Pianos, Broken Bones and Strep Throat

Bugs was sitting at the grand piano one day playing a very complicated song but he played it perfectly. Kristy came in and sat down next to him not interrupting him. He smiled at her and continued playing. Bugs' piano playing had always fascinated her. He always looked so concentrated and his fingers flew across the keyboard with no effort at all. He didn't even have to look at the keys to know where they were, some songs he play so much he didn't even have to look at the music. He finished the song and looked at Kristy again. "Did ya like that?"

Kristy nodded. "What song was that?"

"Purple Rain. Remember the movie?"

Kristy nodded. "The one with the prince in it?"

Bugs laughed. "Yeah, 'the prince'."

"How do you play so good?"

"I've always told you, practice makes perfect."

"Who taught you?"

"You aunt Sherrice. She was about nine years old and I was fourteen and I was almost too stubborn to let her because she was younger than me," He chuckled at the memory, him and his teenage pride not wanting his little sister to teach him. He eventually gave in though, and he was glad he did.

"Can you teach me daddy?"

Bugs nodded glad that she was interested. "Sure kiddo." He started by teaching her the names of the notes, the middle C, sharps and flats, and he taught her the easy chords. She caught on very quickly and soon she was starting to play some songs. They weren't perfect but she was doing good for someone who just learned how to play.

Lola came in after hearing the songs and was surprised to see Kristy playing them. "Good job Kristy."

"Thanks mommy. Sit down so I can play something for you." Lola obediently sat down and listened to Kristy play twinkle, twinkle little star.

After she was done Lola clapped. "That was great! Are you gonna be the next Beethoven?"

Kristy gave her a confused look. "Who's Beethoven?"

"He was a musician who was deaf," Bugs explained.

Kristy gasped. "He was deaf? But how did he play if he was deaf?"

Lola shrugged. "He just did. Ray Charles was blind."

"But you need to see the piano to play it," Kristy said.

"He didn't."

"I don't need to see it," Bugs said. He closed his eyes and played a verse from a Temptations song.

Lola smiled and rolled her eyes. "Show off." She stood up and gave both of them hugs. "Dinner's gonna be ready soon." Then she left to go finish making it.

"Keep practicing Kristy. I'll teach you some more when you're ready."

"Okay daddy."

Jacob was at school the next week at recess. He and his friends were hanging on the monkey bars, he rat on the bottom while his friends Garret was at the top. "Watch this." He hung upside down and everyone ooed and awed.

Jacob climbed up. "That's nothing, watch this." He did the same thing but he took his hands off the bars and hung that way.

One of the girls nearby, Angelina tapped her friend Cassandra. "Look at your boyfriend."

Cassandra pushed her lightly. "He's not my boyfriend."

"Wow."

"Cool."

All of a sudden he lost his balance and hit the ground and heard a crack as he fell. Garret, Chris and Cassandra came over to him. "Are you alright Jake?" Chris asked.

Jacob sat up unharmed except for his hand felt like it was on fire. He held it up and it was swelling up turning red and purple. "No!"

"Cool let me touch it," Garret said touching it. As soon as he did Jacob slapped him away. "Ow! Hey what was that for?"

"That happened to my big brother once, except he broke his whole arm in half. It's probably broken," Chris said.

Jacob gave him a horrified look. "Broken?"

"Yeah, you should go see the nurse." Garret and Chris helped him up and helped him to the nurse's office.

They passed Kristy's class on the way. "What happened to you?" she asked.

"He broke his hand in half," Garret said.

They went into the nurse's office and she put ice on it. "You have to go to the hospital Jacob."

Jacob's eyes got wide. "No!"

"I don't have an x-ray machine and it may be broken."

Not long after Jacob was taken to the hospital. Chris and Garret took their hats off to him and held them to their chests as they'd seen their father's do. "That's one brave kid," Chris said.

Garret nodded. "Yeah, he didn't even cry."

