It was another lovely day in Basswood Creek and Henry Doormouse had started to prepare a picnic for Tabitha Tidytail and himself.

After he had finished, Henry collected Tabitha from the bakery where they had arranged too meet at ten o’clock. “Oooh! This is lovely!” exclaimed Tabitha as she saw the picnic site.

Since the pack of cards that Henry owned were in his pants which had an unlucky dip in the water when he was fishing the day before, they dug up carrots and did a bit of gardening instead of play a game of cards.

“This is a marvellous crop though we really need to plant more since it is always such a pity when we have to start harvesting carrots from the bigger settelments of sylvanians”

“How right you are Tabitha, it would be nice to also grow corn or something like that so when families and the school go camping, they can grill corn over the fire” Henry replied,

“Yes, and marshmellows with freshly baked crackers from the bakery to make smores” Tabitha added eagerly,

“Don’t forget the yummy chocolate though!”

They both laughed as they dug up and watered the carrots.

Once they were happy with their efforts, both Tabitha and Henry sat down on the picnic blanket to eat the freshly harvested carrots, warm cheese buns and crisp apples, fresh from the Blackberry orchard. To wash it all down, they drank milk and Henry fetched two cups of fresh spring water from a nearby stream.

Just as Tabitha planted two carrot seeds to replace the ones that they had eaten, Henry got out the flower that was in the basket.

“Tabitha, I was wondering if, I mean, you are not the perfect mouse but-”

Unfortunatly, Henry did not have the time to finish his sentance because Tabitha tripped and fell over the carrot bed.

“Are you okay?!” He gasped then realised that she was unncontious.

Luckily, Ashton Fisher was nearby and heard the scream that Tabitha had uttered when she fell, Henry sent him to fetch Oliver and Elisabeth Buttermilk.

Oliver and Elisabeth came at once after Ashton had told them why they where so very urgently needed.

“We will take her into the clinic just till she has awakened and he can have another look at that leg, I do not think that anything is broken but we just want to be sure” Oliver explained.

Tabitha woke up just after she had been placed in the clinic bed after her x-ray, fortunatly, nothing was broken but she would have to walk in crutches since she badly sprained her ankle.

Slowly, thousands of tiny details about her day flooded back into Tabithas mind, including what Henry had said to her, she had been wrong about him, he did not love her after all.

“Take this medicine please Tabitha, it will be a bit bitter but it will help your leg recover quicker” Nurse Elisabeth explained, holding out a large spoonful of grey blue liquid.

Nurse Elisabeth helped Tabitha hop over to Oliver so that he could do the final examinations of her now bandaged up ankle, meanwhile Henry had his head in his hand because it was obvious what Tabitha thought about him. Nurse Elisabeth handed Tabitha some crutches which she gladly accepted and hobbled over to Henry and then out of the door.

Henry foud Tabitha a short while later at their picnic site.

“Tabitha, what I said before, you, well, you needed to hear the end.”

Tabitha waited patiently as Henry rummaged in a pink box behind a tree.

“Tabitha, I was wondering if, I mean, you are not a perfect mouse but no one can be perfect so I was wondering, if, maybe, you would still like to marry me?”

Tabitha whispered something to Henry and suddenly a broad grin appeared on his face.

Now, Henry showed Tabitha the box that he had hid the whole day behind the tree.

With a reasuring glance at Henry, she opened the box and gasped.

Inside was a silver beaded necklace, bouquet of flowers, a veil and a beautiful wedding dress. Even though by now the sky was cloudy, Tabitha felt that all of the suns in the world were smiling down at her and giving off warmth as she gazed into Henry’s eyes.

Here is the long awaited story, the wedding will take place soon though the date has not been decided yet. Millie was over the moon with joy when she heard that Tabitha is going to be her new Mummy. Have a nice week!

Emily