CHAPTER 5: ON A MISSION TO SET THINGS RIGHT
The next few days, Peppermint Patty and Linus searched for the perfect spot for Charlie Brown and Marcie to patch things up between them. They didn't want it to be where the rest of the gang would be, or where folks would tease them would be. At the same time, they wanted it to be a place where both of them could feel comfortable. Both friends talked to Marcie and Charlie Brown feeling them out and getting their moods. Charlie, for his part, was finally cooling down and not as angry with Marcie like he was when his leg was first fractured. But, at the same time, he wasn't particularly rushing to be friends with Marcie again, any time soon, either. Marcie, for lack of a better term, was miserable. While she was off punishment, it didn't matter to her, because her crush seemingly hated her and wanted nothing to do with her. She sat in her room for most days, moping around. Finally, Linus and Patty swap places and she talked to Charlie Brown, while he talked to Marcie. Patty told Charlie that Marcie was saddened about the situation with the two of them, and realized she messed up. Linus told Marcie that Charlie was more scared about her kicking him again and that he didn't hate her. He was just afraid that she would do even worse damage next time.
Patty and Linus compared their visits to Charlie Brown and Marcie. They both decided on having them meet at the park since a lot of people are there. They chose the gazeebo in the middle, since there were no bands playing there that month. Patty would have Marcie come with her, and Charlie Brown would come with Linus. Once the plan was in place, they put it into action.
One late July evening, everyone were enjoying the park. Some kids were playing ball, and others were on the playground equipment. Patty and Marcie were the first to arrive.
"What are we doing here, sir?" Marcie asked.
"Meeting up with some friends, Marcie," Patty replied, not telling her who was coming. Not too long after, Charlie Brown and Linus showed up.
"I won't be able to do too much, Linus," said Charlie Brown. "My leg is still in the healing progress."
"Don't worry, Charlie Brown," said Linus. "What we're doing won't have any strenuous activities going on." And they reached the gazeebo. Patty and Marcie joined them.
"Charles!" said Marcie, seeing the round-headed kid next to Linus.
"Marcie!" Charlie Brown said, shocked to see her there.
"Okay, you two," Patty began. "Linus and I got you two together because there's some unfinished business that needs to be tended to. Now Marcie, you realize what you did was wrong, kicking Chuck in the shin and all. But he needs to hear it from you."
"And just hear her out, Charlie Brown," Linus said to his best friend. "Even if you don't forgive her, at least give her the chance to apologize. What you do from there is all up to you."
"And you two aren't leaving until some resolution, good or bad, is reached," added Patty. "Come on, Linus. Buy a girl a hot dog?"
"Sure, Patty." And the two kids left for Charlie Brown and Marcie to settle the bad situation between them once and for all. Marcie fidgeted a little, while Charlie Brown looked around, nervously.
"So, how's your leg, Charles?" she asked, sheepishly.
"Better," Charlie Brown replied. "Look, Marcie, I-"
"Charles, I'm so sorry for kicking you in the shin, fracturing your leg!" Marcie began, getting emotional. "I know now you weren't trying to make me pay for two movies! And even if that was the case, I shouldn't have landed you in the hospital in a cast! Can you ever forgive me?!"
Charlie Brown sighed deeply. "Marcie, first of all, thank you for apologizing. Yes, what you did was bad and it cost me half of my summer."
"I see that now."
"And while my leg has healed quite well, though I'm still on the mend right now, that's not what really upset me." Marcie was intrigued. "Yes, the fractured shinbone was no picnic. You really did a number on me. And while you fractured my shinbone from your kick, you actually broke something else in the process. You really think I would take advantage of you and make you pay for two movies? You really think I'm that cruel? You know how the other kids treat me, right? I am the last person who would take advantage of anybody! Lucy would do something like that before I would. She'd be the first to admit that. But that kick fractured more than my leg. It broke something even more important to me, because you thought the worst of me. I'd expect that from some of the other girls, but you were supposed to be different. You were supposed to be the opposite of them. And them treating me bad, I'm used to that, as I expect that from them, but not you. And that hurt me more than the kick itself."
Marcie then realize the damage she had done. She broke Charlie Brown's heart. And, to him, that was the worst damage to him than the kick to the shin. While that was bad in itself, she accused him of doing something he would never do, and it hurt his feelings, as she was supposed to be the one who liked him.
"So, while I do forgive you for fracturing my shin with your kick," Charlie Brown finished, "the other thing, unlike my leg, that's going to take more time to heal." And Peppermint Patty and Linus returned, hot dogs in hand.
"So, what's the verdict?" asked Patty. Marcie started crying. "Chuck, what did you say to her?!"
"Just the truth, Patty," said Charlie Brown, calmly. "I'll talk to you later, Linus. I'm going home."
"Okay, see you later, Charlie Brown," said a concerned Linus. Charlie Brown left the park. Turning their attention to the bawling wreck that was Marcie, they wondered what she was upset about.
"I b-b-broke his heart!" cried Marcie. "He said I treated him like L-Lucille and the other girls did that day! Because I thought the worst of him when I accused him of taking advantage of me! THIS WAS ALL MY FAULT! CHARLES HATES ME!" And Marcie was inconsolable by that point. Patty hugged her. Patty realized Charlie Brown was only being honest with her, that he felt hurt over Marcie's actions. Not counting the actual kick, but her thinking the worst of him. It was then she and Linus realized that this issue between Charlie Brown and Marcie would not be an easy fix. It would be time that would heal these wounds.
NEXT CHAPTER: CHANCE ENCOUNTER
