Chapter 5

Oh, and by the way, Jasmine is Hank and Don's mom; something I made up myself; it is not cannon.

"Please can I go mom? Please?"

"Well, okay. But if you misbehave you are going to regret it."

"YES! I can go, I can go!" 8 year old Hank flew out the door, as 3 year old Don was walking in.

"Mommy, where Hay Hay going?"

"He's going to a friends house for a sleepover tomorrow."

"Seepover?"

"Mmhm. That means he'll be sleeping there instead of here for one night." Jasmine got the idea that Don still didn't understand. Oh well. He'd get it later.

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"Hey Don, come here." Don looked up and saw Hank holding something behind his back. Don still wasn't sure what a sleepover was, but he didn't have a good feeling about it. He walked over to his brother in his tottering little kid steps, wondering what Hank wanted.

"Since I'm going to be gone, I got you something." Hank said with a grin. The he pulled a teddy bear out from behind his back. It was a lovely thing, cute and huggable, and about half as big as Don himself, not that that was saying much. Don's eyes lit up with joy as he held out his arms for Hank to place the bear into. Don plopped down and cuddled the bear in ecstasy.

"I wov him!" Don buried his face in the bear and rocked side to side. Then he looked up again and gave Hank a huge smile. "You're the best big bwother ever!"

Hank grinned back. Jordan's uncle had been in town, and he'd brought a bunch of teddy bears with him, since he worked for a teddy bear factory, and Hank had asked for one of the bears for Don. Seeing as it was free, and Hank hadn't really gone on a real sleepover before. This was because his parents had some kind of paranoia about sleepovers due to some weird experience his mom had had when she was a kid.

But now he was deemed old enough, and he could go. Still though, he'd thought it best to give Don something for when he was gone. And it was time to go now.

"Hey Don, I have to go now."

"'Kay, Hay Hay. See you soon!"

"See ya!"

Hank straitened up and ran out the door, leaving Don cuddling with new toy.

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- 15 minutes later

"Mommy, when Hay Hay come back?"

Jasmine looked down to see Don with his new teddy bear in his arms looking up at her. "He'll be back some time tomorrow."

"'Morrow?"

"Uh huh."

"But needs to eat supper."

"He's eating at Jordan's house."

"Why?"

"Because that's what you do at sleepovers."

Don seemed to consider this, before looking scared and hurt. "Mommy, was I bad? Did I make Hay Hay go 'way?"

"No, honey, he's just playing with a friend."

"But you come back when you pway with fwiends."

"And he will. Just later that usual."

Don walked away, biting his lip. Maybe mommy said it wasn't his fault, but he knew better. He had been bad and made Hank go away. But what had he done wrong? He'd tried to be good; what did he do bad? Did Hank hate him now? Don walked to the front door, and sat there, hugging his bear to his chest. But Hank had given him the bear. Maybe Hank didn't hate him. Don didn't know. But he was going to wait for Hank to come back until he finally did. Then maybe Hank would tell him what he did wrong.

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"Umm, Don, what are you doing?" Jasmine walked over to the small 3 year old who was still holding his newfound teddy bear. From his position sitting down, the bear was about level with his head.

"I Waiting for Hay Hay, mommy."

"He's not coming back for a while, sweety. And we have to have supper now."

"Not hungry, mommy."

"Well, you have to eat."

"No thank you."

Jasmine stifled a laugh. "You don't have a choice. Come on. Your teddy bear can come too. Have you named him yet?"

"This Hay Hay Bear."

"Hank Bear?"

"Uh huh."

"You named him after your brother?"

"Now I can hug him when Hay Hay isn't here."

Jasmine made a mental note to write about this in her journal. "That's very sweet. I'm sure Hank will love to hear about that. Now do you want to help me set the table?"

"Okay."

Don only picked at his food all meal, and as soon as he was done, he walked right back in front of the door (with Hank Bear) and sat down again. Jasmine sighed.

"Don, Hank isn't coming back tonight."

"In case."

Jasmine shook her head. "Don, do you want to hear a story?"

Don shook his head. "Not now mommy. I waiting."

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"Hey, sport! Didja miss me?"

Don ran squealing into Hank's arms, dropping Hank Bear for the first time since Hank had left, and letting hank pick him up so Don could hug him around the neck tightly.. "Hay Hay! You back!"

"Sure am! Did you play with your present?"

"I not let go till you come home, Hay Hay."

"Wow. Really?"

"Yeah. I name it Hay Hay Bear."

"Hank Bear?"

"Uh Huh. I hugged it when you were gone, but you back now, so I not need it now."

Jasmine walked into the room. "Don's telling the truth. This boy would not be separated from the great and wonderful Hank Bear. It's good to have you back Hank."

"Sure. Say, Donny, you want to play cars?"

"Yeah!"

Hank grinned and walked away, still holding Don, who was chattering a mile a minute. He wasn't sure how Don had taken his absence, but he seemed to have done okay. But maybe next time he should have the sleepover at his house instead.