(Thursday, June 7th 12 pm)
Arnold was in the asylum to oversee the renovations that were being requested on the roof and other parts of the design, when he heard a young voice behind him saying something like, “The rapper is coming.” He couldn’t be sure with all the noise from all the workers though. He looked around for the young urchin but he was lost in the sea of people.
He put it out of his mind, but as he checked a few more notes he noted several more people saying that or a variation around the asylum. Something was coming, the rapper was coming, the raptor would make it all better, the rapture would take them all, cake was coming and would solve everything.
They had already avoided a ‘rapture’ and after the zombie dinosaur plague the cat was sure that no one in their right mind would think a raptor would solve anything. His thoughts did turn to Dr. Dinosaur briefly…but he hadn’t seen that reptile since well before the zombie plague and they had never really spoken. He also couldn’t rule out that there might be something called a rapper, and raptor and rapture had been the misunderstanding.
He mused about this for a few moments, and then put it to the back of his mind for now as he overlooked the designs again. He would have time to worry about that later.
***
((Friday, June 8th 4 pm))
The Cocoa Java had changed since the last time he had been here. The fire was gone and Mr. Harvey was setting up for the summer months ahead.
Arnold entered and the rabbit greeted him, “Hello, Mr. Arnold. How go things?”
“Well enough,” Arnold sat down on one of the couches. “Can we talk for a moment, Mr. Harvey?”
Putting down the new decorations, Mr. Harvey sat on the couch opposite him, “What is it?”
Arnold paused for a long time, the silence stretching awkwardly. This wasn’t working Dr. Maddox’s way, so Arnold decided to handle this his own way, “I am trying to forgive you for nearly drowining us in December.”
Blackberry blinked in surprise, “You are?”
With a wry twist to his head he stressed, “The key word is trying.”
Mr. Harvey understood his meaning, “I take it this was not your idea.”
“No,” Arnold admitted. “I think that living with the issue is the best I can do, but this is about learning how to forgive or something.”
Blackberry sighed and sank into his couch, “Mr. Arnold…I don’t know what you’ve been encouraged to do as part of your therapy, but I have an idea. It’s none of my business except for this part right here…but I can’t say that you owe me anything at this point…”
Arnold nodded in response, “I know.” That produced a short silence between the two friends. This hadn’t been easy for him either it seemed, and the cat continued, “I came here to try to face it head on and see if I could. Honestly, I think that living with someone is the same as forgiving them to a degree. I still see people tease one another over past things all the…time…”
The cat paused as he thought about what he just said, he barely heard Mr. Harvey respond, “I still need to forgive myself for it. I don’t know if or when that would be… I, er, I guess I’m trying to say that I’m listening.”
Arnold didn’t respond directly, he’d had a moment of clarity where he finally understood something about how the universe worked…an epiphany. “That’s it. I’ve been going about this all wrong.” He mumbled softly, and then he stood up excitedly. “I don’t have to forgive and forget to be able to live!”
Mr. Harvey looked up at him, still looking distraught by his own memories of the terrible event, “I think I would agree with that.”
The cat stood up and stared down at his employer, “If it wouldn’t be awkward I’d hug you!”
Mr. Harvey’s look of utter confusion was left there as Arnold ran off, personally feeling free of the burden that had been placed between them.
***
((Sunday, June 10th 9:15 pm.))
The broken window of ‘Cuffs littered the floor outside while Emerson, Junie, Yang, and Arnold continued to talk long after Dr. Dinosaur and Mr. Valeska had left. The topics had shifted several times, but Arnold recalled that he had to tell Emerson something. Getting the man’s attention he said, “I had an epiphany the other day partially because of you, so thanks.”
“Oh? What sort of epiphany?”
“It’s my epiphany.” Arnold crossed his arms, “Get your own.”
Junie and Yang laughed, while Emerson looked as sure of himself as ever, “I have plenty! I have an epiphany every day around 4:20!”
Ginsburg snickered at Emerson’s comment before adding, “I don’t have epiphanies, I have revelations.”
“Mine was while talking to Mr. Harvey and trying to forgive him for nearly killing us.”
“That’s the path Arnold, forgiveness!” Emerson encouraged him, while Junie agreed, “Quite so.”
“My epiphany was quite different. I can’t forgive and forget.”
“I have subsatances that can help you do both!” Emerson said while rumaging in his pockets.
“Or forgive someone and never speak of the matter again, the best I can do is live with a person.” Arnold half grinned and pointed at Emerson. “Then I realized that I didn’t have to forget or move on! I see you and Junie, and Sky and Scottie torment each other all the time! You’re healthy!” He paused and added, “Enough!”
Emerson and Junie giggled, and Emerson took the opportunity to poke her in the ribs and she toppled over causing more laughter.
Arnold continued, “I will tease him over this till the day we die! I can live with what he did and still be his friend, that’s forgiveness enough. If I couldn’t even do that then I’d be in trouble.”
“There you go.” Junie said with a smirk. “Sometimes you can’t forgive or forget. You resolve.”
Arnold nodded, “I think you should frame that saying Miss Ginsburg.” She tapped her nose at him and the conversation soon moved on. It had been a busy day at Cuff’s…
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