A little story I put together for Valentine's Day! I hope y'all like it.

Uniqua woke up with her arms stretched out, tired a groggy still from waking up so early in the day. The dawn began to seep through her light pink dyed curtains and into her pink painted room. Realising that she was awake and according to her alarm clock, it was 6:30 am, she decided to get up. Pulling back her matching pink covers, Uniqua slipped herself out of bed and into her fuzzy white slippers that waited for her by the side of her bed. She wiggled her toes in them and lightly chuckled. Still bleary, she made her way to the bathroom that was connected to her bedroom. Uniqua opened the white door and walked in, turning on the sink and splashing the cold droplets onto her face to wake herself up. Once she was awake, she was ready to start the day. After washing up, she changed from her polka pink dotted and white pyjamas into her usual pink polka dotted overalls and made her way over into the hallway and down the stairs.

The scent of eggs and bacon filled the air. Uniqua knew her mom must've been awake and making breakfast. When Uniqua reached the kitchen's open doorway, she figured out her prediction was right. Her mom was in her fluffy soft housecoat and making breakfast. Uniqua happily skipped over. It was rare when her mom took the time to make a huge breakfast like this. Usually, her mom was too busy with all those phone calls. She was a real-estate agent and was always busy with the phone. But this morning, the table was loaded with juice, muffins, cinnamon toast, pancakes, and soon a plate of bacon and eggs.

"Good morning mom," Uniqua said as she sat at the small spherical wooden table.

"Hi sweetie," her mother replied, turning around as flipping a pan of eggs.

"What's all this for?" Uniqua asked, still confused, but glad her mom wasn't on the phone with some strangers. Uniqua's mom looked disorderly at Uniqua, but then smiled. "You don't remember what today is?" she asked. "No," Uniqua replied.

"Today is Valentine's Day!" her mother favourably exclaimed with a huge smile as she set down the plate of eggs and bacon on the table near Uniqua. Uniqua could've slapped herself, how could she have forgotten today was Valentine's Day? Geez, she loved today. It was always so sweet to see everyone being the victim of Cupid's arrow or the bite of the Love Bug. Just at that moment, Uniqua's dad came into the kitchen, his nonexistent nose in the air, smelling in the sweet scent.

"What smells so amazing?" he asked, grinning towards his wife and daughter. He was dressed like Uniqua – wearing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt that had the initials NY written across the chest – the faded letters, almost invisible and unreadable. Her dad eyed the delicious looking breakfast that lined the table's top. He gladly took a seat at the head of the small table, next to Uniqua, kissing her on her forehead before ruffling a head through her antennas.

"Good morning honey," Uniqua's mother said happily, coming over, taking the last empty seat next to him. "I made you all your favourites." She smiled. "I see that, thank you." he said and he kissed her. Uniqua's mom smiled as she began to reward herself by all her cooking by digging into all the food before her. Uniqua and her dad followed, loading their own plates in the food that was calling their names.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

"What's that?" Uniqua asked, swallowing her mouthful of pancakes as the syrup dripped from the uneaten pancake that was still stabbed onto her fork, and then it slipped off into the pool of syrup into her plate. "That's my watch, time for me to get to work."

"Today?" Uniqua sighed, "On Valentine's Day?"

"I know sweetie, but I have to leave. I'll see you both late tonight. Have a wonderful day," Uniqua watched as her dad grabbed his coat, jammed on his work shoes, stuffed on last muffin into his mouth, then walking outside into their van and driving off in the honk of the horn. Uniqua and her mom ate silently as they finished off their breakfast. Once done, it was around 8:00 am after washing all the dishes, drying them, and putting them away.

Ding, dong!

The doorbell sounded. "I wonder who that could be." Uniqua's mom wondered. Uniqua watched as her mom came down from upstairs, now fully dressed in a blue blouse and white pants still wearing her morning slippers. She went towards the front door and slowly opened it. Standing there was a rhino in a delivery uniform.

"Special delivery to Ursula Pink," The rhino said with a grin. Uniqua came up as her mom fully opened the door. She was surprised when the rhino handed her mother a handful of radiant vibrant blood-red roses. Uniqua was amazed at the lovely vivid flowers. Her mom loved red roses, dark red like blood – the blood that flows through the heart that gives life – her mom would always say that whenever she saw roses.

