BLAZE

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

Jonah Mason sat between his parents on the sofa, swiping swiftly thru a catalog on his tablet.

"This one!"

His dad frowned at his mom and rubbed his thumb and forefinger together. He received a scowl in reply.

"The leopard is awfully big, Honey. Shelley wants the fawn. Don't you want something cute? The koala looks nice."

"Mom! I'm nine! And Bobby got an elephant last Christmas. That's much bigger than the leopard."

"Yes, and they had to have all their doorways enlarged. It cost them a fortune," his dad remarked.

"But a leopard will go through our doorways no problem," Jonah pointed out with a child's logic.

***

"But why do you want something horrible like a leopard anyway?" Shelley asked, cuddling the robotic bunny she'd got last year. Flopsy snuffled her neck and licked her cheek affectionately, making her giggle.

"You're six. You wouldn't understand."

"I would so! Anyway, I know why. You're scared of Smelly Melly and his gang!"

"I am not scared of Melvin Tate! I just think that ... something like a leopard will show people I'm not a little kid anymore."

"You're scared of Smelly Melly's gang and you think a leopard will scare them off."

Jonah sighed. Shelley had hit the mark.

"I'll teach it to growl."

"They'll still know it's just a big cuddly toy."

***

Christmas morning was quite an event in the Mason household. All the small gifts had to be opened first so when Mr Mason finally dragged a large box through from the garage, the lounge was already ankle deep in wrapping paper.

Mrs Mason carried a much smaller box in and set it in front of her daughter.

"You go first, Sweetheart. Let's see what you got."

Shelley ripped the colorful paper away and tore open the flaps of the cardboard container inside. She withdrew a sliding tray to reveal a sleeping baby deer against a woodland backdrop. She stroked the toy lovingly.

"I'm calling her Bambi! Wake up Bambi!"

"The switch is inside its right ear," her father said helpfully.

A poke of a finger and the fawn opened enchanting doe eyes that would easily melt the heart of any traffic warden. The fawn struggled to its feet and stood trembling on wobbly legs. Mrs Mason smiled with delight and even Jonah seemed taken with it.

"Mommy ... Daddy! I love her!" Shelley gasped.

"We all love her, Sweetheart," her mom agreed. "Why don't you take Bambi to your room and start teaching her?"

Once Shelley had led the fawn away the Masons turned their attention to the larger box.

"Go on son," Mr Mason said. "Let's see what you get for $40,000!"

Mrs Mason glanced at her husband sharply.

"Robert! You can't put a price on a child's happiness."

"Sorry dear."

Once revealed, the leopard was breathtaking. It had taken all three of them to drag it out of the box and they contemplated the inert beast with awe.

"She's beautiful," Mrs Mason whispered.