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It was time to call it a night and Steven walked over to our bedroom window to close and lock it

before putting on the heat.

“Why don't we just leave the window open tonight?” I asked.

“But it might rain.” he said.

“I was just watching the forecast and it's going to be a cool crisp night with no rain.”

Steven seemed to hesitate. “I don't know.” He still had his hand on the window.

“It's such a beautiful night out. Why waste the electricity?” I reasoned.

We'd spend so many months with the air conditioning on and we had some many months ahead of us with the heat that I just wanted one night of fresh air. But Steven didn't look convinced. “I guess we could try it for one night.” he said.

I smiled as I put an extra blanket on the bed. I could hear the rustling of the leaves. “Doesn’t that sound nice? All the pretty fall sounds will lull us right to sleep.”

Steven climbed into bed. “All I hear is a motorcycle gunning its engine.”

At first I wasn’t sure what he was talking about, but once he'd mentioned it I could hear one way off in the distance. “Try to focus on the rustling of the leaves.” I said. “You'll be sleeping like a baby in no time.”

Steven is a pretty light sleeper so I can understand why he'd gotten used to blocking out the sounds with the air conditioning. But there comes a time when some fresh air needs to come into the house.

We were both sitting up in bed reading when one of the neighbor's dogs began to bark.

I tried to pretend I didn't hear it but Steven had put his book down and was staring at me so, it was hard to ignore him.

“I'm sure they'll bring him in soon.” I explained. “It's probably that last run of the night.”

“I'm not sleeping like a baby yet.” he complained as he closed his book, turned off his light and put a pillow over his head.

Once he seemed settled, I took the time to enjoy the fall sounds a bit more before I turned out my light and let the sounds lull me to sleep.

Halfway through the night we were both jolted out of our sound sleep.

“What's that smell?” I said as Steven jumped up to close the window. I felt as if I was choking.

“It's a skunk! Something must have scared it right outside our window.” he said.

We were both feeling sick as our room filled with the noxious odor.

Steven grabbed his pillow and a blanket. “I'm going in the living room.” he said.

“I'm right behind you.” I grabbed my pillow and blanket and headed down the hall.

“Well, you were right about one thing.” Steven said as he put on the heat and made sure all the windows were closed.

“What's that?”

“We are sleeping like babies.” He grabbed the television remote and began channel surfing. “Weren't our boys up every two hours for feedings when they were babies?”