Hushed Voices and Quiet Giggles

I felt like a little kid all over again. There I was lying alongside my five year old cousin... talking. Talking in whispered voices as if making sure no one heard our conversation.

I had been babysitting Evan and his older sister, Anna that evening. As the night wore on, bedtime arose. Bedtime. The dreaded bedtime. The "but Mal we aren't tired", "can't we stay up with you", and "are you going to stay the night".

Once they were both in bed with the lights out I settled down in the chair with my book in hand. Before long Evan came out, "will you come lay in bed with me". I told him no saying it was time for him to go to sleep (knowing if I went in there he would talk to me the whole time). So back to bed he went. A little time passed by before I once again heard his footsteps in the hallway. Looking up from my book I see him standing there, again asking if I will come lay with him. Needless to say I gave in this time.

Before crawling into bed with him, he made sure I had two stuff animals and a blanket. So there I was two stuff animals in hand and a blanket that covered only my legs; listening to Evan as he told me one thing after the next: funny jokes, stories from school, and more.

And there we were, Evan and I in his little twin size bed. He as innocent as a five year old and me regressing back into childhood. It made me think what if I would've had a sibling to whisper with late at night? Only to realize that wouldn't have changed the happiness of my childhood, rather only would've created different memories. It made me look forward to the day that I have kids of my own. Kids to lay alongside one another at night whispering about the secrets of life. To be a mother and hear their hushed voices and quiet giggles.

I am glad. Glad that I gave in to Evan's plea for me to join him. Glad to have had the moment to bring me back to the wonders of being a kid.