Chapter 1: The Loneliness Before Friendship
Felicity Hartman
Felicity was alone, again.
It hurt more than she thought it would. So many emotions swirled around inside her like a tornado.
She was at a family gathering for St. Patrick's Day. Her other six cousins had run off to the park again without her, as she didn't want to get in trouble. Her cousins always got in trouble… not necessarily from their parents, but from her grandparents' neighbors. She didn't want any part of that, as she hated being yelled at.
Instead, she was sitting on the hill in the backyard of her grandparents house which was in a senior community in Missouri. She loved her grandparents and her family, but wished her cousins wouldn't be so immature. She picked at some grass, trying to find a four-leaf clover, wondering how on Earth she was ever going to find any friends who were like her in the slightest. Felicity was autistic, which made socializing difficult for her. She was also incredibly sensitive to all her senses, honest, and blunt.
She was trying to stay calm - at least appear calm on the outside. All of the adults were inside talking, and having St. Patrick's day food. Felicity liked the snacks, but she always felt as if she were in the way. She felt like she didn't belong anywhere… not with the adults, and not with the kids. When she'd get home, she would cuddle with her plushies, and play with her slime. That always made her feel better.
The tears came down her cheeks. She tried to get them to stop, but they wouldn't. She hid behind the big pine tree, as there were several on the hill acting as a fence. She was so tired of being lonely.
She tucked in her knees under her blue skirt with pink hearts on the bottom, and hugged her knees. She put her head down, just wishing this day would end, or that something would make it better. She really just wanted to go home. Her soft, golden blonde hair caught the sunlight and made rainbow sparkles, since her eyes were full of tears.
"Pst." Someone nearby whispered.
At first she thought it was one of her cousins, but she would've recognized their voice. She didn't recognize this voice. She forgot about her crying for a moment, as she disliked it when people saw her crying.
"Huh?" she asked, looking around.
"Hey. I'm in the tree." said the same voice.
Felicity looked up, and saw a blue and white cat in the pine branches. Felicity raised an eyebrow. Was that a talking plush toy? It had a cute heart nose, and a pink star with a red heart inside it, on its white belly. Felicity scratched her head.
"I'm Proud Heart Cat, a Care Bear Cousin. You're Felicity, right?"
"Wait, you talk? H-how do you know my name?" she asked.
"A little bird told me."
"Oh. Well, that's kind of creepy. Leave me alone, please. I'm…"
"Upset from being alone?" Proud Heart finished for her.
"Yep. My cousins ran off to the park again. I don't want to get in trouble. They're so immature, who knows what kind of trouble they will certainly get into." Felicity said, and was both creeped out, and yet curious.
"Well, I have some cousins you can come and play with, and won't get in trouble. You'll like them, I promise."
"More cats, maybe in rainbow colors?"
Proud Heart smiled and said, "No, not exactly. More like a lion, penguin, and a bear or twelve… in rainbow colors."
"Wait, you're really a real Care Bear Cousin? Where have I…?" Felicity asked, and then thought to herself,"I thought they were just plush toys… speaking of, I haven't seen them in stores for a few years. I wonder why…"
"I sure hope I'm real." Proud Heart responded.
"Huh." Felicity said, and peeked out from behind the tree. "So you must be real. I could've sworn I've seen you before, but it was such a long time ago. I mean, a few years, as I'm only 12."
The adults were still having a good time. It was two in the afternoon. If Felicity left with Proud Heart, she would have plenty of time to make it back before dinner.
"It's safe. You won't get in trouble." Proud Heart said, "You aren't afraid of heights, are you?"
"What, do you want me to climb a tree? I can't climb a tree, especially not a pine tree. On top of that, my skirt will get dirty. And I don't like how sticky my hands would get."
Proud Heart laughed kindly. "No, silly. We're going on a road trip."
Felicity was quite curious now.
Someone wants me to go somewhere with them? I wonder if I will see a unicorn next, Felicity thought.
"Okay, fine. I'll come with you. At least I won't be alone." she decided, and nodded.
Proud Heart Cat jumped down out of the tree, and snapped her fingers. A cloud car appeared before them. Felicity was astonished. Proud Heart hopped in the driver's seat and beckoned Felicity to sit in the passenger's seat.
She looked back at the house one more time, wondering if she should at least tell her mom and dad.
"We have to be back before my cousins come back from the park, and before dinner." Felicity said nervously.
"I can have that arranged." Proud Heart said.
Felicity sighed, wiped her face, and climbed into the passenger seat.
"So you know my name, how much other stuff do you know about me? And how do you know it?" Felicity asked.
They took off into the air, which surprised Felicity. Felicity was thankful there was a seatbelt, but didn't really enjoy the convertible. There wasn't a roof, and it didn't look like it was designed to have one either. What if it rained?
"Oh. About the road trip, it's more like a sky trip. Well, you see, we Care Bear Cousins know both basics and deeper dreams of people. It's just another sense we have."
"I think I understand… my senses are really strong too. I'm autistic."
Proud Heart Cat told Felicity about the Forest of Feelings, and Care-a-lot. She told Felicity the Care Bears and Cousins had been learning about all kinds of disorders and diseases, so they could help anyone by being more understanding. The blue cat also told her about how the Care Bears and Cousins came about, and about a girl named Sophie Summers, who was now the Queen of Care-a-lot. To Felicity's surprise, she actually had stuffed animals of each of the cousins, without even doing so on purpose.
"I have a stuffed animal collection with lions, dogs, cats, penguins, sheep, elephants, raccoons, horses, monkeys, rabbits, pigs…" Felicity said, "Is that a coincidence?"
Proud Heart smiled. "Maybe it's fate. We're almost there. Just ten more minutes."
Felicity watched the clouds pass by with wonder, as today was partly cloudy. The breeze felt delightful. She also appreciated that Proud Heart didn't play the radio.
Soon they came up to a different kind of layer of clouds. Proud Heart explained they were magical clouds, and you could stand on them, same with the rainbows.
Before them spread a rainbow colored forest, for as far as the eye could see. Proud Heart said on the other side, to the right and on the other side of the Rainbow River, was Care-a-lot.
"Funny thing is, even though this is my first time up here, I feel like I belong here. And I don't think it has anything to do with me being a Libra, an air sign." Felicity said with a smile.
"Now that's the kind of thing I like to hear. Of course you belong up here. Care-a-lot has that effect on people."
Felicity couldn't help but smile and feel happiness spread through her like a sparkling light.
"So, when do I meet the other Care Bear Cousins?"