Johnny Bear was a gift from her grandma Ellie on Jessie’s third birthday. Jessie had opened all the presents and blown out all the candles and Gramma had just kept sitting in that old chair she loved so much, the big purple one by the sofa in their old house. Whenever she visited them, Gramma sat in that chair and stayed there until it was time to leave. On this birthday, Jessie had been wondering when the present from her grandparents would appear, but when everything was over and Grampa had taken to the couch and Gramma was in that chair, still there was no present. Jessie kept quiet about it because she knew it was bad to ask for presents. Mommy had told her to always remember that, but still she was a little sad that there was no present from Gramma and Grampa because those presents were usually the very best ones.

And that was when Gramma had stood, her old joints creaking softly, and gone to the back room for a moment, coming back with a big box. Jessie’s eyes had been wide with excitement, but Gramma had motioned for her to be quiet, as if this were their little secret and nobody else could know about it. Mommy and Daddy were in the kitchen cleaning up and Grampa was asleep, and after looking around carefully, Gramma had given her the box with a smile and whispered, “There, you see? We didn’t forget, after all.” Jessie had ripped it open and out came Johnny Bear. Even now, thinking back, it seemed as if he had come leaping out of the box on his own.

Gramma leaned over her then, and for a moment she was just a little bit shy as the old woman’s breath settled over her in a cloud of cranberry and ginger. Gramma said, “He’s yours to name, Jessie, and he’ll be your very best friend forever. He’s magic, you know.” Her eyes were wet and heavy, and Jessie shrank back from them. Then Gramma smiled and sat back down again and everything was fine, and she forgot about that little quick jump of her heart. But Johnny stayed with her from that point on, because he really was magic, and he was her best friend.

She made sure to hold onto Johnny the whole day while they were packing so he wouldn’t be left behind.