If you've seen my profile, you might be surprised to hear from me. (If you haven't seen my profile, please do. I made an announcement there.) Despite what I said, I am determined to at least finish this story. I didn't have many ideas for this chapter, so it's quite short, but very important.
Chapter 21- Reconciliation
Luigi's POV
Dear Uncle Topolino,
Everything is wonderful.
Ciao!
Luigi
"Guido! This was a setup!" I shouted disbelievingly as Fudge came out of the bathroom. I still had no desire to talk to her. I started to leave.
"Wait, Papà!" Fudge cried, chasing after me.
I did not wait. Why should I? She had not apologised for what she had done and she had really hurt me.
I suppose by now, you are wondering what she did. Well, I will tell you, as long as you promise not to tell Fudge.
You see, after she went on a helicopter ride with McQueen and Mater, I decided to wait for her. I wanted to make sure she was all right and that she took her medication. Unfortunately, while I was waiting for her...
Fudge climbed out of the helicopter. I was sure that she had seen me and her face took on a look of disgust.
"Unbelievable!" she exclaimed, storming off into the sand dunes.
"Fudge!" McQueen called, chasing after her. "Fudge, wait!"
"No!" she yelled. "I've had it!"
"With what?"
"Him!"
"He has a name", McQueen reminded her sharply.
"He's such a baby!" was her response.
"Fudge!" McQueen shouted in disbelief. "Don't you think you're being a little unfair?"
"Isn't he?!" she retorted. "I can't have any fun without him freaking out every little thing! He's ruining everything! I guess Uncle Sarge isn't the only killjoy around here!"
I could not believe how rude she was being. I was just trying to keep her safe and healthy and this was the thanks I got! I thought she understood that. Now, I knew how she really felt.
"Now, wait a minute, Fudge Rossi-Topolino", McQueen scolded her. "What about your fears? I know for a fact that you still freak out if your dads go to the bathroom in the middle of the night 'cause you think they're not coming back. And we can't use candles or stoves around you. Do any of us criticise you for it? No! We don't! He's only worried because he cares!"
I smiled softly, despite how hurt I was feeling. I appreciated McQueen sticking up for me.
"Or he just wants to ruin my fun!" Fudge shot back. "If he wants to be a worrywart and ruin his own vacation, fine! He can do that! Why does he have to ruin it for me too?! He's just a selfish jerk like that! And I don't wanna see or talk to him!"
Fine! I thought. If that was the case, then I didn't want to see or talk to her either.
Now, though, she seemed upset that I refused to talk to her. Worse, she insisted that did not know what she had done. That was why I still did not want to talk to her.
"Papà, we need to talk!" Fudge informed me breathlessly.
"Actually, no we don't", I stated drily.
"I really think we do!" she insisted.
"I have nothing to say to you."
"You won't even tell me why you're so mad at me?"
"I should not have to tell you", I pointed out, losing my patience. "You should know."
"Well, I don't. Look, whatever I did, I'm sorry!"
I turned away from her in disgust. "How can you apologise if you did not even know why you are apologising?"
"Because you haven't told me!" Fudge exploded.
"That makes it even worse!" I declared. "It was bad enough I learn what a spiteful, ungrateful daughter I have and she does not even know how spiteful and ungrateful she is!"
Fudge looked like she'd been slapped in the face. For a moment, I felt awful, but then I remembered she made me feel awful. "Spiteful, ungrateful daughter?!" she repeated.
"Yes! I think it is very spiteful and ungrateful when someone just wants you to be safe and you call them a baby and a killjoy who wants to ruin your fun!" I snapped.
Fudge looked stunned and a little confused. "You heard that?" she murmured.
"Yes", I confirmed. "I heard. So, don't tell me you have no idea why I will not talk to you."
Fudge collapsed into a nearby chair, as if she simply could not take this information in. "I didn't know you heard that", she remarked quietly. "And I definitely didn't think you'd be this upset because of that."
