It is now nine-thirty PM. The dinner that Linda and Bryan made was delicious. We had spaghetti with meatballs, parmesan cheese, and spaghetti sauce with little pieces of tomatoes in it. The four boys and Candy enjoyed the dinner. The kids would eat any kind of food, well, except for broccoli. Kids sometimes don’t like veggies. But I love them a lot.

Every night is like a mystery dinner. The four boys and Candy love a secret meal every evening. I am always taking it easy while eating my food. I only had a few noodles, cheese, and sauce. I had lots of tomatoes and a cup of milk. Candy ate the same amount of food that I had. She ate her food as if she was starving. I don’t think that she had a decent meal for a long time.

After the meal the four boys are brushing their teeth, flossing, and using mouthwash too. They did not like doing mouthwash. The mouthwash makes them want to puke. But Linda keeps telling them that they need to have good breath. The four boys understand, but still, they don’t like mouth washing. Linda and Bryan made sure that the boys will take care of their mouths after every meal.

The four boys rush to bed. They seem very excited for the day after tomorrow.

Candy is in my bathroom on the side of the duplex. She is brushing her teeth with my extra toothbrush. I wait for my turn to brush my teeth after Candy. Candy is done brushing her teeth. Linda leads Candy to her bedroom on the other side of the duplex. I check the four boys and they are sound asleep. I never wake them. I just like watching them.

Candy is now asleep in her warm soft bed in the boy’s room. I watch her while standing under the door frame. I do not keep track of time when I watch the kids sleeping. I sometimes watch them for a few minutes.

I leave the bedroom, walk out the front door, and sit on the front lawn. I am wearing my dark blue hooded jacket because it’s a little chilly outside. I love to enjoy the misty dew in the midnight air. If I ever get tired, I will sleep in my bedroom. But for some strange reason, I cannot get comfortable in my bed, or any kind of bed. I love sitting outside at night and looking at the stars. I sometimes would make shapes with the stars.

Candy wakes up in the middle of the night, gets out of her bed, and gets a drink of water. She sees me sitting on the front lawn through the kitchen window. Candy drinks the rest of her water in her glass cup and walks out the front door. I hear the front door opening. I turn around and Candy is outside, wearing her pink hooded jacket.

I wave. “Hi there, little tyke. What are you doin’ up so late? Shouldn’t you be in bed now? It’s almost one o’clock AM,” I ask.

Candy shakes her head. “Why aren’t you in bed, Jake?” she asks.

I turn away from Candy. “I couldn’t sleep,” I answer.

Candy walks to me on the front lawn. She sits next to me.

“Do you have nightmares?” she asks.

I shake my head. “Not really. I just can’t sleep in my bed. No mattah’ how many times I try to sleep in it, I just can’t do it. My bed feels so uncomfortable and not a good place to sleep,” I answer.

“Why don’t you like sleeping in your bed?” asks Candy.

I chuckle and pat Candy’s blonde head. “You’re a curious funny little tyke, aren’t you?” I ask.

Candy rolls her eyes. “It’s Candy. Remember?” She looks kind of annoyed.

I chuckle nervously. “I meant Candy. Sorry, it’s my Australian accent. I apologize for my accent,” I say.

Candy nods and smiles. “It’s okay. Were you raised in Australia?” she asks.

“Yeah I was, but not the four boys. They do not have Australian accents as I do. I am the only one with the accent in this family,” I answer.

I raise my head to watch the stars. Candy does the same.

No words are coming out of our mouths. We are sitting awkwardly and silently.

“You know what I do with the stars when evah' I come out here alone?” I ask.

Candy points at one of the stars.

“You wish you could just take one and hold on to it like a flashlight?” she asks.

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I quietly chuckle. “I nevah’ thought of doin’ that before. I count how many stars there are, and connect them into images that I would imagine,” I say.

I point at a few stars. I close my eyes to think. I open them and smile.

“You see those twelve stars right there? They look like an Eastah’ egg,” I say.

Candy points at a couple of stars too. “Those twenty stars over there look like a carrot. I love carrots. They are sweet and watery. Even when cooked,” she says.

“I love carrots too. Those stars ovah’ there look like a rabbit or a bunny,” I say.

“And those stars over there look like a basket with eggs,” says Candy.

I look down at Candy and she looks up at me.

“Say, you are pretty good at this, Candy,” I say.

“I know. I do this at night time, alone,” says Candy.

They think about the images that Candy and I imagined. We were saying stuff from a special holiday. This holiday has eggs, rabbits, candy, and baskets. I think about the holiday as I stare at the ground.

“Candy, eggs, rabbits, bunnies, and a basket all add up to somethin’ very special,” I say.

“What are you talking about?” asks Candy.

I look back at Candy. “Eastah’ Sunday is the day aftah’ tomorrow,” I answer.

Candy chuckles. “I love Easter,” she says.

