CHAPTER 89—MAKING GOOD ON A PROMISE
“Housekeeping!” announced Dad, as he and the rest of Team Rabbit—Chelsea and Russ—arrived at Mocha’s Palace for their weekly visit to the assisted living center. They were there to bring them fresh greens, clean their palace, and give them pets.
Every Thursday.
Rain or shine.
For two-and-a-half years.
Recognizing their voice, Mocha said to Hobo, “They’re here! I told you they would come!” They ran to the door and eagerly awaited the goodies. They loved Treat Thursdays.
One Friday night, Abigail sat on the floor with Dad, watching TV. Friday was “date night”. They’d spend time together watching TV, play toss the ball, and just hang out together.
Suddenly, the phone rang. Which was unusual. No one ever called on Friday night. Except spam callers.
It was a nurse from Alvin’s assisted living center. “We just wanted to advise you that we had to send Alvin to the hospital for an emergency medical problem,” she said.
Abigail looked up at Dad and wondered, “Oh, no! Who will feed Mocha and Hobo?”
Dad and Chelsea quickly devised an emergency schedule so someone would visit every other day. They enlisted the help of Chelsea’s friend Benny to help out, since he lived nearby. But after a week passed by, the facility decided that they would not take Alvin back. He would have to be reassigned someplace else—most likely someplace that wouldn’t take rabbits. What would happen to the bunnies?
“Oh, they belong to the facility anyway,” claimed the administrator at the assisted living facility, “One of our residents has a daughter with a big yard who will take them.” “Oh no they won’t!” said Dad, emphatically. The bunnies clearly belonged to Alvin. And long ago, in preparing for an emergency like this, Alvin had signed an agreement awarding custody of the rabbits to Dad if anything ever happened to him. And Dad was not going to let the bunnies live outside.
Dad remembered the promise he had made to Mocha, “Someday, when you are done being such a good friend to your dad, I’ll take you home to live with me and my rabbits. I promise.” Dad was a man of his word—it was time to make good on his promise. But the problem was, the House of Buns was already full.
Auntie Lauren, who was spending the summer at the House of Buns, asked, “What are you going to do?” Dad thought about the options. He had a very nice, finished garage where he kept his collector cars. It was the only free space available. “I guess I could set up some exercise pens in the garage for now until we can figure out a more permanent solution,” suggested Dad, “I’ll go pick them up tomorrow.”
Lauren worried, “But what if you get there and they are already gone? I think we need go get them now!” Lauren was right. Possession is 9/10’s of the law, and if the facility gave Mocha and Hobo to another family, it would be very hard to get them back. And Dad would never forgive himself if Mocha and Hobo had to live outdoors. So Seal Team Rabbit sprang into action.
Under the cover of darkness, Auntie Lauren and Dad swooped down upon the Palace to rescue the buns. “Hi Mocha, don’t worry, it’s just me,” said Dad, quietly. Hobo looked at Mocha, “What’s going on? It’s not Treat Thursday!”
Dad reassured the buns, “We’re just going to take a ride. But don’t worry, you’re safe with me.” Mocha and Hobo weren’t sure what to make of this, but they knew they could trust Dad, so they hopped into the carrier and snuggled up to one another for comfort.
A new chapter of life was about to begin for Mocha and Hobo—and Abigail and Bentley.
Dad and Auntie Lauren go on a rescue mission to save Mocha and Hobo.
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