Gideon Grey took a deep breath and slowly let it out as he parked his van on the curb. He picked his phone out of his pocket and looked at it, double-checking the address.

"Well, this's the place," Gideon said to himself, triple-checking the address before putting the phone back in his pocket. The engine rumbled to a halt as he turned the key. He opened the door and paused for a full minute before moving again.

His therapist said it would be good for him, he thought. Also, that the first one would be the hardest. The red fox slowly got out of his van and approached the driveway of the tidy, orderly house. He noted a neat, trimmed lawn. But enough stalling. He felt like his heart was going a mile a minute as he cautiously brought his paw up to the door, hesitated, and knocked softly on it.

Many seconds later, there was no response. He grit his teeth and squinted his eyes shut, knocking a little harder. Still, nothing. He felt an odd, contradictory feeling of both panic and relief at this, but then his eye caught sight of a doorbell as he was turning to leave. He almost didn't want to press it.

BING-BONG.

The sound sent reverberations of fear through Gideon. Even more sprung to life when he actually heard hoofed footsteps coming toward the door. He frantically bat at his hair a bit to make sure it was in place, then held his hands behind his back. The door creaked open to reveal a blue-eyed black sheep. Gideon supposed she looked somewhat fetching for a sheep.

"Ah, hello Sharla," Gideon said. He was pretty sure he could hear his own pulse in his ears.

"Who-?" Sharla had a curious expression, then it morphed to one of clarity and surprise. "Gideon Grey? No."

"Yes indeed, ma'am," Gideon nodded. Sharla's expression changed again to one of anger.

"You've gotta lot of nerve showin' your face 'round here!" Sharla accused, thrusting a finger at him.

"Ah, yes ma'am," Gideon nodded, bowing his head. He certainly had a lot of nerves at that moment.

"What do you want?" Sharla put both of her hands on her hips and looked at him with skeptical, judging eyes.

"I just want- I'd just like to say ah-," Gideon had practiced this speech many times, but he felt like the words were fleeing from his head. He took another deep breath to focus. "I'd like to say, Sharla, that I'm sorry for the way I behaved in my youth. I- uh, I- had a lot of self-doubt that manifested itself as unchecked rage and aggression."

Sharla stared at him in abject disbelief.

"..I- I- I was a major jerk," Gideon added.

"Heck, I know that!" Sharla dismissively flicked her hoof. "Whatcha tellin' me for!?"

"I just, I," Gideon stammered, fumbling with his hands. "I thought it'd be proper to luh-let you know that I regretted my former course a' life."

"Bull roar!" Sharla balled up her fists. "You're only here cuzza yourself. S'matter?" She thrust her fists into her hips. "Y'had a reckoning with the divine or somethin'? Changin' your ways? Well let me tell you: ain't nobody up there-" she gestured to the sky, "care about a dumb fox like you!"

The words stung him and did nothing to lower the fox's anxiety. Gideon swallowed hard and nodded. "I- I appreciate you're probably correct on that matter, ma'am." Gideon's muzzle and eyebrows twitched a bit. "And you're right, I reckon this is more for me than for you. So maybe it seems kinda selfish that way. It's a bit of the process, I reckon. M'therapist recommended it to me."

Sharla's eyebrows turned up for a moment, then went down again. She jerked her head to the side, folding her arms. "Aw, pussy-willows. Y'all got me actin' like the bully now. Heck, I forgive you, Gideon."

"No ma'am, I'm not askin' your forgiveness," Gideon clasped his hands together. "Just, like I said, it's a bit of an emotional release." He brought a hand to his chest. "My conscience has been hurtin' me awful bad lately. Things I did as a kit..." He shook his head. "Young n' foolish. I know I can't do nothin' to make it up to you, but..." Gideon sighed again. "Just wanted to let you know I was sorry, Sharla."

"Well, shoot..." Sharla frowned. She tried to think of something to say as Gideon fumbled with his fingers. The silence was uncomfortable for both of them.

"So um..." Gideon tried to start up the conversation once more. "How are things?"

"Gideon, don't act like we're friends or nothin'," Sharla rolled her eyes up to him dryly. "I ain't gonna invite you in for sweet tea and cookies."

"Oh no, 'course not," Gideon chuckled nervously, slapping his hand through the air.

"In fact, I'm studying to be an aerospace engineer at the moment," Sharla said, running a hand through the wool on top of her head. "And I got a big exam comin' up, so-"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Sharla," Gideon shook his head, holding his hands up. "I won't take up any more of your time." The mention of cookies set off a light in his head suddenly. "Um, just one more thing if you would, ma'am. What's your favorite flavor of pie?"

Sharla looked dumbfounded by this question. "Um, if I had to put a name to one..." she tapped a finger on her chin. "I suppose it'd be apple pie. Why?"

"Just you wait right there, Sharla," Gideon said, rushing to his van. Sharla stared off at him as he retreated into his van and came back with a couple of pink boxes. Gideon, for his part, felt somewhat surprised that she hadn't yet slammed the door.

"Two apple pies for you n' yours," Gideon smiled, offering the boxes with his hands outstretched. "Hope ya like 'em."

"Well that's kind of you," Sharla said, accepting them.

"Ain't any sort of payment for redemption or nothin'," Gideon smiled, putting his hands on his stomach and bouncing on his heels a little. "It's just what I do now."

"You're a baker?" Sharla raised an eyebrow. "Can't say I saw that comin'."

"Neither did I," Gideon chuckled. "Oh! Anyway, I should letcha go. Ya want more pie, just look me up."

"Maybe I will, maybe I won't," Sharla smirked, tilting her head in a somewhat sassy manner.

"Fair 'nuff!" Gideon waved and took his leave. Sharla closed the door behind her. Gideon released a large breath as he got into his van and started it up again. To be honest with himself, he felt better than he thought he would. He hoped his next few stops would be easier, though. Gideon felt like his insides had been tied up and pinched in several places like someone making a balloon animal at the fair.

Gideon pulled off of the curb and headed out into the street, driving off.

One down, several to go, Gideon thought to himself.

He'd also heard that Judy had found her way back to Bunnyburrow from eavesdropping on a female wolf talking to someone or another at the last bakers meet he went to. Gideon scrunched his muzzle up and nodded. He'd have to find his way over to the Hopps farm soon enough to work with Stu Hopps, so he might as well head that way.

A flash of anxiety burst in his gut, but he took another deep breath to dispel it.

Part of the process, he thought.