Soul Searching: Chapter 13


Several years later the squirrel was outside sifting acorn-meal, when a chauffeur-driven limousine pulled up and parked in front of the dilapidated ice-cream truck. The liveried chauffeur held up the door, and a man in a well-cut suit stepped out. The man was short and chubby, with round cheeks and astonishingly large front teeth. He introduced himself to the squirrel and asked for Cedric.

 

    

 

     The squirrel went inside to fetch the pine-cone creature, who was by now a mere shadow of his old, cheerful self. Weighed down by his guilt he rarely spoke, and there were days when he didn’t leave the ice-cream truck at all.

 

    

 

     “Crick-crick, crick-crick,” the squirrel said, meaning “An extremely handsome gentleman is here to see you. He says his name is Robert Redford Fulton.”

 

    

 

     Cedric sprung to his feet and rushed outside.

 

    

 

     “Bobby! Bobby Fulton! Is that really you?”

 

    

 

     The two old friends embraced, and some tears of joy were shed.

 

    

 

     Bobby explained that he was in town for a class reunion.

 

    

 

     “The reunion is this coming weekend. Since the Allerton School doesn’t exist anymore it will take place at the Grand Hotel Arapaho. I have a suite there, and I’d be honored if you would come and stay with me for old times sake.”

 

    

 

     “I cannot accept your invitation, Bobby. After all the misfortunes I have caused I deserve neither your kindness nor friendship.”

 

    

 

     “Nonsense,” Bobby interrupted him. “It will be swell. Besides, there will be an opportunity for us to make everything right again. You see, Marvin, Florence, Madeleine and Nicole will all be attending the reunion. We can return the souls we borrowed to their rightful owners. You do still have the souls, right?”

 

    

 

     The excited Cedric assured Bobby that he did, and the two of them got inside the limousine, bringing the baby-food jar with them.

 

    

 

     The squirrel watched as the limousine drove away.

 

    

 

     “Crick-crick, crick-crick,” the squirrel said, meaning “It’s been a long time since I saw Cedric so happy. This must be a great relief to him.”

 

    

 

     Tulip, who was casting a tin solider in spite of the promise made all those years ago, looked up.

 

    

 

     “Let us hope it ends well, “ the cat said.