Lori's 19th Birthday
by DrJones
The sun was slowly coming up, it's rays shining down into many homes on Carrotus…including a home of one Lori Jackrabbit…
The sunlight shone down onto her nightstand…on which usually her book and other things remain as she sleeps. But this time, an unusual item lay there…an symbolic item…a blue rose.
Lori slowly woke up, waking up from a gentle dream…and opened her eyes. The first thing she saw, was the blue rose. Blinking in slight surprise, she slowly sat up and opened her eyes again, rubbing some sleep out of them.
She picked up the rose and smelled it…smiling, already knowing who left it for her. Staring at the blue petals for a few minutes, she let her mind fill with memories that made her heart skip beats, of the love she felt for one man.
Standing up, her slightly crimpled night-shirt flowing around her knees, she walked closer to a mirror that hung on a nearby wall. She looked at herself and stretched, closing her eyes…
As she opened them again, the sight before…no…behind her made her startle. On her bed was sitting her boyfriend, the man she loves so much, Jones. In his paws he held a red rose, a smile on his face.
"Good morning my love…" he said, standing slowly, dressed in his usual shirt and pants.
Turning around and embracing him gently, she smiled up at him. "Good morning indeed…"
They stood there, holding each other, not speaking. Parting the embrace, she pulled him along to the bed. The both sat down on the edge, facing each other, smiling.
"Happy birthday, Lori." He said finally.
Blushing softly, she said nothing, yet her smile widened a little.
"You are a year older…wiser…and even more beautiful than you were last year…" he continued, one of his ears flicking nervously, obviously having trouble finding the right words.
She snuggled up to him, thanking him, reassuring him. "Thank you." She said softly, smiling.
After a few minutes they got up and walked out into the living room, holding each other's paws. "I must go now…but I will return later today." He said, not being able to hide his unwillingness to leave.
She nodded, understanding, and gave him a gentle kiss, both of their hearts leaping.
Shortly after that, he left.
Still blushing, her ear tips red and hot, she bathed, clothed and ate. Then headed out to do her usual chores of the day. "Just because it is my birthday, it does not mean I will be slacking." She thought to herself and headed out.
She spent the rest of the day doing what she usually does on a quiet day. Visitng her family at the castle, she got some more congratulations and hugs. Later, at the gym, all were smiling at her, though it's nothing out of the unusual, they were smiling too much…
"Something's up…" she started to suspect, wondering what it could be.
As she was shopping in her favourite place, the Carrot Square, she did not notice all of the similar smiles on some people's faces, her curiosity raised, she asked a good friend, who is a saleswoman at her favourite grocery shop.
"Tell me, Gina, is something going on? Everyone is smiling at me…" she asked while putting down her groceries.
Gina, an older bear, smiled softly. "What's not to smile about, Lori? You always bring a good mood into these shops, people like you."
Lori blushed at that, but said. "But, their smile is…different, like they know something I don't."
Gina was still smiling, yet not showing if she knew anything. "That's peculiar…though I don't think you should worry, perhaps they think it's a special day. " She said, finishing packing the groceries.
"Oh well…I guess it's nothing…" though her ears spoke for herself, constantly twitching, trying to detect any hint of something out of the unusual. She handed the money to Gina and took her groceries. "Thank you, Gina."
"You're welcome, Lori, take care!" Gina waved as the yellow rabbit went to the exit.
"Bye!" Lori waved back, and headed for home. Her mind was busy with many possibilities of the mysterious smiles.
Arriving at home, she opened the door.
Nothing.
She felt her ears droop a little, having expected a surprise of some sort…but she quickly thought better of it, knowing that maybe this time it would be a nice quiet birthday for her…
"Still, I do know Doc will be back soon." She thought to herself, a smile creeping on her face.
Placing the groceries in the kitchen, she headed to her room, to change into something more comfortable. Though she knew she was alone, she closed the door, out of habit.
After a few minutes, she opened the door again, clothed in a simple white shirt with the words "Sugar Rush" written in colourful cartoony letters, and shorts, each side lined with various pockets, some tiny, some normal.
To her amazement, her whole living room seemed to have changed…various colourful decorations everywhere, a large banner hanging, with a huge "Happy Birthday Lori!" spelled out on it, of course, that wasn't all. A small stack of gifts, all in various sizes lay in a corner. The harderst to miss were the room's occupants…everyone she knows was there…Jamie and Cobra, Empress and Tubbs, Haze and Doc, Kaven and Cookie, Kahn and Natasha, Quo and Jazzy, Rumbo and Hank, to name a few. Even all of the people that were smiling so mysteriously, including Gina, were there. Of course, her family was preset as well, with Jazz and Eva, and Spaz, stopping and smiling, a huge piece of cake in his hand.
