CHAPTER 4: SAYING "HI" TO MARIE

As the rest of the gang was trying to figure out the new mini golf course and its flaws, Peppermint Patty, Franco, Yasmine, and Polly paid a visit to Patty's mom's gravesite. Patty wanted to show her future stepsisters her mother's final resting place. It meant so much to her as she would always pay it a visit every year. This particular day, everyone brought flowers to it. They laid the flowers at her gravestone.

"Hey, mom," Patty began. "Wanted you to meet some new kids. You've met Franco, but the two girls with me is Yasmine and Polly. Dad is engaged to their mother Colleen. She's a nice woman, beautiful, as well. You'd be happy for dad that he has finally found someone. While nobody could replace you, I am glad he's finally found love again. And Yasmine and Polly here are great girls. You'd be happy to know that I finally got a mother, even though you're not able to be here. And even though I never got the chance to meet you, I am glad to be a part of you, and will always be a part of you. But now I have that mother I wanted for years. And I will always come to see you. But now I do have that mother figure that I was lacking all this time. You won't have to worry about me. Dad has been doing a good job raising me, and now he has Colleen to help out. I love you, mom, and one day we will be together finally."

After speaking, Patty wiped a tear from her eye. Yasmine walked up to Patty and said, "When we get back, can you show us pictures of your mom?"

"Sure, Yas, I can do that," Patty replied. And they all went back home. Patty shared photos of Marie and Richard years before she was born, and one of the final pictures of her pregnant with Patty.

Later that day, Peppermint Patty, Marcie, and Claudia were at the wall discussing the day's events. All had a story to tell. In the case of Marcie and Claudia, it was about the mini golf place.

"That place was insane, sir!" said Marcie. "And not in the good way. None of the holes were accessible to the golf balls."

"My boss was furious w-with the construction c-c-crew," added Claudia. "Everyone w-wanted their money b-back."

"Well I took the girls to see where my mother was buried," said Patty. "Then we looked at pictures of her and my father when she was still alive. They were intrigued by how she looked. They agreed she was beautiful."

"Well, I'm happy that you will have a mother figure in your life, sir," Marcie replied. "Anyway, is everyone up for some Joe's?"

"Definitely," said Claudia.

"Yeah, I am a bit hungry," added Patty. "We can see if the gang is there, too." And they all left for Joe's Café.

At the restaurant, Charlie Brown and Frieda, Linus and Eudora, and Lucy and Schroeder were there. Skylar was out of town, so Claudia went solo. Marcie would meet up with Franklin there and Patty had just called Franco to meet up with her. Snoopy was scarfing down Joe Burgers one after another.

"I worry about your dog, hun," said Frieda. "I wonder if he will get a stomachache from all those burgers."

"If he does, it'll serve him right for being so greedy," Charlie Brown replied. Patty, Marcie, Claudia, Franco, and Franklin, along with Yasmine and Polly, all walked over to the group.

"Heya, gang!" Patty greeted.

"Hey all," said Frieda.

"How is everything?" asked Linus.

"Pretty good," said Franklin.

"Patty brought Polly and I to her mother's grave," said Yasmine.

"Really?" said Lucy. "Patricia, are you sure you wanted to subject them to that?"

"Just wanted them to know who my mother was, Lucille," Patty responded. "Oh, Chuck, Claudia, Marcie and Franklin told us about the 'great time' you guys had at the mini golf place."

"Don't remind us!" groaned Charlie Brown.

"That place was awful!" added Eudora. "No offense, Claud."

"N-none taken," said Claudia.

"We ended up at the movies," Frieda replied, "which was a better outing in my opinion."

"Well, we better order some food," said Franco. And they went to make their orders. All would talk about the day they had. Patty was happy that her soon-to-be stepsiblings were interested in her mother. Even though Patty herself never knew her mother Marie, she had heard the stories from her father about her and even watched old movies of them before she was born, so she knew she was a wonderful person. And at the same time, was glad to finally have a physical example of a mother in Colleen. She couldn't wait until the wedding.

NEXT CHAPTER: MEMORIES