After Easter Ficlet

by d.

Johnny sat atop Barranca and stared out at the cattle from the little rise they stood on. The soft breeze caressed his face and hair as the early morning sun washed over him, warming his skin.

Inside, thoughts of his family warmed his soul. Another strange new holiday behind him, Easter had been special to him. His father had told him the story of the Easter Bunny, which he didn't believe for a minute. He felt certain the basket that had appeared in his room overnight, was probably the work of his brother or father, or both.

He was too embarrassed to say anything to them about it. Mostly because he figured it had been the ol' man's doin' until he saw there wasn't one in Scott's room. Scott of course would have never been able to get into his room without him hearing him.

The dream had seemed so real at the time, the giant hare sneakin' in the window and leaving things in the house. He couldn't tell them about that, nor would he bring up the basket. If they had knowledge of it, then it would be too hard to admit to them how much he liked it. Although, if they had placed it there, they would have already found a way to let him know, the suspense of would kill them if they didn't.

Nope, he would just keep that to himself, enjoying the decadent chocolates that were contained within it every night. He had the colored eggs in his saddlebags for snacks. He had taken the small stuffed rabbit and put it on a shelf in his armoire where he could see it when he opened the doors. It sat with its head stuck out of the groove cut in the drawer for pulling the drawer out.

He had seen the sadness in his father's eyes the day before as he told the story of the Easter Bunny to him, sadness that they had not shared that story, or the holiday, when he was a child. He had relished every minute of the outrageous tale his father had told him in a voice much as he might have told it to him when he was little. A voice that also let him know his father enjoyed telling him the story.

He remembered how he had to get up and leave before his eyes released the salty drops that were building up in them. 'Yep, he was loved and in return he loved,' and the feeling flooded him with peace he had never known before.

Looking where Barrancas's ears suddenly alerted to, he saw a big jackrabbit stop and stare at them. He could see its wriggling nose and whiskers, and as it moved off, 'no, it couldn't have'. Was that a wink?

---------------d., April 2010