Chapter 4: The Hidden Legacy.

Later, Blythe goes down to the store and hands over some more designs she had made to Mrs. Twombly. With a smile of gratitude, Mrs. Twombly receives them and, looking at Blythe, asks if everything is okay. Blythe pauses, internally debating whether to reveal her secret. She opts for caution, saying, "Yes, everything's fine, Mrs. Twombly. I've just been a bit distracted lately, thinking about some personal projects." Mrs. Twombly nods understandingly, suggesting that sometimes a bit of fresh air and a change of activity can help with those moments of distraction.

The next morning, as she went down to the store, she found the usual pets perky as any other morning, and calls out, "Good morning, everybody!" Not getting a verbal response, she then remembers her condition to the current state and then appeals to gestures, open arms as a sign of warm affection. The pets catch the sentiment and react properly - Zoe giving a proper curtsey, Minka blowing into the air, and Russell looking at her demurely.

At that moment, Blythe's dad enters the store and, after a warm greeting, they go up to Blythe's room together.

Meanwhile, in the day camp area, a seriously tense air hung over them.

Breaking the silence Zoe says, "Ever wondered why it's not weird to us that none other than Blythe and her mom actually knew how to speak our languages?" She concludes her thought: "It's so peculiar and special."

On this, Russell answers analytically, like he always does, "Yes, I've been thinking about it. Must be something other than ordinary, you know. Could it be something genetic, or maybe something they sort of earned?"

And then, Penny Ling props her head up with one paw, her eyes growing a little brighter.

"Maybe it's the love and kindness in their hearts," says Penny Ling, propping her head up with one paw, "You know, I've always felt a special warmth around Blythe, like she could understand the deep feelings in our heart."

And quietly to herself, and gently swaying somewhat, Minka says, "And let's remember how Blythe and her Mom were always committed to some help. Perhaps this care cracked their hearts to hearing the soulful languages."

"I like to think there's a bit of magic in all of this," spoke Sunil, unconsciously dreamy now. "As if the universe gave them power to say yes as a reward for their kindness." Vinnie exclaimed, "Well, that's got to be it! Of course, it explains why they are great balls of energy and love; it allows them to speak to us. We're lucky to have Blythe!" The pets nodded thoughtfully at the idea too, realizing that this made them feel respect once again and more grateful to Blythe and her mom. But how adapted their special ability is remains one for life to envision.

Blythe with some of the sadness but mostly hopeful energy of letting go, she said, "Dad, I can't seem to talk to the animals anymore. Suddenly, I stopped understanding them and they me."

"You know, Blythe, it means the world to you," he said, trying to comfort his daughter. "We'll figure something out; we can make that connection happen again, okay? I mean, it was kinda unique, and I'm sure there's a way."

Blythe took a long breath and finally brought up the question that she had been willing to ask her father for quite a long time. "Dad, what do you exactly know about Mom? I know it's kind of awkward and all, but there is one more thing that I would like to ask you: Do you know what had caused her death?"

Her father took a deep breath and answered, watching her with tender eyes. "Blythe, old enough now for you to learn the truth. Your mom had a heart attack when you were little."

Surprised and seeking to understand more, Blythe inquires, "But what caused it, Dad? Is there anything more you know?"

"I don't know, Blythe," Roger sighed with a voice full of despair and giving up, "It was all of a sudden and got us off our feet; no explanation can really tell us at least the first signs."

Blythe nodded, her eyes taking in all of the information like the little sponges that they were. No, she wasn't really getting an answer to the question from him, but, well, certain questions in life went unanswered, and that was that. At least he was honest.

She changes the subject to a happier subject by saying, "I have been reading her journal. Mum, apart from having fun in her youth, loved helping people, right?"

"Exactly," confirms Roger with a nostalgic smile.

Roger continued, "She was always open to going somewhere outside with friends, loved the world and observing it, along with writing a lot, participating in volunteer programs: teaching disabled children, serving in hospitals. She even had very strong beliefs in medical and scientific progress, offering herself to take a vaccine or another medicine as a test subject."

