Theme: Sleep
Food: Milk
Exactly one minute after he emits a yawn, a maid is gently nudging his back with her palms. "Time for bed, young lady."
Bridget nods, suddenly too tired to protest being called "young lady." From the corner of his eye he sees the butler pick the book from his brother's lap, then hoist him over his shoulder.
The way upstairs is a blur. On the way to bed, his mother takes the maid's place and closes the door behind them. There, she sets out a pair of blue pajamas. Bridget likes these pajamas-- they're gender neutral-- the closest he can get to masculine clothing. Dressed for bed, he slips under the down covers where Roger is waiting. But before that, there is a glass of milk set out for him on the nightstand. His mother sits in the rocking chair and reads Shakespeare out loud. It's hard to read scripts as bedtime stories, but Bridget insists on the plays. He finishes his milk and lays down, listening to the lines rather than the plot. He goes over each word and picks at the depth and emotion until his consciousness drifts off and the gathered thoughts disperse into dreams.