Note: It has been months since I gave this story an update, hasn't it? In that case, I've decided to do this chapter for Valentines Day. Not exactly sure if I'll get it done before said holiday, but I'll try to. Chances are, my other chapters won't be done before this one. Then again, do I always fulfill the promises that I make on certain stories? No one has to answer that if they don't want to.
Reading through this story again, I realize that there aren't a whole lot of reviews on it. No one has to leave a review, but I want to know what people think about it. I won't deny that this is a bizarre crossover, especially considering how I'm centering on a couple that consists of characters from two different companies (though one originated from a story by Rudyard Kipling). Sometimes, you just have to take notes from Romeo and Juliet when you write stories like this. Of course, the companies that own these characters aren't going to read fanfiction about stuff like this, so I shouldn't be too concerned. If I get sued, I won't know until I receive a letter.
Now that I've said all of that, it's time for chapter six.
Chapter 6: Making a New Friend
A few days later, Baloo and Lexi noticed how Owen was doing in school. The cub-bunny was attending class, but he wasn't shown talking to the other kids. In fact, it seemed like he didn't have anyone to talk to outside of the family. While the boy would sit next to other children during lunch, he didn't seem to really socialize with them. The teachers were a different story, as Owen respected their authority and kindly spoke to them. When asked, they said that the child was nice, but had trouble making friends.
Lexi felt concerned about Owen, even when he was at home with her. Not only was her son having trouble making friends, but he seemed unable to socialize with the other kids. The doe was worried about what would happen if the cub-bunny continued to have these problems as he grew up. If he was unable to talk to anyone in high school, then he would be bullied constantly. The lepus-ursine would be considered a weirdo by his peers, including his teachers. If that were to happen, then he wouldn't have much to celebrate after graduation (assuming his grades would be good enough for him to graduate).
Thinking about Owen, Lexi remembered that he mentioned Molly Cunningham. The little girl was the first person to speak with Owen at school, aside from the staff. With that in mind, Lexi hoped that the two would hang out during the day, considering how they didn't have much to do in terms of academics. It was only a matter of time before they would end up working together on homework and inviting each other over for dinner. Even if they didn't become romantically involved, Owen and Molly would become good friends. That was what Lexi was hoping for, and she knew that Baloo wanted it to happen as well.
Once Owen had gotten out of school for the day, he decided to head to his room until dinner. He took out one of his Dr. Seuss books, wanting to read it to pass the time. Before the cub-bunny could do so, he heard a knock on the door. Getting up from his bed, the boy went over to open it for his visitor. Upon opening the door, he saw Lexi standing behind it.
"Hi Mom." Owen greeted.
"Owen, do you have a minute?" Lexi asked.
"You can come in!" The cub-bunny said, stepping aside.
Walking into Owen's room, Lexi took a seat on the bed. Owen followed his mother, taking a seat next to her. Once they were seated, the two spoke to each other.
"So, Owen, I noticed that you don't have other kids to play with." Lexi said. "Is there something wrong?"
"I don't know what to say to the others." Owen said. "I'm not sure if they would like me, so I don't say a whole lot during the day."
"What about that girl you eat lunch with?" The doe asked.
"Molly?" The cub-bunny said. "We just sit next to each other, but we do talk."
"Talk about what?" The lepus asked her son.
"What we want to do when we grow up." The ursine-lepus said.
With all that in mind, Lexi was thinking of how Owen and Molly could become friends. She could tell that the two were on speaking terms, but they weren't actually friends at the moment. The doe was hoping to speak to Molly herself, but figured that she would have to speak to the girl's mother first. Given Dr. Cunningham's profession, Lexi felt that getting in contact with her would be hard. As for Baloo, she had a feeling that the gynecologist would be willing to speak to him. After all, they were friends before.
"Owen," Lexi spoke, "I'll try to get in contact with Molly's mother."
"Why?" Owen asked. "I didn't do something wrong, did I?"
"No, honey, I just want to see if it's okay to set up a play date between you and Molly." The doe said. "I'm going to go talk to your father about it, so wash up before dinner."
"I will, Mom." The cub-bunny said.
As soon as Lexi finished her talk with Owen, she went downstairs to help Baloo with dinner. When it was ready, Owen joined his parents at the table, going over what he was currently doing at school. Getting his belly full, the cub-bunny went up to his room for the night. He was up there until bedtime, getting out to take a bath. Whenever he took a bath, the boy would ask his parents for help. This time around, he didn't have any help, as he was able to bathe by himself.
