Chapter Fourteen

In typical Angel fashion, she blinked and shook her head just slightly, as if she was startled by the question I had just asked. I sat down on my bed and looked at her intently, waiting for the fatal question.

"What do you mean, what?" Angel said sweetly.

"What are you going to ask me?" I sighed. "Just spit it out already."

"I wasn't going to ask anything . . ."

"Angel."

"What do you think about Total—"

I shook my head, cutting her off. "No."

"But he's just—"

"No."

"Max, come on, Total's—"

"Not coming. That's final."

Angel crossed her arms and slouched on the bed. "Why not?"

"Don't pout. He doesn't need to come and you know he doesn't."

"Why can't Total come?" Nudge asked, sitting up. "He said he wanted to come with us again."

"So he can whine about not having good food, or a pillow to sleep on, or having to be carried everywhere, or how his paws hurt when he walks?" I sighed. "No thank you. He's fine here with Mom and Ella."

"My ears are burning," a voice below me said.

Total trotted in and hopped up on Ella's bed next to Angel. I pointed to him.

"You, quit putting ideas in the girls' heads. And you," I pointed to Angel, "stop begging for him to come because he is not coming."

"But Max, I feel as if my life is being wasted here as an intelligent other species," Total said dramatically. "I just feel as though this life of leisure is hurting me more than it is helping. I am meant to travel the world, to see what is out there . . ."

"You were able to do that with us for at least two years, but you never stopped whining. Why the change of heart now?"

"I am meant for more than being a house pet, Max. You know that, I know that, the rest of the flock knows that. Upon my own life, I promise to be quiet and obedient, a silent traveller with no intentions other than taking in the world for what it is."

"So you're saying if you bother me or go against anything I say, I can drop you?"

Total chuckled uncomfortably. "Well, I wouldn't go that far, Max, I mean, honestly, would you be so cruel as to drop me off the side of you? I think you have more compassion than that."

I smiled. "True . . . I'd just drop you off at the nearest tree and wish you the best of luck."

"Max, don't be mean," Angel said, pulling Total into her lap. "Total went through a lot with us. And, to tell you the truth, I miss having him around. He's my best friend."

Watching her pet him and look down at him with her sad smile, I knew she was telling the truth. That girl knew how to play me like a violin. I sighed and leaned forward.

"You will carry him at all times," I said, pointing to Angel. "You are responsible for Total at all times, and that means you make sure he's fed, bathed, and anything else I expect out of him. Total, if you start complaining too much, I stand by what I said before. I am not afraid to leave you at the top of a nearby tree and hope you find your way down. Is that understood?"

Total nodded.

"You are going to sleep where we sleep, eat when we eat, fly when we fly, and I will not hear any problems, correct?"

"Of course not," he said.

"Then you have to tell Mom and Ella you're coming with us."

"So Total can come?" Angel asked, practically beaming.

"Just don't make me regret it."

Angel leapt up from the bed and tackled me on my own, hugging me. Total managed to climb on my bed and tried licking my face before I pushed both of them away with a laugh. Nudge smiled from the floor.

"All right, all right, don't get all excited," I said. "I said he could come, not that he's the new leader or something. Talk to Mom and Ella when they get home and we'll figure out details with the rest of the flock this afternoon."

It was about four hours before I had us timed to leave. We had to start getting ready sooner than later.