"Won't you just let him see her for a little while?"

Sunny stood outside his mother's door, frozen. He had just meant to ask his mom for the suitcase she had bought so he could start packing before his trip, but it was obvious he shouldn't go in her room right now. She must be on the phone with his dad, given by what he'd heard up to this point. It's weird that his dad was so close to him, he could burst down the door and yell for him. One impulsive action and he could talk to his dad for the first time in years.

He'd probably just hang up.

"Please. You don't even have to do anything. I'll pick the cat up and I'll bring it back. It can all happen in one day. Sunny's a good kid. You know him. You can trust him."

There's silence for a moment.

"Fuck you!"

Sunny is still petrified in front of the door as his mother aggressively swings it open. Her frustrated face immediately softens upon seeing him.

"Oh, Sunny. I'm sorry, you didn't hear much of that did you?"

He shook his head.

"I'm sorry, dear. That was nothing you needed to worry about. What did you need?"

"The suitcase."

Sunny didn't have to talk very much around his mom, which he appreciated. Other people would expect him to talk a lot, like his therapist, or when he had to call Kel and Aubrey. Sometimes he willingly made more conversation, like with Basil, especially when Basil needed his help. Regardless, it was always easiest for Sunny to keep it short, and his mom always understood that.

She nodded, "Of course, Sunny. I'll go get that for you now."

She turns around, rummaging through her room and closet. Apparently looking for it.

"You know, I'm proud of you for starting packing so early! You've really grown to be such a responsible boy. A whole three days early!"

Sunny only nodded, though she couldn't see it. She seemed to have a way of understanding him. He knew it was okay.

"Here it is!"

She came back with a large black suitcase. There was no way that he was going to be able to fill the entire thing, but she wanted to make sure that he could bring enough clothes. Especially since it was uncertain how long he was going to be staying back in Faraway.

She handed it off to him, "Okay, and all your clothes are in the dryer. They should be about done, so you can start packing them. You must be so excited to see all your friends again! It sounds like they all want to see you too, especially Basil."

He nodded.

"I'm glad you two reconnected. You were always the best of friends. Not that you aren't good friends with the others! You and Basil just have a bond."

Sunny smiled and gave another small nod. That much was true. Basil had always been Sunny's best friend. The bond they shared was unlike any other he had with the rest of the group.

"I'll leave you to your packing, Sunny. Don't forget to bring that sweater you bought Basil. I'm sure he'll love it."

The green sweater was already folded up and sitting on the corner of his bed ready to pack. In fact, it was the only thing Sunny had ready to pack. He wanted to make sure he didn't forget it, it was the most important thing for him to bring.

He got back to his room, and set the suitcase down in the middle of his floor, unzipping it and swinging it open. It almost looked bigger on the inside than it did from the outside. He gently placed the sweater inside of it. First thing done.

He sat down on his bed and looked around his room.

His mom had been calling about Mewo, hadn't she?

She had said she would see what she could do about letting him see her, but he didn't expect her to actually call his dad. He couldn't remember the last time the two of them spoke. Probably not since he left the house.

It didn't sound like it went well.

He missed her.

(3:43) hi. i miss mewo

He did the only thing he knew to do. Text his best friend.

(3:43) I do too, Sunny. She was such a good cat. Why are you thinking about her?

(3:44) i think my mom was on the phone with my dad

(3:45) How did that go?

(3:45) she cussed at him. i dont think ill ever get to see her.

(3:46) Maybe he'll let you someday, Sunny. People change. I'd stay optimistic if I were you!

(3:46) maybe. he doesnt trust me. he probably thinks ill hurt her. i cant blame him.

(3:47) You would never hurt a fly, much less Mewo! You love that cat. If he can't see that, he's ridiculous. You should've been the one to keep Mewo anyway, not him.

(3:49) he probably thinks id kill her.

Why did he say that? It felt like his world froze around him. He thinks things like that all of the time, but to put it in writing? His phone shook in his hands. It felt more real now. Why would he put that on Basil? Why would he put that on himself?

He would never kill Mewo right? He squeezed his eyes shut, horrible images coming to his mind. He started to tear up. He didn't want Mewo to die. He didn't want to kill her.