Downstairs, Lexi and Baloo were discussing what to do about Owen. They knew that their son was doing well in school, but he wasn't interacting with his classmates. However, once Lexi brought up Molly, Baloo promised her that he would contact Dr. Cunningham while he was at work. The bear admitted that he would have to do so during his break, given how he had a busy schedule the following day. If he was unable to call her, then Lexi would have to. The doe agreed to do so if he was unable to. No matter what happened, Lexi and Baloo were ready to help their son make a friend.
The next day, Baloo was in the break room at the office. Seeing his opportunity, he took out his phone and dialed Dr. Cunningham's number. After doing so, the sloth bear waited for a response. He almost hated to interrupt the doctor during her work hours, as she likely had several patients waiting for her. The ursine hoped that he wouldn't be interrupting something. For all he knew, Dr. Cunningham could've been working with a patient, and she wouldn't have been happy to receive a phone call during her job. Baloo braced himself, awaiting either an angry message or a declined call.
"Hello?" A voice came out of the phone.
"Is this Dr. Cunningham?" Baloo spoke.
"Yes." Dr. Cunningham responded. "May I ask who is speaking?"
"Becky, it's me, Baloo!" The boar said.
"Baloo?" The gynecologist spoke. "It's been ages since I've spoken to you! What the hell have you been doing since then?"
"Gee, it's been a ride for me!" The ursine said. "Not only did I meet a smart, beautiful woman, but I married her and had a son with her!"
"You're a husband and a father now?" The sow's voice was full of disbelief.
"If you're surprised by that, then I'm surprised that you're a doctor!"
"Baloo, I can't stay on the phone for long, I've got to get back to work! Just tell me why you're calling!"
"It's about your daughter."
For a moment, there was silence from Dr. Cunningham's end. This unnerved Baloo, almost as if he had said something wrong. It made the sloth bear feel like he was in a spy movie, with his objective being a stealth mission. The silence in his conversation made him think of when the missions go wrong in those movies, which end with either the spy being captured or killed. As such, the ursine felt like he was in such a situation when a conversation came to abrupt silence.
"What do you want with Molly?" Dr. Cunningham asked.
"I just want to set up a play date." Baloo said. "You see, my son doesn't have any friends at the moment, and I hope that he's able to friend your daughter."
"Your son is Owen, right?" The gynecologist spoke. "I suppose that I could drop Molly off on the weekend so that she can play with him."
"Thanks, Becky!" The sloth bear said.
"Just don't let her get hurt at your place." She said before hanging up.
Once the call had ended, Baloo contacted Lexi, telling her that Dr. Cunningham approved of a play date. The rabbit thanked her husband, promising to see him after work. From there, Baloo went back to work, his break having ended. As for Lexi, she finished up her shift at The Daily Post, making sure to deliver the drafts she had edited. After picking up Owen from school, the rabbit went home, needing to relax for a little bit. By the time Baloo got home, she was working on dinner.
"Hi Dad!" Owen greeted.
"Hey son!" Baloo said.
Walking into the kitchen, Baloo decided to help Lexi out with dinner. The doe was chopping up vegetables, intending to cook them with the chicken breast that was in the pan. Seeing that she had it primarily under control, the sloth bear was given the duty of giving her the spices that she needed. In addition to that, he was told to keep a watchful eye on the dish, so that it didn't burn. While his wife was in the bathroom, the ursine made sure that dinner was finished. After two more minutes, he turned off the burner, checking to see if everything was done.
As soon as Lexi got out of the bathroom, she saw Baloo setting the table. Owen was already seated, waiting to be served some food. Seeing that, Baloo gave his son some chicken and vegetables first. After putting food on everyone's plate, the sloth bear sat down. Lexi sat down next to her husband, facing her son. With everyone seated, the family had a conversation.
"So, Owen, remember that girl you were talking to at lunch?" Baloo asked.
"Molly?" Owen spoke. "Yeah, why?"
"Well, son, I've got a surprise for you!" The sloth bear playfully said.
"Really?" The cub-bunny asked. "What's the surprise?"
"Molly's coming over for a playdate on the weekend, bud!" The boar said.
"And her mother approved it, so you're okay." Lexi said.
Owen gasped in surprise and excitement, going over to hug his parents. Baloo and Lexi shared their son's embrace, hugging him back. After breaking apart, the family continued to eat their dinner, getting their bellies full. After dinner, Lexi took a shower, with Baloo doing the same when she got out. Owen took a bath, not feeling comfortable taking a shower until he was older. When everyone was done bathing for the night, they went to bed, wanting to recharge their batteries for tomorrow.