Ursula appreciatively took the beautiful ravishing roses into her arms, looking a bit in daze, but the smile on her face said she was surprised, and was glad to be. "A note?" she asked as she noticed the small cream-golden note, attached to the golden net-like cloth that bounded the roses together. She opened the note to read it:

To my dearest wife,

You and Uniqua are my whole life,

I send wishes just to say,

I wish you a happy Valentine's Day,

From:

Your loving husband

Uniqua grinned, her dad sent these roses. "Thank you," Ursula said to the rhino. He lifted his hat off his head before placing it back on, smiling; he waved wishing a Happy Valentine's Day, then walking away. Uniqua followed her mom into the house after she shut the door. Her mom walked into the study where her mom did most of her phone calls through the day. Uniqua sighed, is mom gonna work now? But that wasn't the case. Uniqua watched in the doorway as her mom placed the roses into a vase that sat on the table. She then reached out to the phone and dialed a number.

"Honey?" Her mom asked into the phone. Uniqua, still not moved, watched. "Oh honey, yes, yes they just arrived…I love them! Thank you! That was so sweet of you…I love you dear. Alright, okay, talk to you later…bye." Ursula hung up the phone, sat still for a minute, and then smelled the roses.

"Did dad send the flowers?" Uniqua asked her mom. Ursula spun around her chair to face her daughter, she nodded. "It's his Valentine's gift to me." Uniqua gleamed. "Sweetie, I gotta make a few calls, can you go get the mail?" Uniqua nodded. She walked out of the room towards the front door. Opening the door, she walked down the front steps of her house and went to the front where her mailbox stood. The little flag was up, so they did get mail.

Uniqua skipped outside and over to her mailbox. Putting down the flag, she opened the door and peered inside – sitting there was a short pile of envelops. Uniqua took them into her hands when she suddenly heard a thud. It sounded like a door. Looking around, she didn't see anyone outside, so someone must've just walked into their house. Shrugging it off, Uniqua took the pile of envelops in her grip and walked back into her own house.

"Mom! We got some mail." Uniqua called out. She walked into the kitchen where her mom was placing the vase of flowers and setting down a notepad and a wireless phone. She guessed what her mom will be doing today. "That's good sweetie, thank you. Just place them next to the phone." So Uniqua did just that. Then she went into the living room and flashed on the TV. It was Saturday and there were good cartoons in the morning.

Ursula sighed at the table as she sat and began to look through the handful of envelops. "Bills, bills, and bills…that's all we ever – wait a second…" Ursula trailed off when she noticed one envelop looking differently than all the others in her hand.

"Uniqua!"

Uniqua jumped when her mom unexpectedly called her name. Was she in trouble? Switching off the TV, Uniqua went into the kitchen were her mom was. She went up to the plain table.

"Yes mom?" she asked.

"Look what I have for you." Uniqua's mom sounded kind, using a very soft voice. Uniqua looked at the peculiar envelop that was being held out to her. She took it and looked it over. This envelop wasn't a bare white one like the others in the pile that were scattered on the table. No, this certain envelop was lined in a red colour. In its corners were stickered hearts and the envelop itself was a shade of pink. On the back, written in crayon in big letters and slightly messy was Uniqua's name. UNIQUA.

Uniqua's dark pink eyes widen. "Mom," she was almost at lost for words, "what is this?" Looking up at her mom, she was softly giggling as she looked down towards her astonished daughter.

"It seems like someone sent you a Valentine!"

Uniqua was both alarmed and flattered. Who sent her a Valentine? She didn't know what to do with herself right then, but then her mom reminded her it would be a good idea if she were to open the lovely decorated envelop. Uniqua agreed. Careful not to ruin the envelop itself, she easily opened the top and slid out the letter. The letter was decorated similar to the unique envelop. It was on pink paper, cut in the shape of a heart, with its corners coloured red with five matching red heart stickers. In a black marker, in the same writing, it was written.

Uniqua, you are a very fun girl and very creative and I admire you,

Always happily being positive, being so true,

You're kind-hearted and fun to be around,

And your voice is a wonderful sound,

I never met anyone like you,

Your one of a kind,

And I always have you on my mind,

Through this way,

I wish you,

Happy Valentine's Day!

