Chapter 9- Breaking Point

Sarge's POV

Dear Red, Sheriff and Lizzie,

This vacation hasn't improved since I told you about what happened at the airport. It's been a complete disaster. In fact, it's so bad, I'll probably see you before you even get this postcard.

Sarge.

"What did you do?" I demanded.

Fudge, who was just sliding into the seat across from me, frowned at me in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, your hair and shirt are soaking wet, even though you spent the morning at Tyreson's National Park and it hasn't been raining", I explained impatiently.

"I ran through the sprinklers on the golf course on my way here", she explained sheepishly.

"Why?!"

She shrugged. "Felt like it."

Fillmore smiled approvingly. "Right on, man!"

I rolled my eyes. "Trust you to encourage her!'

"Hey!" Ramone shouted. "Just leave her alone, will you? It's not a crime."

A waitress showed up just then to take our order. We were having lunch at the Treetop Café. It had become a favourite spot of ours. As the name would suggest, it was a café that was in the trees. You had to get across a swinging bridge in the trees to get to this place and the view was great. You could see exotic plants and animals for miles. (The food is great too, of course.)

When the waitress was gone, Fudge was quick to change the subject.

"Anyway, you guys were right", she informed Fillmore and me. "The national park was beautiful and the zip line was awesome!"

"Oh, you did that, did you?" Fillmore asked.

"Yep. So did Lightning and Uncle Ramone. We wanted Mater to come with us, but he wouldn't."

"It was fun", McQueen chimed in. "And the view was incredible."


After we ate, we all decided to spend some time by the pool. I was reluctant at first. As I told Fillmore on the plane, I'm not a sitting by the pool type. Still, Sally insisted that we should all spend some time together (she and McQueen suspected that that was Mater's problem since the two of them were going out partying every night). And that girl is stubborn; comes from being a lawyer, I suppose.

"You like to read, man. Bring a book", Fillmore had suggested.

So, that was what I did. Have you ever tried to read near a pool? It's next to impossible. The noise makes it hard enough to concentrate. Then, on top of that, you've got people jumping into the pool every few seconds. The kids in front of us were having a dive bombing competition, so before I could get to the end of the first paragraph, my book was sopping wet.

"No respect for people who want to read", I muttered.

"What do you expect?" Ramone wondered. "This is a pool, not a library."

"Papà? I'm going on the water slide", Fudge announced.

"By yourself?" Luigi asked, sounding horrified.

Ramone rolled his eyes. "No. I wanted to go on anyway. I'll take her. C'mon, Fudge." He made a big show of taking Fudge's hand.

"Let's go this way", Fudge suggested, leading Ramone the long way to the slide.

"Why?" he wondered. Then he noticed some teenage girls sat by the pool, gossiping. "Are they the ones who-"

"Yeah", Fudge confirmed.

Without another word, Ramone followed her the long way around.

McQueen looked up from the postcard he was writing. "The ones who what?"

At breakfast that morning, Luigi had reported that the reason Fudge had been worried was because some girls her age had made fun of her scars. McQueen and Sally had missed that conversation because they were sleeping in after a late night of partying. They probably had hangovers too.

Before anybody could answer, our attention was turned to a lifeguard who raced past.

"What's goin' on?!" Mater demanded fearfully. "Did someone drown?!"

I looked to where the lifeguard was now. "No. Looks like a kid fell and broke their arm or wrist or something."

Mater still looked nervous. "Maybe I should head back to the room." He was already heading back to our building.

Somehow, I doubted it was the lack of time McQueen was spending with him that was bothering him.

"Hey, guys!" a voice called out just as Mater was disappearing. I vaguely recognised the young man as Hamish, the New Zealander, who was part of the party group McQueen and Sally had befriended. "What's happening?"

"Not much!" McQueen replied with a grin. "What's happening with you?"

"I'm just heading to a beach party with Fred, Heather and the gang", he explained. "I was just wondering if you and Sally wanted to come."

The two of them hesitated, but when they saw that Mater was no longer with us, they were quick to agree.

"So much for spending time together", Luigi muttered.

"I know", Flo agreed. "I have to admit, this vacation isn't anything like I thought it would be."

I nodded in agreement. "Mater's scared of everything for some reason. Fudge is embarrassed about her scars. McQueen and Sally are too busy partying to spend much time with anyone..."

"There are several arguments goin' on", Flo added.

"'Cause some people don't know how to relax", Fillmore put in pointedly.

"I don't see how anyone can relax like this!" I complained as a Mack truck, about ten years old, leapt into the pool, drenching me and my book.

