Sunlight Effect Under the Poplars by Claude Monet.
BROWNIE
“Brutus, our black Lab, found some
baby rabbits, Madam,” Katy said.
“Oh, no. He didn’t harm the rabbits, did he? Brutus is such a large dog.” Victoria put three fingers to her chin. She hoped the little bunnies were all right.
“No, Mam. He brought one to the pantry door in his
mouth but was gentle with it. I put on a
fresh pair of neoprene gloves to handle it.
You know there are bacteria on human hands that will sicken and kill
baby rabbits if handled before they’re are weaned.”
“I didn’t know. We don’t have much wildlife in the city. That’s why I enjoy coming out to Uncle’s
plantation in July. The last time I was
here, I saw a fox. What did you do with
the poor little creature? I bet its
mother is missing it.”
“I put it in a freshly washed
pan. I saw Brutus hopping around in the
field by the Poplars. He was digging in
the wildflowers in the tobacco field Mr. Warren put to rest after last season.”
“May I see it?” Victoria asked.
“Certainly, Ms. Victoria. I knew you would ask.”
“Call me, Vicky. Lead the way.” Victoria followed Katy through the kitchen
and the butler’s pantry to the back door.
On a wooden bench on the back stoop, a silver pan sat with a tiny brown
rabbit with white paws and a white tummy.
Victoria wanted to pick it up but
remembered about human hands being harmful to newborn rabbits. “It is so cute. Can we return it to its nest,
hole, or whatever it’s called, home?”
“Yes, I think I can find it,” Katy
affirmed. “Best bring your umbrella, the
sun is nearing noon, and the temperature is already near eighty.”
“Oh, yes. I’ll change into a white dress, too. I would love to see all the baby rabbits.”
Brutus followed Victoria and Katy into
the field. Katy set the pan down in the
shade of the Poplars. Victoria and Katy
began searching. Brutus ran and leaped
through the flowers.
Victoria saw a dark shape jump up
and run by Brutus, who immediately took up the chase.
Katy ran over to where the large
rabbit charged by Brutus, searched around a bit and knelt. “Over here,” she called out to Victoria. “Bring the baby over.” Katy held another
bunny up for Victoria to see.
Victoria clutched the pan with the little
rabbit and strolled over to Katy, keeping the baby in the shade of her umbrella. “Here’s Brownie.”
Katy grinned. “You gave it a name? You know, if it survives, you’ll never see it
again.”
“That’s alright. It’s so cute.
It deserves a name.” Victoria
defended herself.
“No problem, Madam, Vicky. I think that’s endearing.”
#
Overhead the sky was gray and threatening
to rain. The driveway was damp from rain
through the night when Victoria parked her car.
It had been almost four months since last she visited her Uncle’s. As she approached the steps to the double-entry
doors, a large rabbit, brown with white feet dashed across her path, stopped, sat
up showing its white tummy and looked at her.
Then dived into the junipers on the side of the mansion entry.
Victoria’s heart leaped in her chest, and she grinned. Before
she knew it, Brutus dived into the bushes. Victoria gasped. In a flash, three bunnies chased Brutus out of the bushes and across the
drive. The rabbit, brown with the white feet
stopped again, and Victoria would swear he waved at her as he raised his paw in
the air before taking off after the others.
She watched Brutus dodge and weave
across the field toward the Poplars as the three rabbits played with him. She headed into the foyer. Katy has to know what she just saw. Brownie lived.
The End
