CHAPTER 5: FRANCO MAKES PLANS
Later that night, Charlie Brown and Frieda were in the backyard watching Snoopy, Woodstock, and Gracie play with Hops and Claire Montana's kangaroo Snowflake. Both were still reeling from the fallout between Peppermint Patty, Franco, and Zac. They decided to spend some time by themselves and away from the drama for a bit. But what had transpired was on both of their minds.
"I'm worried, baby," said Frieda.
"About Franco?" asked Charlie Brown.
"Both him and Patty. It's Dominick, Cobra, and Mallory all over again. And it's only been over a month since that unfortunate event happened."
"It almost happened to us, as well. Remember when Peggy Jean tried to win me back?"
"Yeah, but at least with you, and Dominick, you both didn't take the bait."
"But Peggy Jean did get the message. It took Mallory getting in serious trouble with the school and her folks to see the light. And as far as Zac, well, I do worry that Patty's going to hurt him, too, though unlike Franco, I don't think that's her intention."
"Come again?"
"I think she reacted bad with Franco and was still upset that she let herself get kissed by Zac and wanted to hurt Franco. She didn't even say anything about how sorry she was that it happened. Zac, at the very least, tried to make peace. Still doesn't excuse him, but it was more than what she did."
"True. I just hope things work out for the best."
"Me too, Frieda. Me too."
Later that evening, Franco was on his laptop again, but this time he was doing something else. He went on the website for the airline that brought them to Australia. He was bumping up his return flight to Sparkyville for an earlier date and trying to get the earliest available flight. He found one that left in a couple of day on the red-eye, just before the 4th of July. He booked the flight and then went to watch TV. Luckily, Peppermint Patty was out with Zac (he wondered why was she still going out with him after getting caught; maybe Zac took Franco up on his offer that "he could have her"), and it was Jadan, Andrew, Claudia, and Skylar that were watching TV. Marcie and Franklin went for a walk, and Linus and Eudora went outside and joined Charlie Brown and Frieda. Claudia looked over at Franco.
"H-How are you doing, Franco?" she asked.
"Okay, Claudia," Franco replied, dryly.
"Sorry 'bout Zac, mate," said Andrew.
"It's okay, Andrew," said Franco. "I know he's your friend. You're a good man."
"For th' record," Jadan replied, "we don't agree with what he and Patty did, Franco. Yeah he's our friend an' we will still be his friend, but he did cross a line with you."
"We're on your side, Franco," added Skylar. Franco felt a little better. But he didn't want to see Peppermint Patty anymore after what had happened. She was purposely avoiding him and shunning him after his and Zac's fight. As upset as he was with that, he could have tolerated it, barely. But after seeing the two of them kissing each other, that was the nail in the coffin for their relationship, as far he was concerned. He'd stick it out until the day of his flight home arrived. And for the next few days, he would largely avoid Patty as she was him.
NEXT CHAPTER: "ICH KOMME NACH HAUSE!"*
(*) "I'M COMING HOME!"
