Abandoned Angel
Part 31: Work Hard. Play Harder.
The winter thaw was full in effect. Green lawns dotted with multicolor fluff piles. Everyone hated this time of year. The rush to remove the dead fluffies, once hidden by the snow, was a horrible task. Once the dead bodies thawed they would start to decompose and the smell was just horrid. No one wanted to be that person with the rotting fluffy yard. Few yards, Robert’s included, skated away with no dead fluffies.
Robert looked out his window from the kitchen. Coffee in hand, he was almost ready to tackle the day. It was a bright and sunny Sunday morning. Over a month ago he had found a nearly dead, very tiny, blue and green fluffy on his door step. He saved her, raised her, and named her Angel. Not long after, his now ex-girlfriend, Mary gave him three more fluffies. Brave, the blind monochrome unicorn. Bright, the deaf yellow and blue earth type. And Robin, the mute red and pink unicorn.
Angel had taken to them immediately, but her bratty fluffy tendencies sometimes caused friction. Her renewed demands for a special friend were growing annoying for Robert. Monday, Robert vowed, he would call vets to get all four fixed, unless there were other, safer, options. Susan, Erin’s sister, would be his first call. He sipped his coffee, enjoying the quiet. It was early enough that his fluffies were still asleep, yet he could see a small feral herd walking down the sidewalk.
He paid them no mind as he thought about Brave, and how his blind fluffy didn’t play. Surely there had to be options for him. He penciled in a visit to a fluffy pet shop. Pouring another cup of coffee he noticed that the same herd from the front had wandered into his back yard. They were grazing on the now revealed grass, even though there were still frozen piles of snow against the trees and fence. He really should get a fully fenced yard.
Later on that lazy Sunday afternoon, bright eyed and bushy tailed, so to speak, Robert went to the local fluffy pony pet shop. Behind the counter sat a much older woman, old enough to be Robert’s grandmother. “Welcome! How are you doing today?” Robert could barely hear her over the din of fluffies. “Are you here for a new family member?”
Robert shook his head, “No, my family is big enough as it is. I need some toys.”
Tabbi, her nametag read, raised an eyebrow, “for yourself or for a fluffy?” Obviously she had her fair share of abusers come through. She seemed suspicious of Robert. Maybe fluffies weren’t normally pets for single guys, Robert wondered.
“It’s for my fluffy.” Robert quickly and briefly recounted the tale of how he acquired Bright, Brave, and Robin.
Tabbi smiled sympathetically, “most people would get rid of them. Most people do. They break a leg, toss ‘em out. They break a lamp, break their legs and toss ‘em out. If you dropped them off at a shelter they would be euthanized, probably before you even walked out the door. So,” Tabbi waved her hand around the wall of toys, “what are you looking for?”
“Well, Brave needs something to play with. Normally he lays about and just cuddles his stuffed bear. He says he won’t play because he runs into things and hurts himself.” Robert looked about, picking up a ball that had a bell inside. “It’s kinda sad as the others play and run about and he just lays there. I feel bad for the little guy.”
Tabbi nodded and put her hand on his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You are a very kind and compassionate fluffy owner. Here’s what I recommend.” She took the ball he picked up and sat it on the counter. In moments she had a small pile of toys and a sheet of paper with instructions. “I used to have a regular pet shop, so in my time I’ve ran across other blind animals. Here’s what you can get here…” She ran through the list. A simple small bouncy ball with a very loud bell inside. Another ball, but this one with an electric noise device that would continue to make a chime noise a full minute after it stopped moving. Three blocks with a texture of velvet. Two hollow balls made of cotton. And three regular balls. “Can’t bring toys for just one fluffy, now can you?” Tabbi smiled and rang up Robert.
“Now the most important part,” Tabbi continued as she added on her employee discount to the bill. “This list is what you need to get. You can get this stuff at just about any store. Get a bottle of vanilla extract and a bottle of cinnamon extract. Make a very very diluted solution with just water and about two drops of vanilla. Do the same with the cinnamon, but that will be powder, so you’ll need more. Soak each hollow ball over night in the solution over night. Let them air dry for a day. Get some wax paper and a few small bells. Stuff that inside each of the hollow balls. It’ll add sound if he rolls it and a different sound and texture if he squeezes it. The smell and sound should help him find them if you play. The aroma will also let him find them. Finally, pick up some bubble wrap, I’m sure all four of them will love that.”
“Thanks, I really really appreciate it.” Robert paid the surprisingly cheap bill and headed to the local Giant-Mart. Nearly two hours later he returned home. No other plans for the lazy Sunday, Robert opened the safe room, allowing Bright, Robin, and Angel to play in the rest of the house with their toys while Robert went to work preparing the toys for Robin. The entire house began to smell of vanilla and cinnamon, a nice smell.
Brave sniffed the air, it smelled like yummy nummies! He carefully made his way to the kitchen, the source of the smell. He sat at his daddeh’s feet and tapped onto his legs. “Daddeh, wats dat smeww? Nummies?”
Robert smiled, “Nope, it’s a special surprise. Let’s go back to the safe room, I’ve got something for you.” He snatched up the chiming ball and followed Brave back to the room. Bright, Angel and Robin left alone to play. Brave plopped down on the bed, half cuddling with his stuffed animal. Robert pulled out the ball, turned on motion activated chime, and shook the ball.
Brave’s ears perked up, “Wats dat, daddeh!? Wats dat chiwpin?” Robert didn’t answer but just rolled the ball to Brave. “Nuuuu!” Brave skittered back, tripping over his stuffed animal and fell onto his back, his fluffly legs waving about in the air.
Robert laughed. “It’s a new toy for you.” The ball continued to chime. “It’s a ball. Follow the sound and push it around.” Brave rolled over and cautiously moved to the ball, not as scared now. He reached out with his front hooves to hold the ball and turn it about as if he was looking at it. The fluffy sat the ball on the ground and he batted at it, sending it across the room.
Robert took a seat on the floor and watched Brave chase after the ball, shouts of “Wub daddeh! Wub baww!” echoed through the room. Brave ran as fast as his little hooves would move. Brave had batted the ball towards Robert and he picked up the ball. He jumped into Robert’s lap, “Wub daddeh!” Giving Robert the happiest huggies he could. “Pway! PWAY!” Brave bounced about until Robert tossed the ball again and Brave dashed off.
Angel, Bright and Robin peeked their heads into the safe room and their eyes went wide, “BWAVE PWAYIN!” Angel shouted. The three rushed into the room to join in. Now all four were running about the room chasing the chiming ball. Robert hadn’t seen Brave so happy since, well, ever. Robert stayed with them, tossing the ball every time it came near.
It didn’t take long at all before all four were sprawled about the room, panting heavily. They all played themselves to exhaustion. Angel pulled herself up and shakily walked over to Robert. She laid her head onto his lap, staring up at him.
“Daddeh?” Angel spoke up.
“Yes?” Robert gave her scratches around her ears as she rested on him, her fur very warm.
“Daddeh gib baww to Bwave. Bwave can pway wike fwuffy. Daddeh make Bwave happeh. Daddeh make aww fwuffy happeh.” Angel hugged his leg. “Angel wub daddeh.”
