Zeke's Gift: Part Four

      The door banged open, sending several papers flying, and Zeke burst into the room and sprang up onto the bed, shaking the figure excitedly. “Corrie, Corrie, wake up!” he exclaimed, but his voice surprisingly soft. “Wake up! I have important news, very important news!”

      Corrie slowly sat up in bed and fumbled for a few minutes on the paper-covered night table for the round glasses that she wore when she didn’t have her contacts in. She then placed her glasses over her nose and blinked several times. She stared at Zeke and then at the clock that rested on a shelf in one corner of the room. She moaned and fell straight back onto her pillow, pulling her glasses off. She pulled the covers over her head. “Go away, Zeke,” came her muffled voice. “It’s too early.”

      “But it’s important! Honest!” Zeke shook his owner again and Corrie pulled herself to a crumpled, but technically upright position and put her contacts in. Then she cocked an eyebrow at her young Neopet’s beaming face, noting that the stars on his fur were glowing, oh so faintly. I wonder what’s got him so hyped up so early, she thought, stifling a yawn. He usually sleeps in. Must really be important.

      “I’m listening,” she said.

      “Okay! So, last night, I went into Awtchey’s room and asked him to tell me why he hates you. I don’t think he wanted to at first, but he let me in anyways-”

      Corrie’s eyes widened as she began to comprehend what Zeke was telling her. “You WHAT?! You got out of bed at night? I’ve told you before, bedtime means you don’t get out of bed when you’re supposed to be asleep! And what’s this, you went to Awtchey’s room? And asked him to tell you WHAT?! And then he let you in?! Just like that?!” She stared at the young Xweetok. Am I dreaming?

      Zeke’s smile did not sway in the least. “Yep! So then we sat down on his bed and I asked him again to tell me why he hates you. So then he told me how you created him and Zar and how you told them that they were your favorites and that they knew that you would never, ever, ever abandon them, even though there were lots of other pets that were coming and going and stuff. But then Awtchey said that you liked Zar more, so you got rid of Awtchey and kept Zar when you had too many pets. So Awtchey said that he was in the pound, but he thought it was a hotel, isn’t that funny?! And then Uncle IF came! Uncle IF! I love Uncle IF! He’s so nice, he always gives me chocolate and I love how he calls me Fireball, though I don’t know why he--”

      “Zeke!” Corrie felt a sudden urge to strangle the little Xweetok. “What did Awtchey say next?!”

      Zeke bit his lip in a sudden halt of words, and Corrie felt a wave of fear wash over her. He knows. Oh man, Awtchey told him everything. She reached for her Xweetok. “Oh Zeke, it’s not like that. Honestly, I just-”

      “It’s okay,” Zeke replied, not meeting Corrie’s eyes. “Awtchey told me how you pretended he didn’t exist. I didn’t believe him at first, but then I had to ‘cause it made sense. Corrie...” And here Zeke launched himself into his owner’s arms and squeezed her so tightly, it was as if he never meant to let go. “I was afraid. All those things you did to Awtchey, you’ve done to me. He thought you would never abandon him, but you did. I thought you would never abandon me, but then I wasn’t sure. But then Awtchey, he said that you had changed and that you really do love and care for me. He said that you never would really give me and you know WHAT?!”

      Corrie, whose eyes had been watering, was startled by Zeke’s sudden glee as he stared up her with that huge grin on his face. “What?”

      “Awtchey, he said that he FORGIVES YOU!”

      Corrie blinked twice, hardly daring to believe it. That’s it, she thought. I’m dreaming.

      “Uh, Zeke...” Corrie said, stroking her pet’s soft fur. “I don’t Awtchey really meant it. He hates me.”

      “NO!” Corrie was astonished to see a expression of grim determination dominating Zeke’s face. His eyes were filled with earnest, telling her that she had to believe him. “It’s true! At first, I couldn’t really believe it either, but then I asked him if he meant it and he said YES!”

      Could it be true? Corrie wondered. “He said that? Really?” she asked Zeke.

      “Really,” came Awtchey’s voice from the doorway.

      Corrie’s head whipped around and she stared at the yellow Xweetok. Awtchey’s cheeks were still flushed with sickness, but he looked a little better than he had yesterday at the Pound. The TwoHundred hot chocolate formula at work, no doubt. His golden hair was neat and brushed and he didn’t look so tired anymore. His eyes were twinkling with what Corrie could hardly believe to be joy, though his eyebrows were slanted downwards as he frowned at Zeke.

      “Zeke, you stupid kid, I told you not to tell anyone!” he said. Zeke’s smile did not even falter.

      Corrie slowly got up from her bed and stood about a yard away from Awtchey, facing him and wondering if it really was true. If she could believe that Awtchey really had forgiven her. She hadn’t realized until now just how much she yearned to hear those words that Zeke had just told her. She hadn’t realized that all these years, she had had a burden weighing down on her heart, guilt at having ignored and forgotten Awtchey, her beloved Neopet from years ago. And all she wanted now was a fresh start.

      “Awtchey...” she said tentatively. Zeke had told that the yellow Xweetok had meant it when he had said he had forgiven her, but she needed to hear Awtchey say it himself. “Is... is it true?”

      Awtchey heaved a deep sigh. Corrie could see him grinding his teeth. He stared at her with a mixed expression, weariness combined with a grudge. Corrie could nearly see the gears turning in his head, wondering what to do. Then a faint smile touched his lips.

      “Corrie TwoHundred!” Awtchey said, loudly and with meaning. “I. FORGIVE. YOU.”

      Instantly, the breath whooshed out of the yellow Xweetok’s lungs as he was nearly attacked and squeezed to death by one very excited human. “And I love you, Awtchey! I’m so sorry for everything I ever did to you and...” Here she released Awtchey from her hug and gripped both of his shoulders so that he would look her in the eyes, “If you would come and be part of the TwoHundred family again... we would love to have you.”

      A tear glistened in the morning sunlight at it ran down Awtchey’s furry cheek. “Yes,” he replied. “I would... like that very much.”

     ~~~

      Zaraneeta smiled from where he lurked in the doorway, watching as Corrie hugged Awtchey again and set on a Zeke-esque ramble, declaring how they would go to the Pound right after they went to the Healing Springs for Awtchey’s Neo Flu and how she would adopt him back into the family. Awtchey confessed that, before talking to Zeke, he had been going to do all sorts of tests on Corrie to see if she had really changed -- tests that had included large buckets of water and Spyders -- but it did nothing to change the gleeful atmosphere in the room.

      A smile spread on Zar’s face as he watched Zeke bounce happily up and down on Corrie’s bed, his head nearly touching the low ceiling. Zar had been thinking about it and he had guessed -- even before he had heard of what Zeke had done -- that the little Starry Xweetok could be the only thing that would truly change Awtchey’s cold, unforgiving heart. It was Zeke’s special gift; even if he was annoying with his long rants, he could make anyone like him. And once you liked Zeke, he could help you overcome even your worst faults. Zar had had it happen over and over in his own life.

      Zaraneeta turned and headed towards the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Someone had to do it. As he got out Faerie Pancakes and Hot Chocolate, his smile widened to a grin. The TwoHundred family was one pet nearer to completion. But there was still one more Neopet that had to rejoin them, if Zaraneeta could only find her and convince Corrie to take her back...

The End