At Acme Looniversity Bugs was in his office finishing up a phone call and filling out a paper. He had other papers in the copy room behind him copying worksheets for his class after lunch. He hung up the phone and pulled a carrot out of the drawer. Then he went to get those papers so he could staple them. One he sat back down humming one of his favorite songs tempted to bring up his iTunes play list and listen to it.

"Bugs you've got a call on line one," Melissa said through the speaker on his desk.

"Thanks Liss." He picked up the phone. "Acme Looniversity, Bugs Bunny speaking."

"Mr. Bunny this is Dr. Marcos. I've called to inform you that your son is in the hospital…"

When Bugs heard that he froze in panic. "What for?"

"He may have fractured his wrist we're still running his x-ray's so we're not quite sure yet…"

Bugs started to stand up and turn his computer off. "What hospital?"

"L.A Memorial…" the doctor said obviously frustrated that Bugs wasn't letting him finish a sentence. Before he could say another word the line went dead.

Bugs practically sprinted out of his office.

Melissa watched him from the secretary desk startled by how he threw the door open all of a sudden. "Where are you going?"

"Jake fractured his wrist."

"Ouch, how?"

Bugs shrugged. "I don't know but I have to go make sure he's okay."

"But you have a meeting with the dean in fifteen minutes."

"Reschedule for me." He left the office then came back in just as fast. "Get a sub for Lola and I please." He left again without waiting for an answer.

He went into the gym and found it empty. He stood there puzzled for a second but then figured they would be out on the track. He went outside and found Lola leaning against the fence with a fan and spray bottle while her class ran around the track.

One of her students stopped in front of her. "I'm done."

"No you're not. That was only two laps. Keep going."

"But I have asthma…"

Lola suppressed a laugh. "No you don't."

"How do you know?"

"I have your medical records. Keep running!"

He continued to run grumbling along the way.

Bugs came over to her. "Lo, Jake fractured his wrist."

Lola's eyes got wide as he said this. "What…?"

"He's in the hospital, we have to go."

"Why are we standing here talking, let's go!" She grabbed his hand and ran to the car just as her sub showed up.

While they were in the car Lola was looking out the window anxiously tapping her foot and fighting back tears.

Bugs looked at her. "Are you crying?"

Lola quickly wiped her eyes. "No…" She sighed. "Bugs my baby is hurt. What if he's in pain or is scared in that hospital all alone or…?" She looked at the calm expression on his face. "Why aren't you freaking out?"

"I'm just a lot better at self control." He put a comforting hand on Lola's shoulder. "He'll be okay Lo."

They arrived at the hospital and were taken to the room Jacob was in. When they got there Jacob was in the bed with his wrist all wrapped up in a cast. "Hi mommy, hi daddy," he said waving at them with his good hand.

Lola ran over to him and hugged him. "Are you okay sweetie? Does it hurt?"

"I'm okay. It doesn't hurt that much anymore." When Lola heard this she visibly relaxed.

"What happened, Jake?" Bugs asked.

"I was hanging upside down on the monkey bars and I fell."

The door opened and an Italian man came in who Bugs and Lola assumed to be the Dr. Marcos. He shook both their hands. "Nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Bunny." He turned to Jacob. "Doing alright kid?" Jacob nodded. Dr. Marcos showed Bugs and Lola the x-rays. "It's nothing too extreme; he just has a small fracture in on one of his carpals. It should heal fairly quickly since he's young."

Bugs and Lola nodded. After hearing that it wasn't serious, they calmed down a bit more.

"You can take him home now if you'd like."

Bugs nodded again. "Thanks Doc."

Dr. Marcos handed Jacob a green lollipop. "Would you like another lollipop Jacob?"

Jacob took it eagerly. Lola cleared her throat. "Thank you," he added quickly.

Dr. Marcos chuckled. "You're very welcome." He turned to Bugs and Lola again. "You should give him Tylenol if he's in any pain."

"Okay," Lola said.

After the doctor left Bugs helped Jacob onto his feet. "You've got to be more careful Jake; this could have been a lot more serious."

"I know daddy, Chris' brother broke his arm in half."

