A clap of thunder followed by a flash of lightening lit up the bedroom. Michael sat bolt upright as JR’s screams filled the house.
"Shit!"
"Stay there, I’ll go to her," Ben replied, climbing out of bed and pulling on his robe.
He met Hunter in the hallway.
"How the fuck is anyone meant to get any sleep around here," he muttered, rubbing his eyes.
"Hey…she’s scared! Go back to bed."
"Sorry, dude." He turned back to his room, slamming the door loudly behind him.
Ben opened JR’s door, the night light giving the room an eerie glow as the lightening continued to flash through the windows.
She was sitting up in bed, tears streaming down her face, her small body shaking as he picked her up.
"It’s ok JR," he crooned as he wrapped her tightly in his arms. "I’ll take you to Daddy."
She sniveled, wrapping her arms around Ben’s neck.
"I don’t like the scary noise, Uncle Ben."
"I know sweetie, but you’re safe here."
He carried her back to their room and laid her in the bed next to Michael. She immediately snuggled up next to her father, her thumb in her mouth.
Michael wiped away her tears, brushing the damp tendrils of hair off her face as he wrapped his arms around her, her small body shaking as another clap of thunder roared overhead.
"Daddy, I don’t like it, make it stop please."
"It won’t hurt you, Honeybun. It’s just the clouds having an argument; they will stop soon."
She looked up at him with wide eyes. "What are they arguing about Daddy?"
Michael looked over her head at Ben, who had a look on his face as if to say: you started this, now get yourself out of it.
"Perhaps one cloud wanted to watch TV and the other didn’t."
"That’s silly Daddy, clouds don’t watch TV," she giggled.
"How do you know that? Perhaps one hid the remote and the other couldn’t find it, like you do when Daddy wants to watch TV."
She turned to Ben. "Daddy’s silly isn’t he, Uncle Ben."
"Very silly, JR. I think they are arguing over who’s going to cook dinner tomorrow night."
Michael gave Ben a thankful grin as JR turned her head between the two of them.
"You are both silly!" she laughed, sitting up between them.
"Did you hear that Michael, this funny little girl thinks we’re silly," Ben huffed as he leaned in tickling her.
"Stop Uncle Ben that tickles," she giggled, trying to push Ben’s hands away.
"No, that’s what happens to little girls who don’t believe what they’re told, they get tickled and tickled until they can’t stop laughing."
Her laughter filled the room as Michael joined in the fun, glad to have taken her thoughts away from the storm raging outside.
A loud burst of thunder sent her diving under the bedclothes, peeping out when it finally stopped.
"Daddy, I think the clouds should stop arguing and go to sleep."
"I agree, and I think you should go to sleep as well"
"Nooooooooooooooo Daddy…I don’t want to go to my bed."
Michael looked at his daughter, her eyes welling up with tears and knew where she would be spending the night.
"It’s ok, Honeybun, you can sleep here with me and Uncle Ben."
She clapped her hands. "I love sleeping in your bed Daddy" she sighed, snuggling up close to her father, thumb back into mouth, eyes slowly closing.
Michael dropped at kiss on her head before switching off the light, his hand seeking Ben’s across his daughter’s chest, hopeful that the storm would soon abate ,and they would all get a good night’s sleep.