"Well, I did and I am."
"But I apologised to Mater!" Fudge cried. "He forgave me!"
I closed my eyes as I held up my tyre for silence. "I don't want to hear-" Then I realised what she'd just said. My eyes sprang open in disbelief. "What did you say?"
"I apologised to Mater?" Fudge repeated, confused.
"To Mater?" I questioned.
"Yeah-" That was when Fudge realised too. Her face looked sad and bewildered. "Oh, you thought..."
I nodded, tears filling my eyes. Now, I really did feel awful. I had been ignoring my daughter and spent so long angry at her when she had not done anything to me.
Fudge had tears in her eyes too. "Oh, Papà!" she exclaimed. "I had no idea..."
"I know", I assured her gently. "How could you have known?"
"Why didn't you tell me?" she demanded, sounding hurt.
"I thought you know", I pointed out.
"You still should've talked to me", my daughter reasoned on the verge of tears. "I'm sorry your feelings got hurt, but you hurt mine too!"
"I know", I managed to choke out through my tears. "I am so sorry! I promise I will never give you the silent treatment ever again!"
"And I promise I will never get annoyed at someone who's just trying to look after me again", Fudge added.
"So, you don't think I am a baby and a killjoy who ruins your fun?" I asked.
"No!" she cried. "I'll admit, it drives me nuts sometimes, but you're my Papá! It's your job to worry! Besides, with what my mom did to me, it's nice to know that someone cares."
Wordlessly, I held out my tyres and Fudge ran into them. She gave me a big hug. By then, we were both crying.
"I love you, Papà!" she sniffled.
"I love you too, angel", I whispered, kissing her forehead.
That was when the door flung open and I heard cheering. Guido was stood there with a big smile on his face. I could not help smiling too. My best friend may be quiet, but he could be very stubborn when he wanted to be. This time, I was glad he was.
"(Are you two ready to go?)" Then he saw that Fudge wasn't dressed yet. "(Obviously not. We need to leave in five minutes for our dinner reservation.)"
"(I'll get dressed)", Fudge announced, straightening up.
"(I am so sorry, Fudge)", I apologised again.
"(I'm sorry too)", she sighed. "(If I hadn't have been rude to Mater, none of this would have happened.)"
When Fudge emerged from her room, she looked beautiful wearing a black dress with strawberries printed on it. Once I brushed her hair, she looked even more beautiful. I was so happy to have her back and not have to be angry at her anymore.
"You know, I saw something pretty crazy earlier", Fudge began with a smile on her face as we headed out the door.
"Yes?" I encouraged her to continue.
"I saw you Parasailing!" she informed me in disbelief.
I smiled too as I recounted the whole story.
Less than an hour later, we were with the others on a boat, riding the waves as I ate one of the best meals I have ever eaten in my life. Normally, I do not like to ride boats, but this time, I was so happy, I barely noticed the waves.
"I'm glad to see you two made up", Flo commented to Fudge and me.
"Yeah", Fudge agreed, popping another forkful of food in her mouth.
"So am I", I added, smiling.
"So, why were you so mad at her?" Ramone wanted to know.
"It is a long story", I began. I told them the whole story.
"So, this whole time, you were mad at her for no reason?!" Sally realised, laughing.
I was about to tell her that it was not funny, but I supposed it was. "Yes!" I laughed.
Next to me, Fudge was giggling. Soon, we were all laughing.
"But now", Flo spoke up, "I think we've spent too much time on this vacation mad at each other."
"Yeah, we've only got three days left before we have to go home", McQueen added.
"I wanna go back to Action World one more time", Fudge announced. "And do some more swimming!"
"I want to go to the beach one more time", Sally put in.
"I have a few more local animals I want to find", Fillmore added.
I smiled. What did I want to do?
"I want to spend as much time as I can with my family", I declared.
We had big plans.
Only two chapters left! I hope you enjoyed! :)
