I have a lot of fun with this story. Wish I wrote it more!
Why would Uncle Donald keep such a massive secret? It was all Dewey could think about for the next few days. He grilled Webby about it but there was a lot she didn't know either. There was one thing for certain, though, everything had fallen apart when their mom had disappeared.
Della was so fuzzy in Dewey's memory, and Louie didn't remember her at all. Mostly, Dewey didn't ask. It made Uncle Donald and Huey too sad. But now more than ever, Dewey had questions and he was just waiting for an opportunity to investigate.
Dewey thought he would have a chance on Saturday, Uncle Donald always tried to make time for them on the weekend. But on Friday he got scheduled for a shift on Saturday and immediately scrambled to find someone to watch his boys while he worked.
"I can watch them," Huey had offered, somewhat reluctantly.
"It's not your responsibility, Huey. I want you to be able to just enjoy your weekend. I'll call Mrs. Beakley."
Dewey wouldn't mind more time with his new bestie, but he was worried he wouldn't get to ask any of his pressing questions.
One phone call later, Donald came back with the verdict, "Okay, Mrs. Beakley is busy, but she works with the local Woodchucks Troop Leader, and since you used to be in scouts he said you could tag along for tomorrow's meeting."
"So you're just passing us off to some random stranger? What if he's a serial killer?" Louie protested, laying on the dramatics a little thick. Huey, on the otherhand, looked giddy.
"Oh, hush, I am not leaving you with a serial killer. Just stick with the group and try to behave, it'll be fun. I'll pick you up at the end of the day and we'll get ice cream."
Now both Louie and Huey were excited, but Dewey still felt uneasy. At some point, this secret was going to explode out of him.
Dewey was pretty sullen Saturday morning. Louie was barely awake, Huey was alert and talking eagerly with their babysitter, Launchpad McQuack. Huey had been the one in scouts, Dewey had never gotten the chance. He'd thought it seemed cool, but it had always clashed with Donald's schedule. So had piano class, basketball, karate, and half a dozen other extracurriculars that Dewey had been interested in.
Resentment reared its ugly head then. If Donald had reached out to Scrooge for help, then maybe life would have been easier for all of them. Maybe Huey wouldn't have been so burnt out, maybe Louie wouldn't feel the need to steal, and Dewey would have learned to tap dance. He could've made so many friends if he knew how to tap dance.
"We're here," Launchpad said gleefully, parking a little questionably at a campsite.
"Huey, would you like to help me lead the troop today? You clearly know the guidebook inside and out."
Huey was practically vibrating from excitement. "May I?"
"Of course, I'd love to have a second-in-command."
"You can count on me. Come on, Dewey, come on, Louie."
Louie grumbled sleepily, but Dewey remained silent, still fuming over all the little what-ifs.
Huey was too excited to notice Dewey's mood, but Launchpad picked up on it right away. He set Huey and Louie to work prepping for the incoming Woodchucks and then popped a squat next to Dewey.
"Not a fan of scouting?" Launchpad guessed.
"I've never done it."
"Well, I bet when you give it a chance you'll have a lot of fun."
"Yeah, sure."
Launchpad studied him for a minute, "Ah, something else is on your mind. You want to talk about it?"
Dewey really, really did want to talk about it. And since he couldn't talk to his brothers or Uncle Donald, he decided to take Launchpad up on his offer.
"Do you work for Scrooge McDuck?" If he worked with Mrs. Beakley, like Donald had said, then he would have to work for Scrooge, right?
"I do! I'm his driver, and I'm trying to get promoted to pilot."
"What's he like?" What would he have to be like, for Donald to have run away from him so easily?
"He's…. Reserved. I don't know him very well, but I've heard stories. I know he used to be a great man. I believe he still is."
"Do you know what happened?" Dewey asked, eager for answers.
"No. But it must have been terrible, to break him like that. Anyway, do you want to help me set up the campsite with your brothers?"
"Yeah, sure. Thanks for checking on me, Launchpad."
"Of course, that's what I'm here for."
Dewey got to work, thinking about Launchpad's description of Scrooge. He realized then that Uncle Donald was much of the same, a little reserved, a little broken, but still great. His anger melted away then, it hadn't really had any sticking power. How could he be angry at Uncle Donald when he was trying so hard to be there for them?
By the end of the afternoon, Dewey was feeling better but he still had more questions than he could manage. He felt the pressure building up as Huey talked about leading the troop and Louie went on about the new friend he'd made.
"I ran into an old friend myself, while I was waiting to pick you up. He said he'd be willing to watch you guys next week."
For a moment, his frustrations returned, it felt a bit like Uncle Donald was going to keep pushing them off on "acquaintances" without ever addressing the past that was becoming pretty prevalent in their present.
But he couldn't get mad at Uncle Donald for trying his best. He just needed to get a few answers.
After ice cream, while Huey went to the bedroom to update his JWG and Louie turned on some old princess movie in the living room, Dewey grabbed Uncle Donald's guitar and cornered him in the kitchen/dining room.
"Can you help me with a chord progression?" Dewey asked, holding back his questions at first.
"I'd love to."
For a few minutes they focused on the music, and Dewey was almost content to leave things there. But he couldn't let go of his curiosity as easily as he'd let go of his resentment.
So finally he blurted out, "Uncle Donald? Why didn't you tell us about your Uncle Scrooge?"
