The Raccoons were created by Kevin Gillis.
It should have been a typical day at the Raccoondominium, with Ralph Raccoon, his wife Melissa, and their housemate Bert getting ready for another day at their newspaper, the Evergreen Standard. But it would quickly become obvious that this would not be a typical day, as Melissa had to run to the bathroom as soon as she woke up, and she stayed in there for a long time.
"Melissa?" Bert called awkwardly from outside the closed bathroom door. "Melissa, I don't want to rush your or anything, but I really need to-"
Then there came the sounds of being sick, and it was loud enough for Ralph to hear from the kitchen. He came running.
"Honey?" Ralph called as he knocked on the door. "Melissa, are you okay?"
Melissa finally shuffled out of the bathroom, looking tired and a bit wobbly.
"I don't feel so good," Melissa said quietly, as her husband and her friend both looked at her with concern. "I think I should stay here. Oh, no, wait, there's some pictures I need to develop!"
"It's okay, honey," Ralph assured her. "You get some rest."
"Yeah, don't worry about it, Melissa!" Bert added. "I can develop the pictures for ya!"
Ralph led Melissa back into bed, and he left her some soup and a glass of water.
"I hope you feel better soon," Ralph said tenderly. He would have kissed his wife, but she stopped him.
"Careful, Ralph," Melissa said with a weak smile. "I don't want you to get sick, too. You'd better get going; I'll be okay."
"Love you," Ralph said. He blew Melissa a kiss instead.
That afternoon, Bert got home before Ralph did, and he tried to walk quietly in case Melissa was asleep. He wanted to make himself a peanut butter sandwich, but as soon as he entered the Raccoondominium, he smelled peanut butter cake in the oven, and Melissa was at the table, eating a huge peanut butter sandwich, even bigger than the triple-decker ones Bert liked.
"Well, look who's up!" Bert said cheerfully, though he didn't feel so cheerful when he looked into the cupboards and saw that all of the peanut butter was gone.
"Sorry," Melissa said sheepishly. "I took a little nap, and when I woke up I was feeling a lot better, and I had this huge craving for peanut butter."
"That's okay," Bert said, patting Melissa's shoulder. "Who wouldn't crave peanut butter? Tell ya what, I'll let it go if you share the cake!"
"Deal," Melissa said.
Over the next week or so, Melissa continued to be sick in the morning, only to feel better in the afternoon and have the urge to eat peanut butter, more-so than Bert. She and Ralph had a feeling of what might be going on, but Melissa decided to go to the doctor, just to be sure.
At the office of the Evergreen Standard, Bert and Cedric were filling in for Ralph and Melissa while they went to the doctor. Cedric typed articles, while Bert was in Melissa's darkroom, developing her photos.
"I hope Melissa's okay," Bert said.
Cedric already had a feeling of what was going on with Melissa, but he didn't get a chance to say it out loud. Melissa and Ralph had arrived to give the news themselves.
"Do you want to tell them?" Ralph asked, giving Melissa the most adoring look in the world.
"Tell us what?" Bert asked, getting a little impatient.
"We're going to have a baby!" Melissa cried.
It took a minute for this to register with Bert. When it did, he stuttered, "A-a A BABY? That's terrific!" He liked the idea of being a mentor and playmate for the child of his best friends.
"Congratulations," Cedric said. He shook Ralph and Melissa's hands, and the pulled him into a hug. Bert joined in.
That night at Sneer Mansion, Cedric told his pop the news of Melissa's pregnancy.
"Terrific," Cyril said half-sarcastically. "Another Raccoon. I wonder if they can even afford another mouth to feed, And before you say anything, Cedric, I'm not a charity!"
"I know, Pop," Cedric said.
"And where are they going to keep the kid?"
"The Raccondominium of course," Cedric said.
Cyril snorted. "Those raccoons would have more space for a baby without that peanut-butter-loving parasite!"
"POP!" Cedric shouted, suddenly angry on behalf of his best friend. "Don't say that about Bert!"
Much to Cedric's surprise, Cyril suddenly looked deflated, and he mumbled, "Sorry, son. I need to...do some taxes. Run along."
"Don't you want me to help, Pop?" Cedric asked. "We are supposed to be partners."
"It's fine, son," Cyril insisted. He wasn't actually going to do taxes, but do something secret.
Cyril crept to one of the many safes he had around the mansion. This one didn't have any money or treasure in it, but rather, a photo album, somewhat yellowed with age, but the photos were still in good shape. Many of the pictures showed a young lady aardvark, smiling sweetly and cradling her slightly bulging stomach.
Cyril sighed. He hid this album away because he didn't like to look at it. The memories were too painful.