Ice Cream Hustling

Afina was not a bun who liked to rush around. 

But today she was hustling.

It was hot out, the height of summer and she already had an uncomfortable amount of sweat running down her shoulder blades as she moved at an above average speed, a quick little trot, very uncharacteristic of her preferred amble.  

There were just some things worth rushing for. 

One of those things was ice cream.

Blueberry flavoured ice cream.

Afina had whipped up a batch of her delectable ice cream and had just shoved one spoonful in her mouth when she’d realized something was missing. She had nobody to share it with. As far as she knew Creme Bleuet was busy, out somewhere with Mercury, and none of her other friends were available, which meant there was only one bun she knew the location of at this exact moment: Hops.

It wasn’t like Hops ever got the day off, right? Which meant she’d be at The Rabbit Hole, busy serving customers with fabulous drinks.

The only challenge remaining was actually getting the ice cream there before it melted.

Hence the hustling. 

She’d packed the ice cream in a container and put that container in a larger cardboard box filled with ice in a desperate effort to keep it all frozen. With it in her arms, she had set off at a reasonable pace and was already half-way there and was thoroughly beginning to regret the endeavor. She was sticky and sweaty, and not the good kind. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire.

Even her flaming ears seemed droopy. 

“Blueberries, blueberries, blueberries,” she chanted to keep herself motivated. 

Blueb the Bimble had started out buzzing alongside her but had long since given up and had added his own weight to the top of the box, rather than continue flying. Afina couldn’t bring herself to scold him. He looked much too cute, having a little snooze while she struggled along. 

But the further she traveled, the hotter it got and she began to realize that her hands holding on to the bottom of the cardboard box were getting a little bit soggy. The ice was melting and it hadn’t occurred to her that cardboard and water didn’t mix well. Her hustle was suddenly a lot more urgent as the soggy cardboard began to come apart in her hands.

“Eep!” She squeaked.

It was kind of nice to have something cool to hold on to but not when she was trying to stop it from being a huge mess.

At least she was getting closer now and as The Rabbit Hole came into view, she was forced to abandon the now sopping wet cardboard box on the side of the road, beneath the shade of a tree and extracted the hopefully still frozen ice cream from the center. Blueb had unwillingly rolled off the soggy remains of the box and onto the grass and seemed content with staying there, where it was cool and some ice cubes still valiantly remained.

“I’ll come back for you,” Afina assured him, her voice floating back as she was already on the move. 

She was So Close.

“HOPS!” She cried, as she tumbled through the doors, startling all of the nearby patrons and a very concerned Hops. She held up the container triumphantly. “ICE CREAM!"

It took a moment to assure Hops that nothing terrible was happening and explain that she’d come simply to eat ice cream with a companion, something that very much deserved the dramatic entrance. Her friend ended in a fit of giggles, as Afina stood before her flushed, sweaty and clasping her ice cream container like a lifeline.

“I’ll take a quick break, ok? Gimme a second.”

Afina settled down and finally was able to open the container. Delicious blueberry ice cream, enough for two, just a little bit soft from the trip. Hops joined her moments later, flourishing two spoons.

“Let’s dig in,” she grinned. “Ice cream is always better for two.”

Afina dug in the spoon and took a bite. She nodded. 

“It’s true. It tastes so much better now.” Afina shoved another spoonful in, cheeks flushed from delight now rather than the heat. Ice cream with a friend was 100% worth the hustle. But she was going to need a very big nap later on. Maybe she’d join Blueb in the grass and snooze the afternoon away with her belly full of goodness. Yeah, that sounded perfect.