A Promise

“Take care of Bonnie will you?” Lilian asks. 

“Bonnie?” The little girl asks curiously. 

“That’s right little one! Bonnie. It means pretty. Don’t you think she’s pretty?” Lilian asks. The little girl breaks out in a huge grin. 

“Vewy.” She says with a gap between her front teeth. 

“I’m Lilian. May I know the name taking care of Bonnie?” Lilian extends her hand. 

“I’m Ava. I pwomise to take cawe of Bonnie.” Ava swears, as Lilian's hand covers Ava's in a handshake.

A pool of tears start to form on the edges of Lilian’s eyes but refuses to let them fall freely. At least not in front of Ava, or maybe….me. This is a hard time for us both. At first I felt betrayed that she would even think of replacing me. Abandoning me. The very thought made my heart break. 

“I have to go now Ava. Take care of her for me. I know she’s in good hands.” Lilian says as she walks away, back to her car and away from me. 

“Wait!” Ava yells and runs after Lilan, still holding onto me. 

“Bonnie wants to say something. Isn’t that right Bonnie?” Ava asks me. 

Yes! I want to say something! I want you to say no! Bring me back! I don’t care if I’m sitting on a shelf left in dust, at least I’m with you! Please Lilian! I don’t want to be separated from you! Please! I’m scared! Please! 

Ava brings me to Lilian’s cheek and taps my mouth on her cheek to kiss her. 

“She wants to say bye bye. And she’ll miss you.” Ava says innocently. 

The tears that Lilian was holding back return to her eyes, but as stubborn and independent as she is, still does not let them fall. At least not in front of everyone. But me. I’ve seen the tears she’s shed. All happy, sad, angry, in laughter, I’ve seen it all. Because it’s like a part of me. I’ve been there from her first failure at an exam, being elected as captain, her first heartbreak and acceptance at her dream university. I’ve witnessed all and I want to witness more. 

“Bye Ava. Bye Bonnie.” Lilian says my name one more time before turning around and driving off. Never to be seen again. 

“Don’t wowwy Bonnie. I’ll take good cawe of you!” Ava promises me and takes me inside. 

I don’t want you to. I want to be with Lilian. Not you.

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It’s been a week and I can’t stop thinking about you. Lilian. Why did you leave me? Am I not good enough for you anymore? First I was confused when you were packing. Then you came in and shouted that you’re in! You finally achieved entering your dream university. We were about to start a new chapter in our lives. I wanted to see you grow and be the fierce lawyer I knew you to be. 

However, deep down I knew. You still loved horseback riding. You missed riding on the equestrian team with your best friend until the day she got injured. The day you feared riding. Did you hate me then? Do you still hate me? If I was another animal would you have let me stay? 

“Bonnie! Come on I want to take you to the park today!” Ava comes and snatches me off the bed. Having no choice I bounce up and down as she runs down the hall.

Before reaching the stairs she places me on the hand rail and…..let’s go. Woah! Too fast! Too fast! Avaaaaaa!!! I reach the bottom in a matter of seconds and as I am about to fall off the stairs Ava’s there to catch me. 

“Gotcha! Oh man you won! Next time I’ll win and beat you!” She wines adorably with her gap teeth. 

Yea right! Next time I’ll still win! 

She runs across the car and sits in her carseat as her mum buckles her in. The very act reminds me of when Lilian was still little and getting buckled in by Brian, her dad. Much like Lilian, Ava starts to squirm and wriggle around her tiny seat the whole way to the park. I can’t help but smile at her. 

Once we're out of the car Ava and I run towards the playground while her mother says she’s just over there buying some food for them. Ava has her eyes set on the slide and decides the best way to go is belly first. I’m placed on her back and as she slides down on her stomach I fall to the side and land on the ground before reaching the bottom. 

Ava reaches the bottom but not in a very graceful manner, rather face first on the dirt. She looks up, confused then searches for me. When she spots me and runs towards me, not caring that she has dirt on her face. 

