One day after Anjanette was settled into her new life living with her uncle Bruce and attending her new school with its strict no-bullying policy, Ferdinand invited her over to play with his pets. "I just got a new rabbit to keep Lily company. I thought she seemed a bit lonely, since the cat and the hamster never really want to play with her."
Anjanette loved all of Ferdinand's pets. Cheeky, his hamster, was asleep most of the time she was there, since it was still daytime, but he did wake up at one point to poke his furry head through the door of his nesting box and yawn hugely. Orion, Ferdinand's cat, allowed Anjanette to say hello and pat his silky black coat, before leaping gracefully on top of the piano that belonged to Ferdinand's mother ("But Orion thinks it's his!" Ferdinand laughed) and proceeding to survey everyone else with the air of a king looking down on his kingdom. It was true that both of them were mostly loners, and not particularly interested in playing with other animals.
Lily the rabbit had a large pen in the den of Ferdinand's house. "We'll go in quietly," Ferdinand advised. "Her new sister's still shy."
Lily hopped right up to the edge of the pen to greet Anjanette when she came in, and as Anjanette knelt down to stroke the top of her head, she could see a little dark grey nose twitching inside a hidey at the end of the cage.
"She might come out if she thinks we've stopped looking," Ferdinand remarked. "But she seems to be warming up to Lily really well. Lily's been looking out for her like a big sister since she came."
"What's her name?" Anjanette asked as she continued to stroke Lily's white-and-gold fur.
Ferdinand gave a small smile. "Petunia. Like the sisters in Harry Potter, you know?"
"I actually haven't read that," Anjanette admitted. She bit her lip and looked away, because the truth was, she'd heard Harry had abusive caregivers and that hit a little too close to home for her. As though sensing Anjanette needed comfort, Lily nuzzled her hand.
Ferdinand nodded. "I understand. If you ever want to read it, I do recommend it. I'll lend it to you."
Anjanette smiled gratefully at her friend. She didn't hid the things that upset her from him anymore, but by now, he could figure it out without her even having to tell him... "You know, I just realized," she said after a pause, "this means you have four pets now, and I still don't even have one."
"Ask your uncle," replied Ferdinand without hesitation. "I'm sure he'll let you have one."
Anjanette nodded. "I didn't ask him at first because I was getting settled into his house, and I didn't want to ask him to take on another new responsibility so soon, and then I just... didn't think about it."
"Well, think about it," advised Ferdinand with a smile. "Your uncle will love having a pet around."
"You don't think he'll think it's too many new responsibilities all at once?"
Ferdinand squeezed his friend's shoulder. "Of course not."
Anjanette smiled. He was right, she knew.
"So what kind of pet do you want? I've got all sorts of books on cats and rabbits and hamsters if you want one of those."
Anjanette shook her head. "Any kind of pet would be great," she said slowly, "but... I've always really loved dogs. I know they need a lot more care than some other animals, but if Uncle Bruce would let me have a dog...."
Ferdinand grinned. "That sounds great! I think he'll let you have a dog. His house is just right for a dog - he's got that big backyard and everything - and I think he likes dogs too."
Yes, her uncle Bruce had definitely mentioned liking dogs before, Anjanette remembered, though he'd never had a pet of his own that she knew of... "I'll ask him tonight," she decided, as the dark grey rabbit Petunia cautiously hopped out of her hidey and made her way over to investigate the humans along with her new sister Lily.