A Second Life: Chapter 5

"Pipsqueak! I said not to eat the batter!"

Once-ler's pale blue eyes blinked open. He was facing the wall of his tent, and he noticed that he was alone in the bed. Once-ler rolled over to face the kitchen, and what he saw brought a sleepy smile to his face. The animals and the Lorax were gathered around Aislinn in the kitchen. Pipsqueak, who had a paw covered in what looked like pancake batter, was standing on the counter next to the stove.

"And you guys!" Aislinn said, turning to the animals gathered around her. "You have had ten servings of pancakes each! This last couple of servings are for me and Once!"

Once-ler tried not to chuckle. Aislinn looked like a mother scolding her children. She was still wearing her shorts and tank top pajamas, she was also bare foot and she was wearing Once-ler's pink apron.

The animals all looked sad that there wouldn't be any more pancakes, but they all went outside to nap in the sun. The Lorax and Pipsqueak remained inside watching Aislinn making more pancakes. Once-ler just laid in the bed watching her make the pancakes. He didn't feel like getting up and doing anything that would distract her from the melody she was humming.

"Are you sure you should be up and doing this?" the Lorax asked, jumping up on the counter next to Pipsqueak.

Aislinn stopped humming and flipped the pancakes in the skillet.

"I'm fine," she said, not looking at the Lorax. "I've had worse."

Once-ler frowned. He had forgotten about Aislinn's injuries. She still had the bandage wrapped around her head and Once-ler was sure that she still had the bandage on her cheek.

"What do you mean you've had worse?" the Lorax asked cautiously.

Aislinn glanced at him, but then put the pancakes on plates and poured some more batter in the skillet.

"There was a time Dad put me and Melody in the hospital," she said quietly.

This got Once-ler's attention. He quietly sat up on the edge of the bed; no one had yet to notice he was awake.

The Lorax frowned.

"He put you and your sister in the hospital?" he said.

"Yes," Aislinn said, flipping the pancakes.

"When?" the Lorax demanded.

Aislinn glanced at the Lorax again.

"Since you sent us back in time," she said, thinking a little. "I believe it was nearly six months ago."

"What did he do?" the Lorax said, trying to keep calm.

Aislinn took up the pancakes and put them on the plates.

"Broke some of my ribs," she said calmly. "Minor concussion on both me and Melody, bruised my lungs, cracked my breast bone, and dislocated Melody's shoulder."

This was the first time Once-ler had heard about this. Aislinn had told him a lot about her childhood, but she had left this detail out. Once-ler balled his hands into fists and clenched his teeth. If he ever met Aislinn's father, he would either say something or just beat the man.

"Have you told Once-ler?" the Lorax asked.

Aislinn shook her head.

"No," she said, putting the skillet in the sink and turning the stove off. "I didn't want him to get angry and do something stupid."

"Like go beat up your father?" Once-ler said, finally making his presence known.

The others whipped around as Once-ler stood up and walked toward the trio.

"How long have you been up?" Aislinn asked trying to smile at Once-ler.

"Since you told Pip to stop eating the batter," Once-ler smirked, ruffling Pipsqueak's fur on top of his head.

Once-ler then looked at Aislinn. He saw that her wounds had bled some while she had slept; the bandages were dyed a pale red where her cuts were.

"Are you sure you should be doing all this?" Once-ler asked, wrapping an arm around Aislinn's waist.

Aislinn frowned at him.

"As you probably heard," Aislinn said, smiling a little. "I'm fine. I've had worse done to me."

"Well you don't have to worry about that here," Once-ler said, kissing her forehead, careful to avoid her injury.

Aislinn smiled and handed Once-ler a plate of pancakes.

"I know," she said walking away from Once-ler. "Now eat your pancakes. I'm going to take a shower."

Once-ler looked down at his plate and noticed something was missing. Before he could say anything though, Aislinn's voice was heard from the bathroom.

"The marshmallows are in the cabinet beside the sink," she said. "But hide them somewhere else so no one gets them."

Once-ler smiled and grabbed the marshmallows, and snuck a couple to Pipsqueak and the Lorax.

                                                                                                                                         

After breakfast, Once-ler took a shower, changed, and went outside to try and figure out a way to get the Truffula tree tufts. He had pretty much banned Aislinn from helping him till she recovered, so she went about trying to train a Swami-Swan, which she named Sun-Ray, to deliver letters and messages to Gran and Melody. Aislinn didn't want to risk Gale, her father, finding out where she and Melody were.

Once-ler soon figured out that he could get the animals to help pick tufts and the next day he started trying to sell his Thneed. He had been trying for about a week and Once-ler had to relive the teasing and frustration all over again. But whenever him and Melvin came back home, they were greeted by Aislinn, the Lorax, and the animals. This always seemed to make Once-ler feel better. He and Aislinn were always around each other, just like before. Aislinn was around Once-ler so much, that she even learned how to make a Thneed! This came in handy, because not long after she learned to knit, Once-ler had his break through again. People came from all over the area to order a Thneed. Once-ler never called his family though; he didn't want them anywhere around this time.