When Saturday rolled around, Baloo and Lexi stayed at the house with Owen. The cub-bunny was excited, knowing that Molly was coming over for a play date. As far as his parents knew, Dr. Cunningham had agreed to bring her over, assuming she knew where the family lived. Neither the bear nor the rabbit had told her what their address was, so they knew that it would be difficult for the gynecologist to find the house. Despite that, the two hoped that she would come with Molly. If they didn't make it, then Owen would've been devastated.
After a few minutes, Lexi heard a knock on the door. Getting up from the recliner, she went to answer it, hoping that whoever behind the door wasn't someone dangerous. The doe pulled the door open, taking a step back as she did so. Upon doing that, the rabbit saw who was standing in the doorway: a golden brown bear sow with long hair who was dressed in a doctor's uniform, and a cub who resembled her mother quite a bit. The older of the two looked a bit puzzled.
"Excuse me," the sow spoke, "is this where Owen lives?"
"Yes." Lexi said. "You must be Dr. Cunningham. My name is Lexi Bunny, ma'am."
"So, you're Baloo's wife?" Dr. Cunningham said. "You're quite a catch, if I do say so myself."
"Thanks!" The doe said, letting out a giggle.
Baloo walked up to Lexi, deciding to join in on the conversation. Upon seeing Dr. Cunningham, he gave a friendly smile. Dr. Cunningham returned his expression with a smile of her own, though she was a bit more reluctant. Molly looked up at the couple, noticing that Owen took after both of them. It was especially clear when she looked at Baloo, as the cub-bunny resembled him the most. As for Lexi, he shared her attractive eyes and cotton tail.
"Long time no see, Becky!" Baloo greeted.
"It's nice to see you again, too." Dr. Cunningham said. "You've got a lovely home, guys."
"Thanks, Dr. Cunningham." Lexi said.
"Mommy, can I go play with Owen?" Molly spoke.
"Sure, honey, he's probably waiting for you." Dr. Cunningham said, letting go of her daughter's hand.
As Molly went to find Owen, Baloo and Lexi found themselves alone with Dr. Cunningham. The golden brown sow looked at both of them, her eyes narrowing. Her expression became grumpier, as if she had a long day ahead of her. Given how the ursine was a gynecologist, Baloo knew that she was a very busy woman. However, Lexi could see a familiar look behind the grumpiness: motherly love. With that in mind, the couple could tell that they would be in trouble if something bad were to happen.
"I might have dropped Molly here for a play date," Dr. Cunningham spoke, "but if any harm comes to her, then you'll see my bad side!"
"Don't worry, she'll be fine." Lexi said.
"Yeah, you can trust us, Becky!" Baloo said, intimidated by her tone of voice.
Her lips curling into a smile, Dr. Cunningham walked out of the house. Once she was out of their sight, Baloo and Lexi looked at each other. While they understood that the sow didn't want her daughter to get hurt, they were a bit put off by her warning. The gynecologist sounded like she was an inch away from throttling them, despite the motherly instinct that was present. Neither the bear nor the rabbit wanted anything bad to happen as Molly played with Owen, so they agreed that they would step in when something went wrong. After all, they just wanted for Owen to make a friend.
Upstairs, Molly was with Owen. The two were just sitting on Owen's bed, not having much to do. Knowing that they couldn't be bored during a play date, the cubs decided to look for something fun. They searched through the toy box, hoping to find a toy that they could play with for the time being. After a minute of digging, Molly pulled something out of the box. Owen helped her get the item she had her sights on: a small metal box with a crank that was decorated similarly to a circus tent.
"What is this?" Molly asked.
"It's a Jack-in-the-Box." Owen said.
"Oh, I've heard of these!" The cub said. "I'll try to open it!"
Seizing the crank on the box, Molly began to turn it in the only direction that it would go. Out from the box came the familiar tune of "Pop Goes the Weasel". The cub turned it slowly, which made Owen anxious. He had opened it twice before, so he knew what was going to happen, but he was eager to see his playmate open it. After another turn at its crank, the box's top came open, causing a clown to jump out. In addition to popping out, it made a crazy laugh, sounding like someone was laughing at a very funny joke.
Once the Jack-in-the-Box came open, both Owen and Molly gasped. They closed the toy and put it back in the toy box. After that, they began to dig for another toy to play with. While they found a few stuffed animals, the cubs figured that there wasn't much that they could do with them. Getting out of the toy box, Molly looked at Owen for a second, then at the door. It was apparent that they needed to find something fun to do, but their options were limited.