Bugs and Lola glanced at each other then decided to just let it go and continued walking out to the car.

Once they got home Lola sat Jacob down in the living room with the TV and got him a snack. Bugs gave them both a hug. "I'm gonna go pick Kristy up," he said.

Lola looked at the clock. She hadn't realized that it was almost three o clock. "Okay love."

Once Kristy came home she came in the living room and sat next to Jacob. "Did you really break your hand in half?"

"No, I fractured it."

"What's that?"

Jacob shrugged. "I don't know, but it hurt."

"You weren't crying."

"That's because I'm not a baby like you."

Kristy glared at him. "Can I touch it?"

Jacob shrugged and nodded. But then he held up her fist and prepared to punch him but he moved just in time. "What's wrong with you?"

"You called me a baby."

Jacob ignored her and picked up the remote. "Go get me a carrot."

Kristy stood up. "No way, I'm not your maid! I'm nine years old; I have my rights as a citizen of this world!" Then she stomped out of the living room probably to go complain to their parents.

When Jacob got to school the next day he had everyone he knew (and even some people he didn't know) sign his cast. Of course he had to exaggerate the story from what really happened. By the end of the day the story was that he had climbed to the top of the monkey bars and was hanging upside down. Then a tornado ripped through and threw him across the playground. He almost broke all of his bones and died but instead he just fractured his wrist. Only the people who were actually there knew what happened, but they went along with the new story because it was a lot funnier.

He was fully healed a couple weeks later. That was good because he was starting to get annoyed by Lola's constant worrying and smothering.

It was mid April now. The Bunny family was in the mall with our favorite ducks Daffy and Melissa. Lola and Melissa wanted to go to a clothes store, Bugs had to get his watch fixed because the battery had stopped working, Daffy was just there because Melissa promised him they'd go get Chinese food, and the kids wanted to go to the toy store.

They passed a huge statue made entirely out of gold. When Daffy saw it he took off towards it. "Gold! I'm rich! I'm rich! It's mine you understand? All mine! Mwahahaha!" As soon as he touched it alarms sounded and he was grabbed by security gaurds who seemed to come out of no where. "Hey Melissa, help me out here."

Melissa came over to them rolling her eyes.

"Does he belong to you?" the bigger brawny one asked. Melissa nodded. Then men let go of Daffy. "Keep this one out of trouble or it's off to the slammer."

After they left Daffy kissed her. "I love you."

Melissa pushed him away. "Next time I'm not saving your ass." They went back over to Bugs and Lola.

"Seriously Daffy, what's with you?" Bugs asked.

"It's my hobby, I have to do it. You would have done the same thing!" He looked at Jacob and Kristy. "Wouldn't you?"

"No way!" Kristy said.

"That's just stupid," Jacob said.

Bugs and Lola laughed. Daffy glared at them. "They're definitely your kids."

"We never doubted that Daffy," Lola said.

"I'm gonna go get this watch fixed Lo," Bugs said.

"Okay, have fun."

"You two wanna come with me or your mom?" Bugs asked Jacob and Kristy.

"Are you going to the toy store?" Jacob asked.

"No."

"We'll go with mommy," Kristy said.

Bugs chuckled. "Alright then," he said hoarsely.

Lola hugged him. "Are you okay?" she asked noticing.

"Yeah, I'm alright love." He kissed her then went to go find the store that fixes watches. He couldn't get replace it because it was the watch Lola had given him for Christmas one year and it had a picture of them in it.

After having it fixed he passed KAY Jewelers. He decided to go in and browse around, maybe he'd find something for Lola. He went to the glass counter and browsed through all of the diamonds.

A short blonde girl came over to him. "Can I get you anything sir?"

"Um, what's the most expensive thing you've got?"

She pulled out a thick bracelet covered in diamonds big and small and had little rubies arranged in the shape of diamonds. "This one's about $300,000."

Bugs nodded. "I'll take it." His voice shook again when he said that and it was weird but he paid it no mind. He took out his card and gave it to her.

"Would you like a box?"

