1: Happy Almost Anniversary
One year. One whole year tomorrow. Has it really been that long? Thought Jessie with her eyes still closed. She was pressed against the bars of Molly's toddler bed, squashed between her owner's back and the rails that kept the little girl from rolling onto the floor.
One year ago tomorrow, her future was uncertain. A year ago, she lived in a box cushioned by Styrofoam peanuts. Oh how she hated peanuts. The texture, the smell, even the color (That icky shiny white) brought back the memory of being buried in them.
There were still days she felt the presence of the Big Ugly Box. She was sure it was looming just on the horizon, ready to suck her back into its eternal darkness. Sometimes, she worried that her new happy life was just a dream, and she'd wake up in the pitch black, cold and lonely. Lonely, except for the gentle tapping of the horse next to her. Prospector was there too; his optimism about someday belonging to a museum was just a thin veil for his bitterness.
Tomorrow, she decided, was a special day. No bad thoughts, no sad memories. As for today, there would be only Happy Jessie! After all, she kept telling herself (Over and over and over), she had no real reason to be gloomy. Not anymore anyway. Within the past year, she had gained not one but two owners who loved her. She had found friends. And for the first time in her thirty-nine years, she had acquired love with a certain Space Toy she called "Partner."
Sitting up, Jessie rubbed sleepiness out of her eyes, then yawned. Lying back down, she rolled over and crawled to where Molly's head lay. Her face was covered by the comforter, leaving only her blonde curls peeking out from the blanket. Jessie quickly gave the top of her head a good morning kiss. Pulling herself on top of the bed rails, the cowgirl made a leap for the nightstand.
Her ankle twisted as she landed, almost throwing her off balance, but she didn't care. Five inches away, her best friend was asleep, lying in front of the lamp that she called home.
Jessie got on her floppy knees and shook the porcelain doll. "Hey! Are you awake?" There was no reply, so Jessie shook harder. "Hey Bo! Wake up! You're wasting the whole day!"
Little Bo Peep groaned and muttered something indiscernible.
"Come on!" Jessie shouted. "It's six AM, Bo-Bo! Up and at 'em!"
"Don't call me Bo-Bo." Bo finally pushed her away. "The sun's barely up!"
Jessie jumped up and down. "Yeah, can you believe it? It's finally morning! Now we can play again!" And with that, the cloth doll jumped off the nightstand and made a mad dash for the door. "Yee-haw!"
Woody was in a fuzzy haze. Half awake, but still dreaming. About Andy's father of all people. Buzz was there too. Buzz didn't know Andy's father. But there they all were, drinking tea…
Something landed on Woody's back, jerking him out of the dream. "Hey wake up!" The something shouted.
Woody made a loud groan. "Ow! Jessie, go back to bed. It's too early!"
Buzz Lightyear was lying on the pillow next to Woody, staring at the ceiling. He turned when he heard the cowboy moan. "Oh, you're finally awake."
Jessie pounded on Woody's backside with her fists. "Wakeupwakeupwakeup…"
Woody stuck his head under the pillow. "Buzz," He said. "She's your girlfriend! Get her off!"
Jessie jumped off the cowboy and pounced on Buzz. "Hola, Partner! How'd ya sleep?"
"Terrible," He shrugged. "But that's nothing new."
Jessie yanked him up by the hand. "Come on! I betcha I can whip your tushie at the Nintendo!"
Buzz looked over his shoulder. "Maybe we should wait until Andy gets up."
"Oh," Jessie sat down on the bedspread and crossed her legs. "Well, I can wait." She grinned a great big rosy smile that made Buzz feel weak. "Hey guess what?"
"You're having your mouth shrunk." Said Woody. Jessie punched him in the shoulder. "Ow!"
"Tomorrow it'll be a whole year since Bullseye and I came to live here!" She pulled down her hat in excitement. "Can you believe it?"
"Wow!" Buzz looked over at Woody, who still had his head stuck under the pillow. "It has been a year!"
"That's great," His voice was muffled. "Can you two early birds take it somewhere else? You're going to wake Andy!"
Jessie suddenly jumped up. "I'm gonna see what's keeping Bo! The silly probably fell back asleep!" And with that, she hopped off the bed, singing, "Happy almost anniversary to me, happy almost anniversary to me…"
Woody pulled his head out from under the pillow. "Is she gone?"
"Uh-huh."
"Sheesh, what is it with that woman?" He turned over and faced the ceiling. "She's hyper, rowdy, loud…"
"Yeah," Said Buzz absently, staring after her. "Isn't she great?" Woody tossed a pillow at his head, then rolled back over.
