Chip lay awake watching the shadows dance across the bedroom ceiling. He turned his head slightly to catch a glimpse of his brother Robbie in the next bed. His breath was shallow and even, a sure sign that sleep had come. Chip looked back to the ceiling. He was tired. It had been the kind of day that would make anyone fall asleep. But something weighed on his mind.
The whole thing had started when he saw money laying on top of the newspapers outside the store. He didn't know it had been for the papers. The nice lady who passed by said, "finders keepers." Feeling it was his lucky week Chip had bought a new baseball. When he learned the truth he thought for sure he was going to jail. But Mike his other brother paid for the papers and helped him explain what had happened.
All he could think was what a neat brother he had. And he'd felt like hugging him. No. It wasn't dumb to want to hug your brother Mike had told him. But would he settle for a handshake for now. That whole thing seemed to be forgotten when it was discovered that the stamp missing from Bub's collection was fastened securely to the back of his pants. Chip spent the next part of the afternoon having it steamed from his backside.
Chip rolled onto one side and propped himself up on his elbow. Resting his head in his hand he thought.
Down the hall Mike was still awake. Sitting up in bed reading he responded to the light rapping he heard at his door.
The door opened and Chip stood there still holding the knob. "Mike, can I talk to you?"
Mike looked up from the book. "You should be in bed shouldn't you?"
"I can't sleep," he told his brother.
"Mike closed the book. "Important huh?"
Chip nodded.
Mike offered a slight smile and patted the bed. "Okay. Come here."
Grateful, Chip entered the room and flopped onto the bed. He knew what he wanted to say. But then again he didn't.
Mike sensed the uneasiness. "Hey, you've never had trouble telling me anything before."
Chip looked at Mike. Yeah, but... well... you'll think I'm being dumb."
"If it's upsetting you this much it's not dumb," Mike reassured him.
Chip swallowed and looked away. "I still want to hug you," he said in a small voice.
"What?" Mike was confused.
Chip suddenly felt very brave. "You said it wasn't dumb to want to hug your brother. But you didn't want me to. So we shook hands. But I still feel like hugging you," he blurted out.
Before Mike could say or do anything Chip gave him a clumsy hug and ran from the room leaving Mike feeling rather ashamed of himself but not sure why.
A light in the kitchen indicated that Mike was not the only Douglas awake at the unearthly hour. Slowly, he padded his way into the room to find his father at the table nursing a glass of milk.
Steve Douglas seemed surprised to see his oldest son come through the doorway. "Mike, what are you doing up?"
Mike shrugged. "Just couldn't sleep. I could ask you the same question."
Steve set his glass on the table. "A work problem. Turning it over in my head. Keeping me awake."
Mike's mouth quivered into a knowing smile as he sat. His dad offered the milk bottled to which he shook his head. "Something on my mind too, I guess."
Steve sipped at his milk again. "Anything I can help with."
Mike shook his head. "Nah."
Steve's eyes twinkled. "You know it might help... both of us if you tell me. It would get me thinking about something else."
In truth Mike did want to tell someone. "Do you think I've been a good brother to Rob and Chip?" he started out of no where.
Steve was taken aback by the question. "Of course you have. What makes you ask a thing like that?"
"I think I let Chip down," Mike responded matter-of-factly.
"Let him down? How?"
When Mike answered he spoke into his hand so his dad barely heard him. "I didn't hug him."
"What was that?"
Mike moved his hand. "I said I didn't hug him."
"Mike, maybe you'd better start at the beginning."
Mike nodded and proceeded to recap the events leading up to the supposed letting down of his youngest brother. He concluded with," And it just seems to silly, that I didn't do it in the first place."
Steve studied his son. "Did you want to hug him?"
Mike reddened slightly. "Yeah, I guess I did."
"And you didn't because?"
"Someone was watching," Mike answered quite honestly. "I was embarrassed. Ridiculous, I know."
Steve grew thoughtful. "You know this may be somewhat my fault. I'm admittedly not particularly demonstrative. Maybe if I had been. You would be more..." He paused and searched for the right word. "Comfortable."
"No." Mike was emphatic. "This isn't your fault." He rose from the chair. "I know what to do, though. Thanks for listening." He turned to leave.
"Mike, wait," Steve said rising. He moved to his son. Dropping his hand to rest on Mike's shoulder he leaned in and pressed a kiss to the young man's forehead. "Goodnight, Mike."
Mike smiled. "'Night, Dad."
Mike carefully opened the door to the bedroom shared by Robbie and Chip. Silently, he made his way to Chip's bed and eased himself to the edge. Tentatively, he reached out and shook Chip's shoulder gently. "Chip," he said barely above a whisper. "Chip," he said again.
This time Chip's eyes fluttered open and he stared sleepily at his brother. "Mike?"
"Yeah, Chip, it's me."
"What are you doing in here?"
"This," Mike told him. He reached down and lifted his brother by the arms to pull him into a hug. Not a halfhearted one but a firm complete embrace. Chip smiled groggily against his brother's chest as his arms came up to encircle Mike in return. Mike tightened his hold briefly and dropped a kiss on the top of Chip's head before easing him back to the bed. "Sweet dreams, Chip."
"You, too, Mike," Chip offered.
Mike nodded to himself as he left the room. They would be. Another day he would embarrass the heck out of Robbie by offering him some brotherly affection. For now it was enough to have taken care of some unfinished business.
THE END