Uniqua loved the poem and her mom was stunned by it too. It was so sweet. "But," Uniqua began, "who sent me this?" Her mom looked over the decorated envelop, but there was nothing besides the decorations and Uniqua's name. Uniqua smiled; even if she didn't know who sent her this, it was nice of them too. She especially loved the heart stickers – red with small glittering corners. They were beautiful and made the Valentine glow all the more.

Uniqua and her friends were having an adventure in the backyard. It was an astonishing game, another one to add to their increasingly growing minds. Just another game to their enjoyment, another one that would add itself to their memories – making itself sink to the home of their backyard. After their fun game, the five friends went over to Uniqua's house. They shook off their boots and jackets and made their way to Uniqua's pink painted living room. Once they were all warmed up and comfy in their own seats in the living room, they pulled out their little baggies. They were handing Valentine's to each other.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Tasha gleamed happily. "Happy Valentine's Day," the other four echoed with smiles of their own. At that, they began to hand each other the Valentine's they made for one another. They each got four – except for Uniqua who had five…that secret Valentine she got this morning. She had told her friends all about it. At that moment, while they passed around heart cookies that Tasha's mother helped her make for her friends, Uniqua was reading over her Secret Valentine. Pablo swallowed.

"Who do you think sent you that?" he asked. Uniqua looked up and shrugged. "I don't know." She replied softly. Tyrone took a cookie, "Well, they must really like you." Austin agreed. Tasha giggled, "Maybe it's Tyrone!" she stated while pointing a quivering finger, unable to hold it still on the cause of not able to end her giggling. Tyrone almost coughed up his cookie causing Pablo to join in the endless chuckling. Austin smirked as he bit into his cookie; his Valentine's in his lap since he was reading them, currently reading Pablo's. Pablo had given his friends cards with puns on them. Such as on Austin's, "Have a hopping good year all the way, happy Valentine's Day!"

"What! It wasn't me!" Tyrone dusted himself off of the crumbs he had sputtered on himself, and then continued, "I mean sure, I like Uniqua as a friend. But, I didn't write that Valentine. Uniqua, you're awesome, but, I can't write poetry."

"I know Ty; I just wanna know who could've sent it."

"If it's not Tyrone, then maybe it's–"

"Tasha!" They bellowed. "Alright, alright, sheesh," Tasha said, taking another cookie, "I was only trying to help Uni narrow it down." Uniqua sniggered at that. "I know T," she said, grinning. Tasha nodded with a smear of a smirk as she began to eat her cookie.

Snack time was over and the Backies had to prepare to go visit their other relatives. They slipped on their jackets and boots as Uniqua opened the door. "Goodbye," she waved as one by one; her friends stepped out onto her front patio.

"Bye Uni," Tyrone said as the two hugged goodbye. Pablo came and did the same think, "Hope you liked the Valentine." Uniqua snickered, remembering the pun. "Bye Pablo and thanks." Tasha came and joined the hugging party. "See ya Uni," then she whispered for only the two to hear, "and don't worry. Whoever wrote the Secret Valentine will defiantly be found!" Uniqua laughed, "Bye T," Tasha waved and reminded, "Remember, he will be found!" Then Austin came, zipping up his jacket. He hugged Uniqua and waved goodbye, "Happy Valentine," he said with a grin. "You too," she replied before closing the door.

Uniqua made her way back to her living room to collect her Valentine's from her friends – she sure liked them – each created differently, although, she never read them yet. Uniqua hopped onto her couch and took out the Valentine's from her baggie. She loved each one; it was nice of them to make Valentine's for her. Uniqua picked up one of them last few reaming cookies on the platter as she read them. Tyrone's was orange with red corners and little moose antlers sticking out of card. Pablo's had a pun written on the front that she read before, and of course, it was blue with a red boarder with a mix of white. Tasha's was glittering in an overdose of glitter glue and sparkles on the yellow card. There were cut-out pink hearts with matching flowers glued on. Austin's was purple with a lighter purple and pink mixed colour strips going up and down the card. It was when Uniqua opened it; it caught her eye – a red heart sticker that glittered making the card glow.

And we're done. Hope y'all liked this little drabble. This story is just to favour Valentine's Day and of course, I had to write it! The idea was literally tugging at me to the point where I needed to write it down. I think it turned out real well and I hoped y'all agree. Please R&R and no flames!

Wishes from CartoonCaster21, Happy Valentine's Day!

Backyardigans: "Happy Valentine's Day!"