Information

Adelyn Mae
Legacy Name: Adelyn Mae

The Sweetheart Lain
Owner: Lethal

Age: 9 years, 8 months, 3 weeks

Born: August 12th, 2014

Adopted: 9 years, 8 months, 3 weeks ago

Adopted: August 12th, 2014

Nominate Pet for Spotlight

Statistics

• Level: 11
   
• Strength: 17
   
• Defense: 13
   
• Speed: 13
   
• Health: 13
   
• HP: 13/13
   
• Intelligence: 53
   
• Books Read: 53
• Food Eaten: 0
• Job: Unemployed

Addie's parents spared no expenses to make their only daughter's first Christmas a special one. Red and green streamers with golden paper bells and hand-cut white snowflakes hung from the rafters and the Christmas tree in the corner was a real spruce that made the room smell wonderful. Presents were piled high, nearly all of them for the baby.

At three months, Addie had an uncanny ability to focus her attention but it was not the noisy toys or the ones with flashing lights that caused her to stare. It was the stuffed bunny her mom held before her with a wide smile, the one with a red ribbon wrapped around its neck. While her parents sat down to enjoy turkey and dressing, little Addie stared in wonder at the bunny by her side. Her parents could not help giggling at her fascination. Not even the smooth voice of Bing Crosby dreaming of his White Christmas could tempt the girl's attention from the rabbit's glassy gaze.

"I used to know a guy the ladies couldn't stop looking at. We called him Gorgeous Georgie." Don chuckled and gave his wife a peck on the cheek. "Looks like we've got a Georgie in the house, Mia."

Addie had a marvelous time at Grandma's Easter party, gladly going to Uncle Harold in the bunny suit while her parents and Granny snapped a few dozen photos. When Mia sat her down to look at books, impatient little fingers would flip aside the mooing cow and quacking duck to get at the bunny with the cotton tail. Addie loved to run her fingers through the fuzz and point to Georgie.

Crawling was an exercise in frustration with Mia always wanting to move Georgie closer to the edge of the blanket while Don insisted on Addie doing the work.

"She'll never learn to do things herself if you coddle her all the time."

"Donald, she's only seven months old. All you're going to do is make her cry!"

She did cry at first, all the more upset to see her frustration mirrored on Mia's face. One day the magic of growth gave strength to her legs, scooting her forward, with her little hands slapping the carpet. She was on the move, crossing the sitting room floor to grab Georgie in a fierce hug. Mia laughed and clapped her hands while Don looked on in pride. She took her first steps just days after her first birthday, proudly babbling "Ma, ma, ma" as Mia set aside Georgie to catch the girl before she could fall. Her first words were "My bunny!" when Granny, in the process of tidying the room, put Georgie too high on the shelf. Mia soon saw to it that child and bunny were reunited.

Everything changed when Ethan came home. All the pretty presents were for the baby though she sometimes got to help rip away the wrapping paper. Scary women who stank of perfume would show up in the middle of playtime, begging Mia to let them see the new baby and barely sparing a glance for Addie. Some nights her Daddy even forgot to read her a bedtime story as he tried to help his wife settle a colicky Ethan down to sleep.

Aunt Josephine blew in like a tornado, insisting on helping Mia through those first few difficult months though she'd made no such offer on Addie's birth. The woman had five daughters of her own but all her life she had wanted a son.

Addie hid from the woman with the floral dresses and the booming voice. It only got worse when Don went back to work. Mia tried to make the days fun for Addie but she tired so easily. Josephine would sit in the rocking chair with Ethan, singing nursery rhymes and making funny faces, ignoring Addie completely. Josephine was quite good at making lunch for the trio though she never asked Addie to help or what she would like. The little girl made a face and pushed her plate away at an offering of tuna fish sandwiches. Addie hated tuna.

Josephine snatched the plate away with a scowl. "You don't want to eat perfectly good food, you can go hungry."

Addie grabbed Georgie by the ear, running from the room, sniffling hard. Mean old Aunt Josephine wasn't there to scold when she pushed open the screen door that let out into the yard. It didn't take the curious girl long to find the loose plank on the gate. She stood looking through the gap, awed by the distant scenery.

The forest surrounding the cottage was a magic place with enormous trees straight out of a fairy tale. Only Mia's voice calling her name could break the spell. Addie turned back to the house with Georgie in tow. Mia made a PB&J just for her, despite Aunt Josephine's protest that the girl was spoiled rotten.

Addie could not understand why all the adults got so excited when Ethan sat up for the first time. She did a somersault across the living room carpet, throwing up her arms and frowning when not even Mia applauded. Josephine was carrying on and on about how special the little boy was, how he would be the genius of his class and really become somebody, someday. A dejected Addie went to her room and slammed the door, crying all the harder when Don didn't even come to scold her naughtiness. Ethan was the only one they had time for.

