue, shiny dress. She put in on and found shoes. Then she sat on the bed to wait. She must’ve fallen asleep because the next thing she knew Daddy and Aunt Barbara were in the room.
“What did you do in here?” wailed Aunt Barbara. “I made you a pretty picture, Aunt Barbara,” said Laura as she pointed to the mirror. “Daddy, do you like my pretty dress?” she asked Daddy. Daddy quickly picked her up and left the bedroom, leaving Aunt Barbara frantically picking up make-up, shoes and clothes.
When they got home, Mommy was holding a baby. It was so tiny. “This is your new brother, John,” said Mommy. They wouldn’t let her hold John, but she gently touched his hand and hair. When she reached to touch his hand, John latched onto her finger and wouldn’t let go.
Suddenly, six-year-old Laura heard the noise of someone coming down the basement stairs. She held her breath and stayed very still. Then her Daddy called out, “Laura, it’s time for dinner. All your friends have gone home. Time to come out.” Laura straightened up and came out from behind the boxes, hungry for her dinner.
judy beck enterprises 