Linda's Story

A Hoppy Day

Linda was walking the first floor of her house, after just waking up three minutes ago. She had just grabbed her pink shorts out of her clean laundry basket when the doorbell rang. She yawned before opening the door. "Danny! What're you doing here so early?"

"You, me, the fair. All day." He shrugged, "or until you get tired."

"What?"

"My family and I are going to the fair on Friday. Jamie wanted you to come too, but you'll be at the beach with your grandma."

"Coney Island."

"Whatever. The point is, I didn't want you to miss out. So I'm taking you today."

"Really?" Linda didn't get to go to the fair every year, especially since her parents' divorce.

"Yeah. It opens at ten."

"It's only 8:15."

"And it takes a bit to get there. So get changed, make yourself more beautiful, and meet me in the car."

"You can come in, Danny. Marni didn't come home again last night. Jimmy left earlier this morning for something." She stepped aside and pulled her boyfriend in the house. "Lemme take a quick shower, then I'll be ready."

"Okay, no real hurry though."

********

Linda double-timed her shower, making sure not to procrastinate like she often did before and after her showers. She didn't feel like drying her long hair- especially with Danny waiting downstairs- so she quickly did two twin braids. She chose a yellow shirt and her short brown skirt, before quickly switching purses.

"Forty dollars is enough, right?" She mumbled to herself as she grabbed another twenty from the wallet in a shoe box under her bed. She didn't care how much Danny was going to insist- she was going to pay for something that day.

Swinging her purse over her shoulders, Linda bounded down the stairs. "I just need to get my shoes."

Danny stood from the couch, "I'm assuming you want to see the animals?"

"You mean all the bunnies and duckies and horsies and piggies?"

Danny chuckled under his breath as Linda walked in the room with her shoes. He offered her his arm to steady her, "yes, and the cows and really loud roosters."

She smiled as she slipped on her shoe, "I love the chickens with the fluffy feathers."

He led her out the door, "you can stare at them all you like when we get there."

*********

They arrived a few minutes after the fair grounds opened the doors for the fair goers. Danny parked the car, "so where you wanna go first?"

"The place with the bunnies," Linda answered decisively.

He nodded, "sounds good."

They walked hand in hand to the building, both of them commenting on how it wasn't as hot as the weather man predicted. Danny couldn't stop grinning at his girlfriend as she cooed 'hi's, 'you're so soft's, and 'I wish you could come home with me's at every single bunny.

"Danny, look at this one!" Linda smiled as she knelt down to put the white bunny with brown ears. "Oh, you're so soft. I wish I could hug you."

"You wanna hold her?" The young lady asked Linda.

"Can I?" She grinned from ear to ear when the bunny was placed in her hands. "Danny," she turned to her boyfriend. "Danny, pet her. Isn't she the softest thing you've ever touched?"

"It's very soft," he chuckled at his girlfriend's enthusiasm over a bunny. She was so adorable! (His girlfriend- that was- not the bunny).

"I wish I could have her, but Marni would kill me."

"Didn't Wendy have a hamster when she was little?"

"Yes, she did. It died before I was born though. I actually think Tony vacuumed it because Jimmy let it out."

Danny looked at the lady, ignoring the hamster murder story, "how much is the bunny?"

"Twenty dollars," she answered hopefully. It was the last bunny she needed to sell.

"Twenty?"

Linda looked at Danny, "you're not thinking-" She saw the look on his face, "oh no, I can't- that is, I really want her, but you can't-"

"We'll take her," he interrupted, handing over one of his twenty dollars.

**********

"I can't believe you bought me a bunny!" Linda peered into the cardboard box the lady had given her to carry her new pet bunny. "How insane is that?! You know you could've just gotten me any sort of prize or something like that."

"But you were so happy with the bunny. What're you gonna name her?"

"Dani."

"Dani? But that's a boys' name. Not to mention my name."

"Dani can be a girl's name, Danny. It's spelled with one 'n' and an 'I'."

He rolled his eyes to the sky, "as long as you're happy."

"Nah... I don't like that name for her. For you it's good, but for her?" Linda shook her head, "what's a good name for you, bunny? Snow White?"

"Where would you like to go next?"

"Wherever you want. Sherry," she tried, "no."

Their choices were now a little limited because of the stupid rabbit, so most rides were out. Linda said it was okay because she didn't like roller coasters anyways. They rode the Ferris wheel and the carousel a number of times before Linda declared she was starving and wanted to see the exhibition building.

"Danny," Linda started as she poured salt onto her fries, "can we get ice cream?"

"With you, it's a given by now."

She grinned, laughing, "it's not my fault I love it so much!"

Danny didn't say anything to that; he only smirked and took a bite of his burger. "I'm glad you could make it today."

"Me too! It's been really, really fun."

"Do you want to head back home after we get ice cream? I mean, you still hafta pack, right?"

"No, I've been packed since Monday." She said it like it was ridiculous to pack the night before.

"Of course, I should've known. Little Miss Prepared."

"Don't tease me, or I might just unleash Trudy on you."

"Trudy?"

"That's what I decided to name her. Trudy. Trudy Dani."

"You're so adorable, Linda, has anybody told you that?"

She shook her head, coyly bringing a fry to her lips.

"Then let me be the first. You're adorable."

She blushed and hid behind her root beer, hoping he didn't see how much his small compliments affected her.

**********

Linda looked down at the bunny in the cardboard box, "now I gotta get stuff for her."

"Maybe on Saturday after you get back from Coney Island, we can go bunny supply shopping."

Linda rose to her toes to kiss her boyfriend, "you're a really good boyfriend. I'm glad you chose me."

"You chose me, so I think I'm the one who should be thanking you." He kissed her a lot less sweetly than she had kissed him a few minutes ago.

"I should head in," Linda could feel her cheeks heating up and her stomach doing flips. "Get Trudy settled and whatnot."

"Sure. See you Saturday?"

"Saturday." She smiled and waved goodbye, then shouldered Trudy through the door. She looked down at the rabbit, "now what am I gonna do with you?"