Shooting Star (A Sonic Movie Fanfic: Book 1 of the Real World Chronicles)

Ch. 4: Big Changes

The following night, Tom had just pulled his car into the driveway and caught a couple of raccoons rummaging through his garbage again. Annoyed, he honked his horn to get their attention.

"Uh-uh! Hey!" He yelled. "No, no. Get out of there." The raccoons only ignored him and continued scavenging.

Tom got out of his car and more agitatedly yelled, "Oh, come on! Get out of there!" The raccoons eventually left their mess behind as he continued yelling, "Get out of there, you trash pandas."

Tom closed the door behind him once inside the house and set his work bag down.

"Maddie," he rhetorically asked loud enough for his wife to hear. "As Green Hills's most respected veterinarian, what is the fastest way to exterminate a raccoon?"

He didn't get an answer but was happily greeted by his golden retriever. "Hi, Ozzy!" Tom knelt down and lovingly rubbed Ozzy's ears. "Hello! You're glad to see me!"

"You don't eat garbage, do you?" He cooed at Ozzy, as Maddie came to the entryway.

She was holding an envelope in her hands.

"What's that?" Tom asked her, eyeing the envelope as he stood back up. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Uh-huh," Maddie nodded. "Open it."

Tom took the envelope out of her hands and inspected it. The writing was super tiny.

"Oh, it's kind of small. Is that bad?" He asked, a bit worried.

"Just... open it." Her eyes were filled with excitement and anticipation.

Ripping the envelope open, Tom read the letter to Maddie over the kitchen counter.

"Dear Thomas,

We have reviewed your application to the San Francisco Police Department, and pending interdepartmental review and background check, we are happy to inform you that you have been selected to join our team."

Maddie squealed, "Oh my gosh!"

Tom was relieved and blown away at the same time. "Wow! Oh my gosh."

Excited, Maddie pulled out a pink box and set it on the counter.

"Ta-da!" She surprised him, lifting the lid. It was a Coscto-sized cake.

Tom looked at it and smirked. " 'San Francisco Sucks.' " he read aloud. The cake showed a burning Golden Gate Bridge and blue letters that read, 'Forget Those Morons, San Francisco SUCKS! ' .

Puzzled, Maddie looked and then chuckled, realizing her mistake. "Oh! Wrong one!" She immediately covered up the cake and put it away.

She got out another Coscto-sized cake from under the counter. Man, that girl came prepared!

"Ta-da!" Maddie exclaimed again, still giggling in embarrassment. The new cake had the words 'CONGRATULATIONS ' in red letters at the top, 'I Never Had A Doubt! ' in blue at the bottom, and a decorative portrait of a police officer in the center.

"You never had a doubt, huh?" Tom smiled.

"No! Mm-mmm."

The two hugged each other over the counter and kissed.

"I can't believe this!" Tom said I disbelief.

"Oh, I know! You did it!"

Tom looked over his wife's shoulder.

"Hey, what are those?" He asked, pointing at Maddie's open laptop on the table. Maddie looked behind and pulled up her laptop.

"Apartments for rent I found on Zillow," she replied, showing the Zillow website. "I thought Ozzy and I could fly there tomorrow and check out some neighborhoods."

"I mean," Tom said, walking to the dining room and sitting down at the table. "This is all happening so fast." Maddie sat down across from him.

"Oh, man. It's the craziest thing; you apply for the job, you get the job."

"While pending a background check," he added.

"Oh, man," Maddie realized. "Hope they don't find out about that time you used the neighbor's Wi-Fi."

"Correction: I'm still using the neighbor's Wi-Fi."

The two of them laughed a little.

"But, Maddie," Tom asked her, concerned.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"Thomas Michael Wachowski, what did you do the entire time I was in veterinary school?"

He recalled, "I worked a second job to pay the rent and —"

"A third job to pay tuition," she finished her answer. "You sacrificed for me. I'm happy to sacrifice for you."

They both smiled.

But with concerns of her own, she asked, "Babe, are you sure you're okay with this? I mean, there's been a Wachowski protecting this town for more than fifty years. This is a big change."

"I'm positive," Tom replied getting up from the table. "It's time for this guy to prove himself." He walked over to Maddie.

"I love Green Hills," he admitted. "But, you know, I want to help people in real trouble. I want someone to turn to me in a life-and-death situation and I'll be there for 'em."

"I get it," Maddie nodded. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you." They hugged each other.