Grace’s Imaginary Friend

Grace was always known by her family members for her desire to be seen as mature and to be like her older sisters and mother. She was always proactive about doing various tasks by herself, whether it was getting breakfast or taking a bath.

Most recently, Grace had asked her parents with her cutest eyes if she could start brushing her teeth by herself. (Really, it was not brushing her teeth. Merely taking a wad of toothpaste to spread with a quick rinse). Her mother had previously asked her to rinse her mouth with a cup of water mixed with all natural clean formula each night.

“Please,” she pleaded as her glimmering eyes sparkled under the living room light. Her father, always a sucker for those eyes, agreed.

That night, Grace hopped up the little sink stool for the first time. She reached for the little bowl of pink toothpaste and began, under her sister Bellia’s instructions.

“Like this,” Bellia taught. Grace was left to do it on her own as Bellia went downstairs to help her mother with the dinner dishes.

She giggled with satisfaction at her new found responsibility. Then, her eyes focused in front of her.

Another critter who looked exactly like her was right there.

“Hi,” Grace spoke as she waved her arm. Her companion waved an arm, too. Grace went on to raise her other arm, and the companion did so too. Not knowing what to make of this, Grace hopped off to bed.

The very next night, it happened again. Grace got up on the beige stool, and cleaned her teeth. Then, she saw that figure again. Dressed in red pull-up overalls just like her! The figure also had the same chocolate dipped ears of Grace. Grace gave a small jump from the stool, just to see if the critter would follow. To her disappointment, she never knew. She tripped and stumbled off.

“Waaah!” Grace cried to be comforted by Bellia, who had just gotten out of a hot shower.

“What’s wrong, Grace?”

“There was a a a,” Grace whimpered.

“What is it, Grace?” Bellia gently coaxed, before Grace finally revealed that she had seen another good little rabbit right in front of her. Thankfully, her sister seemed to be fine besides being a bit distraught.

“I think you need some rest,” Bellia concluded while walking Grace to her top bunk.

Grace awoke the next day very excited. She was determined to see the rabbit at the sink again. Running towards the sink, Grace got on the stool and saw it again.

Grace waved a furry paw, and her friend did, too. Everything seemed to be symmetric.

“I Grace,” Grace said, and she thought she had heard the critter say the same exact thing in sync with her.

“We friends?” she added, also believing the same question she heard had come from her new friend. So, she nodded in response just as her friend did.

Puzzled but happy to have a friend also named “Grace”, Grace spent the rest of the day babbling to the babies about it.

“New friend: Grace,” she contently told them. The babies, simple minded, did not know what to make of it and didn’t care much.

But, Grace’s older siblings did. She told them the very same thing that afternoon to have a very different reaction than what she had expected.

“What new friend?” Karen questioned.

“There aren’t any new arrivals to the countryside that I know of,” Bell thought aloud.

“Who could it be?” Skip, honing his detective skills, began to brainstorm.

The children pestered Grace with their wonders, but she ended up telling them very little. It was all vague as she described “a friend just like her.”

That late afternoon before the dinner call, the critters gathered up with Skip as their leader.

“Now, let’s figure this out. There are only 20 critters living in the Cloverleaf Countryside that we know of, so something is up. Who is Grace talking about?” he spoke.

“She said it was a girl.” Karen helpfully pointed out.

“And that she wore red just like Grace.” Bellia added.

“Hmm…, has anyone been reading the news? Any news of arrivals?” Skip pondered.

Just then, David flipped through the pages of Calico Times. He found nothing.

Skip, confident that he would be able to solve the mystery, decided to follow Grace in case she ever did meet her new friend again. He followed diligently, but the findings were full up until it was time for Grace to give her teeth a good nighttime cleaning again. That’s when he heard Grace greeting her friend again.

“Hi, Grace,” she said with a waving paw atop the sink stool. Skip tried to look into what Grace was seeing, and that’s when it hit him. Rushing down the steps, he hurried to the gathered children, who were all enjoying a TV program. After all, they needed a break from their recent studying hours.

“Be careful, Skip! You’ll break the wooden steps,” his mother gently scolded from the kitchen.

“Yes, mother,” the good child Skip responded.

Then, Skip bursted out to the children, “Grace was talking to her friend in front of the mirror.” A wave of realization hit the children.

“So her new friend is…!” Bell was going to explain to everyone.

“Hold up, I have to explain. I solved the mystery,” Skip interrupted with extreme urgency. The kids let out a little chuckle; Bell grinned in humor, but let her little brother carry on.

“Grace’s new friend is actually her reflection in the mirror. After all, she’s only been looking at it recently. Another case closed for detective Skip!” Skip enthusiastically went. “It was also I who solved the case of the lost teddies just a bit of time ago,” he praised, mainly for himself.

“Well, who’s going to tell Grace the news? She won’t possibly understand.” David had to have popped the bubble and moment of triumph for the young detective.

“Oh, I suppose she looks up to me the most. I’ll do it,” Bellia sneakily mentioned.

“What do you mean? You know how she wants to be like me,” Bell argued.

“Dear sister, have you seen the way she looks at me?” Bellia was getting worked up.

“Why don’t the both of you explain!” Karen bursted in.

The idea was received with warmth and acceptance by all the children, and the two older sisters had a conversation with Grace.

Grace took it rather shockingly, but maturely.

“It’s okay, Grace. You already have plenty of friends,” Bellia comforted. Grace knew that all too true, and decided not to dwell on her silliness.