Nicole was taking a long drive down the road, far from Elmore. Guilt still coursed inside of her. While driving, she began thinking to herself if Richard, and the kids were right about her being a horrible mother after all. "All I did was try to show him what it was like to be a winner." She said to herself. "Did I even go too far to betray him and try to shoot him behind the back?"
Then she thought of the time she and her coworkers from the rainbow factory had the same type of tournament, and Nicole brutally best them all, including her boss. In it, she was laughing evilly on a hill while her coworkers all laid on the ground, wounded by Nicole's actions.
Then she had her eyes up in realization and guilt. Nicole even remembered her boss taking that out of her paycheck. "Oh, maybe I do go a little too far at times, but... I love winning and hate losing." And she slapped herself "Keep It together Nicole!" She scolded herself. "This is exactly what got you in to this mess, woman!" She looked at the beaches on the California coast, and the waters were sparkling under the sun.
What matters wad that she needed to find her son and make amends for what happened before. The least Nicole could do was hope that Gumball was alright.
"Okay, maybe he is somewhere in Capital City." And had a sudden thought. "My sister Penelope lives there." And a feeling of bitterness slowly boiled up in here. Turns out, she and Penelope probably didn't get along well when they were kids, and might even feel this way as adults now. Nonetheless, Penelope was Nicole's sister and desperately wanted to ask her for help.
Hopefully for her, she might receive some advice from her estranged sister, even though she is not really fund of her "Wise guidance" and all of that which Nicole calls "complete and utter nonsense"
Meanwhile
Gumball got out of the bathroom, and he changed from his usual pants and sweater to a one-piece black unitard that was sleeveless on the arms.
At first, he felt a little uncomfortable and a litter too girly about wearing something like this, but then he got used to it, and realized it felt quite comfortable. And besides, no one was around to see him like this, otherwise, he would be embarrassed to death. At least he could count on his aunt Penelope for this. He honestly never tried yoga before
"Ah, Gumball, ready for some yoga, sweetie?" Penelope asked him, already in her workout getup.
"I guess so." Gumball replied modestly. He gently grasped his arm in uncertainty. His aunt smiled and placed a hand on his cheek very softly.
"Don't worry, sweetheart. Yoga will soothe your soul and free your mind." Penelope reassured. "Trust me, it will help your vibes." then she winked at him. Gumball made a small smile, and decided to go along with this yoga plan to relieve his stress. "Oh but first things first. A little music will boost the relaxation." then she pulled out her iPod and a couple of speakers to hook it with. When she played her device, it had the tune of a sitar playing like hippy music would sound like
"Okay, let's do this."
"At a boy, Gumball. Prepare to have a very calming experience." then Gumball followed her aunt in the living room, and they began their yoga. "Reach for the sun." she instructed. Penelope stretched her arms in the air in the farthest way she could, and Gumball followed suit. It was a little painful for him, but he slowly got used to it. "Good. Good. I know it hurts, Gumball, but you will get used to all of this."
He made a small grunt as he was straining himself while stretching "no problem, aunt Penelope."
"Next, we stretch out our right leg while lying on the floor." She gave the next instruction. She laid on her back and stretched her leg a far as she could. "Go on, sweetheart. Try it."
Gumball was a little nervous about this, but he did what his aunt instructed anyway and did the same technique as she did before.
"stretch the. Long and hard while holding your breath for a small amount of time. That way, you will feel more bliss flowing through you."
her nephew was trying so hard to hold his breath, and it was almost like he was suffocating himself. At last, Gumball could hold it in no longer, and exhaled. "I'm sorry." He panted.
"that's quite alright. Sweetie. I completely understand that this is your first try." Penelope reassured.
Gumball smiled at his aunt's kindness. He wished that his mother would be more like her, not so angry all the time, not yelling at him most days, and all the bad things she did to him. "Thank you, aunt Penelope."
his aunt smiled back at him warmly. "You're welcome, Gumball. Tell me, how do you feel?"
"even though I suck eggs at this, I admit, I'm starting to feel more... more..."