Before she could speak or even move, they all yelled SURPRISE! And started singing for her. She stood there, blushing, and smiling, not knowing which she did more.
After the singing was done, the hugging began, every guest gave her a hug or a paw shake, sharing a few kind words, with Lori doing the same for others.
Then the presents came. She blushed, feeling like a little girl as she started ripping the wrapping off, encouraged to do so by the crowd. After many moments of ripping and gasping at the contents of the boxes, the party began.
Someone put on some music, a hoot of joy could be heard, and everyone mingled.
The party went on, laughter and joy, talking and singing, dancing and spinning.
Lori was greatly enjoying herself, talking with friends she has not seen for a long time. Then, after a while, she felt a hand grab hold of her wrist. Turning her head she looked at Jones, a smile on his face. He pulled her into her room, closing the door behind them. She could see he was blushing, trying to hide his red eartips. From the sounds outside, nobody noticed they were gone.
"Lori, there was something I meant to ask you…" he began, his voice a little shaky…
She tilted her head a little, raising an eyebrow, remembering that all Doc gave her was the rose…no other gift has comefrom him. She was about to speak her curiousity, yet her words were forgotten as Jones kneeled on one knee, before her.
Taken by surprise, she stood there, feeling her jaw starting to open.
Fumbling with something in his hands, both shaking a little, he looked up into her eyes.
They locked gazes, neither speaking for a moment, both trying to read the other's thoughts and emotions.
Finally, after what seemed an hour, he spoke.
"Lori…I…don't know how to ask this…but…" he stopped to present a shiny ring to her.
She was afraid…and excited, almost sure he would ask her to marry…but his next words made her sigh with slight relief, and her heard jumped with joy.
"…would you like to…to…get engaged?" he asked, knowing it didn't sound right, he swallowed and tried to say it again…
"Oh Doc…" she said softly, her own voice shaky, betraying her emotional state.
He fell silent, looking at her…he visibly shivered…anticipating the worst.
"Yes…I do…" she said softly, almost inaudibly…
He blinked, not believing his ears, as large and sensitive they were…
She kneeled in front of him and embraced him tightly, whispering "Yes." to him. She felt his arms embrace her tightly as well. Both rabbit shivered as their hearts were racing, their eyes wet with tears.
They parted their embrace, and forced themselves to look into each other's eyes. He slowly took her paw in his and slipped the ring onto the proper finger. Still unsure of how it went, she quickly rummaged through her meagre jewellery, fishing out a similar ring.
Slipping the ring on his finger, she looked at him again, and then leaned in for a gentle and loving kiss, feeling her heart leap again, knowing his did too.
Holding each other close, kissing gently, they slowly became aware of the silence outside.
Quickly drying their tears, and sharing a nervous smile, they opened the door, holding paws.
The crowd was indeed silent, all ears turned to the door, and all eyes fixed on them… In unison, all gazes fixed on their joined paws…the rings decorating them.
Doc and Lori looked at each other, and then raised their paws into the air…the crowd cheered.
The party continued and at one point, a few ran upstairs, including Lori herself. In a room which window faced out the back, there was a small group of people standing; each dressed as if to go for a swim, the window wide open. Lori, knowing there is no water beneath, yelled a warning to the one about to jump. The one to jump was Spaz. Grinning widely, he waved and jumped!
Pushing past the small crowd, afraid for her sibling's health, she stopped short as she heard a splash.
Turning, a little confused, she said. "Splash?"
Looking out the window, her eyes went wide…a big pool was right there, in her backyard. Spaz and a few others were lazily making rounds in the pool, seeing Lori they waved at her.
Waving back, she turned and looked at Doc. "That wasn't there this morning."
He simply smiled and said. "It's a gift, from us all."
She felt another blush on her face.
Going downstairs everyone cheered, not knowing she knew too. Someone yelled. "We can drop by to swim, right?"
Lori laughed and nodded. "Anytime!" she said and rushed outside, to see her pool.
After some well deserved water fun, things were getting late, and the guests said their goodbyes, leaving for their homes. As the last few left, leaving Doc and Lori alone, the looked around, seeing the mess.
"Well, I guess it's time to start cleaning…" she said and made a step to grab the nearest pile of torn wrapping. Gently tugging on her arm, Doc shook his head, a smile on his face.
"We can do that…later." He said. With is free paw he thumbed the remote, starting a song on the hi-fi… "Can I have this dance, fair lady?" he said, bowing to her, kissing her paw.
She blushed, flattered, and moved into his arms.
He smiled at her as they slowly began to dance to some great slow songs
A while later, they sat on the floor gently, embracing each other, kissing softly, their hearts belonging to each other.
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