Late summer turned to fall. Megabat’s wingtip healed, leaving a silvery scar. One day, he found he could glide from the rafter to the shed floor. He worked up to crossing the yard, then circled the block with Birdgirl at his side. He landed with shaking wings and bowed. Talia and Daniel applauded.
When the weather got colder, Daniel asked Megabat if he’d like to come back to live in the attic—but Megabat hunched his wings in embarrassment.
“Birdgirl,” he said, “is keeping Megabat warm at night.”
Daniel didn’t ask any more questions about that.
Daniel was sure Megabat still missed his bat brothers and sisters—just like Daniel still missed his friends in Toronto—but they didn’t talk about it as often, and neither of them dripped much. Daniel even made a few new friends at school.
Really—life was good, except for one minor detail.
It was a few weeks before Christmas and the friends were hanging colored lights in the shed when the door burst open.
“I wondered what you guys were doing back here!” There stood Jamie wearing a fur-lined hat and his usual sneer. “It’s the bat, isn’t it? He’s back! Talia, if you don’t agree to be my servant for life, I’m telling Mom!”
“You leave Megabat and Talia alone!” Daniel put his hands on his hips.
“Or else what?” Jamie challenged.
Suddenly, Daniel had an idea. With a subtle flick of his wrist, he motioned to Birdgirl. She landed on his shoulder. He whispered in her ear and she took off out the door into the wintry air.
“Jamie,” Talia said, “just go home, okay?”
“Fine…” he said. “I will. But only to get Dad’s cell phone so I can record the talking bat and show Mom.”
As soon as he left, Talia sat down in the wheelbarrow. “Great. What are we going to do now?”
“Just wait for it,” Daniel said.
“Wait for what?” Talia asked.
A minute later they heard a commotion outside the shed. It sounded like a helicopter landing. Daniel threw open the door to reveal Jamie, running back toward them with a cell phone, already recording. In fact, he was so busy looking at the screen that he didn’t notice the huge flock of pigeons at first.
“Shoo,” Jamie said, waving his arms as the first one crossed his path. “Get lost,” he said when a second one swooped past his ear.
“Coo-woo!” Birdgirl called.
That was when the pooping began. And not just regular pooping. Massive pooping. Every pigeon in the air—and there were almost a hundred—let loose at the same time.
“No!” Jamie tried to cover his head. “Gross! Make them stop!”
“They’ll stop if you leave Megabat alone,” Daniel shouted. “For good. And no more making Talia be your servant, or else they’ll get you…every time you go outside.”
“Okay, okay. Fine,” Jamie said.
“Coo-woo!” Birdgirl ordered. The pigeons dispersed in the air like confetti.
“Clever, clever bird,” Talia said, as Birdgirl came back to roost in the shed.
“Yes,” Daniel agreed, “the cleverest.”
Megabat flew up to perch beside her. He bowed down low. “Birdgirl.” He looked up at her adoringly. “Mine hero, mine love. Will yours marry Megabat?”
“Coo-woo!” She flapped her wings.
It was a definite yes.
Then the four friends watched as Jamie picked up his pigeon-poop covered hat and ran from the yard.
“Coo-woo,” Birdgirl said, contentedly.
“Yes,” agreed Megabat. “A muchly happy ending.”
