Thank you to all read the last chapter, the official number of people to read the story this month is 205 here's lucky Chapter 14. As always, All rights to go their respective owners.
Part 14: The Emptiness Within
A short while later, Alvin was setting on the porch railing as he had something in his hand. By the look in his eyes, it's clear that it is something that he cares a lot for. It's a photo of the whole family having fun and enjoying themselves together. Alvin gazed the picture in his hand for what seemed like hours as he just sighed at it, after a while Dave walks outside by him without Alvin hearing him and sits down next to him to notice what he's looking at, he recongizes the photo also and smiles..
"That's probably my favorite photo of all of you guys. You had so much fun there." Dave told him, Alvin gave a quick smile, but it faded quick. Something was bothering him and he felt if anyone would know he answer, Dave would.
"Dave, can I ask you something?" Alvin looked over though his head down.
"Of course you can Alvin." Dave answered.
"Will you promise you'll give me an honest answer?" Alvin asked.
"Absolutely." Dave quickly told him. Honesty, it had become an important word lately, it seemed all the trouble caused was because of it. Alvin scuffed his feet for a couple of seconds to gather the courage to ask the question that he had been thinking. "Dave...If I was doing what Theo's doing right now...would I be as popular as he is?"
"But you are popular Alvin." Dave responded to him.
"Dave..." Alvin gloomly looked up.
Dave noticed Alvin didn't fall for that bit by trying to advert the question and make him feel better. He had to really choose his wording right to help Alvin understand.
"Alvin, all of you guys are special in your own way, and you all connect with many people in different ways, but perhaps there's something about Theodore that may connect with people in a way that perhaps the rest of you may not." But Alvin didn't understand, Alvin was head hancho. He was never in a position in anything where someone was possibly better at him in anything.
"But what does Theodore do different?" Alvin extended his arms in confusion.
"He just chooses to be himself Alvin." Dave reasoned with Alvin about these personal matters.
"Be myself? Being myself is what gets me in trouble. And now Theodore's starting to act like me." Alvin whined to him and puts his paws under his chin.
"See Alvin that's where the problem lies." Dave said which made Alvin look up. "Nobody is just a troublemaker, you just choose to cause trouble. You just want attention and there's nothing wrong with that, but you don't have to cause trouble to get attention. Just be yourself." Dave's words went straight to Alvin as Dave always knew what to say, but it was just a matter of if Alvin chose to heed those words.
"But, I don't know who I am." Alvin looked up to him, but Dave felt this was one of those rare occassions that he couldn't help one of his kids. He knew Alvin needed to find that question on his own.
"Well I can't help you with that Alvin, but I'm sure you'll figure it out." With that Dave patted his son's back and got up and headed back inside to let Alvin think his thoughts over. Alvin gazed upon the picture seeing all of them having such a great time. Although it appeared clear that Dave felt he should find out himself, Alvin had other ideas.
"I'll ask Simon. Maybe he can help me." Alvin thought to himself with his paw under his chin thinking.
XXX
"You're a troublemaker." Simon gestured to Alvin as Alvin just gave a "Really?" look.
"Yeah, I already came to that conclusion. But I need to find me, the real me...and I..." Alvin began to mumble the last couple words that Simon didn't grasp.
"I beg your pardon?" Simon questioned wanting Alvin to repeat himself.
"I neee yoo heeelllmmm." Again Alvin surled off the last words nearly shaking saying it. Simon just stared at Alvin completely befuddled as Alvin closed his eyes and...
"I NEED YOUR HELP SIMON! There, you happy?" Alvin screamed out which gave a look on Simon's face.
"Well, I may be happy once I'm done being totally shocked and confused." Simon scratched the side of his face while talking. This was a total first for Alvin, it was like Theodore saying he wasn't hungry, like Brittany saying she didn't feel pretty, like himself saying...he didn't know something. Which was almost what he felt in the matter. However, Alvin being munk enough to ask for help, Simon felt he owned his brother to give him a shot. "Exactly what do you want me to do?" Simon asked.
"You're the genius Simon, you figure it out." Alvin mockingly told him. Rather than be irritated by the remark, Simon just smiled. Being called a genius from Alvin was no small feat.
"So what exactly am I needing to help you with?" Simon wondered aloud, Alvin proceeded to lean in and whisper something into Simon's ear, when he backed off and looked at Simon...he just stood there blinking randomly until...Simon's glasses just out of the blue fell right off his face to the floor. Alvin bent down to pick them up, cleaned them off, and placed them back on Simon's face without him even moving.
"We've got a lot of work to do." Simon walked off deep in thought as Alvin stood still as Simon rubbed his paw under his chin to try figure something out and then snapped his finger which put an unsure look on Alvin's face.
XXX
A while later Simon had Alvin in a suit that looked eirely simalir, if not exactly the same to the tuxedo Alvin wore on the cruise ship a while back. Simon was dusting off anything that may have collected over time as Alvin just stood as still as possible with his arms extended out.
"So you wanna impress Brittany? I never would have believed you had it in you Alvin." Simon proclaimed which brought a chuckle to Alvin.
''Yeah, neither did I. So what do I have to do next Si?" Alvin asked as he adjusted his tux to be more comfortable.
