JAMMIES ALL DAY...a short story
“Are you wearing
your pajamas?”
Katie looked down
and saw a small child with the most angelic face framed by a mop of soft curls.
Wouldn’t you know, she thought, a quick trip to the store and she’s caught out
by the curiosity of a kid
“They’re not
pajamas, exactly. They’re called sleep pants.
The child reached
out a hand and touched her leg, testing the fabric of her flannel pants. He had
that stubborn look on his face, that very stubborn look that toddlers are known
for as he declared, “they feel like my jammies”
Katie looked
around the store, hoping to be rescued from the critical eye of this mini
member of the fashion police.
“My Daddy says I
have to get dressed before we go out. Why does your daddy let you wear your
jammies?”
Beyond embarrassment
now, Katie knelt down to talk to the child face to face.
“I’m all grown up,
so, I guess if I want to wear my pajamas out, I can.”
“Daddy won’t let
me wear my Spiderman pajamas out of the house. They’re my favourite but I have
to leave them under my pillow.”
She smiled at the
boy with his bright blue eyes, the smattering of freckles over his nose and
found him irresistible. “Well,” she said as she started to rise. “Daddies know
best.”
He grabbed on to
her pants and pulled until she knelt down again.
“He’s mean,” he
said. “Why can’t I wear my Spidey jammies all day?”
“This is my
special jammies-all-day day,” she told him. “You can’t do it everyday or it
won’t be special anymore.”
Katie could see
the boy thinking that over and looking at her skeptically.
“When can I have a
jammie day?”
“You’ll have to
ask your dad about that. But, just think what you have to look forward to every
night. You get to put your jammies on and snuggle into bed wearing them for the
whole night.”
“Adam, where are
you?” an anxious voice called out.
The little boy
leaned in, as if to tell her a secret. “That’s my Daddy,” he whispered.
“Oh, okay.”
“That’s his mad
voice.”
“I don’t think
he’s mad. He’s probably been worried ‘cause he can’t find you.”
Katie stood and
held out her hand. The boy grasped it tightly as they walked from behind the
produce display that had hidden the child from his father’s view.
“Does this little
guy belong to you?” she asked.
“Adam, what did I
tell you?”
“Stay close,” the
boy said in a mumbled voice, avoiding eye contact with his father.
“Right.” The
father bent down in front of his son. “Look at me,” he said, resting his hand
lightly on his son’s shoulder. “Daddy worries when he can’t see you, so stay
close, okay?”
As the little boy
nodded, the man stood and realized his son was holding on to the woman’s hand.
He looked at her with suspicion. “What are you doing with my son?”
“I was just
talking to him,” Katie said, suddenly aware her friendliness could be
misconstrued now that she was facing his concerned father.
Adam pulled on her
hand and she looked down to see what he wanted.
“Tell Daddy about
jammie day.”
Katie figured
being embarrassed for wearing her ‘jammies’ out of the house was better than
being taken for a child molester, so she tried to explain.
“Adam came over
and asked if I was wearing my pajamas. I told him it was my jammies-all-day
day, it’s something I treat myself to once in awhile, not that I usually leave
the house, but I was cooking and found I didn’t have any…carrots.”
She felt a pull on
her hand again as Adam glared at her. “Tell him,” he repeated.
“I think Adam
would like a jammies-all-day day so he could wear his favourite Spiderman
pajamas for the whole day.”
“It’s a special
treat, Dad.”
Adam’s father, his
immediate fear for his son’s safety gone, finally looked at the woman his son
had picked up in the produce department. She was very pretty with intriguing
smoky grey eyes.
“Hi,” he said
holding out his hand. “I’m Jake Turner, Adam’s father.”
“Katie Tremblay,”
she replied, taking his hand.
“So,” Jake said.
“You’re having a jammies day, are you?”
She smiled,
recognizing where the little boy had gotten his charm and appeal.
“They’re Hello
Kitty jammies Dad. I told her Spiderman was my favourite.”
“This sounds like
a great idea, Adam. Maybe Miss Tremblay would like to tell us how this jammie
thing works.”
He looked at Adam
for his approval. “What if we were to take Miss Tremblay out for some hot
chocolate, there’s a place just across the road. You’d like that wouldn’t you
Adam, if we all went for hot chocolate?”
“Yes, yes, come
on,” he said taking Katie by the hand and dragging her toward the door. “Let’s
go Dad.”
“Yes,” Jake said.
“Shall we go?”
Katie hesitated
for a moment then let the little boy lead her out. She’d been feeling a little
blue, a little woe-is-me and had planned to stay home all day until she’d found
she was out of carrots for her stew.
Who would ever
believe that her Hello Kitty sleep pants would be her good luck charm?
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