I join her chuckling. “Well, who doesn’t? I love it too. I love it so very much,” I say.

Candy’s smile slowly changes into a frown. “I used to do Easter with my parents, but ever since they left me, I haven’t had a good Easter,” she says.

I feel sorry for Candy. I try to think of something that will cheer her up.

“You know Candy, Linda used to tell a story about the Eastah’ Bunny,” I say.

Candy sniffs and looks up at me. “Like what kind of story about the Easter Bunny?” she asks.

I rub the back of my head. “I don’t quite remembah’ all of it. Linda remembah’s it all too well,” I answer.

Candy stands up and runs to the left side of the duplex. She looks excited.

I turn around. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, Candy! You can’t just wake up Linda right now. It’s the middle of the night,” I say.

Candy stops in front of the door and turns back to me.

“But I want to hear the story about the Easter Bunny.” she quietly complains.

“But she’s asleep right now. You can ask her in the mornin’ aftah’ breakfast,” I say.

Candy walks back to me and sits on the grass.

“Can you tell me the story?” she asks.

I do not know what to say. If I say no, then she will be sad. If I say yes, then I would have to remember the story that Linda told me when I was little. But that was so a long time ago. Candy waits for my answer.

“I told you, I barely remembah’ the story,” I say.

“What else do you have to do? You’ve got time to think. Just tell me and do your best. I will enjoy it, no matter what,” says Candy.

I decide to tell her the story as well as I can.

I nod. “All right, I’ll tell you the story as much as I can remembah’ it. I barely remembah’ but I’ll do my best,” I answer.

Candy smiles at me. “Trying is enough,” she says.

Candy looks so excited to hear the story. I try to remember the story.

“Now um, it goes somethin’ like this. Achem, deep undah’ ground there exists anothah’ Realm. It is where spring is born. It is a place full of Rabaca warriors. These Rabaca warriors are tall rabbits that live in that Realm. The Realm is called the Rabbit Realm,” I say.

I pause.

“Well, don’t stop, keep going,” says Candy.

I shake my head. “Anyway, there are all kinds of colorful Rabaca’s. Orange, yellow, blue, you name it, male and female. In the Rabbit Realm, there lives a very important Rabaca. And I’m gonna let you guess who that Rabaca is,” I point at Candy.

Candy chuckles. “Is it the Easter Bunny?!” she shouts.

I cover Candy’s mouth. “Shhh, not so loud! Remembah’ there are people still asleep,” I whisper.

I move my hand off Candy’s mouth. “Sorry,” she says. “Keep going,” she whispers.

“Anyway, the Eastah’ Bunny is the king of all of the Rabaca tribes. He hides all kinds of colah’ful eggs that children find on Eastah’ mornin’. The Eastah’ Bunny lives in the Rabbit Realm. And that’s the end of the Story. I think.” I just finished the story.

Candy now looks happy. She seems to like the story very much.

“That was a great story. I’ve never heard of that kind of story before about the Easter Bunny. And you explained it perfectly. Well done Jake,” says Candy.

I rub my head. “You well, I had a bit of help from Linda. She used to tell this story to the four boys,” I say.

I lower my hand and Candy holds it. “So…do you believe the Rabbit Realm exists?” asks Candy.

I know exactly what I am going to say. “Yes, Candy. Yes I do,” I answer.

“Then so do I,” says Candy.

“But you just heard this story,” I say.

“So? Some children have heard the story of Jesus on Christmas for the first time and they believe it. Sometimes you believe what you hear first the first time,” says Candy.

I stare at her.

“What?” she asks.

“Candy, you took the words right out of my mouth,” I say.

“I did?” asks Candy.

“Nevah’ mind, you can believe anythin’ you want. Don’t let anyone tell you othah’ wise,” I say.

I stand up. The stars are gone. A storm cloud is covering them. I sigh.

“Well, we bettah’ get back inside. I reckon it’ll rain soon,” I say.

Candy gets off the grass and follows me into my side of the duplex. Thunder and lightning strike the sky. It is so loud. Candy grabs my arm and whimpers.

“Scared of the storm, eh?” I ask.

“Just a little bit,” answers Candy.

I smell the stormy air. “I acutely love rainy days and some sunny days. The rain is so relaxin’ and it makes everythin’ grow,” I say.

The storm seems to be scaring Candy.

“The thunder and lightning sound like a big monster roaring and stomping,” she says.

I nod. “Yeah, the thudah’ and lightin’ is kinda annoyin’ isn’t it?” I ask

Candy nods. I stroke her blonde hair and smile.

“You can sleep with me in my bedroom or livin’ room,” I say.

We walk inside my side of the duplex. I close the front door and lock it. Candy falls fast asleep in my bed. I still do not feel tired. I sit on my brown leather couch and stare out the window. The rainy noise relaxes me. The sound makes me fall asleep on my couch.