"Daddy, please don't make me sleep alone."

"There's nothing to be afraid of, Son."

Mommy tried to smile.

His lower lip quivered, but he turned and trudged toward bed.

Seconds later, his daddy followed. He carried a scruffy, one-eyed creature in his hands.

"Son, meet Fred. He protected me when I was your age." He tucked the stuffed animal beneath the covers. "He's offered to stay with you."

Tommy smiled and wrapped his arm around Fred. "Can he really scare monsters away?"

"He never closes that eye. You're safe with him. I promise."

Satisfied, Tommy snuggled closer to Fred and whispered, "Any friend of dad's is a friend of mine."