Anika had a friend named Leo.
Leo was big and purple, with ears as soft as her sleepy-time bunny. He was also invisible.
This morning, Leo and Anika were building a tower in her room. Anika placed a red block.
Leo, very carefully, placed a blue one on top. Or… Anika placed it for him.
"Higher, Leo!" she said.
The tower wobbled. It wiggled. It fell down with a gentle clatter-clatter-boom!
Anika giggled.
Beside her, she could hear Leo's big, happy laugh. Thump-thump-thump went his giant, invisible feet on the rug.
"Let's go to the park!" said Anika.
Thump-thump-thump. Leo thought that was a great idea.
At the park, the sun felt like a warm pat on her head. Anika ran straight for the swings.
"Push me, Leo!"
She sat in the swing and kicked her feet. A little push started her off. Then a bigger one. She soared up, up, up toward the leaves.
"Whoa, Leo!" she squealed. "Not so high!"
She laughed so hard her tummy jiggled.
A boy sitting in the sand looked up. He had bright yellow boots.
"Who are you talking to?" he asked.
Anika stopped pumping her legs. The swing slowed down… down… down.
"I'm talking to Leo," she said. "He's right here." She patted the air beside her.
The boy squinted. "I don't see anyone."
Anika felt a little wobble in her tummy. She slid off the swing and stood very close to where Leo was. "He's my best friend," she said quietly.
Thump-thump, went Leo's feet, a little more slowly this time.
Just then, Anika's mom called from a bench. "Snack time, sweetie!"
Mom held up a big, shiny, red apple. It was perfectly round. Anika loved apples. Leo did, too.
Mom twisted the apple in a little machine. Crrrunch-swish-thunk!
Out came perfect slices. The one big apple was now lots of little pieces.
Anika took a slice. It smelled sweet. She looked at the empty air where Leo was waiting patiently. Then she looked over at the boy in the yellow boots. He was all alone, watching them.
The wobble in her tummy came back.
She held her apple slice tight. Then she walked right over to the boy.
"My name is Anika," she said. "Want a piece?"
The boy smiled. "I'm Sam." He took the slice. "Thanks."
Anika walked back and took another slice from her mom. She held it out to the empty spot beside her.
"This one is for Leo," she said, her voice clear and strong. "He loves the red ones."
Sam took a bite of his apple. He looked at Anika, and then at the space where Leo was. He didn't squint this time. He just nodded.
Anika took a big bite. Crunch.
Sam took a bite. Crunch.
And from the empty air next to Anika came a happy, munching sound.
The sun warmed their noses, and Leo's big, invisible feet went thump-thump-thump on the soft grass.