"Calm?"
"yeah! Exactly!" Indeed, Gumball was slowly feeling his anger die away like a dust storm in the middle of the Sahara Desert.
"well there is still quite a lot for you to absorb, Gumball. More yoga will cool you off completely."
"Right." Then Gumball continued the yoga practicing with Penelope, and he was slowly progressing with the techniques.
calmly holding his breath in while inhale in his nose. He would hold his breath on for a somewhat long period of time, and finally let it all put when his aunt said he could.
Not only that, but he was becoming more flexible, too. Not like a fancy Russian circus performer, but still a little agile and flexible at least to stretch out his limbs a little farther than he could before.
It was just then, the doorbell rang, and Gumball caught off guard and toppled on the mat, landing on a foolish position as he was dizzy from the impact. "What was that?" He asked
"it's just the doorbell, Gumball. You just wait here, I will go see who it is. I'll be back here faster than you can say Jimi Hendrix." And she went to the front door. Penelope was more than surprised to see her estranged sister, Nicole. She wasn't really angered to see her, or really so happy, but Nicole was determined to get Gumball back home. "Nicole."
"Penelope." Nicole greeted on a somewhat bitter voice as if she had a grudge against her own sister. "It's... wonderful to meet you again." Nicole said with a nervous and awkward smile on her face. "Listen, sister, i got a gigantic problem, and it is an issue of upmost importance."
"Don't worry, Gumball is safe here with me." Penelope said. "You are probably wasting your aura, Nicole, Gumball doesn't want to come back home with you. Honestly, what the hell were you thinking, sis? Trying to make him into a sore loser and a foul winner like you?"
Nicole slowly started to feel her blood boil. "That was just something to help him!" She protested.
"You know, I was not happy when I heard what happened, and decided to do karate instead of normal jobs."
"I didn't want a normal job at first, I wanted to live life to the fullest. Do not ever doubt that!"
"Nicole, relax." Penelope soothed. "Please, mom and dad told us about that really hot boiling point of anger within you."
"You think you are all hot-stuff because mom and dad loved you more than me!" Nicole realized what she was doing and calmed herself down immediately. "Look, I am sorry. Just please let me see Gumball, I want him to understand how I feel."
Penelope was a little unsure about this, but she reluctantly said "well, okay." Then Nicole smiled as she promptly followed her sibling to the living room where Gumball was meditating by himself. "Gumball,"
"yes, aunt Penelope?" Gumball turned his head and saw Nicole next to her, looking rather guilty. Blood was boiling hatred and anger rising within his bloodstream. Gumball gritted his teeth so hard it was starting to hurt him inside his mouth. "What the hell are you doing here?" Gumball demanded
"honey, please, just here me out."
"No! I am done listening to you! If you are trying to convince me to come back with you, fucking forget it!"
"Gumball!" Penelope reprimanded "there is no need for such profanity."
"sorry." Gumball turned back on Nicole and crossed his arms. "You get out!"
"Gumball, I am so sorry for what I did. Please I did not know what got over me at the paintball tournament. "
"No, you think?" Gumball asked sarcastically. "Look, you are mean to me at times, and you yell at me all the time!"
Nicole smiled and said "please, come home with me."
"I would rather eat dog poop." Gumball rudely retorted. "And let me tell you, one more time, you're not my mother anymore. Get out!"
Nicole felt like crying again, and wiped a tear from her eye. "I love you."
"So you say, but I am starting to question it."
"Gummypuss-"
"Don't call me that! I hate it when you call me that!" He screamed at Nicole.
"hey hey hey, I a, sensing a lot of negative energy and aura around here. Please why don't we just sit down and have a little talk?"
Gumball was reluctant. But, for his aunt's sake, he said "okay, but it doesn't mean I will love her after this."
it made Nicole hurt and guilty more then ever before. "But first, I would really like some coffee."
"go ahead, it's in my fidge." Penelope noted. Nicole got herself a cup of coffee and sat with her aunt on the couch. Gumball did not take his dirty glare off of her, and stared at her in hatred like that the whole time
