And, once again, time ticked on and the day began to draw to a close. The hams were busy packing up what was left of the food, and preparing to go home. Stan was wringing out the corner of the blanket that he'd used to dry himself off with.
"That'll be okay, thanks." Said Pashmina behind him. He jumped up, startled.
"Ah!" He yelped. "You scared me." He smiled, a slightly embarrassed look on his face. "I think I got most of the water out. Though you might need to hang it out to dry or something." He helped her roll it up, and handed it over. "And thanks again." He added. He leaned towards her, and dropped his voice slightly. "Did I really make THAT big a fool of myself?" He asked.
"Well," Pashmina started. "It could have been worse." She giggled. "But it was pretty funny." She laughed harder.
"Oh thanks." Said a slightly disheartened Stan. The other hams were all standing up, preparing to leave. Oxnard and Hamtaro were chatting away, when a worried look came over Oxnard's face.
"Uh-oh. It's Boss." He said, pointing along the path. Hamtaro stopped and looked round.
"What does he want now?" He asked.
"Well that depends on what kinda mood he's in now, don't it?" Said Howdy. "Could be, he's here to apologise. Course, he could be here to do yer other eye in too!"
"Really not cool, Howdy." Said Sandy. "That's not helping." Bijou took hold of Hamtaro's hand.
"Let us just see what he wants." Said Bijou firmly. Boss seemed to have noticed that the Hams appeared to be waiting for him, and he quickened him pace slightly. He reached the group, and Hamtaro could see he looked tired.
"Er, hi guys." He said. There was an awkward silence.
"Hi, Boss." Replied Cappy, glancing round the group anxiously. Hamtaro turned to Bijou and nodded. Letting go of her hand, he stepped forward.
"Hi Boss. Bad night's sleep?" He asked.
"Something like that." Muttered Boss. "Look. I'm here, well, to apologise." The group all looked slightly relieved.
"Well, ok, Boss. I'll accept your apology." Answered Hamtaro, holding out his paw to shake Boss's hand. Boss instead looked down at it.
"Apologise to you? I meant to the others for kicking them out of the clubhouse yesterday." He looked over at Bijou, then back to Hamtaro. "Why would I owe you an apology?"
"What?" Cried Hamtaro. "How about saying sorry for attacking me!"
"Oh, you deserved it. Bijou is mine Hamtaro, not yours."
"You can't own her, Boss! She's a person, not some object. She doesn't love you, Boss."
"She could have done if you hadn't moved in around here!"
"Well maybe if you'd actually managed to ask her ages ago we wouldn't be here!"
"I was waiting for the right moment!"
"You were too scared to do it yourself. You even tried to get me to help you!"
"Oh, I've had just about enough of you, Hamtaro!"
"Oh yeah? Well…"
"Stop it, both of you!" Cried out Bijou, tears in her eyes. "Stop it. I'm tired of all this fighting. Just…" She sniffed. "Oh, you're both as bad as each other!" She shouted, and pushed past them, dashing off down the path.
"Bijou!" Cried out Hamtaro. Sandy and Pashmina came forward.
"We'll go after her." Said Sandy.
"Right. Come along Penelope." Added Pashmina.
"I'm coming too." Said Hamtaro. Pashmina put up her paw.
"No, Hamtaro. She needs time to cool off. We'll look after her." And with that the three ham-girls dashed off after Bijou. Hamtaro looked around.
"Oh…" He began. Then, suddenly, he dashed off along the path, in the opposite direction to Bijou. Oxnard watched him.
"Wow, he didn't look good." He commented. "I'd best go after him." He looked up at Boss for a second, then ran off after Hamtaro. The other hams looked at Boss, who hung his head sheepishly.
"I only wanted to apologise." He said, eventually.
"Well you're apologising to the wrong people, Boss." Maxwell said.
"He's right, Boss." Added Stan. "You see, we understand you're angry, but it can't be helped Boss. Hamtaro's got the girl. They're in love." Boss looked down at his feet again. "You've got a choice, Boss," he continued, "You can either give her up, and make up with the pair of them, or," he paused. "Or, you can cling to a stupid fantasy and end up a lonely Ham."
"It's not that easy…" Began Boss.
"Well, maybe not, but you'll have to try, Boss. You're strong. It's time to move on." Said Maxwell.
"I think I'm going to need to sleep on this…"
"Well, alright, Boss, but don't leave it too long. The longer this goes on the more damage it'll do."
"Maybe you're right, Dexter, but…"
"Oh, heck Boss," piped in Howdy. "Sleep on it, and I hope ya come to the right decision." He pointed over to Snoozer under the tree. "And would ya mind taking him back to the clubhouse? I don't know how ya could ever put up with that snoring." Boss laughed a little.
"You get used to it," he said.
……
Oxnard ran along the path.
"Hamtaro, wait!" He called. He began to catch up as Hamtaro stopped by a tree, panting. "You shouldn't run off like that, Hamtaro," said Oxnard. "Hamtaro, are you alright?" Hamtaro turned round, tears in his eyes.
"Oh, Oxi, it's all my fault. I never should have asked Bijou out in the first place." He wiped the tears out of his eyes. "And now I've blown it with Bijou totally, I know I have."
"Oh come on," said Oxnard, trying to be positive. "She'll forgive you…"
"No she won't," cried Hamtaro. "Oh, if only Boss could just be happy for us. Even if Bijou does forgive me, it'll only end up going wrong again somewhere…" Hamtaro broke down again in tears. Oxnard looked at his friend, sadly.
"Well just when I thought things were getting back to normal…" He said to himself…
……
Boss opened the clubhouse door, carrying Snoozer on his back. Closing the door with his free paw, he walked over to a corner and gently lowered Snoozer down.
"…That's better." He muttered in his sleep, before snoring again. Boss walked around in silence, and got ready for bed. Sitting down on his bed, he opened his desk drawer. Inside was a small picture of Bijou he'd clipped out of one of the issues of the Ham-Ham Times, in a little picture frame. He placed it down by his bedside lamp, and switched it off. Laying in the dark, eyes wide open, Boss sighed, deep in thought.