Naturally, to protect the real child's identity, I'll call her simply Annie.
The Saddest Story
Annie is six years old and lives with her single mom in a small apartment in a large block on the east side of town. This was the rougher side of town, if the truth be known. Her father went away a year ago, has never been in contact with Annie since and she misses him dearly.
The last gift he gave her before he deserted her life was a soft, cuddly Bugs Bunny plush doll that he promised would be the first of a collection of toys from the Looney Tunes character collection. Unfortunately, he did not keep that promise, so it turned out to be the first and last she would ever receive from him.
Every night after he left, Annie cuddled up to her favorite toy in bed and dreamed that tomorrow her father would return and everything would be all right again. But that dream never came true for Annie.
Where Did Daddy Go, Mommy?
When she asked her mom where daddy had gone, the reply was always vague and along the lines of he went to a better place. The truth of course is that her poor mom simply could not face telling Annie that her father hadn't really moved out of their home and their lives, but had been killed in a really bad traffic accident.
One day when she felt strong enough, her mom promised herself, she would tell Annie the truth about her wonderful daddy and how he always loved her and how she wished things had been different. But for now all she could do was to hope that her daughter would accept that daddy was not coming back and grow up to become the person that would have made him proud.
Comfort and Joy
Until that day arrives, Annie has her beloved Bugs Bunny toy to cuddle up to in bed at night and to talk to during the day when she is home from school. She has her memories of the father that used to cuddle her into bed at night and read her stories that sent her to sleep.
She still has her mommy to read those stories and to kiss her goodnight before she goes to sleep to dream of her daddy and how one day she will see him again. And toy Bugs will always be there to remind her of the father that will never again read her those stories or give her another gift like that one.
