[ WP ] Write of a happy reunion between an adult and their childhood toy .

Don Ray always knew he ’ d be a father. It had be ingrained him since his youth to marry and continue the legacy of the Perrin family name. He ’ d married his first wife Tinsley right after college. Though brief, their three year marriage had taught Don Ray a lot about life, and how often expectations come to disappoint us in our conquest to success. He ’ d met Brianna 2 years later. Depressed and developing a drinking habit, Brianna helped Don Ray remember the passion he once had with living life. She was patient with him, always vocal in her support for his rejuvenating in life. They married in the fall, 6 months after first meeting. Within weeks Brianna was pregnant. Don Ray felt this was a perfect reason to remember the life he wanted, and to keep living and striving for success. They proudly announced to their respective families and Don Ray began to unpack a few of his own childhood toys that he wanted to pass along to their new arrival. It was on the last storage box that he ’ d found his long admired and long missed teddy bear Dashell. 
 
 Worn and dusty, Dashell had been Don Ray ’ s favorite toy growing up. It was only between frequent washed, demanded by Don Ray ’ s mother that the two were apart. Don Ray would sit in front of the dryer waiting for the cycle to end, sometimes prematurely to rescue Dashell, and bring him back to the safety of his loving arms. Dashell was the one thing that Don Ray told all his fears to. It was Dashell that Don Ray first recounted his desire to be a fireman, a policeman and Spiderman one day. It was Dashell that caught all of Don Ray ’ s tears in high school after countless rejections from would be girlfriends. It was Dashell he hugged when his first wife Tinsley asked for a divorce. He stood in the unfinished nursery and caressed Dashell, smoothing his fake fur and adjusting his lopsided eyes. 
 
 It was Dashell that was Don Ray ’ s first intimate encounter. It had been a shame that Don Ray held for many years, and subsequently why Dashell had to be put away. Don Ray paused for a minute as he felt around the bottom of Dashell and found the opening he ’ d cut in the bear so many years ago. His wife wouldn ’ t be home for a couple of hours, what ’ s the harm he thought? He spent the next 45 minutes with Dashell in a sweet embrace, remembering the fondest of memories with his bear. He quickly cleaned up and placed Dashell back in the box, and hid him behind the other stored items in the closet. Don Ray decided that was one toy, one gift, that he couldn ’ t pass on and that Dashell was his sweet bear, and from time to time they ’ d reengage one another, if only for a moment.
