Zipper

1.5

Emmy squeezed Hoppy tight as she sat on the examination table at Dr. Abby's. Hoppy always came with her to see the Dr. He was her "emotional support bunny" Kat had said. She squeezed him when she got her shots for school not long ago and he usually helps her feel better if she's having one of her icky coughy days.

"There aren't many things we can give a five year-old to help them sleep at night," Dr. Abby said.

"She's almost six," Kat brings up.

"That's right!" Dr. Abby said lighting up. "Someone's birthday is coming up."

She was nice and smart, always with a smile and a clipboard. Something about clipboards made Emmy think that they were writing smart important stuff down all the time, which Dr. Abby probably was. Right then, her clipboard was down at her waist, both hands holding it, while she talked serious stuff with Kat. She had a new ring on her finger and it caught Emmy's eye.

"Dr. Abby!" Emmy said, pointing at the shiny diamond.

"Oh, thank you for noticing, miss Emily!" Abby said with the biggest grin ever. "I'm going to get married soon."

"Wow!" Emmy tried to picture the person who Dr. Abby would love and marry. Probably somebody smart and nice, like her. It made Emmy smile back just as big.

"Yes, it's very exciting! In fact, I've been having trouble sleeping myself, because I've been so excited. How about you? Is something exciting keeping you from sleeping?" she asked.

"Hmm," Emmy thought hard. "Not really. I just don't feel sleepy when mommy and daddy are sleepy."

"You haven't been hearing any noises?"

Emmy shook her head.

"How about any lights do they bother you at night?"

"I got a nightlight, but I like it, I don't like the dark.

Abby scribbled something on her clipboard.

"How about feelings? Do you feel sad when you can't sleep? Do you feel happy?"

"Happy!" Emmy shouted when she heard the choice. "I feel happy and hoppy, like Hoppy." She held hoppy out to Abby for emphasis.

"I see," Abby said softly. "So we just have too much energy at night and not enough in the evening?"

"I guess so," Emmy said.

"That's good, Emily. Thank you for being a big girl and answering my questions. We'll make sure to get you and Hoppy a lollipop and some stickers before you leave."

Dr. Abby talked about some stuff with Kat that Emmy didn't find interesting. Something about vitamins and stuff. Emmy busied herself by looking at the lollipop dish and the sticker roll on the table nearby. She liked blue raspberry, but they were almost always gone already. Maybe she would get a watermelon one this time.

"Okay, miss Emily, what flavor?" Dr. Abby finally asked, like she always did.

"Anything but grape!" Emmy said, which was always her answer.

"Hmm, looks like you're in luck," Dr. Abby said with her hand in the bowl. "We've got one blue raspberry left, I remember that's your favorite."

Emmy sparkled with excitement.

Kat pulled up to the park nearest the pharmacy in town. Emmy was satisfied in the back seat with her lollipop, a round sticker of a smiling star on her chest and another on Hoppy's chest.

"You can play for a few minutes while we wait for them to get your medicine ready, okay?" Kat asked.

"Okay," Emmy agreed.

It wasn't so easy to climb the slide with her lollipop, though. She didn't think that one through. It wasn't easy to climb with Hoppy either. She should have left them in the car, but the car was hot, and she didn't want Hoppy to get too hot or her lollipop to get too melty. She sat Hoppy in the shade under the slide and leaned her lollipop against him.

"Watch this for me, Hoppy," she said and then she went up, trusting him to carry out her request.

The wind pushed back her short bangs as she flew down the slide. She ran around, checking on Hoppy as she reached the bottom of the ladder again. He hadn't moved. She went back up and felt the moment of wind again as she went down, maybe even faster this time. Hoppy was still at the ladder waiting for her, and she went again, counting as she did so that she could see if she could go faster next time.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Up the steps. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. Her feet hit the dirt at the bottom and she ran around...

The ground at the bottom of the ladder was empty. Where had Hoppy gone? she wondered.