Eager Beaver

Chapter Thirty-Two - Pajamas and Punishments

"Come on!" Leo demanded as he passed us, ushering us down the hall.

I grimaced at the thought of seeing Charlie, Alex and Zach in nothing but a towel and the horrible cushy crinkly pull-ups. Laurie however looked like he was about to be sick with worry. "It'll be okay." I reassured him, grabbing his hand and squeezing tight. "They're our friends. Besides, they already know."

"Uh huh." Laurie said, his little voice quivering as he gave a nervous sniff.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about." I declared conclusively, though I didn't really think so. Still, I was determined to be brave for Laurie's sake. I tugged him toward the door, Leo throwing it open and marched unabashedly inside.

I followed shyly after with Laurie practically hiding behind me as he tiptoed in. Charlie's room was larger than I expected. There was a large bunk bed with a pull out bottom set up for everyone to sleep on; a grandiose bay window in the corner set up with a cozy blue and white striped seat cushion; and various school certificates, beaver awards, and a few yellowed old kindergarten-level crayon drawing decorating the walls - which were adorned with a forest theme that bled into the intricate starscape painted on the ceiling.

To the right, an impressive collection of toys, dinky cars, lego, play sets and all kinds of books were piled atop a blue and white striped rug. On the left were Charlie's dresser, desk and closet - the three imposing mahogany fixtures looming across from the toys like gaping hungry monsters. The sturdy old fashioned furniture was a strange contrast to the rest of the room, unwelcome reminders of adulthood intruding on the otherwise cheery children's bedroom.

Her shaggy orange hair damp from the shower, Alex was sitting on the top bunk in a fresh crisp pair of slightly oversized blue and white striped pajamas. Charlie meanwhile had set up enough pillows for the entire Beaver colony on the two levels below. He was wearing a faded pair of Buzz Lightyear pajamas, matching his little brother. He didn't look too happy, frowning seriously as he kept busy pointlessly plumping up a pillow in his lap.

"Your Mom said you had something for us to wear?" I said stutteringly, standing strategically in front of Laurie to shield him from view. It seemed Alex had already seen him from her perch on top of the bunk bed however, the girl smirking down in amusement.

Charlie didn't speak, but nodded - getting up tiredly and going over to his huge towering closet. He opened the door to the sound of ponderous creek, getting up on his tiptoes to take two warm looking fluffy robes off of a couple of hangers. Both were decorated with a distinct Winnie the Pooh theme, Piglet and Tigger dancing across the hem of the pale yellow material and a pair of stubby bear's ears protruding from the hoods. One was much smaller with an 'L' written in cursive on the breast, and the other was slightly larger with a 'C' imposed in the same position. "You can wear these." He told us, his eyes lowering apologetically. "Sorry. They're the one pajamas I have left." He said, gesturing vaguely to his own PJs.

Alex giggled from atop her bunk. "I don't know what you're whining about, Buzz." She teased.

Charlie let out an audible grumble. "Why couldn't you just wear those cat pajamas again?" he objected. "Or literally anything else? The van's right outside!"

Alex tittered at his frustration, shaking her head. "It's too wet to go out again." She told him, pinching the cotton of the pajamas she was wearing between her fingers "Besides, I like yours better."

Steadily growing more panicked the longer he stayed hovering by the door in just a pull-up, Laurie didn't have time for their bickering. He darted out from behind me and practically snatched the smaller robe out of Charlie's hands, fumbling to weed his arms through the holes. Finally working it out, he wrapped it around himself - looking visibly less stressed out as he crossed his arms and startled to fiddle with the belt of the robe, He struggled to secure that too however and eventually, Charlie intervened, bending down a little to tie it for him with a tight knot at his waist.