Rambley and Friends: No Children Allowed

Chapter 5: Fights and Apologies

A couple of hours later, the poker party is all settled down. All of Rambley's friends have gone home. Then, Jessica comes home from work.

"Rambley, honey, I'm home!" Jessica calls out.

"Shhh!" says Rambley in pure frustration. "What are you doing? Jessica, you're going to wake up Rachel! Helen said if she heard Rachel cry once more, she was going to call the police on both of us."

"Who gives a crap what she says?" laughs Jessica. "We have Finley on our side."

"You need to consult your program", Rambley warns Jessica. "There's been a last minute change in the lineup."

"What do you mean?" asks Jessica.

"Finely and I got into a fight", Rambley confesses.

"WHAT?!" shouts Jessica as if Rambley and Finley never got into a fight before.

"I'm sorry, Jessica", Rambley explains. "But, I just couldn't stand it any longer. Tallulah Finley played his big scene five times at the poker game today. Finally, I just started acting it out with him."

"All right, honey", says Jessica. "So he makes you mad, but do you have to make a big fight out of it and lose one of your closest friends? That's the most childish thing I've ever heard. He did us a big favor."

"You don't know how a thing like that can get on your nerves", Rambley explains.

"I do, too", Jessica says in a firm voice. "And I also know what you're going to do. You're going to get on the phone, call Finley, and apologize."

"No", says Rambley. "I won't say sorry if it's the last thing I do!"

Meanwhile, Finley is sitting down in his apartment, and Mollie Macaw comes inside.

"Make me some lunch", says Mollie.

"LUNCH?!" says Finley. "Mollie Macaw, do you mean to tell me that you can even think of eating after what happened to me this afternoon?"

"I can, but my stomach can't!" Mollie Macaw argues back. "Now, look, Finley you're making entirely too much out of this!"

"Too much?!" says Finley as if Mollie has lost her mind. "Do you even realize what happened to me up there today? We were having a perfectly nice poker luncheon and I was telling.."

"I am aware!" says Mollie Macaw. "Now, that right there is the problem—you keep om harping on things too much! I'm getting tired of hearing that story myself, and the thing for you to go up there and apologize!"

"Apologize?!" says Finley. "Why should I do that?"

"Because it's your fault as much as his", explains Mollie Macaw. "And because you will never be happy until you and Rambley make up, and because I am hungry!"

"No, I won't", says Finley.

Mollie Macaw pushes Finley towards Rambley's apartment, and Jessica pushes Rambley towards Finely. At first the two are hesitant, but the two then hug and make up, and they decide to all have lunch together. Rambley and Finely go to the kitchen to fix something, and Jessica and Mollie Macaw sit in the living room.

"Hey, listen", says Mollie Macaw. "Finely was harping on that story until even I was sick!"

"I guess Finley can stay on a subject until it gets sickening", Jessica agrees.

"What do you mean, sickening?" asks Mollie Macaw, getting defensive.

"You just said it yourself", Jessica says. "That sometimes even you get sick of him."

"He's my friend", says Mollie Macaw. "I am supposed to get sick of him."

"Well you don't need to get upset about it, Mollie", Jessica says in annoyance. "I was just agreeing with you."

"Let me give you some advice", Mollie Macaw points out. "If you want to do it, agree with me without insulting Finley. You don't see me throwing insults at Rambley, although heaven knows I'm loaded with plenty of ammunition!"

"And what do you mean to that?" Jessica says in defense.

"I mean, I would rather be friends with a blabber mouth than an ingrate!" Mollie Macaw shouts.

"INGRATE?!" yells Jessica in anger.

"You don't even know what it means", Mollie Macaw says, rolling her eyes.

"I don't give a crap!" Jessica explains in a shout. "I don't like the way you looked when you said it. You are a very rude, very daring, and shameless old pilot!"

Then, the two walk out, threatening to beat the living crap out of each other. Rambley and Finely hear the noise, and chase after the two. Baby Rachel starts crying, since she has been left alone inside of the apartment. Helen runs in after hearing the crying, and yells for Rambley. When nobody answers, she decides to deal with baby Rachel herself.

"Now, I want to two to apologize at the same time", Rambley explains. "Now, you say, 'I'm sorry, Jessica.' And you say, 'I'm sorry, Mollie.' Now, I'll conduct. One, two, three."

"I'm sorry", the two girls say together.

"You know", Finley remarks as everyone laughs. "For four fully grown up people, we have been acting pretty childish."

"Yeah, we're bigger babies than Rachel. RACHEL!" says Rambley in worry.

"We left her alone!" Jessica shouts.

Everyone runs back into the master bedroom very quickly. They all stay quiet, as to not make Rachel start crying again.

In the master bedroom, Helen is sitting in the rocking chair, holding Rachel who is wide awake, but not crying. Rachel seems to be smiling at Helen. This is a surprise, as Helen doesn't seem like the type of woman who would be good with children.

"Rambley Raccoon and Jessica Roberts, you should be ashamed of yourselves", Helen scolds Rachel's parents. "Running off, and leaving this poor, little child alone. Don't you worry, dear. You will always have me around to see that nobody leaves you again."

Everybody smiles at the two, knowing that Rachel will get along very well with their upstairs neighbor.