"Yes, the purple one," he always got Lola the purple box because it was her favorite color. After he got his card back and he was handed the extremely expensive bracelet he left. Then he called Lola and found out she was in the toy store with the kids.

He went up to the second floor and went inside Toys R Us. In the back of the store he found Daffy leaning against a shelf playing with a remote control car that rode up the walls and had the kids fascinated. Lola and Melissa were leaning against the opposite shelf talking. He snuck up behind Lola and put his hands over her eyes. "Guess who."

"Ryan Seacrest?" Lola said jokingly.

Bugs laughed. "No." He kissed her neck. "It's me obviously."

"I knew that," Lola said laughing.

Bugs handed her the purple box. "I've got something for you."

Lola took it and opened it. Her eyes got wide when she saw the huge sparkling bracelet staring back at her. "Whoa, this is huge!" She took it out and put it on. "It's heavy."

Bugs smirked. "Oh no, I guess I have to take it back," he said sarcastically.

"Don't you dare." She kissed his lips and hugged him tightly. "I love it, thank you."

"You're welcome Lo."

Melissa examined her wrist. "How come I don't get jewelry this big?" Then she stomped over to Daffy. "How come I don't get gigantic expensive bracelets?"

"Do you want a gigantic expensive bracelet?"

"Yes, I do."

"Okay then, I'll get you one."

Over the next few days, Bugs' throat was starting to get worse and worse. By the next Friday he could barely talk and Lola was getting concerned.

Bugs was sitting in the library with some tea trying to soothe it and Lola came over and sat next to him.

"Are you sure you're feeling okay?" she asked feeling his forehead.

Bugs nodded. "I'm fine Lo."

She wasn't convinced. "Maybe you should go to the doctor or something. I'm starting to get worried about you."

Bugs shook his head. "I don't need to Lola." He coughed and when he did it burned. "Shit." He sighed. "Fine, I'll go see a doctor but I don't see how it's going to help."

So Lola made him go to the doctor the next day. After twenty minutes of waiting he was tempted to leave but then they called him in. He felt kind of awkward, he didn't go to the doctor very often and he felt like he didn't need to be here now. This was just some sickness that would wear off in a couple days. But then again, he hadn't been sick since '85.

Then the doctor came in, and Italian man who's name tag said he was Dr. Garcia. He shook his hand. "Nice to see you Mr. Bunny."

Bugs nodded. "You too Doc."

"So what seems to be the trouble here?"

"My throat has been really sore. I told my wife it was nothing but she insisted that I come here."

"I see." He took out a clipboard. "I'll just have to ask you a few questions."

"Shoot."

"How old are you?"

"Sixty seven."

"What does your diet consist of?"

"Mostly carrots, vegetables, fruit, coffee, and an occasional Hershey Bar."

"What size shoes do you wear?"

Bugs raised his eyebrow. "Fourteen."

"Do you have any kids?"

"Two."

"Are you sexually active?"

Bugs was really starting to wonder what these questions had to do with the situation. "Yes…"

"Have you shown any signs of E.D or bad prostate?"

"No! What does this have to do with my throat?"

"Oh your throat! Right, I got side tracked." He looked in Bugs' mouth. "Uh huh, there's a lot of redness in there. Have you had strep throat before?"

"A couple times."

"These are the early signs of an infection."

Bugs was surprised. Bugs Bunny did not get infections. "An infection?"

"Yes sir." He came back a few minutes later with some medicine. "Take these regularly and you should be okay."

After signing a few papers Bugs drove home feeling awfully pissed off. When he got home, he found Lola in the kitchen making lunch.

"Hi love." She went over and kissed him. "How'd it go?"

Bugs sat down. "Terrible, I have to take medicine."

Lola laughed. "It could have been worse. They would have had to take your tonsils out."

Bugs shook his head. "Nah, I had those taken out when I was ten." He rested his head on her shoulder. "I don't wanna take medicine, it's nasty."

Lola rolled her eyes. "Geez, I don't know who's the bigger baby, you or Jacob and Kristy."