He started to cry.

His phone kept going off. Buzzing, and buzzing. He couldn't check it. He didn't want to. He hadn't cried in a long time.

He was a murderer. No wonder his dad didn't want him around her. No wonder his dad didn't want him around him.

He couldn't force the images out of his head. A dead Mewo.

A dead Mari.

He felt like he was going to vomit.

Everything came rushing back to him. He'd been keeping it at bay for the last few months, but he could tell he was getting worse again. He could feel it these last few weeks. The late nights and dark thoughts all caught up to him. The reality of what he did was crushing him.

He was a terrible person. He was irredeemable. He was ugly. He was a monster. He was a killer.

His phone started to ring.

He shouldn't pick it up. Why should he? It must be Basil. He would only hurt Basil. Basil only hurt so bad because of him. He shouldn't get to go cry to him.

But… Damn it, he really needed to.

He picked up his phone again and answered it.

"Sunny?"

He didn't say anything. He didn't know if he just didn't want to or if he couldn't. The only sounds he let out were the cries he was trying to stifle. He wasn't doing a good job at it.

"Oh, no, Sunny! It's okay!" Basil always got that panic in his voice when Sunny was upset. It was comforting to Sunny, knowing that's how much Basil cared.

"It's okay! I'm right here, Sunny. Don't worry! I'm not going anywhere! I know it's hard to talk, don't worry about it, okay! Just listen to me."

Just listen. Sunny was good at that. Sunny had always been good at that. He used to always just listen to Basil as he talked. He would talk about his plants, how they were doing, good or bad. He'd tell him about school, and the classes he liked. The kids that were mean to him. The kids that bullied him.

He'd tell him about his parents, and how much he loved them even though they were never around. How much he loved his Grandma, and how great her cooking was. How grateful he was to have such an amazing group of friends. How appreciative he was of Sunny for being his best friend. How lucky he was Aubrey introduced them.

He could listen to Basil.

"I don't know what you're thinking right now, Sunny. I think I have an idea though. You aren't a bad person. You would never, ever, hurt Mewo. You love Mewo, right? I bet all you can think about is cuddling her! Or about having her sit on your shoulder like she used to. She would purr so loud, wouldn't she? And she was so soft, wasn't she, Sunny?"

He smiled, and laughed a little bit through his small cries. Basil could always make him do that.

"See! I knew it! You just want to cuddle that cat." Basil's voice was so kind and reassuring, Sunny couldn't help to close his eyes and listen. His breathing steadied, and he wiped his face off of his tears. "I promise we'll find a way to get you to see Mewo again, Sunny. If it's the last thing I do. I promise."

"Okay," Sunny finally spoke, his voice still weak. "You really promise?"

"Of course, Sunny. I know that Mewo misses you too. You were inseparable! Honestly, it's a crime to keep you two apart for any longer."

Sunny agreed. Mewo was always there for him when all of his friends were busy. She wasn't technically his cat, but in a way she really was. His mom always pointed out how much they hung out with each other. Mewo would always sleep in Sunny's bed at night. He missed that.

"I miss her a lot."

"I know, Sunny. She misses you too."

"You think so?"

"I do."

Sunny sniffled a little. How embarrassing, he felt like a child.

"Thank you, Basil."

The two just sat in silence for a moment listening to each other breathe over the phone. Sunny found himself subconsciously matching Basil's slow, even breathing. It helped a lot.

"Sunny… you're my best friend."

It was such a simple sentence, one that Sunny had heard thousands of times before. It meant as much to him as the first time he heard it. Basil was always going to be there for him. He knew that. Or at least, he hoped so. He didn't know what he would do without him.

"You're my best friend, Basil. Thank you."

"It's only three days until you're going to be staying at my house, Sunny. It's going to be just like old times. I promise we'll get all this bad stuff sorted out," he paused, "I know it's scary… It's really scary to me, too. But… we're going to make amends with our friends. Or find out if it's possible."

