I am going to a sleepover at Maddy’s house. Henry isn’t coming. He’s too little. It sure will be nice to have some peace and quiet, in a house without a crying baby.​

Mom says I can borrow her special bag. The one with the roses on it. I pack my pjs and my pillow. I pack my bear, Miss B, because I don’t want her to miss me. ​​

Mom says I have to pack my toothbrush too. She showed me that it has its own plastic case, with holes in the bottom. And there’s a tiny mini toothpaste, so I don’t have to take the big tube.​

Dad drops me off. Before he leaves, he says to be polite and to listen to Maddy’s parents. And he says he loves me super duper much with a cherry on top. I tell him I love him super duper much with a strawberry because I like them better.​

Maddy shows me where to put my bag and my toothbrush. In the bathroom, there are five cups lined up with matching towels because Maddy has four big brothers. Each person in the family has their own color so they won’t fight over whose is whose. Maddy’s color is pink. She gets out a sixth cup and towel for me. White, for guests.​

When we get back to Maddy’s room, Miss B is gone. Turns out there are worse things than a crying baby.​

Maddie’s brothers took Miss B. But then they give her back, and ​they ask us to play with them. There are six of us so we can have even teams. I don’t ever want to go home.​

​At dinner, we eat strange meat with vegetables and weird sauce. I worry I’m going to be hungry, but we get to watch a movie and eat popcorn before bed. 

When we climb into bed, we have to pull the covers up ourselves. Maddy’s parents don’t do tuck-ins. They don’t do night lights either. It takes me a long time to fall asleep in the dark.​

Dad picks me up in the morning. Maddy asks if I want to come back, and I say I do. Sometimes.​

For now, I’m happy with the peace and quiet of a crying baby.