"C'mon Georgie. We're gonna look for fairies."

The screen door banged behind her as she made her way to the yard. She slipped easily through the gap in the gate, taking care to bring Georgie through without getting any splinters in his fur. She set Georgie in a mushroom ring, whispering her deepest wish in the hope some good forest spirit would hear and make it come true. She wanted Aunt Josephine to go away. For all Addie cared, Baby Ethan could go with her. She splashed every puddle she encountered, shrieking as cold, muddy water reached high to stain her dress.

A tiny motion caught her eye. The rabbit stood perfectly still, pink nose twitching as it scented the air. Addie's small gasp of wonder was enough to frighten the creature. It took off across the green, hopping between massive trunks on its way to the safety of the burrow. Addie followed after, doing her best to imitate the rabbit's hops. She took no notice when Georgie's ear slipped from her hand.

The real-life bunny got away at last, zooming down a hole much too small to admit a little girl. Addie pouted when the rabbit ignored her command to come back out. It was at that moment she realized she did not know the way to her house.

Her scared cries were what led Don to his daughter. He scolded her for the mud on her dress but he couldn't remain angry when she threw herself against his legs in a hug. He carried the exhausted girl home though Mia insisted on putting the girl to bed.

It was not until Mia pulled the covers up to her chin and kissed her cheek that Addie realized Georgie's absence. "Need Georgie!"

Mia sighed. She'd known this moment was coming. She'd just hoped it could wait until morning.

"It's going to be okay, Baby. We'll go out and look for Georgie first thing in the morning, I promise."

"No! Georgie keeps the monsters away."

It pained Mia to leave her little girl to cry. Don came up behind his wife, putting an arm around her shoulders. "It's okay, Addie. You let Dad worry about those monsters for one night. We'll find Georgie tomorrow."

The little girl was not convinced. There were so many monsters adults could not see.

She was awake with the sun, running to her parents' room and tugging Mia's hand. Her mother worked to get her dressed while her father muttered curses at the coffee pot under his breath. Aunt Josephine came into the kitchen with a bright-eyed Ethan on her hip.

"What's all the excitement, Donald?"

"Addie lost Georgie in the forest somewhere. We're going out to find him."

Josephine sniffed. "You mean that dirty stuffed toy she's always dragging about? It's high time to get rid of the thing, if you ask me. Just think of what germs she's dragging through the house. It's a wonder little Ethan isn't sick all the time, living in the same house as that thing.

Don and Mia exchanged a loaded look. "Georgie is Addie's friend, Aunt Josephine. We wouldn't dream of getting rid of him."

Josephine's eyebrows rose. She turned to Donald for support. "Surely you don't agree with this, Nephew. You've always been such a good, practical man."

"We appreciate all the help you've given us, but I have to agree with Mia on this."

"Well! I can certainly see when I'm not welcome." Aunt Josephine handed Ethan to his father reluctantly. "I am sorry, dear child, that I cannot take you with me. I don't suppose you could spare the time to help me pack?" She stormed from the room without waiting for a reply.

Mia placed a hand on Don's arm. "I'll go with Addie. She is family and she has been a big help."

Don sighed. "We'll drive her to the airport. Having Ethan along should help soothe her pride."

Mia kept a firm hold on Addie's hand as they revisited the mushroom ring and the little pond where rainbow dragonflies skimmed the surface. Addie spotted Georgie first, pulling her mother forward with a shriek of joy. Georgie's brown fur was matted with mud. Mia plucked him from the ground before her daughter could ruin another dress.

"We'll take him right home and get him cleaned up, okay?"

Addie's head bobbed in agreement. She began to sing the alphabet song, missing a letter here and there as they walked home together.

Mia's washing machine was used to challenges. It did not even stutter as the precious stuffed bunny bounced around in the drum. Mia ran the special dry cycle, pulling a warm and cuddle-ready Georgie from the machine, taking care not to hand him over until Georgie's button eyes were completely cooled. Addie grabbed Georgie in a fierce hug.

"You can never, ever run away again, Georgie. I love you."

Don came home just in time to join the girls for grilled cheese, settling Ethan into his high chair with a few yogurt drops. After lunch they went to the yard as a family, watching the butterfly house hung just on the other side of the fence. Ethan's little fist clutched Georgie's fur as he crowed his delight. Addie frowned, giving the rabbit a tug. The motion made Ethan lose his balance. He put his little arms around Addie's neck, hugging her fiercely in fear of falling. Her fears for Georgie were forgotten as the little boy looked on her with trusting eyes.

Her parents were all smiles as she hugged him back.

Story by Pureflower
Profile by Lethal
Bunny img found via google search.

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