I lost my best friend in April of 2023. Momo. And yes, she was a bunny. MY bunny.

I never imagined such a small animal could have an enormous impact on me, yet she taught me more about the art of life than anyone I know. I did love her. 

Oh! How could I also forget about her partner in crime, Mr. Freckles? He has taught me lots too.

I have a vivid memory of my sister, holding her computer, pestering my mom about these two scraggly-looking rabbits who were “too cute” not to adopt. She showed them to me too, and honestly, I didn’t see the appeal at the time. Unexpectedly, my mom agreed, and we eventually adopted Mr. Freckles and Bebé (Momo’s previous name). My sister and I agreed that Mr. Freckles would be hers and Bebé would be mine. I wasn’t fond of the name Bebé, so I chose to call her Momo in honor of an online character that I was utterly afraid of. My family and I happily welcomed the two new bunnies to our family. 

Mr. Freckles was smaller in size than his companion, but his demeanor reflected the polar opposite. He ran circles around Momo and nipped me twice when I took too long to give him his daily dose of pellets. Meanwhile, Momo was a serene little creature as she was the epitome of a gentle old lady with nothing but love to give. Unfortunately, it appeared that her husband, Mr. Freckles, was exploiting Momo’s unwavering love for him.  He regularly indulged in the cleanings she would give him while he lay there in a blatantly self-centered manner.

Sadly, after Momo passed away, these cleanings would abruptly stop. Even as I type this, I find myself tearing up, and regretfully feeling as if I didn’t love her enough while she was still alive. I wish I could give her one more head pat and tell her how much I love her. I wonder if Mr. Freckles feels the same way I do. If only he cherished those cleanings before they vanished forever – or at least till their next life. 

I will be eternally grateful for the amount of relief their mere presence brought me. The sound of them nibbling on hay was far superior to any music I could hear through my headphones. Mr. Freckles would often come over and shove Momo out of my lap when she decided to lay there. They would always snuggle up close with each other and watch the telenovelas playing on TV.

Mr. Freckles now lies by himself. He cleans his ears by himself. He eats and sleeps by himself. I know I’ll never be his Momo, but I want to try to provide him with the warmth he once had. 

I miss you, my love, and don’t worry, I’m taking good care of Mr. Freckles. 

Thank you both.