Scarred

Curled up in a cage in the pet store was a rabbit with fur as white as snow.

He wasn’t the cutest rabbit, but his tiny heart was full of love. People around the pet store called him “Notches”.

“Which one do you want, honey?”

“The white one’s cute.”

“Oh, but look at that ear of his. What happened to it?”

The employee was quick to explain all about the accident, how a large chunk of his ear was ripped out when he was a kit, and how the tear never healed.

He could hear as well as any other rabbit. And he could see. The way the kid’s interest dimmed made him feel tiny and small. She chose another rabbit, and walked right out the door.

No one ever chose Notches.

Every time someone looked at the rabbit cages, he hoped that this would finally be the person who would pick him up and love him. Someone who could see past his scar, and see how sweet he was inside.

Someone he could love.

“Ew, look at that ear.”

“The white one’s ugly.”

“I don’t want that one, mommy, he looks funny.”

And every time, that hopeful fire burned a little less brightly.

One day, while Notches was curled up asleep beside his food bowl, he was shaken awake by a feeling of weightlessness. Someone was holding him.

“I like this one, daddy, he’s cute.”

Notches blinked his eyes. A warm smile was in front of him.

“Are you sure that’s the one you want, sweetheart?”

“Yeah,” the girl nodded. Notches gazed into her eyes, and saw the twisted scar curving across one of them.

“He’s perfect.”