A Mallard and McQuack Holiday Special!
Gosalyn wasn't looking forward to the holidays. It was; after all, the first one without her Grandpa. It was the one time a year she actually got her Grandpa all to herself.
But he was still missing!
Of course; Dewey, with his family coming to St.Canard along with Launchpad, tried to get her to feel better up by telling him about his Mom...
It didn't.
All that did was make her more angry then sad.
Here they were all were, gathered around the table chatting and having a good time as Gosalyn stared at her food.
"And then -. I was like. I'm part robot! I knew it!" Dewey was saying and he laughed loudly at his own joke.
Gosalyn snapped her head up and glared at him. Hoping he'd get the hint, but apparently, that wasn't going to be the case. She glanced over at his brothers. Louie sensed her glaring and rolled his eyes at her while Huey sighed heavily as he closed his eyes and rubbed his temples.
Can't Dewey see he wasn't just getting on her nerves?
"Not only that -. But afterwards we got chased by this giant robot and..."
Gosalyn has had enough at this point.
She quickly shot up from her chair and slammed her hands on the table making everyone stop talking at once and look at her.
"Will you just stop." She ordered. She felt tears prickle against her eyes as she looked over at Dewey.
Dewey stared back at her confused.
"You don't have to keep rubbing it in my face how you found that one relative." Gosalyn said through gritted teeth. "It's bad enough I'm still looking for MINE!" Gosalyn shouted at him.
Dewey's eyes widen when he realized what he had done.
Gosalyn stared back, not the least bit horrified at what was just said. Just hated that everyone looked at her with that pity look.
She hated being pitied!
She couldn't take it anymore and just ran out of the room, back up at the loft that was her room while staying with Drake Mallard, and slammed the door.
She slumped to her bed, already exhausted and flopped head first onto it. After a few deep breaths she lifted her head and stared at the photo of her and her Grandpa. She slowly stood back up and picked it up.
"I miss you. Grandpa." She whispered, as she carefully placed a hand near her Grandpa's image.
A slight knock came from her door making Gosalyn scowl.
"Gos?" Drake's voice came from the other side. He slowly opened the door a crack and peeked inside. "Can I come in?" He asked.
"This is your house." Gosalyn answered a bit irritated. "You can do whatever you want."
Drake frowned but slowly walked in, careful not to let Gosalyn see what he was holding behind his back.
"Look. I know what your gonna say." Gosalyn said, once he sat down on the bed. "You gonna say that was very rude of you too do in front of everyone, that I should go down and apologize to Dewey, then I'd have to stay and pretend like none of that happened and pretend that I'm enjoying the one holiday I wish I could spend with the one person who -." Gosalyn stopped and looked back at the photo. "Cares." She finished in a whisper.
Drake stared at her in disbelief.
"Gosalyn," Drake began, in a gentle voice. "Is that's what's bothering you? Not the fact that you can't spend the holiday with your Grandpa, but, because you think no one cares?" He asked.
Gosalyn wiped her now runny nose using her jacket sleeve and nodded.
She knew her Grandpa would be here if he could. They just haven't found him yet. Gosalyn knew that something or someone must be keeping him from being with her now. So she couldn't hold that against him.
But...
She just felt...
Lost without him.
He was all she had and now he was just...
Gone.
Now she felt like no one even cares. No one cared that all she wanted was to see her Grandpa.
"Okay, well, you know we're trying right?" Drake asked. "Trying very hard to find him, and for you Gosalyn. Because rather you believe it or not, all those people down there, me included, do care about you." He told her.
Gosalyn stared at him, as a knot of guilt started to form in the pit of her stomach.
Yes. She knew they were trying. She knew they all cared. But it still hurt that the one person she cared about most wasn't with her this holiday.
She just wished he was.
"So... I know it's not the same as him being here with you. But -. But I kinda sorta think this might help." He said, pulling something out from behind his back.
Gosalyn stared at a present wrapped in gold and silver.
"The first night of Hanukkah. Should be spent with loved ones." He told her as Gosalyn tore open the wrapping paper and the small box.
Gosalyn slowly pulled out yet another box.
A jewelry box.
Gosalyn made a sour face. She wasn't much for jewelry and opened her mouth to tell Drake but he cut her off by just smiling at her and snatch the box out of her hands. He opened it to revile a golden locket.
Gosalyn stared at it.
It was pure gold.
Drake slowly opened the locket and Gosalyn couldn't help but spill the tears that had been threatening to fall that night.
Inside the locket was a photo of her, Drake, and Launchpad.
"You are considered a part of this family. Gosalyn." Drake told her, as he put it on around her neck. Gosalyn stared down at the locket as she held it in her hands.
"I -. I am?" Gosalyn choked out, looking back up at Drake.
Drake smiled and nodded.
Gosalyn's heart melted at that and she flung her arms around Drake and cried quietly into his shoulder.
Drake patted her back and let her cry until she calmed down.
"There now. You feel like going back downstairs?" Drake asked as she slowly pulled away from him. "It's almost time to blow out a candle on the Menorah." He added, his eyes shining brightly.
Gosalyn took a deep breath and nodded.
"Yeah. I -. I think so." She told him as Drake nodded back and stood up. He held out his hand to Gosalyn who took it.
"Come on then." He said. "Who knows," He continued as they headed down the stairs. "Maybe things will look a bit better for you at the end of Hanukkah. Miracles do tend to happen around this time of year." He told her.
Gosalyn didn't say anything as they made it down the steps.
Hoping for Miracles is the one thing Gosalyn had lost hope in doing ever since her Grandpa went missing.
Now though, as they gathered around the Menorah and Drake handed Gosalyn the tool to put out the first candle, Gosalyn felt herself hoping again.
Hoping for not just for a miracle to find her Grandpa. But also, that she can hold on just a bit longer on her newly founded friends and the family she had grown to love just as much.
