Gerbil on a Mission

by Michael Delaney

  It was then that Obi saw it—the computer on Rachel’s desk. The screen on the computer showed a photo of Obi and Rachel!

  Obi couldn’t take her eyes off the computer screen. Rachel had chosen her, not Kenobi, for her computer screen saver!

  Obi felt so happy, so honored, so loved!

  At that moment, Rachel walked into room, with a very squirming Kenobi in her arms. A few days ago, Obi would have been terribly jealous to see Kenobi in Rachel’s arms, but not now, not after finding out how much she had been missed and after seeing this photo of herself on Rachel’s computer screen.

  Obi rose onto her hind legs so Rachel would see her. But the girl was so focused on Kenobi she didn’t notice Obi. But then why would Rachel glance over at Obi’s cage? As far as the girl was concerned, Obi was gone. Well, Obi would just have to fix that misconception, wouldn’t she? She hopped onto her squeaky exercise wheel and began to run. No, not just run—fly!

  Squeak! Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!

  Rachel, hearing the squeaks, looked over. Her eyes widened in disbelief and her mouth dropped open.

  “Obi?! Is … is that you? Oh, my gosh! It is you!”

  She dropped Kenobi unceremoniously onto the floor and hurried over to Obi’s cage. The moment Kenobi’s paws touched the bedroom carpet, he spun about and beat it out of Rachel’s bedroom, disappearing into the bedroom hallway.

  Obi hopped off her exercise wheel and hurried over to the front of her cage so she could greet her adoptive mother.

  “Hawo, Mom! I’m back!” cried Obi as stood up on her hind legs.

  Rachel flung open the cage door, picked Obi up in her hand, and took the gerbil out of her cage.

  “Obi!” exclaimed Rachel, gently stroking a finger on top of the little gerbil’s head. “Where did you go? I am so glad you’re back! I missed you so much!”

  “I missed you so much, too, Mom!” Obi tried to say through the tender look in her eyes.

  “It’s so weird that you and Kenobi both came back on the same day,” said Rachel. “The same morning!” Her eyes studied Obi closely as she said, “Did you have something to do with that?”

  Obi shrugged and gave her adoptive mother a “well … maybe” look.

  Rachel leaned close to Obi and whispered, “Don’t tell Kenobi or Wan, but you’ll always hold a special place in my heart, Obi.”

  Obi thought her heart was going to burst with happiness. Telling a pet you hold a special place in your heart probably isn’t something that’s recommended in pet training manuals, but Obi didn’t care. Of course, Obi would never tell Kenobi or Wan. And then Obi’s joy turned to bewilderment. Wan? Who was Wan?

  Just then, out in the bedroom hallway, Obi heard a curious clunk! sound. Then she heard another curious clunk! If Obi hadn’t known any better, she would have sworn it sounded like a Gerbil Mobile banging up against a wall by someone who couldn’t navigate it very well.

  Rachel heard the clunks, too. She glanced toward her bedroom doorway, then quickly back at Obi. “Obi,” she said. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

  But before Rachel could say another word, something in the doorway caught Obi’s eye, down by the floor. Something had rolled into the bedroom. Obi stared in shock. It was a Gerbil Mobile. No, not a Gerbil Mobile, Obi’s Gerbil Mobile!

  Obi, aghast, could not believe what she saw. A little gerbil was inside her Gerbil Mobile! The clear plastic ball was being pushed by a perfectly delighted Kenobi. The puppy swatted the Gerbil Mobile with his front paws, like it was a beach ball.

  “Mom! Mom!” cried the young gerbil excitedly as the Gerbil Mobile rolled across the bedroom carpet. “Look at me! Look at me!”

  Obi lifted her gaze and met her adoptive mother’s eyes. The two of them looked at each other for a moment. Then, together, they turned their heads and stared at the little gerbil that was running and bouncing about inside the Gerbil Mobile.

  “Obi,” said Rachel, “I’d like you to meet Wan.”