Teen Dad Series

Herbert the Hippo (Luke & Ruby)

Four year old Ruby loved her stuffed animal hippo with all of her heart. The only person that could compete with that love was her daddy, Luke. If she lost either one of them, she'd completely freak out.

Which was exactly what she was gonna do when she woke up in the morning.

Luke swore he'd seen the hippo on the way home. It had been in Ruby's arms as they'd walked to the car after an afternoon in the park. She'd been clinging onto it as she fell asleep. He could vividly remember it smaking him the face at least twice. 

But as he searched through the apartment, he couldn't find the stupid thing anywhere. He knew it wouldn't be with Ruby, she preferred that the hippo slept with Luke out in the living room. For all she knew, that was exactly where it was.

But that was exactly where it wasn't.

It wasn't in the kitchen or in the bathroom either. It was just gone.

Maybe Ruby wouldn't even notice when she woke up. That was a lie. Luke knew it would be the first thing she asked for as soon as she'd finished breakfast. He had until then to find the thing and possibly clean it up.

"Can you come over and stay with Ruby?" He asked once Michael had sleepily answered his phone. "I need to go out."

"Go out and do what?" Michael mumbled.

"Look for her stupid hippo."

"You lost Herbert the Hippo?" Michael demanded, sounding very awake all of a sudden. Luke winced at the loud volume of his voice. He could hear movement and then Michael mutter, "I'm on my way, you irresponsible father. You're lucky you've got me."

"Thanks, Uncle of the Year."

Luke continued digging through the piles of clothes he had hidden in the closet, until Michael came storming into the apartment.

"I checked the parking lot and then elevator. He's not there."

"I'm gonna see if she might have dropped it--"

"He." 

Luke looked up from where he was fighting to get his shoes on. "What?"

"You called Herbert an 'it' but he's a 'he'" Michael said matter-of-factly. He shrugged. "Just saying."

Luke stood there for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I'm gonna check the park."

"Yeah, go clean up this mess." Michael waved him away, making himself comfortable on the couch. Luke rolled his eyes and left, grabbing the car keys. 

He climbed into the driver's seat and moved to toss some thing into the backseat. He froze and stared at the floor for a moment. There it was. The thing that had caused such a panic. Herbert. That. Stupid. Hippo. Luke sighed as he picked it up and stared at it.

"You cause too many problems for being inanimate." He muttered.