Intrigued, Blythe asks, "Do you know anything about the origin of her ability to talk to animals?"

Roger shook his head and added, "We would never be sure, really. Your mom has always been a different kind of person from the word go. She tells me she noticed that ability one day while volunteering at an animal shelter."

Blythe continued, "I saw in her journal that she mentioned her ability when she was young, but I can't figure out her age when she wrote it since the date isn't noted. Could it have emerged in her youth?"

"Maybe," said Roger, "but she had continued to explore that ability and write about it until after we got married. So, it's probably that she had fully developed it by her twenties." Finally, they warmly embraced each other, and the words of farewell loaded with love, Blythe and her father parted, both promising each other to continue the search for answers and enjoin more of the undying love.

After Dad left, Blythe dialed Youngmee's number, with an eye on the clock. She answered on the third ring, and Blythe didn't make her wait an extra second.

"Blythe, how are you feeling?" asked Youngmee, always attentive.

"Good.I want to know more about my mother. It feels like there is so much I yet don't know," Blythe pronounced heavily.

"Have you checked her journal again? Maybe there's something you overlooked," suggested Youngmee, hopeful.

"That's exactly what Russell would recommend," said Blythe with a small smile, "but there's something else that worries me. Even though my dad already knows I can talk to animals, I still haven't told Mrs. Twombly, Sue, and Jasper about my ability. I'm wondering if I should."

Youngmee said, showing her usual wisdom, "Blythe, it's your secret. If you have to tell, tell it when you feel you have to tell it. No hurry." "Thanks, Youngmee. I think I am going to try to settle this on my own first. Then I am sure that the time has come to tell everything," said Blythe with a bit of relief for the friend's support. Hanging up, Blythe stayed thoughtful and looked at her mother's journal. She had a hard road ahead, and yet, somehow, with a friend like Youngmee, she had a feeling she could take it.

She reads in bed for an hour and feels a new person with restored vigor. Only after that does she decide to go down for some time with the animals. As she descends and, yes, there's a mixture of familiar sounds—the soft conversations of pets, something she had been achingly missing.

"Is it? Can I understand.?" Blythe hesitates, almost faltering that this can't really be true. She squints and listens keenly.

"Blythe, look at this!" exclaims Vinnie, performing a spectacular spin.

"Do you like my new hairstyle?" asks Zoe, eager for her human friend's approval.

Blythe's eyes lit up. "I can understand you! OMG! You don't even know how much I missed doing this," she said, a few tears forming in her eyes, but pure happiness was in her voice.

And the room nearly swirls with happy commotion as every pet gets its chance to share and show all its excitement over being back with Blythe.

Taking this moment to reunite, Blythe shares her heart with me: "Well, although I can understand you now, still, I have the big question: how has my mom gotten the ability to talk to animals? Is it something you are born with, or maybe something more?"

Pepper suggested with her usual good humor, "Maybe it was some magic potion. Have you checked if she left any secret recipes?"

Sunil added with his mysterious thinking, "Or maybe it was a boon from some spirit animal. Perhaps you don't know the mysteries of the universe."

Penny Ling, always the most emotional, offers, "Or it could be the love and kindness in her heart. Love has special powers, you know?"

Russell, more like a realist, thinks that "it would really behoove y'all to look more into the things your mom was passionate about and the kind of stuff she would do. We know she always loved helping others. Maybe there you'll find clues." "Yes, and maybe by following her in her footsteps, you find out something terrific about you!" says Minka, the ever-enthusiastic one.

Blythe smiled at the varying ideas. "Thanks, guys. I shall have to go away and think about everything you have said. Somehow, I just know that the answer is going to be a lot closer than we realize." The pets grouped around her, giving solid support. They form a circle of friends with a circle of friendship, filled with resolve, embarking on this new adventure to find the secrets of the Blythe family legacy. This stirring conspires to fortify their resolve to plumb not just out of curiosity but rather as a way of honoring the memory and spirit of her mother.

AN: Blythe is in search of answers, so she begins to speculate about the origin of her mother's ability to talk to animals.