Growing Up Chase Pt. 1
Author’s Note: This is a series of brief shots of Chase, as the title says, growing up. Each part will indicate in parentheses his age, since I can’t guarantee that I will stay in chronological order the whole time.
Growing Up Chase
By Rebel Yell
Part One (Age Seven)
“Mummy?” Robbie Chase peaked around the door to his mother’s office. It was late, but she hadn’t come up to say goodnight and he was worried. She was in her office though, and that meant she was working. He wasn’t supposed to interrupt, ever. Mummy got upset when he interrupted her work. So did Dad, but Mummy’s upset was scarier than Dad’s upset.
“ Robert! It’s nearly half eleven! Go to bed!”
“ You didn’t say goodnight yet.”
“ Robert David Chase. Bed. This minute.”
“ Good night, Mummy. Love you.” He spoke quickly and quietly, before heading back upstairs to his room. He saw a light under the door to his Dad’s office as well, but he wasn’t going to knock on the door. Dad would get upset with Mummy if he knew Robbie was up so late. Dad always got upset with Mummy about Robbie. Then Mummy got upset with Dad, and with Robbie. Besides, he was only allowed in Dad’s office if the door was already open. It was never open. Well, mostly never.
He’d been in bed a very long time, but he couldn’t sleep. Robbie wanted to get his teddy down from the shelf, he looked like he needed a hug and Robbie needed one too. But he was too big for things like teddy. He was seven now and starting football this year in school. Dad had put teddy on the shelf last month, and Robbie hadn’t taken him down yet. Not even when Mummy had hit his bum last week after he interrupted a meeting with a photographer. He’d been sick. He should have just taken the pink medicine, but he’d wanted Mummy to give it him. It worked better that way.
“Robbie, you should have been asleep hours ago.” Mummy stood at the door to his room, her voice quiet. “Are you sick again, baby boy?”
“No.”
“ Did you have a nightmare?”
“ No.”
“ All right then, there’s no need for your beautiful blue eyes to be open, is there?”
“ No.” He sighed, and closed his eyes even if he didn’t think he’d sleep. He couldn’t disobey her though. It made her upset. And Robbie hated it when Mummy was upset. She said nasty things sometimes. Things she didn’t mean and she’d cry about and he hated her crying even more than he hated her upset. His eyes popped open again though, when he felt her sit on the bed beside him.
“Shhh. Close those beautiful eyes, Robbie. You’re going to be exhausted for school.”
“ I’m not sleepy.”
“ It’s very late, Robbie. Just close your eyes, and you’ll drop off before you know it.”
“ Is Dad in his office?”
“ Of course. He has a new article he’s working on. Stop talking, and go to sleep, baby.”
“ Can you sing to me?”
“ You said you hadn’t had a nightmare.” Normally, Robbie wanted her to sing after nightmares. Tonight though, he just wanted to hear her. She sounded happy when she was singing, and he wanted her to be happy.
“ I didn’t. Promise. But it gives me good dreams. Please?”
“ All right, my little charmer. Now close those eyes, and go to sleep.” Robbie obeyed, listening to her singing softly about made-up places and happy things. He fell asleep, smiling softly as his Mummy sang and rubbed his back gently. Sometimes Mummy shouted, but that wasn’t really Mummy. This was Mummy.
Growing Up Chase
By Rebel Yell
Part One (Age Seven)
“Mummy?” Robbie Chase peaked around the door to his mother’s office. It was late, but she hadn’t come up to say goodnight and he was worried. She was in her office though, and that meant she was working. He wasn’t supposed to interrupt, ever. Mummy got upset when he interrupted her work. So did Dad, but Mummy’s upset was scarier than Dad’s upset.
“ Robert! It’s nearly half eleven! Go to bed!”
“ You didn’t say goodnight yet.”
“ Robert David Chase. Bed. This minute.”
“ Good night, Mummy. Love you.” He spoke quickly and quietly, before heading back upstairs to his room. He saw a light under the door to his Dad’s office as well, but he wasn’t going to knock on the door. Dad would get upset with Mummy if he knew Robbie was up so late. Dad always got upset with Mummy about Robbie. Then Mummy got upset with Dad, and with Robbie. Besides, he was only allowed in Dad’s office if the door was already open. It was never open. Well, mostly never.
He’d been in bed a very long time, but he couldn’t sleep. Robbie wanted to get his teddy down from the shelf, he looked like he needed a hug and Robbie needed one too. But he was too big for things like teddy. He was seven now and starting football this year in school. Dad had put teddy on the shelf last month, and Robbie hadn’t taken him down yet. Not even when Mummy had hit his bum last week after he interrupted a meeting with a photographer. He’d been sick. He should have just taken the pink medicine, but he’d wanted Mummy to give it him. It worked better that way.
“Robbie, you should have been asleep hours ago.” Mummy stood at the door to his room, her voice quiet. “Are you sick again, baby boy?”
“No.”
“ Did you have a nightmare?”
“ No.”
“ All right then, there’s no need for your beautiful blue eyes to be open, is there?”
“ No.” He sighed, and closed his eyes even if he didn’t think he’d sleep. He couldn’t disobey her though. It made her upset. And Robbie hated it when Mummy was upset. She said nasty things sometimes. Things she didn’t mean and she’d cry about and he hated her crying even more than he hated her upset. His eyes popped open again though, when he felt her sit on the bed beside him.
“Shhh. Close those beautiful eyes, Robbie. You’re going to be exhausted for school.”
“ I’m not sleepy.”
“ It’s very late, Robbie. Just close your eyes, and you’ll drop off before you know it.”
“ Is Dad in his office?”
“ Of course. He has a new article he’s working on. Stop talking, and go to sleep, baby.”
“ Can you sing to me?”
“ You said you hadn’t had a nightmare.” Normally, Robbie wanted her to sing after nightmares. Tonight though, he just wanted to hear her. She sounded happy when she was singing, and he wanted her to be happy.
“ I didn’t. Promise. But it gives me good dreams. Please?”
“ All right, my little charmer. Now close those eyes, and go to sleep.” Robbie obeyed, listening to her singing softly about made-up places and happy things. He fell asleep, smiling softly as his Mummy sang and rubbed his back gently. Sometimes Mummy shouted, but that wasn’t really Mummy. This was Mummy.