“Here comes Hurricane Karen,” said Granny with a smile.
“What did they say?” I gasped.
Andrew grinned at me through a mouthful of peanut butter. He gave me a thumbs-up.
“All right!” I yelled, jumping in the air.
“Indoor voice, Karen,” Mommy said. She put a snack for me on the table.
“The kids all voted to take Spot and Princess,” Andrew said happily. “They cannot wait for the bunnies to come.”
“Seth will drive them and the hutch to school tomorrow,” Mommy said.
“It is a perfect solution,” added Granny. “Now I do not feel so bad about all the bunny trouble.”
“Are you still mad at me?” I asked Andrew.
“No,” he said. “But try not to be so bossy.”
“I will try,” I promised.
* * *
That night was Granny’s last one with us. She would fly back to her farm in Nebraska the next afternoon. And it was the bunnies’ last night, too. The next day our house would seem very empty.
We had a special going-away dinner for Granny: roast chicken, mashed potatoes, and three-bean salad. Yum. I also gave Princess a special salad for her last night. I sat by the hutch and watched her eat. I would miss her. But sometimes Andrew would get to watch the bunnies over a weekend or during a vacation. Then I could see Princess. And I knew Andrew’s class would take good care of her and love her.
I would not miss cleaning up after her. Or worrying about what she was doing when she was out of the hutch.
At dinnertime I tapped my spoon against my milk glass.
“Ahem,” I said. “I would like to make a toast. To Granny: Thank you for coming to visit. Thank you for our fun and for our bunnies. Thank you for being you. And come back soon.”
Everyone raised his or her glass and drank.
“Thank you, Karen,” said Granny. “That was a special toast. You have made me feel very welcome here.”
“We will miss you,” said Seth.
“When can you come back?” asked Andrew.
Granny laughed. “I hope it will be very soon.”
Good-bye, Good-bye
The next morning I fed Spot and Princess one last time. I kissed Princess and stroked her fur. “I will come visit you soon,” I told her. “And Andrew will bring you home sometimes. You will always be my special Princess Cleopatra.”
Andrew said that his classmates had cleared a big space for the hutch. It was by the window so the bunnies could look outside. Miss Jewel had bought food and fresh vegetables for the bunnies. Andrew’s class had even made a “Welcome” sign for Spot and Princess. That made me feel better. I knew that Princess would love being around all the little kids.
After breakfast Seth loaded the bunnies and the hutch into his car. Andrew got into the backseat.
“Good-bye, Spot!” I called. “Good-bye, Princess!”
I knew they were going to a good home. I knew it was the right thing to do. But I still felt sad about it.
* * *
That afternoon when I got home from school, Granny’s suitcases were packed. They were in our front hall by the door.
Granny and Mommy were in the kitchen, drinking tea. Andrew was having chocolate milk.
“My, this has been such a nice visit,” said Granny. “I hope you will forgive me for all the trouble those rabbits caused.”
Mommy laughed. “It certainly was exciting having them around.”
“Everyone at school loves Spot and Princess,” said Andrew. “And Miss Jewel says this will be Rabbit Week. All the books we read at storytime will be about rabbits.”
“Do they seem happy there?” I asked.
“Yes.” Andrew nodded. “They seem very happy.”
“Good.”
Soon Seth came home. He loaded Granny’s suitcases into his car. Then we all piled in and fastened our seat belts.
I felt sad on the way to the airport. I liked having Granny stay with us. And I know she liked being with us.
“Granny, do you get lonely on the farm in Nebraska?” I asked.
Granny thought for a moment. “No, not really,” she said. “I miss your grandad, but there is a lot to do on the farm. I am always busy. I have my friends. Although I will miss you, I will also be glad to be at home. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” I said. “I know all about feeling glad and sad at the same time.”
* * *
At the airport gate, we hugged and kissed Granny all over again.
“Good-bye!” I said. “Write soon! Or call!”
Granny waved good-bye and walked down the ramp to her plane.
And I felt sad and glad.
About the Author
ANN M. MARTIN is the acclaimed and bestselling author of a number of novels and series, including Belle Teal, A Corner of the Universe (a Newbery Honor book), A Dog’s Life, Here Today, P.S. Longer Letter Later (written with Paula Danziger), the Family Tree series, the Doll People series (written with Laura Godwin), the Main Street series, and the generation-defining series The Baby-sitters Club. She lives in New York.
Copyright © 1997 by Ann M. Martin
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
First edition, 1997
e-ISBN 978-1-338-06016-4
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