Chapter 14 : With You
Sunil stood in front of all the others pets in the day camp. He was standing on a block so that he could look down on them. It gave him courage to say what needed to be done. Carefully, he scanned the faces of all the pets below him. Some were confused, others were excited, worried, bored, impatient, and upset. He sucked in a deep breath and prepared to let them know what had happened. "My friends… I come to you in a time of great need and utmost importance. Mango and I have had a falling out. It is mostly my fault… all my fault. Now I need to fix things."
"I'm sure it can't be that bad. Just go and apologize." Russell said.
"No! I hurt her badly Russell and an apology won't cut it." Sunil replied.
"What about a gift? Like flowers or a wonderful new outfit?" Zoe suggested with a twirl. "I'm sure Blythe could help with that."
"Could help with what?" Blythe asked from the doorway.
"Russell was the first one to answer her. "We need to find a way to help Sunil and Mango make up. Sunil was a little mean to her." He shrugged is shoulders and glanced at Sunil.
Sunil was sputtering with outrage. "I was not a little mean to her, I was horribly mean to her! I called her names, said that Shahrukh was just using her, and told her that she would know what it felt like to be RUBBISH! I am a horrible pet, friend, mongoose-"
Sunil stopped when he felt something on his shoulder. He looked up into the caring face of Blythe. He had been so absorbed with degrading himself that he had not even realized that she had walked right up to him. He looked around at all his deeply caring friends. They looked at him with sympathy and understanding. Finally he couldn't take it anymore. The dam burst and all of his pain, anger, fear, and sorrow came out in a wave of tears. He cried and cried until he felt he could not cry anymore. The whole time his friends were right there with him. They stroked and shushed him, finally calming him down enough that he could speak again.
"Please everyone, I need to make it up to her. I need your help to do it." Sunil said to them once he had calmed down.
They all just nodded their heads solemnly. Even though no one said a word he knew what it meant. We are with you.
Mango was crouched inside of a giant pile of toys. She did not want to be found right now. If anyone was looking for her she was pretty sure she did not want to see them. If Sunil was coming, she definitely did not want to see him after everything he had just said. If Shahrukh was coming, she did not want to see him just yet. She worried that if he did come he would only confirm what Sunil had said to her. Mango sighed and cuddled her tail. That would mean that Sunil was right. She was a fool for trusting him. But if that was the case, she wanted to hang on to her and Shahrukh's friendship as long as she possibly could. If anyone else came they would come with sympathy and understanding. She laughed. Sympathy and understanding ran rampant here. If they got wind of what had happened they would be all over her trying to cheer her up. The last thing she wanted or needed was some pet trying to get her to see the bright side of this.
What bright side? I just lost my best friend. Maybe even my newest friend. Forever.
She shifted her body to get more comfortable in the toy pile. Grunting she pushed a squeaky lobster away from her side so she could relax.
Well, maybe not forever. But at least until he decides to mongoose up and apologize. Better be one heck of an apology. Either that or… until Shahrukh tells me that Sunil was right. Then I better have one heck of an apology.
Mango sighed and peeked out of a hole in the toy pile. She saw nobody. Relieved she finally realized how tired she was. Figuring that she was in an extremely cozy pile of toys, she decided to get some sleep. Yawning she cuddled into an even tighter ball and prepared for a deep and relaxing sleep.
Sunil waved his paws around, directing everyone on what they needed to do. Everything needed to be perfect.
This is for Mango.