"You be yourself." Simon told as he walked off to grab Alvin's black bowtie.
"But what is that Simon?" Alvin repeated from before as Simon began to work on his tux again. "I don't know Alvin. You have to figure that out." Simon told him now working on Alvin's tie.
"What! That's what Dave told me. That's why I came to you." Alvin slouched which Simon then made stand up straight again.
"All I can do is make you look as nice and respectable as possible, but the only chipmunk who can help find the real you...is you." Simon declared to him as finished Alvin's bowtie and spun him around infront of their minature mirror as Alvin was impressed at the work his brother did for him.
Jeanette and Eleanor were with Brittany in their bedroom as they were in discussion with one another. They had their heart to hearts quite often, but this particular one had a different feel to it as Brittany had both paws under her chin to rest her head on.
"Oh, that Alvin! Everything has to be about him." Brittany pouted. Alvin's ego did bug him, but when it came to his brother, she felt concerned that he didn't seem more supportive to him; even if Theodore was starting to act strange.
"Isn't that what you like about him though Brittany." Jeanette asked her though which Brittany then looked up at them.
"Not like this though." She shook her head. "He doesn't even care what's happening to his own brother."
"He probably just doesn't know how to handle it." Jeanette replied trying to defend her friend.
"None of us really do." Eleanor followed up. Brittany thought hard about it, but it just made her head hurt.
"He just doesn't seem to care though. I just wish he would show he does." She sighed, Eleanor and Jeanette then looked at one another and felt they needed to do something to help her.
XXX
After while, Jeanette and Eleanor were walking together down the hall, they were trying to figure out what they could do for Brittany.
"We need to think of something." Jeanette told her younger sister as both continued to walk along.
"But what?" Eleanor responded, just then they both by Dave's bedroom and glimpsed Simon and Alvin as Simon was still dusting the tux off making look as clean as possible cleaning up around Alvin bottom. The girls started giggling which freaked Simon and Alvin thinking that Brittany spotted them as Alvin bolted under the bed and Simon turned around noticing who it was and sighed.
"It's just you two. Alvin, you can come out." With that, Alvin slowly came out from under Dave's bed, of course doing so collected some dirt and dust again. Simon sighed again. "Back to the mirror Alvin." Alvin then sighed also and extended his arms again as Simon proceeded again. Jeanette and Eleanor were both scratching their heads about what was going on and they walked in to investigate.
"What are you guys doing?" Eleanor asked.
"I...wanted to do something special for Brittany. I asked Simon if he could help me." Alvin said looking at the two of them in the reflection of the mirror set up. The looks they gave were about as shocked as the ones Simon gave, but it worked out because they could all work together to help Alvin.
"We'll help too!" Jeanette delightly said, which Eleanor looked up to her and then nodded to the boys which they smiled to.
"Thanks guys." Alvin said with a smile. Eleanor then got an idea and took off and ran into the kitchen and looked for some things she could use. Being chipmunks, Dave always bought a good share of nuts for the kids if they wanted to; everything from peanuts to pecans. She then got an idea of what she wanted to make for them. It was then Jeanette's job to keep Brittany company so she wouldn't find out what was going on and Simon would help decorate the kitchen table.
XXX
As the evening came closer, Brittany was in their bedroom working on her hair like she always did still with no clue of what was going to happen. Simon and the girls looked at the work they had did standing on the table. Eleanor then came up with a warm Pecan Pie for the two to enjoy, Alvin caught a whif of it and it smelled to die for. Eleanor then placed it on the table to cool as they looked at the work.
"Great job girls. Well done indeed." Simon said in admiration. "But now how do we get Brittany out here?" He asked to Jeanette and Eleanor. The two of them chuckled.
"You just have to think like a girl Simon." Jeanette told him. Just then they heard Brittany in the background.
"Where's my nail polish?" Brittany called to any random person to hear her.
"And that's our cue to scram." Eleanor giggled out as they both pulled Simon off to get away. Brittany was walking around in the hallway looking for anyone seeing no soul in sight as she called out. Brittany walked to the end of the hallway where her nail polish sat so ironically by the end connecting the hallway and the kitchen together.
"How did this get here?" Just as Brittany finished the question, the lights dimmed in the kitchen in front of her and she noticed the candles lit up as she looked utterly confused to what she was looking at. Just then, she saw someone walking out from behind the bottom of the counter wearing a white tuxedo; by the tan gleem in his eyes, she could tell who it was.
"Alvin?" Brittany said in shock.
"H...Hiya Brit." Alvin waved to her. "I noticed that thee uh...kitchen was set up, and I thought maybe...uh...well, you know...you and me...uh..." Alvin stired off as Brittany smiled.
"Are you asking me out to dinner Alvin?" Brittany said with a sly grin on her face. Alvin started to sweat a little.
"Uh maybe." Alvin replied shrugging his shoulders.
"But I don't have anything to wear Alvin..." Brittany told him which Alvin then grabbed something from behind the counter and pulled Brittany's golden dress that she had worn once before which she gazed upon with a smile. "Now I do."
There is Chapter 14, Chapter 15 will be out as soon as I possibly can. So stay tuned.
