I’ve been craving some peace.

 Just a taste. Just a bit.

 Just a day without worry or stress, without deadlines or expectations.

Without a To-Do list.

 To experience once again that same feeling of being a child, tucked in bed by a parent, surrounded by stuffed animals. Clean sheets. The weight of heavy blankets. The sound of their conversation and laughter spilling into my room through the not-quite-closed door.

 Falling asleep knowing you’re taken care of. 

Instead of falling asleep with a mind still at warp speed or feeling guilty for trying to rest when there are so many chores still needing done. 

“Being a grown up doesn’t seem like much fun,” my ten-year-old daughter said, while watching me clean. 

“Parts of it are,” I said. “There are some parts about being a grown up I wouldn’t trade for the world, but you’re right. It’s often not fun.” 

“You miss being a kid?” Celeste asked. 

I looked over at her, skating on sock feet across the hardwood floor.

“I miss it more than you know.” 

A few days after that short conversation, Celeste called me at work to ask if she could have a friend spend the night. I said yes. 

“ANY friend?” she asked. 

I briefly considered everyone she might possibly be thinking of asking to see if there was one I might object to, but came up with none. 

A short while later, my phone rang again. It was Celeste. She was calling to invite me to spend the night. 

“I’ll have to ask my mom,” I told her. 

Mom gave her okay. 

That night, we ate pepperoni pizza in bed. 

Painted our toenails. (Cobalt blue with black stripes.) 

Took turns trying to throw popcorn into each other’s mouth.  

Played Truth or Dare. (I had to moon Geoff. Accidentally tripped over a dog while attempting to flee.) 

I French-braided her hair. She maniacally braided mine. (Made me look like Medusa.) 

We watched “High School Musical.” Fell asleep watching “Elf.” 

On clean sheets. Under heavy blankets.  

In the morning, we dragged our covers with us to the kitchen and grabbed some PopTarts and milk, which we ate on the couch while watching “Orangutan Island.” Sometime during the show, I noticed a cobweb in the corner and stood to get it. While I was up, I took our glasses to the kitchen. Noticed other dirty dishes. Filled the sink with soapy water. Put on my gloves.

 Celeste came up behind me, put her arms around my waist and gave me a hug.

 “I wish you could’ve stayed longer,” she said.

 Me, too.  

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