Make a Wish

   It was hard for Ernie to remember his fondest memory of his Wishing Weed. He was excited to bring the little puff ball home, given that it reminded him so much of a little puff of bubbles from a bubble bath. Ernie, introducing all of his pets to their newest friend, was so antsy with glee he almost dropped the poor Wishing Weed several times. The two were almost inseparable; Ernie would spend every waking moment with his Wishing Weed, whom he affectionately dubbed Willy. Ernie would take a nap with Willy, curling up under a cozy blanket, his two Kittypillars, Cat and Kitten, at each side and his Duckling, Dilly, in her own nest, and Party Frog? The frog, who did not actually have a name, would sleep where ever he could. The floor, the sink, the patio, the windowsill. If it was flat enough where he could rest, he would sleep there. Surrounded by each pet, Ernie would eat every meal of the day with them, often times feeding them bits of his food much to his father's dismay. He would do his homework for Miss Sugar with them bunched up by his sides. He wished with every inch of his being, though not very many, that he could take his beloved pets to school within but the classes had a strict 'no pets' policy, save for the rare occasion of a support pet. 

   Ernie was somewhat afraid of his dad's own pets; the odd... Creatures didn't seem to come from the same place that his pets did, his resembling animals more-so than his father's. His soul-bound pet [redacted] spent most of it's time sleeping in a small bed by his own, while Dexter's ran amok in the house. They got along, however as most pets do. Ernie was ever-excited for the Goomdragon their dear friend Haedus was soon to give him, on his tenth offering day only just three offering days away. His friends would all be jealous of the Goomdragon he would ride to school every day, sending it back home upon arrival. Or not, as he'd planned out meticulously. Once, he drew a portrayal of his soon-to-be Goomdragon with his Wishing Weed on top of his head as hair, knowing this would be a well enough disguise for his Goomdragon to go to school with him. Dexter, upon finding it, could not contain himself and had to excuse himself from the room, much to Ernie's confusion. 

   One day strikes Ernie's memory the best, however. His dad, Dexter, was late for work, and on a weekend nonetheless, and he instructed Ernie to stay at the house until Dex could come home. What is a Strudel to do in a home by himself? Nap and eat, that's what, and that is exactly what Ernie did. The kitchen was raided, the couch cushions were strewn about the floor, and coloring pages galore lined the tabled and counter tops. After every page was colored (outside the lines, of course, because that's just how it is some times), every ounce of juice was sipped, and every cushion aligned perfectly, Ernie had only spent about two hours of his day. It took his dad almost six to come home from a regular day of work, and today was no different. Grabbing his Kittypillars, who were practically immobile do their outstanding weight, Ernie settled into the floor under his favorite blanket and carefully drifted off, the sound of pets snoring already drumming his ears. Thankfully, if positioned just right, they functioned as earmuffs as well.

    "Ernie?" His fathers voice echoes through the house. "Is everything okay?" The door gently shuts behind him before he steps around the foyer to see Ernie curled up, fast asleep on the floor. Dexter chuckles; like father like son, they say. Dexter quietly picks up all of the coloring pages, carefully tucking them away in a folder and leaving one for the cabinet doors, which were lined with a progression of art by his son. As Dexter begins to throw away empty cartons and packaging, he hears Ernie yawn from across the room. "Good afternoon, sleepy head" seemed to be Dexter's favorite 'good morning' phrase, as the both of them never woke up during the morning given the time off. Ernie sits up, rubbing his eyes and scratching his tummy (a feat his dad could never manage), Ernie counted each pet out loud. "Cat, Kitten, Dilly, Mister Frog Man, and... Willy?" Ernie looked around the house, unable to find his Wishing Weed. "Willy??" his voice was panicked while his dad paid no mind, fearful he'd lost his favorite companion. Dexter's pets watched from his room, lining the door way like a small, very confused mob.

    Running up to his dad, Ernie grabbed his paws, begging for help. "Dad!" he hollered a little too close to Dexter's ears for comfort. "Willy is missing. I can't find him anywhere--" his speech quickly picking up pace startled Dexter, who quickly regained his composure. Putting his paws on Ernie's shoulders, he turned his son around to lead the way, only to catch a glimpse of Willy. The poor Wishing Weed had become tangled and matted in the Strudel's fur, unable to free himself. Dexter snorts, barely containing his laughter. "Son, I-" His sentence trails off into laughter, completely losing his mind. One paw on his knee supporting his laughter-filled body, Dexter points at a mirror in the living room, motioning for Ernie to turn around and look. After many reiterations of the command, Ernie finally catches on and looks at his back, laughter now filling the otherwise silent home. Ernie attempts to reach Willy himself but his arms just can't bend behind himself. Ernie elicits the help of the Party Frog, who gently pulls and untangles the Wishing Weed from his fur and placing it atop his own head like a wig. The frog waddles back to the pet-dictated chair in the home and clambers up to the top to watch the father-son duo laugh until they cry.