My Bear Would Not Leave

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Every word, start to finish. The pictures come next — painted around your child, from one photo.

1. For Theo, who said it out loud in the end.

   For Amara, who said it out loud in the end.

   For Otto, who said it out loud in the end.

   Dedication

2. The bear came for dinner on Friday. It had brought flowers, so of course they let it in. It complimented the soup. It laughed at every joke. It was, everyone agreed, a lovely evening. Nobody remembered inviting it to breakfast.

   The bear came for dinner on Friday. It had brought flowers, so of course they let it in. It complimented the soup. It laughed at every joke. It was, everyone agreed, a lovely evening. Nobody remembered inviting it to breakfast.

   The bear came for dinner on Friday. It had brought flowers, so of course they let it in. It complimented the soup. It laughed at every joke. It was, everyone agreed, a lovely evening. Nobody remembered inviting it to breakfast.

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3. By Thursday it was still there. In the bath, mostly, with the door locked and the hot water running. Using, Theo noticed, the good towels. The ones for guests. Which, technically, it still was.

   By Thursday it was still there. In the bath, mostly, with the door locked and the hot water running. Using, Amara noticed, the good towels. The ones for guests. Which, technically, it still was.

   By Thursday it was still there. In the bath, mostly, with the door locked and the hot water running. Using, Otto noticed, the good towels. The ones for guests. Which, technically, it still was.

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4. There are polite ways of saying leave, and the family tried them all. Theo went first, holding out its coat. “Goodness,” said Theo. “Look at the time.”

   There are polite ways of saying leave, and the family tried them all. Amara went first, holding out its coat. “Goodness,” said Amara. “Look at the time.”

   There are polite ways of saying leave, and the family tried them all. Otto went first, holding out its coat. “Goodness,” said Otto. “Look at the time.”

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5. “So it is,” agreed the bear, pleasantly, checking the clock and settling deeper into the armchair. Then it ate the butter. All of it. Straight off the dish, holding Theo's gaze the whole time.

   “So it is,” agreed the bear, pleasantly, checking the clock and settling deeper into the armchair. Then it ate the butter. All of it. Straight off the dish, holding Amara's gaze the whole time.

   “So it is,” agreed the bear, pleasantly, checking the clock and settling deeper into the armchair. Then it ate the butter. All of it. Straight off the dish, holding Otto's gaze the whole time.

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6. So Theo made the house dull, which works on most guests. Heating off. Nothing on the TV but a documentary about gravel. Not one drop of honey in the cabinet, and the cookies hidden on the highest shelf.

   So Amara made the house dull, which works on most guests. Heating off. Nothing on the TV but a documentary about gravel. Not one drop of honey in the cabinet, and the cookies hidden on the highest shelf.

   So Otto made the house dull, which works on most guests. Heating off. Nothing on the TV but a documentary about gravel. Not one drop of honey in the cabinet, and the cookies hidden on the highest shelf.

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7. The bear was delighted. It said gravel was fascinating. It said cold rooms were bracing, and honey overrated, and this was exactly its kind of house. It invited its brother.

   The bear was delighted. It said gravel was fascinating. It said cold rooms were bracing, and honey overrated, and this was exactly its kind of house. It invited its brother.

   The bear was delighted. It said gravel was fascinating. It said cold rooms were bracing, and honey overrated, and this was exactly its kind of house. It invited its brother.

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8. The family held meetings in the kitchen with the faucet running, for secrecy. There were diagrams. There were schedules. There was a plan with three phases and a backup plan with four. Nobody said anything out loud to the bears.

   The family held meetings in the kitchen with the faucet running, for secrecy. There were diagrams. There were schedules. There was a plan with three phases and a backup plan with four. Nobody said anything out loud to the bears.

   The family held meetings in the kitchen with the faucet running, for secrecy. There were diagrams. There were schedules. There was a plan with three phases and a backup plan with four. Nobody said anything out loud to the bears.

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9. On the ninth night Theo went up to bed and found a bear in it, sleeping the deep untroubled sleep of the very comfortable. He stood in the hallway with his pillow and understood that hints were finished.

   On the ninth night Amara went up to bed and found a bear in it, sleeping the deep untroubled sleep of the very comfortable. She stood in the hallway with her pillow and understood that hints were finished.

   On the ninth night Otto went up to bed and found a bear in it, sleeping the deep untroubled sleep of the very comfortable. He stood in the hallway with his pillow and understood that hints were finished.

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10. Theo walked downstairs, stood in front of both bears, and said it straight out, in the voice you use for true things. “You have to go home now.” No goodness. No look at the time. Just that.

    Amara walked downstairs, stood in front of both bears, and said it straight out, in the voice you use for true things. “You have to go home now.” No goodness. No look at the time. Just that.

    Otto walked downstairs, stood in front of both bears, and said it straight out, in the voice you use for true things. “You have to go home now.” No goodness. No look at the time. Just that.

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11. Both bears looked at him. The hall clock managed four whole ticks. Nobody in the history of the family had ever said a thing that plainly, in that hallway, before bedtime.

    Both bears looked at her. The hall clock managed four whole ticks. Nobody in the history of the family had ever said a thing that plainly, in that hallway, before bedtime.

    Both bears looked at him. The hall clock managed four whole ticks. Nobody in the history of the family had ever said a thing that plainly, in that hallway, before bedtime.

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12. “Oh,” said the bear. “Right you are.” It seemed genuinely surprised nobody had mentioned it sooner. The bears found their coats, thanked everyone for a lovely nine days, and went.

    “Oh,” said the bear. “Right you are.” It seemed genuinely surprised nobody had mentioned it sooner. The bears found their coats, thanked everyone for a lovely nine days, and went.

    “Oh,” said the bear. “Right you are.” It seemed genuinely surprised nobody had mentioned it sooner. The bears found their coats, thanked everyone for a lovely nine days, and went.

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13. Theo still sets a place for it sometimes. It never comes unless it's asked. Apparently that was always the rule.

    Amara still sets a place for it sometimes. It never comes unless it's asked. Apparently that was always the rule.

    Otto still sets a place for it sometimes. It never comes unless it's asked. Apparently that was always the rule.

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