“Oh no. Sowwy Bonnie. I thought you were still on my back. I didn’t really take care of you pwopely. Sowwy.” She says and picks me and kisses my forehead. The very gesture reminds me of Lilian when she first fell on the small horse as she was riding and I was sitting at the front with her. 

The horse went unstable, pulling backwards and causing Lilian to stumble back and sent me flying. Lilian got dirt all over her but was more determined to make sure that the horse didn’t trample me that anything else. Just like Ava. 

“Ava!” Her mum calls and rushes over.

“Are you ok? Why did you slide on your belly, sweetie? That was very dangerous. You could’ve hur yourself.” She scolds Ava and I can’t help but smile. 

I remember a certain someone who used to get scolded all the time for trying to ride that unstable horse again and always falling back. 

“I’m sowwy mummy. Look Bonnie diwty!” She says worriedly as she holds me up, like the holy grail, to her mother. 

“Don’t worry sweetie, you and Bonnie will get cleaned up later but first how about some sandwiches?” Her mother asks Ava. 

“Yay!” She squeals and lights up like being dirty was the least of her concerns. 

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After eating a late lunch and playing some more on the swings and slides I can say it was a pretty fun day. That is until I remembered doing all these things with Lilian when she was younger. Now I’m just sad. Sad to be replaced. Sad to be forgotten. Sad to be left behind. 

The drive was quiet, mainly because of Ava being asleep the whole time. After her day in the park I can understand. She looks so peaceful when she sleeps. Like Lilian. I shake my head and erase those memories. It just makes me sad. 

Ava wakes up when we get home and demands a bubble bath with me. 

“I need to clean her up mummy! And I wanna pway again!” She says in a tantrum. 

Her mother, Julia, unable to resist her daughter's display, starts the bubble bath and places her in the tub with me. 

“I’ll give you 15 minutes Ava then it’s time to come out ok?” Julia asks. 

“Ok mummy!” Ava agrees but is still looking at me, then her mum leaves us alone. 

SPLASH! 

“Look Bonnie, it's the Mermaid Queen and she needs your help! She needs a fast seahorse to get her to the Dark Waters to save her people!” Ava says and swims me up and down, like a dolphin, across the tub. 

Ava places the Mermaid Queen on my back and continues to splash around the tub making a huge mess. We splash water everywhere but I am having fun pretending to ride across the ocean with the Mermaid Queen to save her people. After we defeated the Dark Queen with the Mermaid Queen’s powers and me getting her out of there we finally rescued the other mermaids! 

Just as we are celebrating and having an underwater party Ava’s mum walks in. 

“Ava time to get dressed, sweetie.” She says holding out a towel. 

“But mummy!” Ava whines. 

“Bonnie looks tired and you both need rest. Now come on. Let’s get dressed then off to bed.” Julia says. 

Ava listens as she dries off with her mum’s help and gets dressed. Ava’s mum also dries me off and places me in Ava’s room as Ava brushes her teeth. 

Her room is small but homey. Light pink walls and toys in her large sparkly box. A pretty butterfly lamp is switched on, illuminating the room with a soft white. In walks Julia, who is carrying a sleeping Ava in her arms. She moves her blanket and pillows out of the way and places Ava in the middle of her bed. Julia places a kiss on her daughter’s forehead. 

“Goodnight sweetie.” She whispers. 

“Mummy?” Ava calls out sleepily. 

“Yea baby?” 

“Where’s Bonnie?” 

Ava’s mum looks for me then takes me and tucks me under Ava’s arm. Ava pulls me close and her mum leaves her room. 

“I wuv you Bonnie. I pwomise to take cawe of you wike Lilian said.” Ava whispers then drifts off to sleep. 

I love you too little Ava. Just before I drift off the sleep and be lulled by Ava’s even breathing I notice the lamp is still on and remember Lilian was also afraid of the dark. Yes. I think I’m gonna like it here. Very much. Thank you Lilian for giving me another chance to be a toy again, while you continue to grow. I promise to watch over her like I did to you. I’ll always remember you.