Walt Disney College

Chapter 80

The trip had put Andy at ease. Even though Timon and Pumbaa were not the most reliable instructors, nobody had died yet, so that was good.

He didn't think about Tadashi as often as he would if he was back in Florida, but he thought about his mom, and how they left things over the break. Tears sprung to his eyes just thinking about it.

After Andy had accepted he'd done enough brooding in his room, he decided he'd go back downstairs and apologize for bringing up the subject of his jerk of a father.

He saw Molly peek at him from her bedroom, a worried look on her face. His brows knit in confusion but he continued to go downstairs.

He didn't really notice much at first, he just wanted to find his mom. His eyes glanced at the fridge for a moment, and then he noticed.

The picture of him and Tadashi at their first Boy Scouts meeting was gone.

"What?"

Andy dropped to his knees and looked under the fridge, wondering if the photo had fallen. He was so invested in the search he didn't hear footsteps behind him.

"Andy," he heard his mother say, "Why are you on the floor?"

Andy grunted. "I'm looking for that picture of Tadashi and I. Maybe I moved it without thinking."

Andy got up and went to check the living room. Again he was so focused on his search that the emptiness of the room almost escaped him at first, until he finally glanced at the wall. He was shaking now.

"Where's the big brother picnic photo?" Andy looked at the shelf. "Where's our Halloween photo? Mom!"

The picture on the fridge wasn't lost, it'd been removed by none other than his mother. He didn't understand what compelled her to do it, did she think erasing Tadashi from the walls would erase him from his mind.

"Mom how could you?"

"I did the same thing with your Dad and you don't see me groveling over him! I'm fine now because I didn't keep on reliving memories!"

"This isn't your decision! You're not grieving, I am! Where are the pictures?"

"How could you say I'm not grieving? Tadashi was like a—"

"Don't you dare say it! If you were grieving you'd understand why I want to see the toys, you'd understand why I didn't want the pictures taken down. Taking them away won't help me!"

Andy was screaming now. His mother was holding her ground, and Andy knew Molly was watching from the top of the stairs.

"Andy I am! I am grieving you can't say that it's not—"

"I don't care if it's unfair! That's not what you do! This isn't an 'out of sight, out of mind' thing Mom! It's not! If I were to die, are you saying you'd get rid of every picture of me in this house?"

Tears were rolling down Ms. Davis' cheeks. She didn't know what to say.

"Of course I wouldn't...it's not the same Andy..."

Andy's voice cracked. "He was like a son to you! So why would you do this to him? I mean, I get Dad, he made you miserable but...Tadashi?"

"Andy." Ms. Davis tried to hold back a sob. "I was just trying to help you..."

"I don't need your help! I'm fine!" Andy yelled, but his face and voice portrayed otherwise.

Andy couldn't spend one more minute there. He put on his shoes and left the house, slamming the door with such force behind him that it made Ms. Davis jump.

Ms. Davis could finally see Molly at the top of the staircase, crying quietly against Buster's fur.

"Oh baby," Ms. Davis whispered. "I'm so sorry."

Andy dug his nails into his skin so he could focus on something else. He was trying to think of what Timon and Pumbaa had planned for breakfast, he was trying to think of what Fawn would say to make him smile today, trying to think about anything but Tadashi and his mother.

"Andy, my friend!" Naveen popped his head into the tent, flashing a smile. "I woke up early, quite surprising. I took a stroll."

A distraction. Just what Andy needed.

"A stroll? Where did you go?" he asked.

Naveen shrugged. "I strolled quite aimlessly. There was a lot on my mind."

Andy laughed. "Sorry Naveen, I don't think I can help you there. If there's anyone who doesn't have the mental space to listen to other people's problems it's me right now."

"It's fine, I don't want to talk about it anyway." Naveen stepped over Milo's snoring body, sitting next to Andy. "I just meant my head was full so I didn't really observe my surroundings."

"That's the beauty of a walk though."

Naveen smiled. "I'll have to take another one then."

Andy nodded, prodding Milo with his foot. "Milo, wake up."

Milo turned over, facing away from Andy's foot. "Do I have to?"

Naveen slapped his hand down on Milo's shoulder, startling him. "Yes, my friend! I heard we are diving today. Imagine how much fun that would be! Have you seen the waters near Lion's Head?"

Milo moved his head so he wouldn't mumble into his pillow. "I heard Lion's Head is one of the prettiest places in Africa."

"More of a reason for you to get up then!" Andy stood up, pushing away his sleeping bag and opening his tent.

Fawn was not too far away from him. She was talking with Jane, seeming excited too with the way her wings fluttered around. She met his eye and smiled. He couldn't help but smile back.

Milo crawled out of the tent, Naveen behind him.

"Milo! Is that Kida near our barbecue?" Naveen asked.

Milo straightened, wiping away any drool he thought was around his mouth. "Where?"

Naveen laughed, clapping Milo on the back. "Nowhere, my friend. You're now awake."

Milo scowled at him, a hint of a smile playing on his face, then walked over to the tables set up.

"Good morning," Wendy told the group.

"Good morning," Alice mimicked, but only so Isabel could hear. "I saw her hair when she woke up, it was not a good morning. At all."

Isabel sighed. "Alice, you can't—"

"A little geography for everyone!" Timon announced, sliding a pancake onto the nearest plate. "What is the elevation of Lion's Head?"

Zandar blinked, then whispered to James.

"Mr. Timon—"

"Miss Darling—"

"Timon, do you even know the answer to that question?" James said, cutting off whatever Timon was going to say to Wendy.

"No, but I'm sure Pumbaa does!"

Pumbaa eyed him. "Then you expect too much from me, Timon."

Fawn laughed and stuck her fork into her pancake. "Jane's sure to know."

Jane raised her head and saw everyone looking at her expectantly. She sighed. "The elevation of Lion's Head is 669 meters."

James and Zander snickered and high fived each other as Tarzan shook his head.

"Real mature," Jane muttered under her breath. Yet she smiled.