A Day Just for Us

A Day Just for Us - Part 3 (MJJ Imagine No. 20)

Imagine you and Michael spending the next few hours playing board games with his children as well as playing outside by the brook across the meadow. Blanket woke up from his short nap just before everyone headed outside. Paris ran around catching butterflies with her little butterfly net while the boys played in the brook looking for water striders, crayfish and salamanders. Michael took this opportunity to teach Paris about butterflies and dragonflies. You enjoyed sitting on an old stump while listening to him patiently answer her questions. He also taught the boys about salamanders, water striders, crayfish, and the moss found on the rocks around the brook. You and Michael took off your shoes and socks, rolled up your jeans and joined the boys in the brook as he taught them and answered Prince's endless questions.

Around five-thirty, Michael decided it was time to go back to the house. When you walked in, you inhaled deeply taking in the delicious aroma of dinner.

"It smells so good in here," you remark.

"Larry always comes over around four-thirty to prepare dinner."

"I can't wait to dig in. I'm starving." He laughs.

- - - - - - -

After dinner, the five of you play a game of hide and seek. You quickly learn that Michael is the master hide and seek player. Not once was he ever the first to be found and he never hid in the same place twice. To calm the kids down before bed, Michael breaks out the crayons, paper and coloring books for Paris and Blanket while he and Prince take their place in one corner of the living room to continue their nightly game of chess. You lay on the floor with Paris and Blanket and join them in coloring and drawing. Before you know it, it's eight o'clock and Michael is telling his children it's time to go to bed.

"Time for bed."

"Can we stay up a little longer?" Paris asks.

"No. It'll be a quarter to nine before you're all in bed after changing into your PJs, brushing your teeth and I sing you each a song. That's late enough for all of you."

They obediently listen to Michael and stop playing. You sit up and start to gather the pictures and coloring books. Paris gets up and gives you a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Good night, Miss [your first name]."

"Good night, Sweetheart."

Blanket wraps his little arms around your neck and gives you a kiss. "Night, night," he says.

"Night, night, Pumpkin," you answer back. He starts laughing.

"I'm not a punkin." You tickle his tummy making him laugh more. He lets you go and Michael picks him up. Paris takes Michael's free hand.

Prince walks over to you. "Thank you for playing with us, Miss [your first name]."

"You're welcome, Prince. I had a lot of fun with you and your brother and sister today."

"Will you come back and play with us again?"

"If you want me to and your daddy says it's okay." He smiles, gives you a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Good night."

"Good night." He turns and follows his father, sister and brother to the stairs. You watch him scoot in front of them and run up the stairs.

"I won!" he yells when he gets to the top first.

You laugh and lie back down on your stomach and look at the picture you and Paris had just started to color. It dawns on you that you've had a lot of fun today hanging out with Michael and his children. You also realize it's fun to be a kid again so you continue coloring in Paris' coloring book.