It was a gloomy night, as the rain came down hard, and lightning lit up the dark black sky. Grandfather, also known as, Benedict Uno, Sr was in his study, looking at an old picture of Hazel, his late wife, and him on their wedding day. The old sepia photograph, to him held so many memories. The time they first met as children, the time they were chased by the store owner for stealing a piece of candy, the time they climbed up a tree and Benedict broke his arm after falling off a branch, the time they fell in love.
Grandfather stared at the photograph for God knows how long, but each passing time he stared into her eyes in the photo, he missed her more and despised his newborn son each time. He shed tears, bitter tears. He was angry, hurt, confused. He didn't understand why it had to be her. He questioned why it happened, why her. He refused to be loving to his newborn baby, because he felt it was the child's fault that she died. Grandfather was lost in thought, until the cry of his baby boy was heard. Sure, he agreed to take care of him until he was old enough to take care of himself, but he still loathed that child with seething hatred. He continued to ignore the infant's cries.
"Waah!! Waaah!! Awaaah!!" The baby's cries were getting louder. Grandfather got pissed off at this point, due to the baby disturbing him, and slams down the photograph, cracking the glass.
"Oh my God!!!" He screams, as he got up to check on the infant. He walks into the nursery. It's a beautiful soft blue room, with a few toys scattered here and there across the incredibly large mansion floor. He walks over to the crib sitting in the middle of the room. The baby at this point, has tears running down his face, as he continues to wail. Grandfather places one hand on the side of the crib, as he stares in anger at the 2 week old infant. Even though he is annoyed at the child for many reasons, he gently picks up his Son, with one hand under his body and the other supporting his head. The baby refuses to calm down, sensing his father's bitterness and anger.
"Ugh!! You're a brat!!" Grandfather states. Entering the room with tired eyes, is a little boy about three years old. He walks towards his father, rubbing his eyes with one hand, and a stuffed old, hand-made gray bunny dragging on the floor in the other.
Grandfather turns around, sensing a presence behind him.
"Monty?? What are you doing up this late?? It's way past your bedtime!! Go back to sleep!!" Grandfather demanded.
The little boy yawned, ignoring his father's warning.
"I can't.…" Monty yawned.
"Why not?" Grandfather asked. He waited for a reply, impatiently, but noticed tears in his Son's eyes. Trying to calm, a still crying baby, Grandfather started bouncing him and rocking him, while waiting for Monty's answer.
"…Because…." Monty hesitated.
Grandfather sighed, because Monty was hesitant with his answer and the baby wouldn't calm down, he was becoming irritated.
"Because why, Monty?!?" Benedict huffed, looking down at the baby, still trying to rock him to sleep. Monty looked up, tears running down his face.
"Because….. I miss Mommy…." Monty cried, wiping away the tears and snot. Grandfather hears the hurt in his eldest Son's voice and tries to comfort him, by patting his shoulder.
"….. I know…. I miss her too…" Grandfather is annoyed, because the baby won't stop crying. He is starting to get a headache at this point. He was about to put Benedict Jr back in the crib and give up, until Monty spoke up.
"Wait! Maybe brudder misses her too!" Monty suggested. Grandfather looked confused.
"Monty… That's ridiculous!! How could he miss her, if he's never met her?!?" Grandfather scoffed at his Son's 'ridiculous' theory.
"I don't know… maybe he feels sad… because she's not here to sing him to sleep, or read stories…. Maybe he knows she's gone…." Monty fidgeted with his hands.
Grandfather grew silent. He never thought of it that way. However he does remember that when Monty was born, whenever he cried, she would sing to him or give him some type of comfort, but now that she was gone, maybe that's why Ben wouldn't stop crying…. Because he wanted comfort. He missed her.
"*sigh* Monty I've tried everything! He won't stop crying!!" Grandfather was getting exhausted, especially from lack of sleep. Monty stood there fidgeting with the buuny's long ears.
"…..Ah-ha!! I've got it!! You should go downstairs and make him a bottle! By the time you do that! I should have found what I'm looking for to make him stop crying!" Monty exclaimed.
"Uhh… What does that eve--???" Before Grandfather could finish his sentence, Monty sprinted off to his room.
"Oookaayyy…. Well that's that!" Grandfather looked down at his, still screaming son and walked to the kitchen. He fixed a bottle, then walked back up stairs. Monty was already standing by the crib, with the same old gray bunny in his hands from before.
"I thought you were looking for something??" Grandfather questioned.
"Well, kinda…. I wanted a moment to say good-bye to Mr. Snuggles." Monty explained, looking down at his feet.
"Who is Mr. Snuggles??" Grandfather raised an eyebrow, as he questioned his eldest son. Monty held up the old rabbit.
"This is Mr. Snuggles…. I remember having him forever…. He made me feel better when I was sad or lonely. Mommy told me that it was Grandma's when she was a little girl, then mommy got it and she gave it to me and now, I want Ben to have it…. Since it was mommy's. I think it would make baby brudder happy and stop crying. I will miss Mr. Snuggles, but if Ben's happy… Then I'm happy." Monty explained with a smile on his face.
"Monty… That's nice of you and all…. But I don't think it would help." Grandfather tried to reason with him.
" Monty begged. Grandfather looked at his beloved Son, Monty and sighed.
"Alright… If you think it will get him to stop crying then fine! Whatever!" Grandfather spoke doubtfully.
Grandfather sits in a rocking chair placed by the window in the nursery, and starts rocking the crying infant. Monty holds up the stuffed bunny to his baby brother.
"Here you go, Ben. This was mommy's. It used to belong to grandma, then mommy got it, then I got it, and now you can have it!" Monty smiled with such a warming glow.
The baby was interested in the bunny. He stopped crying immediately and gently reached out for the bunny. Monty placed the bunny in his newborn brothers arms, and kissed his cheek. Ben smiled and yawned, as he rubbed his eyes, and hugged the bunny tight.
"Huh! I never thought that would work! Good job, Son." Grandfather smiled, as he pat Monty's head.
Grandfather started feeding Ben, until he had enough. He then gave Ben his pacifier, and rocked him softly to sleep. The baby that was screaming, finally tired himself out, after crying for what seemed like hours. Grandfather got up and gently placed his baby boy in his crib, and tucked him in.
"I'm seepy. Im going back to bed. Good night, Pappy." Monty tiredly walked back to his room and closed his door.
Grandfather looked at Monty's door, then looked at his sleeping tiny baby boy, who was still clinging to the bunny, as if someone was going to take it away.
For the first time, and one time only, Grandfather looked at his baby boy lovingly.
"Good-night, boys…" Grandfather whispered softly, as he clicked off the light, and exit the nursery.