Can't Invent Love
By: Tesla2251
The sun rose over the quiet street in an unknown town just on the otherside of the Yorkshire border. All the buildings on this street looked the same, minus one. 62 West Wallaby Street looked like it was in the process of being torn down, or built up. Wallace, a cheese loving inventor lived here with his dog Gromit. The inventor was currently taking down the windmill blades from his old business.
Their bakery business had shut down a couple weeks ago, mostly because Wallace lost intrest with it. But this seemed normal for the inventor to switch from one thing to the other, he and his canine companion had been in more than one business before. They had washed windows, caught pets, and recently had delivered bread. Both had shut down after he lost intrest.
" Or is it because I lose intrest?" he mused to himself. It seemed that what ever business venture he went in to, he seemed to run into a lovely young woman, and the relationship never took off ever. Wendolene had been allergic to cheese, which conflicted with his love of it. Lady Tottington and him had drifted away, and his last relationship with Piella had nearly killed him.
His thoughts were momentarily interrupted by some music coming from the old van. The inventor looked down and saw that his dog Gromit and, their recent friend, Fluffles were listening to some love music on the record player. They held eachothers paw and looked at each other with love. Wallace groaned softly as he envied his friends fortune, and his own misfortune.
After dinner, Wallace went right to bed. Gromit noticed this and wondered why. The house had been rebuilt for at least three days. During it's reconstruction, all three had gone to bed early from exhaustion. Now that the house was rebuilt, there should be no reason for his owner to go to bed early. Fluffles looked at Gromit, with a puzzled look on her face.
What's wrong?
Gromit nodded toward the stairs Wallace had gone up.
I think something is bothering him.
The puzzled look remained on her face.
How do you mean?
Gromit pointed to the nearly complete wedge of cheese and the full bag of crackers. Usually they were all gone before the evening was over because his owner ate it all.
In all my life being here, I've never seen Wallace eat so little cheese. Sometimes he leaves at least a quarter left over, but never this much.
Fluffles nodded as she understood what Gromit ment. She looked back at the stairs, then back at Gromit.
What is bothering him?
Gromit shrugged. I don't know, but I will find out.
The next night, Gromit had stayed up later than usual. His eyes sagged with exhaustion as he finished the final page of A Farewell To Arms By Ernest Hemmingway. He put the book down and started to walk back up the stairs to his bedroom. Usually he would pass by Wallaces room and hear the man snoring softly and muttering about cheese in his sleep. This time, he saw some light coming from under the door and the sound of...
...sobbing.
Gromit frowned, and gently reached up to knock on his owners door. As he knocked he heard his owner give a startled gasp then shuffle around alittle before calling out," Come in, lad."
Gromit opened the door. His owner was laying on his bed with a light grin on his face, but it didn't seem genuine. It seemed forced and fake.
" Hello, Gromit lad. Been up late again?"
So have you. Why? Something wrong? he frowned. Wallace read Gromit's expression and turned to face the wall opposite his bed, before looking back at his friend.
" I've just been thinking about our new business. How does...uhh...um..." his owner stuttered as he tried to think of something to say. Gromit walked over and sat on the bed. Now that he was closer, he could see that his owner's eyes were red and moist. Not the eyes of someone who had been up for the past few hours working, more like the eyes of someone who had been crying.
Gromit just frowned at his owner. Wallace understood that his friend didn't beleive his lie. He sighed heavily and said," I don't know if I'll ever find the girl of my dreams out there, old chum."
He sighed again, and added," I mean, I've been in more relationships than I can count and all I can succeed in doing is getting me heart broken." He sniffed softly, a tear rolling down his cheek which he tried to hide from Gromit. Gromit had never seen his owner cry ever.
" Gromit, I..." Wallace started to say. He wiped another tear away and continued," I honestly don't think there is much point in going on if everything I do has to fall apart. I mean, how many businesses have we been in? A hundred? 200?"
At least a hunred, Gromit thought to himself.
" And what seems to end them all? A relationship that failes," Wallace said. He gave a couple soft sobs before he looked up again.
" Gromit, somtimes I wonder if...I should just kill meself. Or have let Victor shoot me. Or have been turned into dog food. Or have finished Piella's bakers dozen!" he groaned sadly and threw himself to the bed.
Gromit was shocked by what the inventor had just said! His ears stood straight up and he felt slightly sick in his stomach. To think of the thought of his owner killing himself...he didn't want to even think about it. Wallace looked at his friend, knew what he had said had upset his friend, and sighed.
" I'm sorry I said that, old chum. But that is the way I feel right now," he said, chocking back a sob.
Gromit looked at his owner with tears in his own eyes. His ears drooped down low and he seems close to crying.
I can't lose someone else. I lost my parents when I was young. Too young to know them. Your the only person who has been close to a father figure, and I owe you everything. If you left, it would be my first moments on Earth all over again, his expression read.
Wallace understood his friends expression. He sat up and said," I'm sorry, Gromit. It's just...I've been alone me entire life and havn't found someone to love." He paused for a moment before asking," Tell me lad, what was it like when you first saw Fluffles?"
This requires a better form of communication," Gromit thought. He picked up his owners sketch pad and started to write.
"Like, time stopped for a moment. At first I didn't think she held any intrest in me at all. It was when she showed up with me stuff that Piella had thrown out and how we connected through just a couple moments of silence." He paused, then added," Her sweet giggle and smile when we looked at one of my records, titled Puppy Love kinda gave me the impression that she had an intrest in me. It's hard to describe the feeling. But, you just feel it happen." He then looked over at his owner, who had been following his written monolog word for word. His expression said the rest.
Finding love is something that takes time. It can't be rushed. Gromit then frowned alittle. But it is nothing the fret over. Certainly not something to kill yourself over.
Wallace gave a small nod and smiled." Your right, Gromit lad. Okay, so I havn't found the one for me heart yet. But she is out there and I will find her," he said cheerfully. He then gave his friend a hug. "Thanks, lad."
Gromit smiled and hugged his owner back. He looked at the clock on Wallace's night stand. It was after midnight. Wallace followed his gaze.
" Oh my. We've been up late. We should get to bed," Wallace said, quickly making himself comfortable in his bed. Gromit gave a sleepy smile and got up. As he was about to close the door, Wallace gave a small smile and said," Good night, Gromit. Pleasent dreams."
Gromit smiled and sleepily made his way to his room. While he walked, he took time to realize a part of his known world had changed. As he crawled into bed, Fluffles opened an eye and looked at him.
Where were you?
Gromit tucked himself in and looked at her.
I'll tell you in the morning. Right now, I am very tired.
Fluffles nodded and layed back down, snuggling closer to Gromit who smiled in his sleep and hugged her closer.