Cheer put the book on the heart table, then looked at Funshine, Share, and Grumpy who were still reminiscing.
"Guys," Cheer said, trying to get their attention. "It's story time."
"Huh?" all three asked at the same time. Then they remembered why they were there in the first place and gathered around Cheer.
"Kailey," Cheer addressed the little girl now, who had picked up Ollie again and was holding him tightly, "You said that you have to book too."
"It's not a big as this one." Kailey told Cheer.
"I figured that," Cheer admitted, "So I want you to show us what was the last page in the book you have at home."
"If she knows what page that is." Grumpy mumbled. Kailey looked at him with a smile.
"I memorized the entire book silly." She told him playfully. Cheer gave Grumpy a rather satisfied look that he ignored.
Kailey opened the book and flipped through the pages. When she was an eighth through it, she stopped.
"It ends here." She confirmed.
Cheer reviewed the next sections of the book and sighed.
"So she wasn't going to tell you herself..."
"Who?" Kailey asked curiously. No one answered her. Instead, Cheer flipped to the last few paragraphs of the book. She took a look at the others for their approval then at Kailey.
"Kailey, do you understand that the Care Bears only help those in need?" Cheer asked.
Kailey nodded.
"Do you understand that the Care Bears are willing protect those in caring need, no matter what?" Funshine asked.
Kailey nodded again.
"Do you understand that Care Bears must be brave and go on no matter the danger?" Share asked.
Kailey nodded her head once again.
"Do you realize there is an exception to every rule?" Grumpy then asked. Kailey smiled at this.
"I do, very much." She agreed. Cheer took a deep breath in, and one at a time the Care Bears told her the story.
"Twenty-five years ago today, a smart and lovely 13 year old girl named Clairinda Bennett came into Care-a-lot." Cheer started.
"Everyone liked her, and got along with her wonderfully." Funshine added.
"But there was one Care Bear that was different." Grumpy then said, folding his arms, obviously not pleased. "His name was Oopsy."
"Oopsy and Claire had met before, when they were just a year younger than you." Share told Kailey, "They had a special fondness in their hearts for each other, and we all knew about it."
"Claire and Oopsy spent many happy days together," Cheer said, But then..."
"She grew up." Funshine finished for Cheer. "Claire grew up and stopped seeing us as often. Oopsy was devastated."
"Messed up more often too around my workshop when I got him to help." Grumpy mumbled. But his statement went ignored.
"But when Claire announced she was to be engaged..." Share started,
"Oopsy ran away." Cheer finished.
"And no one's ever seen him since." Funshine added.
"We tried looking for him," Grumpy said, "But we couldn t find him."
Kailey didn t understand most of what she was hearing, but held Ollie tight in some kind fear or expectation. They weren't even looking in the book for this information. Had they memorized the book as well? Or did they write it themselves...?
"What do you think happened to Oopsy?" Kailey asked, a teeny bit of fear in her voice.
"There are two theories." Funshine said.
"Oopsy is either in some unknown part of Care-a-lot," Cheer started.
"Or he somehow became a human and is Claire's husband without her even realizing it." Share finished.
Kailey felt herself grow terrified, but she wasn't sure why.
"What about Claire?" she asked. The Care Bears all looked at each other, although they had known for a long time that they had to tell her eventually. They looked back at Kailey again.
"She's your mother." Cheer said softly.
"And if anyone could find Oopsy if he's in Care-a-lot," Funshine started.
"It's you." Share finished.
Kailey was so overwhelmed by this information (and after understanding as much as she could) she fainted without any warning.
