Caleb Stays Up Late

Caleb was starting to feel sleepy, but he hid his yawns behind his hand. When his grandpa looked over at him with his eyebrows raised, Caleb hid another yawn behind his toy truck. “Caleb, I think it’s time to start getting ready for bed.” “But Grandpa Ray, Mommy’s not getting home until late. So I need to stay up for my bedtime story.” Grandpa Ray smiled and said, “Yes, you can stay up until Mommy comes home from work, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have your bath, put on your pj’s, and brush your teeth while you wait.” Caleb counted on his fingers, “One: a bath, two: pajamas, and three: toothbrushing. Ugh, that’s a lot to do!” Caleb groaned and threw up his hands. “Well, sometimes I don’t feel like taking a shower or brushing my teeth either. I would rather sit and watch my shows on TV, but I don’t think you would like to be next to me if I smelled and had bad breath, would you?” Grandpa Ray asked. “I sure wouldn’t!” Grandma Bee laughed as she passed by. “And Caleb, my Gumma, you want your teeth to stay nice and strong so you can eat your snacks. I remember when you just had gums and no teeth at all.” “Yes, Grammy Bee, you called me Gumma when I was all gums!” Caleb giggled. “That cute giggle will not get you out of bath time. So let’s see if there is any bubble bath left,” said Grandpa Ray as he lifted himself out of his big brown recliner chair. “Okay, but can I give you a bubble beard too, grandpa?” Caleb asked. Grandpa turned and gave Caleb a thumbs up. After his bath, Caleb dressed in warm and cozy penguin pajamas. He brushed his teeth with his toothbrush that had penguins all over the handle. As his electric toothbrush whirred in his mouth, Caleb took the time to have a deep think. “I have been waiting forever to stay up late!” Caleb thought to himself. “Now I will find out what everyone has been doing while I sleep. I believe my big sister Beatrice plays with my toys without me because I hear her laughing in her room next door.” Caleb continued to ponder as he put his toothbrush down. “And I suspect that Mommy, Daddy, Grammy, and Grandpa have parties every night, dancing and having cake without me. I see the light shining under my door. I hear the refrigerator door being opened and shut and feet stomping around as I fall asleep.” Caleb went into his room and grabbed his favorite stuffed toy, Doctor Baby Lisa, who was both a baby doll and a doctor. Caleb marched into the kitchen with his hand on his hip and his chest pushed out, watching his dad clean the dishes. Caleb’s dad, Al, looked over and smiled. “Hello, Caleb. Are you showing off your new penguin pajamas? Looking good, little man!” “No, Dad, it’s past my bedtime now, and I’m going to find out what goes on around here while I’m asleep.” Al nodded his head at Caleb and Doctor Baby Lisa as he covered up a plate to take to the refrigerator. “Is that cake on that plate? I know you all have cake while I’m asleep! Getting yummy frosting all over your faces and not leaving me any!” Caleb shouted while stomping his foot. “Don’t worry, Caleb, you’re not missing a thing! This plate of food is for Mommy to eat when she gets home from work.” Caleb’s dad explained. Caleb looked under the cover of the plate. He saw stir-fried vegetables and rice, the same food they had eaten earlier for dinner. “But, where’s the cake?” Caleb asked disappointedly. “Caleb, we don't eat cake every night without you. I may have a cup of tea, but no cake.” Al then sat at the kitchen table, opened up his laptop, and drank from his teacup. Caleb peered inside the cup at the green water and scrunched up his face. “Are you going to play computer games now, Daddy? Can I play too?” “Sorry little man, I am going to pay the electric bill now and finish some work.” Caleb looked at his dad’s computer screen. He saw a lot of numbers and nothing fun at all. He shook his head, “Sorry, Daddy,” and then walked to the living room. “Grammy Bee and Grandpa Ray must be the ones that have a party and dance around without me,” Caleb thought to himself. “Ah-Uh!” Caleb shouted as he marched into the living room. His hand on his hip and chest pushed out, holding tightly to Doctor Baby Lisa and stomping his foot. “Grammy and Grandpa Ray, are you having a party? It’s past my bedtime, and I am here to catch you having fun without me, your grandson Caleb!” Grammy Bee chuckled and said, “Don’t worry, Caleb, my Gumma, you’re not missing a thing! I am playing a game of chess on my phone with my friend Rochelle who lives miles away. Then I am also going to sleep.” So Caleb looked at his Grammy’s phone and saw squares and black and white game pieces, but no sound or movement. Grandpa Ray also chuckled as he paused his show on the television. “What flapdoodle is this? I would never have a party without you and Doctor Baby Lisa!” Caleb nestled next to Grammy Bee and asked, “What does flapdoodle mean, Grandpa?” “Flapdoodle means nonsense. Isn’t that a fun word to say? Flapdoodle!” Both Grandpa Ray and Caleb laughed. “Now, don’t worry, Caleb, you’re not missing a thing! I will finish one of my shows and then go to sleep.” Caleb looked at the television screen. A bunch of people in big dresses and fancy suits were standing around. This did not look like one of Caleb’s favorite cartoons. He scanned the room; there was no cake, and Grammy and Grandpa were not dancing. “But how come when I’m in my room, I hear feet stomping, and sometimes the light is still on when I wake up to have my water?” Caleb asked. “That’s just your Grandpa stomping to the fridge to get his water and falling asleep with the TV show watching him instead of him watching the TV,” Grammy Bee explained, giggling at her own joke. Caleb leaned back on the couch and let out a huge yawn, which he tried to hide behind a pillow. Then, finally, he shook himself awake, got up, and said, “I am going to go see what Beatrice is doing in her room.” Before Caleb left the room, he turned around and said, “Grandpa Ray, don’t forget to brush your teeth before you fall asleep.” Grandpa Ray gave Caleb two thumbs up. Caleb marched into his sister Beatrice’s room with his hand on his hip and his chest pushed out. He held Doctor Baby Lisa tightly and stomped his foot. “Ah-Uh!” Caleb shouted, “Are you hiding some of my toys in your room so you can play without me while I am sleeping? Well, I am awake now and catching you in the act!” Beatrice looked up from her phone and rolled her eyes, “Chanet, can you hold on a second? Caleb is in my room shouting nonsense. It’s past his bedtime, so he’s acting loopy.” “Hi, Chanet,” Caleb said as he tried to stick his face in front of the phone screen. “I am not shouting flapdoodle,” Caleb explained to his sister and her friend. “Don’t worry, Caleb, you’re not missing a thing! After I get off the phone, I am going to finish my homework and take a shower. Then I am also going to sleep. I only play with your toys when I am spending time with you, buddy,” Beatrice explained. Caleb was confused and also very sleepy. It seemed like he wasn’t missing anything, and his family wasn’t doing anything that he thought was fun without him. Suddenly, Caleb heard the sound of jingling keys and the front door opening. “Hello, I’m home!'' Caleb's mom Patrice called. Caleb ran to his room to wait for his mommy. He puffed up his pillows. He made sure Doctor Baby Lisa and his teddy bear Teddy were comfortable and had his favorite storybook ready to read aloud. He could hear his mom Patrice moving to each room of the house, greeting everyone and giving hugs and kisses, and then she arrived in Caleb’s room. “Hello, sweet boy,” Caleb’s mom said as she took off her work jacket and sat beside Caleb. “Don’t worry, Mommy, you didn’t miss a thing,” Caleb replied as he nestled next to his mom and got ready to hear his favorite bedtime story.