"It can be your bedroom if you want," Julian told him and Danny looked pleased.
Leaving him in his new room and stepping out into the hallway, Julian shook his head. "Danny seems to like it a lot more than I ever did. But it's not much of a kid's room."
As he looked at the dark furniture, the heavy curtains, Rob didn't disagree. "We can change that, add some color and more toys." He was so ready to look on the bright side of things.
Pointing out a door across the hall, Julian told him. "This sitting room can be for you to use."
"That's great. Thanks," Rob told him as he looked inside, noticed the comfortable seating and the TV. "There is no TV in the guest room. This will come in handy, but I'll keep it down at night."
"That TV is ancient," Julian pointed out.
"It will do. I just like it on if I can't sleep," Rob said and Julian was surprised. He was going to ask him if he had trouble sleeping, but he changed the subject.
"That's going to be your bedroom, right?" Rob said indicating the double doors at the end of the hall.
"I guess so," Julian said though he wasn't looking forward to sleeping in his grandfather's old bedroom. He had considered taking one of the guest rooms, but that would put him right next door to Rob, and that seemed... unwise.
"You can go and settle in, and I'll get Danny ready for bed," Julian said to Rob.
Danny's teeth were brushed and he was in his pajamas. "I'll stay with you tonight," Julian told him. "I just need one thing." With that he left him sitting on his bed and went to the end of the hall.
His grandfather's bedroom wasn't familiar territory. As a kid, Julian never went in there. Now he only took a quick look around. His grandfather's bedroom was large, old fashioned and still closed up. Julian didn't bother opening the shutters in there. He just picked up the armchair from the corner and carried it to Danny's room.
In the hall, Rob spotted him with it. "I could have helped you with that."
"I got it," Julian said. It was heavy, but he could manage. And maybe he wanted to show off a little.
"I guess you'll be keeping Danny company," Rob said when he saw where he was taking it. "I'll stop by to say good night."
Seeing Julian carrying in a chair through his door, Danny looked at it curiously. "Another chair?" He said since there was already a chair by the desk. Danny then figured it out. "One chair for Danny and one other chair for Julian."
"That's right. I'm going to sit in it and make sure you sleep well tonight," Julian told him.
"I can have the light?" Danny asked and looked at the round, brass lamp by his bed.
"You can," Julian said then he pulled back the covers. "Climb in."
Julian didn't think this bed was much bigger than Danny's old one, but it seemed to swallow him up. Maybe because the bedding was dark and not kidlike.
Tucking him in, Julian told him. "We'll get you a fun comforter soon."
"Not the bee?" Danny asked and pointed at the one that covered him now.
"This is a bee comforter?" Julian said. It was striped in brown and beige. "I guess it is. Which book should I read you?" Julian had theSuper Strong Little Beebook ready on top of the stack of Danny's books they brought with them, but he wanted something different.
"Read about the alligator crocodile," Danny said.
"OK," Julian said and got the book about animals. After a little bit of flipping past familiar, well worn pages, he found the alligator. It was pictured barely peeking out of the water, so it didn't look too scary. For a while Julian read about the alligator then he noticed that Rob had stopped by.
Leaning on the doorjamb, Rob looked in. "Don't mind me. That was interesting. I just wanted to say good night."
"You're here all night?" Danny asked him.
"Right. My bedroom is just down the hall," Rob reminded him, but Danny wasn't done.
"And in the morning?"
"I'll be here in the morning too," Rob assured him.
