CHAPTER 5: LEARNING TO LET GO

After meeting with Violet, Charlie Brown had a better understanding of why she was the way she was towards him. She had actually changed for the better. He knew that Marcie would have a forgiving nature, and Sally would at least show respect to Violet, even if she particularly didn't care for her. It was the rest of the gang that would need convincing. They also severed ties with her after the incident at the party, and Patty, while never really hating Violet, kept her distance, as well. But when Violet told Patty she did see Charlie Brown, and he forgave her, she was warmer to her than anyone else would have been. Violet also told her what she told Charlie Brown about her cousin Muriel and what she had done to her. Patty also knew Muriel, but she never tried anything with her, mainly because Patty wasn't around her that much. To say she was shocked and shaken by that news was an understatement, and like Charlie Brown, gave Patty a new understanding about why Violet did the things she did.

Charlie Brown, Sally, Marcie, and Linus were all at the Brown's house discussing the whole situation. Charlie Brown trusted them to share what Violet told him.

"It all makes sense now," said Linus. "Her abuse of you aside, Charlie Brown, she also acted promiscuous at school and was a huge flirt. Even when she was dating Shermy, she would often have sex with other guys behind his back. Maybe because of what her cousin did to her is why it messed her up."

"I was her punching bag, I guess you could say," said Charlie Brown. "Had I known what was happening earlier, I might have understood why sooner."

"She never let on what was going on though, Charles," said Marcie. "It crippled her and made her numb to love. Even when Shermy broke up with her, she didn't cry over it, nor was she particularly broken up when he and Tracy started dating."

"Maybe she was more messed up than you were, Charlie," said Sally. "While she never attempted to take her own life like you did, she had it much worse and dealt with worse."

"You're probably right, Sally," agreed Charlie Brown. "In a way, the plot she cooked against me that night of the party was finally the catalyst of getting us both help in two different ways, indirectly. For me, it was getting some counseling and leaving for Alaska for a fresh start. For her, it was her mother pulling her out of school and sending her to that Catholic school and her getting her own counseling."

"Well, I just hope Violet continues on her road to redemption," said Linus.

"Amen to that," agreed Sally.

Later, at the hospital, Maureen was sitting with Silas, who was asleep in his bed. He wasn't waking up as often as he was before. She knew he was soon on his way out. Her husband's impending death aside, she worried about what would become of the barber shop after his passing. There was his top barber who knew what he was doing as far as running the shop went, but Silas had hoped that Charlie Brown would take over the family business after he either retired or passed away. But he had his own life in Anchorage and he made it clear that he'd never live in Sparkyville again. But with the recent events like reuniting with Marcie, the coming to terms with the party incident, and seemingly making peace with his sworn enemy Violet, Charlie Brown may have begun having a change of heart. It was too soon to tell, but both Silas and Maureen remained hopeful.

As Maureen took a nap herself, exhausted from the situation, she heard some shaking going on in Silas's bed. She woke up to see him convulsing. She panicked.

"NURSE!" she shouted. "SOMETHING IS GOING ON WITH MY HUSBAND!" And the nurses rushed to Silas's room.

"Get the doctor!" the head nurse told another nurse, who left to look for his doctor. To Maureen, she said, "Mrs. Brown, you'll have to leave the room. You should call your kids." And another nurse escorted Maureen to the waiting room.

END OF PART 5