The Box
"What ya got there, Stu?" Chas asked as Stu came up from the basement carrying several boxes. "New toy for Tommy?"
"The boxes are the new toy!" Stu said. "I saw Tommy playing with an empty shoebox and I remembered how much fun I used to have playing with boxes when I was a kid. So I decided to grab a few boxes I had downstairs for him and the babies to play with."
"Great idea!" Chas said as he placed Chuckie in the playpen and Stu put a few boxes down for the babies. The two fathers walked away, leaving the babies to look at the boxes in interest.
"Wow…" Phil whispered. "Look at'em all!"
"I can't decide which one to play with first!" Lil exclaimed happily.
Chuckie began peeking into one, smiling. "I like that they are different sizes."
Tommy nodded in agreement, already thinking of all sorts of different things the boxes could be. They could make the boxes into a fort! Or connect them into caves! His mind was buzzing with all sorts of fun ideas that Tommy was practically doing a little happy dance.
"I think we should make a cave!" Phil said, already seeing the damp dark dripping cave forming before him.
"I think it should be a spooky mansion!" Lil said with glee, in her mind's eye seeing an old house with many rooms and armor in the halls.
"Cave, Lillian!"
"House Phillip!"
"Cave!"
"house!"
"Guys!" Tommy exclaimed. "Don't fight! We can do all of that!"
The twins quieted down. "I guess you're right," Phil finally said.
"What do you think we should do first, Tommy?" Lil asked.
Tommy opened his mouth, eyes alight with glee… only to pause when he saw Chuckie looking at him. He remembered everything Chuckie had told him, how he didn't listen to him and made fun of him when he suggested things… and what Susie had told him. That he couldn't just say he was sorry. He needed to SHOW he was sorry and understood what he'd done was wrong.
He smiled. "I think we should first… let Chuckie decide!"
"M-me?" Chuckie asked, startled.
"Yeah!" Tommy said.
"I… I don't know Tommy. I'm not that good at this kind of stuffs…"
"Yes you are, Chuckie," Tommy said, playing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Go on."
"Well… what if…" He shifted nervously. "What if… they were a spaceship." One of the boxes slowly shifted, gaining a rocket on the bottom and computers inside of it and a control stick. "And that one could be… a space station!" The biggest one changed as well, with windows and ports to connect the ship to it.
"That's great Chuckie!" Tommy exclaimed.
"It… it is?"
"Yeah!"
The babies all cheered and began to play in space, having an utter delight. And when they were all tired out and laid down for their nap Chuckie moved next to Tommy and gave him a hug. "Thanks Tommy."
"You're welcome Chuckie."