Where's Daddy?

Chapter 1

Beebo was all excited. Daddy Melville was taking him and Mummy Biddy, and Beezy and Milly to town. It would be a grand adventure. He had heard many stories about life in the city – tall buildings, bright lights, shops decorated beautifully, rich people all dressed up in their Sunday bests (and Monday and Tuesday bests, too).

Beebo couldn't wait.

He rushed over to Peeper's house to tell him the news.

When he got there, Beebo was not greeted by the usually cheerful, if quiet, Peeper. Instead, both Peeper and Auntie Pooper were crying.

“Er, what's wrong?” asked Beebo.

But nobody answered. 

Beebo stood there for a while, looking first at Auntie Pooper and then at Peeper, back at Auntie Pooper and then back again at Peeper.

Frightened, Beebo ran back home.

At home, life was normal. Mummy Biddy was in the kitchen making some gooey stuff that usually tasted yummy after it was cooked. And Beezy was playing with his blocks. And Milly was putting something she picked up from the floor into her mouth.

Yes, life was normal at the Beedle house.

As soon as Beebo saw Beezy playing with some of his toys, he forgot all about Peeper and Auntie Pooper as he tried to take his toys back.

It was a struggle and as usual Beezy won when he wailed: “Maaaaaaaaaaahhhh-Meeeeeeeeeee, Beebo won't le me play with his toysssssssssssss!!!!”

It always worked.

“As the eldest, Beebo, you shouldn't be a baby. Let your brother play with your toys. You have other toys to play with. Besides, shouldn't you be practising your writing?” said Mummy Biddy.

SLAM!

In walked Daddy Melville.

“What's the matter, dear? You're home early. Is something wrong?” asked Mummy.

By this time, Beezy was gloating and happily playing with Beebo's toys. And the boys got into another tug-of-war for Beebo's toys.

“Maaaaaaaah-meeeeeeeeee!!!!” shouted Beezy.

But this time, Mummy ignored Beezy. Daddy had more important news. She could tell by the way he looked. Daddies and Mummies knew this all the time. They said so.

"It's Peter Pooper. He's passed away. He had an accident in the city and he died instantly,” said Daddy.

Beebo and Beezy looked first at Daddy and then at Mummy as she started to cry. Milly joined them in the hall and had stopped putting things into her mouth.

Beebo, Beezy and Milly didn't like it when Mummy cried. They didn't always know why Mummy cried. But it was not good.

It usually meant that 1) Daddy was in trouble, 2) There would be crying for at least a few hours, 3) Dinner would be late!

Chapter 2

Mummy Biddy stopped crying after a while. When she did, they all marched to Auntie Pooper's house. Auntie Pooper was still crying. But Peeper was nowhere to be seen.

“Has Peeper gone out to play?” asked Beebo.

Auntie Pooper just shook her head. Mummy and Daddy both gave Beebo a stern look.

Poor Beebo. He didn't understand why they were upset with him. He only asked a question. He knew something was wrong and it had something to do with Uncle Pooper. But he wasn't sure what it was.

While Beezy was making himself at home, and Milly was taking this chance to taste new things in somebody else's home, Beebo went to Peeper's room.

The door was closed.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Not a reply came from inside Peeper's room. Just silence.

Beebo tried turning the door knob. It was not locked.

Inside, Peeper was lying in his bed face down.

“Hey, Peeper! You want to go out and play?”

Not a peep came from Peeper.

“Peeper, what's wrong?”

Peeper looked at Beebo for a long time. His eyes were watery and his nose was red. Then Peeper said, “My daddy's gone.”

“Where's he gone to?”

“Mummy said he's gone to heaven like Grandpa and Grandma and he's not coming back.”

“Maybe he's just gone away for a while? Maybe he'll be back soon to visit you and bring you presents.”

“He's gone … forever,” replied Peeper, crying loudly now.

Beebo didn't know what to do now or what to say. He just sat on Peeper's bed until it was time to go home.

Chapter 3

The next few weeks, Peeper just kept to himself. He didn't seem interested in anything, not even playing in the field like they used to do.

In class, Peeper just stared into space, not saying anything, not responding to the teacher. Even when Weirdo and Weirdel threw balls of paper at Peeper, he just kept quiet.

Beebo threw the balls of paper right back at them.

But Peeper said nothing.

The weeks soon turned to a month.

Beebo missed his old friend Peeper.

He wished things were back the way they used to be.

Chapter 4

“Beebo,” said Mummy Biddy. “You have to understand that Peeper misses his Daddy very much. And he's very sad that his Daddy has gone to heaven. Imagine if your Daddy went away and you could not see him again for a long, long, long time? Wouldn't you be sad too?”

Beebo nodded. “His Daddy's never ever coming back?”

“Yes, Beebo.”

He understood what Mummy was saying.

“But what can I do? Will Peeper be sad forever? Won't he be my best friend Peeper anymore?”

“He will. You just be patient. Give him time. And be his friend. He won't be sad forever," said Mummy giving Beebo a big bear hug. It was a good thing that Beezy and Milly weren't around to see Mummy get all mushy with him.

Beebo smiled. Mummy always smelt of soap and powder. It always made Beebo feel safe, like nothing could go wrong.

Chapter 5

Beebo was out playing in the field with his new ball. He was just learning to play football. It was fun kicking the ball around. Maybe one day, Beebo thought, I'll be good enough to go to Inglun (that's England, to you and me) and play.

Peeper sat quietly under the tree just looking at the city below.

Beebo turned to look at Peeper and saw tears rolling down his cheeks. He dropped the ball at once and ran to his friend.

“My daddy's not coming back, is he?” asked Peeper.

“No,” said Beebo.

Peeper cried even louder.

Beebo looked around to see if anyone was looking. There was nobody around. Just him and Peeper.

Beebo gave his bestfriend a hug, the bear kind that Mummy always gave him. And he said: “It's all right, Peeper. Everything will be all right.”

Peeper wasn't so sad anymore after that. He wasn't all better either. There were still days when Peeper had that faraway look on his face, when he'd look longingly at the city as if still looking for his Daddy. But he didn't cry as much. And Peeper was glad that he had Beebo as his bestfriend.

After all, football is better if you have your bestfriend to play it with.