Aislinn, her wounds from her father healed now, helped Once-ler when she could. She would cook for everyone, make sure the animals (who were picking tufts) and Once-ler never got too overworked, and she would knit when she could. Orders for Thneeds were piling up and Once-ler was making a small fortune because since the Thneed's were handmade, he could charge a little more.

Sun-Ray learned real quick how to send letters and messages to Gran and Melody, and Aislinn was very grateful for that. She had a whistle that she had trained Sun-Ray to come too, and she had sent a duplicate to Gran and Melody. Aislinn wrote her family every day, and Once-ler insisted on sending some money to them as well. Many times Aislinn would ask for items to be sent and Sun-Ray would bring it to her from Gran and Melody.

Once-ler and Aislinn worked long and hard for about three months working on Thneeds, and making sure the Truffula trees were growing their tufts back. Once-ler was already making hundreds of thousands of dollars just in three months but he never got greedy like he did last time, Aislinn made sure of that.

One afternoon, Aislinn and Once-ler were sitting by the river taking a break from knitting. They were talking about how everything was different, how their future could be, and anything else they could think of.

"How's Gran and Melody?" Once-ler asked.

Aislinn smiled.

"They are great," she said. "They are grateful for the money you send them. Melody got booted up a grade at her new school so she's a senior now instead of a junior. She's so excited. Gran keeps asking how we are health wise, since she's a retired doctor and all."

"I think we are pretty healthy," Once-ler said. "Considering we eat a lot of pancakes and marshmallows."

Aislinn rolled her eyes.

"If we keep eating that," she said. "Gran will have to roll us out of the tent!"

Once-ler laughed.

They got up and were about to go inside the tent, when they heard a horn and car motor.

Once-ler's eyes widened.

"Oh no," he groaned.

Aislinn tilted her head to the side.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I know the sound of that horn," Once-ler said, glancing worriedly at Aislinn. "It's the RV my fam-."

He never finished his sentence.

A RV burst through the trees and came to a skidding halt about ten feet away from Aislinn and Once-ler. The doors opened and Once-ler's family stepped out of the RV. Aislinn stared in shock. How did they get here? Once-ler never called them!

"There's my successful Oncie!" squealed Once-ler Mother, Isabella.

Once-ler flinched at the nickname she used; he never liked that name coming out of her mouth.

"Mom, what are you doing here?" he asked, taking a small step back from his family.

"We heard about your business!" Isabella said. "And we came to see if we could help."

"More like ride on Once's coat-tails," Aislinn muttered.

Isabella glared at Aislinn.

"And you are?" she sneered.

Aislinn narrowed her eyes.

"I'm Aislinn," she sneered back. "I'm Once-ler's partner and I've been supporting him this whole time! Unlike you and the rest of his family!"

Once-ler's family all gasped.

"Ais please calm down," Once-ler quietly begged.

Aislinn huffed.

"Whatever," she grumbled.

"You guys can stay for awhile," Once-ler said to his family. "If you want I may even hire you to help me and Aislinn."

"That sounds lovely Oncie!" Isabella said, before turning around and barking orders to the rest of the family.

Aislinn was furious. She turned on her heel and stormed back inside the tent. She heard Once-ler tell his family that he and Aislinn were going inside for the rest of the evening, and then Once-ler came in the tent and closed and locked the door. Aislinn immediately turned toward him.

"You may even hire them?!" she hissed.

"I figured we could use the help!" Once-ler defended.

"Have you forgotten that they are a HUGE reason why you destroyed the valley?" Aislinn demanded.

Once-ler frowned.

"Yes I do remember," he said. "I'll just tell them we aren't cutting the trees this time."

Aislinn rolled her eyes.

"Oh like that'll stop them," she said. "I bet they'll go cut the trees down when we aren't looking!"

"They won't!" Once-ler said. "I'll make them give their word!

"Their word means nothing Once!" Aislinn nearly shouted. "They only care about themselves and what other people can do for them! You saw they came ONLY when they heard you were making a ton of money!"

"I know that!" Once-ler shouted. "But we are getting a second chance! Why can't I try and give them a second chance as well?"

Aislinn got quite. She knew she wasn't going to win this fight, because despite what Once-ler's family did to him, he still loved them. Just like Aislinn loved her father, Gale.

Aislinn sighed.

"Fine," she whispered. "But! If they screw up one time, they have to go! OK?"

Once-ler smiled.

"Yes ma'am," he said wrapping his arms around Aislinn.

Aislinn returned the hug.

"Just remember who actually loves and likes you with or without your money or success," she said, looking up at Once-ler. "Me, the Lorax, Pipsqueak and the other animals trust you. Don't let us down again."

Once-ler kissed Aislinn.

"I promise I won't let you or anybody else down," he said.

After that Once-ler left to take a shower, leaving Aislinn alone. She slowly walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. She looked out the tent window at the sun setting.

"I hope we didn't just make a huge mistake," she whispered.