13 february 2025, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2646: a loud growl in the night

Image by Betidraws from Pixabay

“OK, so life is definitely getting better, because the only thing going bump or growl or hiss in the night are Goody and Goldie, making sure the raccoons do not eat up anything in Velma's garden.”

Mrs. Thalia Ludlow and Sgt. Vincent Trent, respectively, were riveted to the conversation between eight-year-old Gracie Trent and her friends seven-year-old Amanda and eight-year-old Edwina Ludlow. They already knew what the little ones were talking about, in their own ways.

“Yeah, it is quieter at night and that's good,” Edwina said, “because that helps me sleep.”

“Yeah, it feels safer now,” Amanda said. “I share a room with Edwina, so, if she sleeps better, so do I.”

“I'm not having weird nightmares any more,” Edwina said, “because you know if I have a weird nightmare, I'm breaking bad on everything weird in it, and nobody needs all that, especially me, and especially Amanda. I mean, I love that the snugglecouragement comes even in the middle of the night sometimes – and I love you for that, Mandie – but we are too cute not to get our beauty sleep!”

“Yeah, it's so quiet I'm able to do even better eavesdropping on the stuff Melvin, Vanna, and Tom are watching and then get plenty of sleep and still get up early to do stuff,” Gracie said. “Like tomorrow, I'm going to make sure the raccoons stay out by putting black pepper down around Velma's plants, and also take Dad's jalapeno peppers just in case.”

Sgt. Trent went and moved the jalapeno peppers into another container and put the black pepper on the highest shelf, and made a note to meet his daughter in the morning to explain things in advance.

“Reconnaissance – also known as quality eavesdropping – works both ways!” he would say to her then, and they would laugh and learn about reconnaissance and espionage and why black pepper outside in a rainy climate wasn't going to work well but there were plants they could plant that would.

Sgt. Trent was sleeping well enough to think all this out for the same reasons that Mrs. Ludlow was … their mates had come through the internal battles that sometimes awoke even the children in their homes who did not understand nor needed a full explanation of things at their ages. Mrs. Melissa Trent had been working hard in her mental health care too, and, like Capt. Ludlow in his eight weeks away, had some breakthroughs and some healing, as had her sisters who also committed to the work they all needed to do to heal and be able to be a family again. Though they had not let on to the grandchildren, the Stepforth grandparents had been on these calls every day with their daughters, and Mr. Stepforth in particular had worked to heal as many of the breaches as he knew he was responsible for. This had given his eldest daughter – Melissa – the space and freedom to heal.

“I really think Goody and Goldie have got this loud growl in the night thing down,” Amanda had said during her conversation with Gracie and Edwina, “and we can leave all the weird nightmares and missing beauty sleep alone – but y'all can still have some snugglecouragement!”

“I'm always with that,” Edwina said.

“Ain't it the truth,” Gracie said as the three little girls enjoyed a very snuggly hug.

Mrs. Ludlow went back inside where her husband, who had slept peacefully for weeks and weeks, was very alertly keeping up with five-year-old Lil' Robert's latest great idea.

“See, since we share the vest of Robert Edward Ludlowness – but, see, I'm going to grow into yours next week, though – but while I eat enough for my two hollow legs and grow, we need matching vests, because, see, people need to know that we take care of this family because this is what Robert Edward Ludlows do, see, because, you take care from the Papa end and I take care of the company bigmouth end because while you fight the folks I'll just tell them about themselves, see, because, people need to know that they can't just be doing things to everybody because we Robert Edward Ludlows are not going for it, and I can say that because of the Robert Edward Ludlowness also vested in me, even before I grow into your vest, but, see, next week, though!”

“Big Robert” was just smiling.

“I think this is a great idea,” he said, “because I am learning from your end of the Robert Edward Ludlowness too – a lot of times, if you talk with people right, you never have to fight them. You're on the right track, twin.”

Lil' Robert just beamed.

“Well, see, I got that part down and I'm glad to help, see, because, that's what all of us are supposed to do but especially me, because, see, the Robert Edward Ludlowness vested in us, although I do need my own vest until next week, though!”

“Now, in the summertime, it might be a little hot – we could get matching muscle shirts, though.”

“Yeah – see, because, I'mma keep working out with you and Cousin Harry when he gets here, and so I'mma have the muscles next week, too, and we could show off the muscles also vested in us!”

“Should we get one for Cousin Harry?”

“Yeah!”

One had to get good rest to get matching muscle shirts for a five-year-old, a 46-year-old, and a 58-year-old … and also, not wreck the moment by absolutely falling out laughing.

“Gotta get good sleep so the muscles have time to recover!” Mrs. Ludlow kidded her husband later.

“I'm going with Gracie on this – 'Ain't it the truth, Thalia, ain't it the truth!'”