Chapter 17 Growing Up and Goodbyes.
The next morning, Mrs Darling walked into her children's bedroom and there they were, her babies sound asleep, as though they had never left.
For a moment, she thought she must have imagined them leaving in the first place.
If it were not for Mr. Darling asleep in his kennel, she wouldn't have been sure.
Of course, the children were only pretending to sleep.
Unable to stand the suspense any longer, they leaped from their beds screaming and ran to hug and kiss their mother.
At the commotion, Mr. Darling crawled sleepily out of his kennel.
Nana came running into the room as well.
Outside watching the darling family reunion.
From a nearby tree, a little boy named Peter Pan shed a tear.
He would never know such happiness, he thought.
The other lost boys were a different story.
Wendy had hidden them downstairs, but she summoned them now.
She made them stand in a row in front of her mother.
She wished they were not all still wearing their pirate's clothes.
Please take us in, the little pirates begged.
We don't eat a lot, Nibs said.
Of course we will have you, Mrs. Darling cried at once, but Mr. Darling frowned.
It's an awful lot of boys, he said.
Really, he just wished Mrs. Darling had not answered without asking him.
I just wish people wouldn't treat me like a nobody in my own house, he explained.
We don't think you're a nobody, Tootles cried, and all the others agreed.
You are everything to me, Mrs. Darling whispered to him.
Happy, Mr. Darling said he supposed they could make room somehow.
As for Peter, he was still outside, lingering.
Wendy saw him and walked over to the window.
Oh, hello, he said casually, as if running into Wendy were a mere coincidence.
Peter, Wendy said, please come inside.
My parents will adopt you, too.
Mrs. Darling came over and stood behind her daughter.
It's true, she said.
You would send me to school and expect me to grow up, Peter accused.
Deny it.
But Mrs. Darling couldn't.
I knew it, Peter cried.
Keep back, madam.
No one is going to catch me and make me be a man.
I'm going back to Neverland.
But I'll miss you so much, Wendy said.
I brought back the boys.
Perhaps that's enough.
Maybe I should go back with you.
Wendy turned to look at her mother.
"'Oh, no,' Mrs. Darling said quickly.
"'But he needs a mother.'
"'So do you, sweetheart.'
Mrs Darling could see that her decision pained Wendy and Peter, and so she agreed that Wendy could return to Neverland for one week a year to help Peter with the spring cleaning.
Peter was happy with this.
He had no sense of time anyway."
He bade Wendy goodbye and said that he would be back in the spring.
The boys went to school.
They learned many things, but eventually they forgot how to fly.
They said it was because they were not practicing, but in truth it seemed that they no longer believed.
And besides, they no longer had fairy dust to help them.
Michael held on to his belief far longer than the others, and Peter did come back, as he'd promised, at the first sign of spring.
Wendy had grown up since he'd seen her last, and she was worried he would notice.
He didn't.
As usual, he thought and talked mainly about himself.
She had been looking forward to reliving old adventures, but Peter had had so many new ones since theirs he didn't even remember them.
"'Who is Captain Hook?' he asked."
You don't remember killing him and saving all of our lives.
I forget them when they're gone, Peter replied.
The next spring, Wendy waited, but Peter never came.
Maybe he's sick, Michael said.
Maybe we just imagined him.
Wendy cried at that.
Could it be?
But the following year, Peter came as planned.
He didn't even seem to realize he had missed a year, and that was the last time a girl named Wendy ever saw a boy named Peter Pan.
Years later, when Wendy was married and living in the house she had grown up in and all of the lost boys were men, She had a little girl named Jane who loved to ask questions about Peter.
Some days Wendy could barely remember him.
She had already forgotten many details and was glad to tell someone about him before she forgot him entirely.
I know all about him, Mama, Jane said.
Wendy looked up, startled.
You do? she asked.
I know him, too, Jane said.
Of course she did, Wendy realized, smiling sadly.
All children did.
One day, Wendy was sitting on Jane's bed.
She had just finished putting Jane to sleep when Peter flew in through the open window and dropped onto the floor.
He was the same as ever.
Hello, Wendy, he said as though no time had passed.
Where are John and Michael?
He looked down at Jane.
Who's that, asleep?
Peter, Wendy said gently.
That's Jane, my daughter.
You two have already met in her dreams, if I'm not mistaken.
Peter wouldn't meet her eyes.
He didn't want to admit that Wendy was grown up.
I don't know what you're talking about, he said firmly.
It's time for spring cleaning, and you promised to come.
I can't, Wendy said.
I don't remember how to fly.
I'll teach you again.
Peter seemed about to cry, so Wendy stood up to hug him.
But when she did, she loomed so tall above him, obviously a grown-up that his eyes opened wide in alarm and he gasped.
It's true, Peter, she said.
I'm grown.
No!
You promised! couldn't help it, she said.
I'm married now, and a mother.
Peter started to cry, so Wendy went downstairs to get him some warm milk.
While she was gone, his sobs woke Jane.
She knew at once who the boy was.
By the time Wendy returned, Peter was once again laughing and Jane was flying around the room with him giggling.
He needs a mother, Mama, Jane said.
I know, Wendy said sadly.
Peter pulled Jane over to the window with him and she went willingly.
Oh no, Wendy said, moving between them just as her own mother once had.
Just for spring cleaning, Jane begged.
Wendy shut her eyes.
All right.
She whispered, and just as Jane would with her own daughter and Jane's daughter would with her own daughter.
After that, Wendy watched her baby fly into the sky and off to Neverland until she was as small as the smallest star.
Then, turning from the window, she whispered, Good night to Peter and to Jane and to you.
