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Author's Chapter Notes:
 

Thank you, Cheryl for your suggestions. They always make my story much better. Thank you, Carrie for adding your expertise to the endeavor. Without both of you, my stories would really suck. Any mistakes are mine alone.

 

Here is the link to see the bunnies. I made the baskets at the bottom of the page for my nieces & nephews. 

 

http://factorydirectcraft.com/factorydirectcraft_blog/craft-project-loopy-chenille-bunny-carrot/

 

~~~SMK~~~

 

She stood on the front porch as Lee drove away, staring at the retreating car like a lovesick woman.  This had to be the worst part of their mystery marriage, saying goodbye instead of climbing into bed together at the end of the day. 

 

Once the red taillights faded into the darkness, Amanda sighed and went back into the house.  She still had one more task to complete before heading off her bed alone.

 

Before making herself comfortable on the sofa, she turned on the television while she waited for her sons to fall asleep.  Settling deeper into the cushions, she watched Fred Astaire PARADE Judy Garland down Fifth Avenue in their Easter finery.

 

She loved this movie, and watched whenever one of the networks televised it. The music and dancing along with the love story always boosted her spirits. Too bad, it was almost over.

 

Once the final credits scrolled across the screen, Amanda turned off the television and headed into the dining room, stopping at the hall closet along the way to extract her supplies.

 

Dropping her parcels on top of the table, she rummaged in the cabinet under the china closet for the boys' baskets. They looked a little tattered but she had lovingly made each one on their first Easter. Using loopy chenille, she'd fashioned a bunny and secured it to the handle of the basket. Philip's BUNNY wore an Orioles cap, while Jamie's rabbit sported a Redskins helmet.

 

She pulled out a third BASKET and quickly tied a small scarecrow she found in the craft store to the handle. While she had never made a basket for Joe during their marriage, she couldn't stop thinking about little Lee and all the Easter Bunny visits he missed while living with the Colonel.

 

Lee didn't have a sweet tooth, so she didn't buy him too much candy, only what was necessary to make a proper basket.

 

She positioned a CHOCOLATE rabbit upon the bed of cellophane grass, in the back of all three baskets, followed by two marshmallow eggs. Next, she placed a surprise in the center; for Philip a new baseball, and for Jamie a few rolls of film for his camera. Using yellow chick PEEPS-the only true peeps in her opinion, jellybeans and chocolate eggs, she filled in the empty spaces in her sons' baskets.

 

Amanda found a model of Lee's Porsche in a hobby shop, the kind you pull back to wind-up. She carefully set in on the grass smiling at the image of Lee playing with the car, racing it across the hard wood floors in the apartment. 

 

She wedged a bottle of Bollinger's Grand Année against the basket handle, anchoring it with a bit of packing tape to keep it from tipping out. Some De Verona raspberry-filled dark chocolates-her favorite and a gift certificate to the new adult store Fun & Games--she thought they'd have fun shopping together, filled Lee's basket.

 

After putting the bags from her shopping in the trash, she scooped up the remaining grass. That stuff always seemed to get into every nook and cranny, and she constantly vacuumed it up until at least the middle of summer.

 

Normally, she'd just leave the baskets on the dining room table for the boys to find in the morning. Tonight, however, she climbed the stairs to deliver her gifts. They'd think it's dorky, but ever since she got back from California, she needed to connect in some tangible way with her family. She couldn't put into words exactly why, she just knew she had to do something as simple as playing the Easter Bunny for her children.

 

Leaving Philip's basket in the hallway, she tiptoed into Jamie's room, and deposited her treasure on his dresser. He'd fallen asleep doing his homework. Smiling at her studious child, she padded over to the bed, and gently slipped his glasses off his nose, leaving them on his bedside table. After lifting his chemistry textbook off his chest, she deposited it on his desk before kissing her baby gently on the forehead. With a soft click, she turned off the lamp, and then tiptoed out of his room and back into the hallway. 

 

Her sons were as different as night and day and Philip's room reflected that difference. Clothes and video games littered the floor, his knapsack stood unopened in the corner of his room opposite his desk. Amanda knew he wouldn't open it until the last day of vacation, staying up past his bedtime to finish all of his assignments; perhaps, even bribing his brother to help him get them done. 

 

After leaving his basket on his desk, she picked her way through the minefield of debris, gathering up dirty laundry along the way. Philip always wrestled alligators in his sleep, tangling his sheet and blanket at the bottom of the bed. Carefully, she tucked the covers around Philip, and then placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. Tiptoeing over to his hamper, she deposited the laundry before exiting his room.

 

Two deliveries down, one to go.

 

The ping of the elevator sounded as loud as a thunderclap in the silent hall. She just hoped she didn't wake up the entire floor, especially her husband. Carefully, she peeked out into the hall; checking first left then right to be sure her arrival remained secret.

 

Seeing the hall empty and the apartment doors closed, she exited the elevator toting her parcel and walked briskly down the corridor, stopping in front of Lee's door.

 

With practiced ease, she let herself into the apartment, silently closing and locking the door behind her.  She knew every stick of furniture, every squeaky floorboard here as well as she did the house on Maplewood Drive, so navigating around the darkened living room was no trouble at all.

 

She paused in the doorway to the bedroom. The scant light from the bathroom bathed the bedroom in a warm glow. Lee lay on his side, his back to the door, both arms wrapped tightly around her pillow. The sheet barely reached the base of his spine, leaving his naked back on display. She took a moment to admire his physique. Her palms itched to glide over the warm expanse of skin, to feel his muscles flex under her hands.

 

When he mumbled her name, she gasped afraid he'd caught her. Holding her breath and backing out of the doorway, she heard the sheet rustle.

 

Once she realized he hadn't gotten out of bed, she exhaled, and crept back into the bedroom. He'd turned onto his back and much to her chagrin, pulled the sheet up his body. She stood rooted to the spot until his breathing deepened.

 

Stealthily, she crossed to Lee's bureau leaving his Easter basket. Once again, he murmured her name. Watching him in the mirror, she noticed his foot peeking out of the blankets.  For some strange reason, seeing his naked foot excited her. The last thing she wanted to do was leave him and drive home to an empty bed.

 

After setting the alarm, leaving herself enough time to make it home to make bunny pancakes for her boys, she stripped off her clothes, and slid into bed with Lee.

 

He must have sensed her because before she could snuggle against him, he turned back to his side, and wrapped her in his strong embrace, pulling her up against his chest.

 

"Thanks, Easter Bunny," he sighed, his warm breath caressing her neck, and placed a small kiss on her shoulder. She smiled contentedly and drifted into dreams.

 

End

 

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