He smiled at the memory. She had loved the toy so much, and since it was so
big, she would drag it around by the long, dangly, ear. He fingered the
stitches that held it on, after about two years, it finally gave way and
they had to perform an 'operation' with her Godfather's help. She had been
so upset over it, but when they were finished, the three sat long into the
night watching pre~pulse movies and eating ice cream while her best friend
recovered.
The next year, when her mother came home, she abandoned the donkey for awhile. She figured she had her mommy, she didn't need toys. After awhile, when she got over the fear of losing her mommy again, she went back to her toys and continued to drag the donkey everywhere. Although her mommy had been away for all of her five years, it was easy for her to tell that the donkey was her daughter's favorite. Whenever they went anywhere, it came along. When she finally got big enough to actually carry the donkey in her arms, she still dragged it by its ear, but after the operation, it was by the opposite ear. A few years later, their daughter had been kidnapped by her uncle. The little donkey had been left behind, but it did not go abandoned, because her mother carried it around with her. He turned the donkey in his hands, looking into its sad eyes, remembering.
~~
He approached the bedroom door, remembering six years ago doing the same thing, but now he wished it were as then, to find his little girl jumping on the bed. This time, though, it was his little girl's mother he found on the bed. Not his wife, though, she had refused. She sat there with their daughter's favorite toy in her hands, a little blue donkey he had given her for her third birthday. Now it was her ninth. It had been one year since she had been kidnapped. Not a trace to be found. He entered the room and sat on the bed, noticed there were tears rolling down her cheeks. He set a small chocolate cupcake, their daughter's favorite, on the nightstand, then set a birthday candle and a lighter beside it. She reached over and put the candle in the cupcake, then lit it, dropping the lighter to the floor. Her tears were uncontrollable now, so he hugged her close, the blue stuffed donkey between them. As the wax melted over the cupcake, he heard her whisper.
"Happy Birthday, baby. Wherever you are."
~~
The next year, when her mother came home, she abandoned the donkey for awhile. She figured she had her mommy, she didn't need toys. After awhile, when she got over the fear of losing her mommy again, she went back to her toys and continued to drag the donkey everywhere. Although her mommy had been away for all of her five years, it was easy for her to tell that the donkey was her daughter's favorite. Whenever they went anywhere, it came along. When she finally got big enough to actually carry the donkey in her arms, she still dragged it by its ear, but after the operation, it was by the opposite ear. A few years later, their daughter had been kidnapped by her uncle. The little donkey had been left behind, but it did not go abandoned, because her mother carried it around with her. He turned the donkey in his hands, looking into its sad eyes, remembering.
~~
He approached the bedroom door, remembering six years ago doing the same thing, but now he wished it were as then, to find his little girl jumping on the bed. This time, though, it was his little girl's mother he found on the bed. Not his wife, though, she had refused. She sat there with their daughter's favorite toy in her hands, a little blue donkey he had given her for her third birthday. Now it was her ninth. It had been one year since she had been kidnapped. Not a trace to be found. He entered the room and sat on the bed, noticed there were tears rolling down her cheeks. He set a small chocolate cupcake, their daughter's favorite, on the nightstand, then set a birthday candle and a lighter beside it. She reached over and put the candle in the cupcake, then lit it, dropping the lighter to the floor. Her tears were uncontrollable now, so he hugged her close, the blue stuffed donkey between them. As the wax melted over the cupcake, he heard her whisper.
"Happy Birthday, baby. Wherever you are."
~~