Leo and Just One More Minute

Leo had blue pajamas with little yellow stars, and that night he wasn't ready for bed yet. His toys were waiting for him on the rug: a brown teddy bear sitting next to a red and blue train. His Mother comes over and says, "Leo, it's time for bed."

"Just one more minute, Mama," said Leo, still holding tight to his red and blue train. "Just one more minute to play." Mama smiled softly and sat down beside him on the soft rug.

Leo rolled the red and blue train very slowly underneath the bed. The brown teddy bear was traveling along with the train, his eyes already half-closed.

"Just one more minute," Leo yawned, while the red and blue train moved slower and slower and slower, as if it was getting sleepy too.

Mama picked up the little brown bear in her hands and tucked him in with a tiny green blanket. "Look, even the little bear wants to go to sleep now," she said in a very soft voice.

Leo looked around his room: the soft yellow light from his little lamp, the silver stars on the ceiling that twinkled slowly. His eyelids felt heavy, heavy, as if they had their own sleepiness.

"Just one... more... minute..." Leo whispered, but his voice was barely there. He set down the red and blue train right next to the brown teddy bear, both of them tucked in nice and cozy.

Mama lifted him gently and carried him to his bed, under the soft green blanket. She gave him a kiss on the forehead. "Tomorrow your toys will be waiting for you again," she said softly.

Leo closed his eyes. Outside, the moon kept watch in silence, and inside, the brown bear and the red and blue train slept too, still and quiet, in their corner of the rug.