Donald gasped.
"Mi... Mr. Timothy Graham Bruce Stanford?"
"Yes, that's him", his uncle replied. "Why do you ask him? Do you know him?"
"Well", Donald said. "I... I have heard of him."
Scrooge was confused. "Is there something you have to say?"
"N... no, I don't", Donald replied, lying.
"Fine", his uncle said. "Then I'd like you to continue with your work. He left and close the door.
"Houston, now we have a problem", Donald whispered with a frustrated tone when his uncle was gone.
This time Fethry listened. "What's the matter Don?", he asked. "Who's Houston? Do you mean that city in Texas?"
Donald frowned. "Well, I mean... forget about it! I just dropped a famous proverb."
"From where? From the Bible?"
Donald sighed. "Please cuz. This is a serious matter!"
"OK, OK, OK!", Fethry replied quickly. "But please tell me what's wrong!"
"Alright", Donald said. "You might have missed it, but only a few minutes ago someone else entered the office room."
"Uncle Scrooge?"
"Yes and no. He just came in, but a few minutes earlier someone else entered too."
"Who?"
"Well, do you know Tim Stanford?"
"Isn't that that businessman from Australia who lives in the same street as you?"
"Yes, even though he actually is from New Zealand", Donald replied.
"But what has he done with the dude who just came in?", Fethry asked. "Are the related to each other?"
"They are the same person, you idiot!", Donald replied angrily. He couldn't help it, sounding really frustrated about the damange he may have caused just right now. Could his uncle have lost a new business partner? OK, Tim wasn't that rich. But he also knew every business partner mattered to his uncle. And now because Tim didn't know Mr. Duck's first name, Donald thought he meant Scrooge's arch enemy, John D. Rockerduck. John now possible could team up with him and make him rich. That would gain John plenty of profit. And Uncle Scrooge would be absolutely devastated and could lose his status as richest person in the world. Horrible! Of course Scrooge would be furious at Donald and force him to polish all his fimes. Even more horrible!
No, Donald couldn't let it be that way! But what could he do?
"Now now Don", Fethry said calmly, "calm down and explain it to me in a more accurate way".
"OK then", Donald replied. "He was looking for our uncle. Sadly he forgot his name and thought his first name was John or Johnny. So I thought he meant Mr. Rockerduck."
"You forgot our own uncle's name?", Fethry asked surprised.
"Of course not!", Donald growled angrily. "He didn't particulary ask where to find our uncle, he was just looking for a Mr. Duck. Since he called him John, I thought he meant Rockerduck, not McDuck. So he thought he was in the wrong street."
"Uh, oh", Fethry said, also slowly loosing his cool. "Now we are in trouble, aren't we?"
"I'm afraid yes", Donald replied. "OK, not yet, but it may very likely be the case sooner or later."
"I'm sorry", Fethry whispered.
"It's not your fault at all this time. It's mine alone", Donald replied.
"Should we inform Uncle Scrooge about that?", Fethry asked.
"Certainly not!", Donald warned. "Imagine how he is gonna react!"
"So should we remain silent?", Fethry asked.
"Well, of course we should not", Donald said, "but, dear cousin, can you please tell me how you would inform him about the bad news?"
"Well... I honestly don't know", Fethry replied, taking off his bobcap and scratching his head.
"See?", Donald said. "I totally know we are not supposed to throw this dilemma under the rug. But if none of us two knows what to do, then I would say it is best to start with our article."
Fethry nod his head. "Yep, you're right, Don."
And then they continued working on our report without taking another break until lunch break.
At lunch break both men went to get something to eat. Then the two cousins started talking about their family and friends.
"How's it going between you and Gloria?"
"Could be better", Fethry replied.
"Why?", Donald asked.
"Well, she treats me the same way as Dugan. Actually I should thank her for showing that she truly loves me, but seriously, Dugan's 4 and I'm 33! There should be a little difference, shouldn't it?"