"Hey, Owen, what do you think we should do now?" Molly asked.
"I don't know." Owen said. "I'm sorry if you're not having fun."
"Oh no, it's not your fault!" The cub said. "We just need something to help us have fun!"
"Like what?" The cub-bunny asked.
"Do your parents have a record player?" She asked.
Getting an idea, Owen opened the door and led Molly out of his room. They then went downstairs, hoping to find Baloo and Lexi. Upon not finding them in the dining room, the cubs figured that they would find the grownups in the living room. As they walked through the hallway, they saw Baloo holding a laundry basket. Seeing as his father was working on something, Owen stepped aside for a brief moment. Soon after, the cub-bunny approached the older male.
"Daddy?" Owen spoke.
"What's up, Owen?" Baloo asked.
"Can you turn on the record player?" The cub-bunny asked.
"Play date's going sour, eh?" The boar said. "Don't worry, I'll get it for you, kids. Just let me go find Lexi!"
A few minutes later, Owen and Molly were standing in the dining room. Baloo had plugged in a record player, placing it high enough so the cubs couldn't damage it. As for Lexi, she was sitting at the table, deciding to watch what was about to happen. Once everyone was in the same room, Baloo put a record on, adjusting the needle so that it hit the first song on it. The moment that happened, some old-fashioned rhythm and blues came out of the record player, echoing throughout the room. While Baloo stood up, Owen and Molly looked at each other, having no idea what to do at the moment.
"C'mon, kids, bust a move!" Baloo said.
Not realizing what that meant, Owen was confused as to what to do next. However, Molly began to tip toe and twirl, grooving to the music. Seeing that, Owen tried to dance, but was unsure of what dance moves to do. Taking his son's hand, Baloo led him on a dance routine. It took a minute for the cub-bunny to get into it, but he was able to dance on his own. He let out a giggle, having fun as he danced to the music.
"Lexi, take my hand!" Baloo said, gesturing his hand towards her.
Getting up from her seat, Lexi took Baloo's hand and started to dance with him. The bear put his arm around his wife, trying to lead her like how people would ballroom dance or do the tango. While that happened, Owen and Molly tried to do the same thing. Finding themselves unable to do so, the cubs wound up dancing separately from each other. However, they still had a good time, laughing and dancing as time went by.
"This is fun!" Owen said.
"Yeah!" Molly said. "I hope that we can do this next time!"
"You mean, you want to have another play date?" The cub-bunny asked.
"Who said that I didn't?" The cub asked.
Owen smiled upon Molly's words, feeling happy that she was able to have fun during their first play date. Not only that, but she wanted to come over for another play date. The cub-bunny giggled, thinking about all the fun stuff they would do the next time. Lexi and Baloo smiled, knowing that their son had managed to connect with Molly. Even though they had to turn on the record player, they knew that Owen would've been able to have a play date. It had turned out better than anyone realized.
When Dr. Cunningham came to get Molly, she talked to Baloo and Lexi about having her come over for more play dates in the future. The gynecologist was a bit reluctant, but agreed to work it out with them. She wouldn't bring Molly if she were sick, however, as she didn't want her to infect anyone in the house. It was mutual for Lexi and Baloo, as they would inform the sow if Owen was sick, wanting to be careful as well. As the grownups worked it out, Owen and Molly spoke to each other. They promised that they would see each other at school the next week, if not the next play date.
As Dr. Cunningham and Molly went home, Owen turned to both his parents. They were sitting on the couch, watching some TV. However, Owen didn't go unnoticed by either of them, as the bear and the rabbit looked at him with a smile on their faces. The cub-bunny ran up to them, giving them a big hug.
"Mom, dad, thank you!" Owen said.
Letting go of his parents, Owen went upstairs to his room, deciding to read one of his books until dinner time. As he did that, Baloo looked at Lexi, giving her a smile. Lexi responded in kind, even giving off a little blush. The bear and the rabbit kissed, laughing shortly after they broke apart. As they sat, the couple couldn't help but feel happy about how well their son's play date went. They hoped that he would be able to make more friends like Molly, no matter who they were.
Note: Not really a story about young love, but I decided to just make it about the beginning of a budding friendship. I also brought Rebecca, or rather, Dr. Cunningham, into the story. What do you think? Is it a nice take on her, or a bad one? Until next time guys, this is Newcomer24, signing off. Peace, and I hope you had a happy Valentines Day!