Chapter Six: Bunny�s Family:

Bunny was a great kid. She wore rabbit ears on her head. She came just underneath my chin too. I love her and her weird family. I met them the summer after I met Yu. I stood in my backyard when I heard someone in the bushes.

�Hm?� I asked. �Who�s there?�

�Me,� a tiny voice answered. I tilted my head.

�Who is me?� I asked. Somebody stood up at my question. She looked pretty cute. I had never seen so many blonde curls in my life. I thought that she was an actual doll staring at me. Like Yu, she had some pretty eyes. They were bluer than the ocean I saw in picture books.

�Who are you?� I asked.

�Tell me who you are,� the girl said back.

�Sappoto,� I said. �Sappoto Delaney.�

�I�m Bunny,� she said. �Do you want to play?�

�Sure,� I said. Bunny held her hand out at me from the bush.

�Come with me,� she said. I took her hand and she led me through a small hole in our fence. I never knew of the woods behind the house. The trees looked like could go on forever and ever. Bunny pushed bushes out of her way as we walked.

�Where are we going?� I asked.

�My house,� she answered.

�Where is that?� I asked.

�Just beyond these woods,� she said. I shrugged and tried my best to keep up with Bunny. She led me out of the forest and into this strange place. I had never seen so many houses on wheels. Puddles sat on mud instead of grass. There was even a big lady in a bathrobe walking a goat on a rope. I looked at all of the people hanging up their clothes on wire lines.

�Where are we?� I asked. Bunny turned to me, smiling.

�This is my home,� she said.

�Bunny!� someone yelled at us. We looked up to see another big woman in a rug-like dress walking towards us. She put her hands on her hips. �Where on earth have you been?� the big lady asked her. Bunny smiled and raced over to her.

�Mama J!� she exclaimed. The little girl hugged her by the legs. Mama J patted her on the head.

�Don�t do that again,� she said.

�Okay!� Bunny said.

�Uh�� I said. Bunny and Mama J looked up at me.

�Oh, who are you?� Mama J asked.

�Sappoto,� I said. �Sappoto Delaney.�

�She�s my friend!� Bunny said with a grin. The big lady gave me a funny look as she saw me.

�Is that right?� she asked.

�I guess,� I answered. Mama J looked me up and down before she smiled.

�Welcome to our home, Sappoto,� she said. �You�re just in time for lunch. Come and eat with us.�

�Okay,� I replied. I followed her and Bunny all the way to their house on wheels at the end of the muddy road. Theirs was the biggest one on the block. I tilted my head, confused.

�What�s wrong, darling? Never seen a trailer before?� Mama J asked. I shook my head.

�No,� I said. �I haven�t.�

�Well, this is our home,� Mama J told her. �Take it or leave it.�

�Alright,� I said without much thought. Mama J led us into the trailer up the heavy block steps.

�We�re back!� she shouted as she pushed off the thin screen door. A fat man on the couch lifted his head.

�Hi, baby!� he said with a wave.

�I found Bunny,� Mama J answered.

�Oh,� the man said. He looked down and saw me. �Baby, who�s that?� he asked. Bunny stepped forward with a grin on her face.

�This is my friend, Sappoto!� she said.

�Hi,� I said with a wave. Mama J patted me on the head.

�Sappoto, this is Chuck,� she said. The big man sat up on the couch.

�She looks so cute!� he said with his eyes on my face.

�Thanks�� I mumbled, looking down at my feet.

�Chuck!� Mama J shouted. �You�re creeping the girl out!� Chuck lowered his head.

�Sorry,� he said. Bunny�s mommy smiled at us.

�Let�s go eat,� she said.

�Yay!� we cheered. Mama J led us over to the kitchen. Bunny and I sat at the table. Mama J walked over to the fridge and pulled out two frozen meals.

�What are those?� I asked.

�TV dinners,� she said. I gave her a confused look. Mama J�s face dropped.

�Don�t tell me you�ve never heard of a TV dinner,� she said. I shook my head.

�No,� I said. Bunny�s mommy looked at me funny.

�You�re an odd one,� she said.

�I guess�� I said. Mama J turned to the microwave and put the TV dinners inside. I never knew that mac and cheese, green vegetables, turkey with gravy, and chocolate cake could taste good in a TV dinner. They were a bit funny, but good. After lunch, Bunny and I played around her circle.

�Why do these homes have wheels?� I asked. Bunny�s right ear drooped as she shrugged at me.

�They just do,� she said.

�Why do you have those ears?� I asked. She reached up and felt on them.

�I like them,� she said. Bunny looked me in the eye. �Do you?� she asked. I smiled at her.

�Yeah!� I said. She grabbed onto my hands.

�Let�s be best friends,� Bunny said with a grin. I nodded at her slowly.

�Alright,� I said. I would end up seeing her around in my neighborhood more often. We played outside until sun went down. Mama J had to walk me home before dinner.