"I know somewhere much quieter you can go", a soft voice spoke up. "I could show you."

I turned my attention to the speaker. It was that girl who was part of the Blumenthal-Dunn family, Andy, I think her name was.

"Are you sure your parents would be okay with that?" I quizzed her. "What with me being a stranger and all."

"I only have a mother here, not parents", she corrected me. "I don't consider my stepfather a parent."

I managed a small smile. "That doesn't answer my question."

"Sure. Mom says that she trusts Fillmore and you're his friend, so she'd probably trust you too. Besides, she knows where I'm going."

"Well, I would appreciate some quiet", I decided. "Lead the way."

"Follow me."


So, I did. As I drove after her, at a very slow pace, she started a conversation.

"So, how come you're mad at Fillmore?"

Well, I sure wasn't expecting that question. "How'd you know I was?"

"He mentioned it. Plus, the whole thing at the bonfire..." She trailed off awkwardly. "I'm sorry. You don't have to answer that if you don't want to."

"That's fine", I assured her. For some reason, I wanted to confide in her. I felt like I needed to talk to an independent third party, one who didn't know us.

So, I found myself getting into the whole story. Unlike my friends, who kept insisting that I needed to relax or called me Sergeant Killjoy, this kid just listened.

"I know how you feel", she told me sympathetically. "My new stepfather and my stepbrother and sister are so messy too! And I have to share a room with Astrid now! I just don't get how people can live like that."

"Neither do I."

"Mom used to hate mess too", Andy muttered. "Now, she's far too in love with her new husband to even notice." She shook her head in annoyance. "She thinks he's so great, but he's not."

"Why don't you like him?" I asked, curious.

She shrugged. "He thinks he's funny, but I just find him immature."

"I know people like that", I mused, recalling my friends' behaviour since arriving at the airport.

Andy's eyes widened in surprise. "So, you know how I feel."

I couldn't help smiling. "I suppose I do."

"Well... There's more", she continued, sounding kind of sheepish, almost embarrassed. "I'm not sure you would understand. I mean... You don't have a stepparent, do you?"

I shook my hood. "Can't say I do."

"Well, it's just that... He's not my real dad. And I guess I'm kind of mad that he's making us move to Germany away from my real dad."

"Why do you have to move over there?" I wondered.

"Because he wants to be close to his mother. So, I have to lose my dad because of it?"

I didn't know what to say to that.

"You know what I think?" Andy quizzed me abruptly.

"No. What?"

"Well, you care about Fillmore, right?"

"I guess you could say that."

"Well, then maybe, you should spend some time with him, even if he is a little messy. I mean, if you care about someone, you should spend as much time with them as possible, right?"

"You're thinking about your dad, aren't you?" I assumed.

Andy nodded. "I mean, my dad's not perfect either, but he is my dad and I love him." She nodded. "I didn't want to come on this vacation. I wanted to spend what little time I have left with my dad. But Mom insisted that we all needed to get to know each other better."

I decided I liked this kid. I thought it would've felt strange confiding in a stranger like this, but maybe it was because she was a stranger that it didn't feel strange. After all, I was never going to see her again after this vacation. I'd be more embarrassed talking to my friends because I see them every day. I suspected that she felt the same way.

"Well, here it is", Andy announced all of a sudden.

I had never seen this part of the island before, but I was sure that this was the quiet spot where McQueen and Sally had gone on our first day here. It was a quiet little beach hidden away by a large pile of rocks. There was not another soul around.

"I don't want to get in your way", Andy informed me. "And I just want to read too, so I guess I'll see you later." She headed a little further up the beach.

Smiling, I returned to my book and enjoyed the peace and quiet.

After an hour or so, I was in the mood for some real company, even if I wasn't ready to head back to my friends and all of their dramas.

Funnily enough, Andy seemed to know that. It was like the kid had a sixth sense or something.

"Do you wanna go for a stroll or do you still want to read?'"

"No. A stroll sounds like a good idea."

The two of us made our way down the beach. I didn't have much to say, but I let Andy talk about her life in Canada; her fears about moving to Germany and hobbies and interests.

The more time I spent with Andy, the more I liked her. She was the most mature ten-year-old I had met in years and she was smart, considering how she gave her opinion on my fight with Fillmore. Not only that, but I never expected to have so much in common with a ten-year-old girl, but it turned out we did. We both liked hiking, reading and history.


Finally, as the sun began to descend, she gasped. "Shoot! I promised myself mom I'd be back by sunset! I'd better hurry."

"I'll go with you", I offered.

She smiled at me gratefully. "Thanks."

