This Place Smells Like Love

A short story for children.

Every morning, Tara Jane got a kiss from her mother, “Good morning, sweet love.”

She got a belly tickle from her big brother, “Good morning, funny girl.”

She got a snuggle from her father, “Good morning, yummy one.”

When her mom picked her up from preschool, Tara Jane got a big kiss. “How was your day, my sweet love?”

When her brother got home from school, he tackled her and gave her a giant bear hug, “Let’s practice football, funny girl!”

When her dad got home from work, he’d call out “Where’s my yummy one?” and scoop Tara Jane up into his arms for a giant snuggle.

When it was time for bed, Tara Jane put on her pajamas and brushed her teeth.

Then she said good night to her big brother. He gave her a bear hug, lifted her PJs and blew a giant raspberry on her belly. “Good night, funny girl,” he said.

Tara Jane’s mother sat in bed next to her and sang her a song. Then she kissed Tara Jane’s forehead and said, “Good night, my sweet love.”

Tara Jane’s father climbed in bed and snuggled under the covers with her. He read her a story. Then he wrapped his arms around her and gave her fifteen snuggles, and said, “Good night, my yummy one.”

He turned on the night light, turned off the big light, and left.

But Tara Jane could not sleep.

She went into her brother’s room. “I cannot sleep,” she told him.

“Why not?” he asked.

“Because of the monster,” Tara Jane explained. “I am afraid a monster will come and take me away while I am sleeping.”

“Do not worry, funny girl,” her brother said. “There are no such things as monsters. Now go to bed.”

Tara Jane got into bed, but she was not so sure her brother was right. After all, he also said that playing football was more fun than playing tea party. Well, Tara Jane knew that was not right.

So she went into her mother’s office. “I cannot sleep,” she told her.

“Why not?” her mother asked.

“Because of the monster. He might come through my window and take me away.”

“Do not worry, sweet love,” her mother said. “There are no such things as monsters. Now go to bed.”

Tara Jane got in bed, but she was not so sure her mother was right. After all, her mother also said that fruit was better than candy. Tara Jane knew that was not right.

Tara Jane went down to the kitchen and found her father washing dishes. “I cannot sleep,” she said.

“Why not, yummy one?” he asked.

“Because of the monster,” she said.

“Oh,” her father said. He kneeled down next to her. “I understand. But maybe you do not know the secret of monsters and their noses.”

Tara Jane shook her head.

“Well, monsters have very good noses. They can smell just about everything. They love the smell of garbage and old, wet towels. That is why we always put a lid on the garbage and hang up our wet towels.”

Tara Jane nodded. This made perfect sense.

“But,” her father continued, “there are lots of smell monsters cannot stand. Like the smell of spring flowers or fresh-baked cookies. And the worst smell of all for a monster, is the smell of love,” he said. “They cannot stand the smell of love. It makes them feel sick. So, if a monster came into our house, he would pinch his nose closed” – her dad pinched his nose closed – “and he would say ‘Pee-ewe, this place smells like love!’ And he would have to get out of here as fast as he could.”

Tara Jane thought about this for a moment, and then nodded. Her dad scooped her up and took her back to bed. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her twenty big snuggles. “Good night, yummy one,” he said. “And do not forget, if the monster comes into our house, he would just say ‘Pee-ewe, this place smells like love!’”

Tara Jane went to sleep, smelling love all around her.

In the middle of the night, she awoke. She went to her parents’ bedroom and shook her father’s shoulder.

“Yes, yummy one?” her father said sleepily.

“I cannot sleep,” Tara Jane said.

“Why not?”

“The monsters,” she said.

“Remember,” he said, “they would just pinch their noses and say, ‘Pee-ewe, this place smells like love.’”

“I know,” Tara Jane said. “But then the poor old monster would have to sit outside, and it is so cold tonight.”

Her father thought for a moment and then said, “Perhaps you do not know the other secret of monsters and their noses.”

Tara Jane shook her head.

“Well,” her father said. “If a monster gets enough kisses, then his nose changes and he likes the smell of love. He loves the smell of love, in fact.”

Tara Jane nodded. She went downstairs and peered out the front door. There, sitting on the porch, was a big, furry old monster. He was pinching his nose closed and muttering, “Pee-ewe. This place smells like love.”

Tara crept out onto the porch and sat down next to him. She put her little arm around his shaggy shoulder.

“Hello, monster,” she said, and she gave that monster a big, warm kiss on the cheek.

The monster unpinched his nose and took in a big deep breath. “Hmmmm,” he said.

Tara Jane took the monster’s hand and led him into the living room. She showed him the sofa. He lay down on it, and she covered him with a warm quilt.

“Good night, monster love,” she said, tucking him in and giving him another kiss on the cheek.

“Good night, little love,” the monster said back.

Then Tara Jane went back to her own bed, and the whole house slept in peaceful, loving warmth all night long.