Basil hadn't hung out with their old friends much since Sunny had left, he knew that much. Though, he didn't think that was Kel and Aubrey's fault. It was much more likely Basil was too worried that they would hate him. He was probably the one doing most of the avoiding, not that he could blame him. He would do the same thing. Still, they must interact every now and then, Basil still went to the same school after all.

Basil also said that it was going to be like old times... Was that really possible? Was it possible for things to go back like they were? Without his home, without his old treehouse? Without Mari?

Without Mari…

No! The last time they were all together it was… nice. It wasn't perfect, Sunny could hardly remember most of it, he wasn't all there, but he knew it must have been okay. They all promised to stay friends… it must have been okay.

He had to trust that it would be okay this time too.

He had to trust in his friends.

"Okay. Let's do it Basil. Let's make new memories together, like you said before."

"Let's do it Sunny."

Sunny took a deep breath. He was feeling a lot better now. He sat up and looked down at his empty suitcase. He still had so much to do.

"I've got so much to pack, Basil."

"I'll let you go."

"Not yet."

Sunny wasn't ready to be alone again. He wanted to stay with Basil for just a little longer.

"Basil… what do you want to do when I'm there?"

"I want to go to Gino's!" his voice was obviously excited, "I haven't gone there in a while… I was hoping you'd want to.

"I'd like that."

"Also… if everyone wants to, I would really like to go back to our old hangout spot. I know it wasn't great the last time we were there… but! Like I said, we can make new memories! Everything turned out okay, afterall. I don't want to let our secret spot go to waste."

Sunny smiled, it did sound like fun to go to the lake again. It had been scary last time he was there, he and Basil almost drowned. But… that wasn't enough to make him not want to go back. The place meant too much to him.

"Maybe we can have a picnic?"

Sunny's suggestion was innocent, almost nervous. Would it be a bad idea, after everyone knew the truth to have a picnic? Truth be told, he'd been hoping to have a picnic with all of his friends again on this trip. He was prepared to set everything up, he was sure he knew how. Anything to have a picnic with his friends again.

"I think everyone would love that, Sunny."

"Really?"

"Really."

Sunny felt excited for a moment. A picnic, just like old times! He would find all the stuff he needed to host it, he only trusted himself to get it right.

He'd watched Mari enough to know how to do it right.

He wished she was hosting it.

She should be helping him.

He couldn't let that ruin this.

He needed to preserve her memory, and this was the best way. Making the best picnic ever in her honor. It would make her so proud! He'd show her how much he'd learned from her.

If she was here to see it he would, anyway.

It would be fun. He needed it. Everyone did.

"Okay. Thank you, Basil. For everything," he sighed, "I should start packing."

"Of course, Sunny. Just remember, it won't be much longer now, and we'll all be together again!"

"I can't wait."

"Me neither."

"I'll see you soon."

"I'll see you, Sunny."

Click.

Sunny sat with his mom at the dinner table. He picked at his food, trying to force himself to eat. He knew how much it meant to his mom that he ate enough. He needed to ask her if they still had that picnic blanket. He wanted to bring it back to Faraway to use. He figured it would be the best for recreating old memories.

Or maybe it just felt nice to be close to something Mari had once.

It made him feel better in a way.

"Hey… Mom?"

She looked up at him and tilted her head. "Yes, Sunny? What do you need?"

It was still uncommon for him to just speak up at dinner like that.

"Um… do we still have the old picnic blanket? And basket? I want to have a picnic in Faraway."

She smiled, though her eyes couldn't hide the sadness behind her expression.

"We do, Sunny. I can get it for you tonight. I think it's a great idea."

The two sat there for a moment, finishing their dinner in silence.

"You know… Mari would be proud of you."

Sunny just nodded.

Sunny had almost all of his things packed. His clothes, his Gameboy Advance , "Hector", and the picnic basket. The only thing he had yet to pack was Mari's picnic blanket.

He held it in his hands, looking down at it while he sat cross-legged on the floor. How many times must Mari have held this blanket while preparing? While laying it out for everyone? She was always the one that set everything up. It was her blanket.

He held it close to him. Squeezing it tight, almost cradling it. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the blanket as tightly as he could. He couldn't let it go. He couldn't let go of Mari.

He sobbed into the blanket.

He missed her.