" To Private's Eyes"
Thanks for the reviews everyone. They were great. Now here's the next chapter. I'm not sure exactly how many more chapters I'm going to write for this story. So don't worry about the ending coming up anytime too soon just yet. Anyways. Please enjoy.
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Chapter 10
Skipper kept glancing at Kowalski then removed his flipper from his face. " Alright. I'll continue," the lead
penguin took a deep breath as his saddened eyes returned. He then lowered his head. " The thing that's
been bugging me about Lola is that I really, really, really want to let her go this time so that I can start
dating Marlene, but I'm...having...trouble with it and...I need help."
Kowalski observed Skipper's facial expressions carefully. He could tell that Skipper was stressing out and on
the verge of tears. " You know, Skipper," the tall penguin began talking comfortingly. " If it helps. I say you
should go on to dating Marlene and just forget all about Lola. After all, Marlene's more faithful, has a brain,
and is not an inanimate object."
The lead penguin sighed as his eyes returned half way back to normal. " I know," Skipper looked up at
Kowalski. "But it still feels wrong. You know?"
" Skipper? Hello? She betrayed you first," Kowalski raised his voice in a reasonable tone. " And besides,
you're the one who chose to divorce her. Remember?"
" Yes, I remember, but I still feel guilty about leaving her for another woman," Skipper's saddened eyes
returned, once more, as he grabbed the upper part of his flipper with the end of his other flipper. " I mean,
what if Lola decides to come back and finds me with Marlene?"
" Skipper? Let me tell you something," Kowalski pointed his flipper in Skipper's face and began talking
authoratively, but sensitively. " Lola was the one who betrayed you and it's her fault that you two aren't
together anymore. Okay? End of story. Don't let someone like that ever ruin your chances with another
woman, which could possibly be your true soul-mate. Alright?"
" I know that," Skipper stated irritably as he pushed Kowalski's flipper away then glanced down at the table.
He was about to have an emotional breakdown." What I don't know is how to get Lola off of my mind so that
I can date Marlene. Let's face it. I'm a thorn stuck between two roses here with no way out. No way out
what-so-ever. I'm stuck there forever," Skipper sniffled as he started to stop talking and covered his tear
filled eyes with both of his flippers. The lead penguin suddenly bursted out crying, still keeping his eyes
covered.
Kowalski looked at him worriedly, unsure of what to do now, until he thought of an idea. " That's not true,"
the tall penguin reassured, reaching over the table, putting a flipper on Skipper's shoulder. " There are
many ways out."
" Name one," Skipper sniffled, again, uncovering his now red, irritated eyes. He stopped crying for a little
bit, wiped the tears out of his eyes, then glanced up at Kowalski to listen to him.
" Hedge clippers, for one," Kowalski said jokingly, hoping to cheer Skipper up and make him laugh.
" Ha. Ha," Skipper said in his usual sarcastic tone as he folded his flippers. " Very funny. As a matter of fact
that was so funny that I almost died from laughing about it."
" Sorry. I was just trying to help," Kowalski frowned as he removed his flipper from Skipper's shoulder. "
Look. Why don't you spend more time with Marlene? Not as dates, yet, but as a means of finding out how
much you two have in common, so you can forget about Lola and transition into your new love relationship
more easily."
" Look, Kowalski," Skipper raised a skeptic eyebrow. " As clever as that sounds. I don't think that's going to
work."
" You can try it," Kowalski urged. " I mean come on. Your dream was practically screaming at you to get out
of that hole of heartbreak and find someone new. And who knows, maybe you might wind up marrying
Marlene someday and actually be together with her for the rest of both of your lives."
" I don't know," Skipper stuttered, thinking about how exciting and more joyful his relationship would be with
Marlene then took a deep breath. " Okay. I'll give it a shot. Here I go." The lead penguin confidently stood up
from the table and waddled over to the ladder, toward the fishbowl entrance. Kowalski watched him,
shocked, but glad that he was going through with all of this. Suddenly, Skipper stopped at the ladder,
lowered his head, and sighed with a depressed groan.
Kowalski, who was still sitting at the table, dropped his jaw and rushed up to the lead penguin. " What
happened," the tall penguin questioned with concern, raising his eyebrows. " I thought you said you were
going over to Marlene's?"
" I can't do this," Skipper mumbled, making it difficult for Kowalski to hear.
" What," Kowalski leaned the side of his head, cupping his ear, trying to listen to Skipper.
" I said I can't do this," Skipper looked up as he barked, making Kowalski cover his ear in pain.
" Well, why not," Kowalski argued, uncovering his ear.
" I'm just not ready for this," the lead penguin waddled off toward the headquarters' bathroom, lowering his
head in melancholy.
Kowalski watched Skipper head toward the door, on the other side of the bunks, which led to the bathroom,
then ran up in front of him. " Come on, Skipper," the tall penguin stretched out his flippers to block the door.
"What have you got to lose? The sooner you go through with this. The easier it'll be for you to let go of the
past and stop being so miserable about Lola. Trust me. I've seen something like this happen before. It'll all
turn out fine."
" Kowalski, " Skipper stared at the tall penguin. " How do you know if it'll turn out fine? Plus, how do you
even know that this won't make me more miserable than I already am?"
"So far, the only thing that's keeping you miserable is that you keep worrying about what Lola thinks, rather
than what your heart thinks will make you happy," Kowalski stated, staring back at the lead penguin.
" Kowalski," Skipper folded his flippers, impatiently. " Do you want to know what my heart thinks will make
me happy right now? That you move out of the way and let me have time to myself to sulk in the bathroom."
" I'm not moving anywhere and neither are you," Kowalski folded his flippers, stubbornly, but still showing
concern. " Look. I know that I'm risking insubordination here, but I'm only trying to help you out. Not as a
team member, but as a friend."
Skipper groaned in defeat. " Fine," he flung his flippers high in to the air. " If I go through with the whole
spending time with Marlene plan and date her. Will you promise to be quiet about it?" Skipper lowered his
flippers down to his sides, waiting for Kowalski to respond.
" Yes," Kowalski smiled sincerely, satisfied to see that Skipper was finally starting to agree with his plan, so
far. " I promise. I won't speak about it anymore after that. As a matter of fact, I Soldier's promise. So, will
you go through with the plan?"
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Wow. He was so close to going over to Marlene's that time and asking her out. So close. And if I'm starting to tease anybody with Skipper's let go, don't let go thing with the hula doll . LOL. I'm sorry. It wasn't meant to be written that way. It's not suppose to be any type of soap opera. The story is just mainly focused on Skipper's internal, emotional struggle to let go of Lola for Marlene. Anyways. Coming up next in Chapter 11. Catch the answer to Kowalski's question to Skipper.( I know. This is the third time in a row I stopped at Kowalski's lines, but they make such great cliff hangers in this part of the story. LOL.) Please stay tuned and find out more.