The sun was just beginning to set as Andy knocked on the door to her room, number 1026.

"Sorry I'm late!" she greeted her mother breathlessly.

"It's okay, sweetheart. I wasn't worried yet." She glanced at me. "You're one of Fillmore's friends, aren't you!"

I nodded.

"Well, thanks for bringing Andy back."

I couldn't help smiling just a little bit. "She was no trouble at all." Unlike some people, I thought.

"So, what are we having for dinner tonight, Mom?" Andy wanted to know.

"Well, Karl and I were going out for dinner. We were going to ask you if you would mind babysitting your brother and sister. You guys can order room service."

Andy rolled her eyes. "Great! I'm babysitting for those monsters!"

Her mother raised an eyebrow, but I gave her a sympathetic smile. "I know how you feel. I better get back to babysitting my own monsters." McQueen and Sally were still partying with their new friends, but the rest of us were planning on having dinner together. "It was nice to see you again, Sheila. Andy."

"Maybe I'll see you again tomorrow", Andy suggested hopefully.

"I'd like that." And I meant it.


It was the strangest thing. After my talk with Andy and finding out that she was going to have to say goodbye to her father, I wasn't dreading going back to my friends. I wasn't even dreading going back to my room to see Fillmore's extraordinary mess. I supposed she was right. You never know just how much or how little time you have left with someone. I should've remembered that from the many friends I lost in the war. I should've remembered that from Fudge's accident. It almost made me understand why Luigi was so protective of her. Maybe none of those things were so bad after all.

"Excuse me, Sergeant?"

I turned around to find Gabe chasing me to the elevator.

"I'm glad I caught you!" he announced breathlessly. He took a breath. "Listen, I hate to have to bring this up, but one of the maids has complained about the mess in your room again."

I clenched my jaw. This was beyond humiliating for me. My whole life, I have prided myself on neatness and order. Now, the damn hippie was making me look bad, as well as himself.

Trying hard not to lose it at Gabe, I also took a breath. "I know. I'll take care of it."

Gabe smiled politely. "I'm sure you will."


By the time I got to my room, I was livid. Fillmore was just parked casually in the middle of the room, in the middle of all that mess, leafing through a guidebook.

"What do you have to say for yourself?!" I demanded.

He looked up at me, confused. "What?"

"Do you like pissing me off?! Or do you just not care if you do?!"

"What's this about, man?" Fillmore wondered.

"Remember how one of the maids complained about your mess?!"

"Yeah?"

"And you said you'd take care of it?"

"Yeah?"

I groaned and rolled my eyes. "Have I not been clear enough already where this is going?"

"Yeah, I'll get to it later." He waved a tyre at me dismissively and went back to his book.

I rolled my eyes again. "By later, you mean never."

"Look, man, we're on vacation. You need to relax. Besides, mess is a part of life. You should just embrace it."

I'd had it. I'd had more than enough of listening to this crap! I swept what little items he had put away properly onto the floor.

Fillmore looked shocked. "What are you doin', man?"

"I'm embracing it!" I shouted.

"This isn't what I-" he began.

"Oh, it's fine! It's a part of life!" I tipped one of my suitcases over, letting all of its contents spill on the rug.

"You've gone crazy, man!"

"What?! I'm only doing what you're telling me to do!" I mimicked his deep voice. "'Just relax, man! I'll get to it later.'"

I made a dash for the bathroom where I pulled out the entire roll of toilet paper and let it drape across the floor.

"Sarge, stop!" Fillmore cried. "You're scarin' me, man! I'll clean up my mess right now! And I won't give you any more trouble! I promise!"

I laughed, only it didn't sound right. "Doesn't matter! We're on vacation, remember?!" I seized all of the little shampoo and conditioner bottles and hurled them across the room.

"Please stop!" Fillmore begged.

"What?! Does the mess bother you?!" I opened up the bottle I was holding and poured all of the shampoo onto the rug. "Look! I'm loosening up! This doesn't even bother me!"

I expected Fillmore to beg me to stop again, but he didn't. He wasn't even looking at me anymore. He was just staring at a spot somewhere behind me with a horrified look on his face. I stopped what I was doing and, very slowly, I turned around.

Right behind me, where Fillmore was looking, were Flo, Ramone, Mater, Luigi, Guido, Fudge, Gabe and one of the maids. Not one of them said anything. They were all just staring at me as if I'd lost my mind. That's when I realised that that was exactly what it looked like.

Uh-oh! Poor Sarge! XD

I know this chapter wasn't very interesting (except for the ending); I just thought it would be cute for Sarge to become friends with one of the kids.

Please review.