"Well, does she show love to somebody else than you?"
"No, she doesn't."
"Well, then be glad, little cuz!"
"Yeah, you're right", Fethry admitted. "Me and her have been together for seven years now."
"Me and Daisy have been together for 21 years", Donald said.
"I know", Fethry replied. "Kinda surprising that you're still not married."
"Well", Donald replied with a sad tone. "Looks like she's in a great dilemma."
"Well, marriages have their ups and downs", Fethry comforted his old cousin. "Trust me, Don, I know that from my parents. They have been married for more than 40 years now, ever since they were teenagers. And guess what, they just don't get along."
"Not surprised", Donald replied. "And by the way, what's up with Abner?"
"I haven't heard anything from him for a while", Fethry admitted. "He is turning 40 soon."
"Be glad", Donald said.
"Glad about what?", Fethry asked. "That I don't hear anything from my only brother?"
"No", Donald replied quickly. "That you at least have heard something from him this year. I haven't heard anything from Della for nine years."
"What did actually happen to hear?", Fethry asked.
"I wish I could answer that question", Donald replied. "She just disapoeared and I'm afraid she..." His eyes started to become wet.
"And I'm afraid the very same thing happened to Mary four years ago", Fethry said, laying his arm upon Donald's shoulder. "And well, we cannot go back. It already happened."
"Thank you", Donald said, calming down. "I believe it's good to think back about the old times."
"So do I", Fethry replied. "Not all memories are good, but they definitely draw us together."
"This time I definitely agree", Donald admitted.
Then Fethry started sounding sad again. "I just wish I got along better with my parents and my brother. And I wish Dugan wasn't that chaotic." He was starting to sound upset.
Donald tried to comfort his cousin. "Well, sometimes people are just the way they are. I have experienced that from you more than enough times. But nevertheless, I don't hate you at all, even though sometimes it seems like that was the case."
Fethry smiled. "Thank you cuz."
When Fethry drove home, he started thinking. Has something changed over the last months? It indeed has. Now since Dugan moved to him, after him and Gloria picked up Dugan in a Brazil jungle, now he was in a different position than before. Now he was in a position of raising a child. Was that really fitting into him? Well, he was sure his sister would have wanted this that way. At least it helped him maturing over the past months. But he indeed had a serious discussion with grandma on his 33rd birthday. She said it maybe wasn't right for him. He was very divided on her view. One the one hand she was right that it was much stress for him, and now he had less liberty than before, however, on the other hand, it was great for him no longer to live alone in his house. Of course people visit him from time to time too, just pretty in comparison of the times he keeps visiting others. His girlfriend Gloria and him meet at least once a week. Yeah, their relationship could be a little bit better, indeed! She already has tried to kiss him multiple times, but he always avoided it. He can't help it, he seems to be scared. And he has no idea how to handle it!
For a moment or two Fethry fell to deep into thinking and lost his view over traffic. He nearly cut off another driver! "Watch out, you freakin idiot!", the other driver shouted angrily. Fethry just mumbled , "S-sorry, that was wrong from me", and headed home.
When he arrived, he felt more exhausted than usual. When he entered the house, he instantly fell down on the couch. He really needed some peace now.
"Hi Unca Fethry!"
Or maybe not that easy...
"Hi Dugan", Fethry said with a weak tone. "How was it at Grandma's farm?"
"It was awesome!", Dugan said joyfully.
"Glad to hear", his uncle said smiling weakly. "Sorry, but I've been pretty stressed today, so I need some peace if you don't mind, kiddo."
"Why?", Dugan asked. "That's boring."
"Because your uncle had a hard day", Fethry replied. "I am only duck, understand that, please, OK?"
"Can I go out and play?", his nephew asked.
"Sure thing, but not too long, OK?"
"Awesome!" Dugan ran out of the living room.
Fethry sighed. The last thing he needed right where any situations or temptations.