Sheila arrojó todas las camisetas de Bud por la ventana del tercer piso. Se quedó afuera mirando hacia arriba, con una camisa cubriendo la mitad de su cabeza.

“¿Estás molesto?” Bud gritó hacia la ventana.

“Tómalo, Bud. No quiero volver a verte." Sheila respondió, secándose las lágrimas de la cara.

“No respondiste mi pregunta…”

Bud recogió sus camisas y se alejó. Durante los trece años que estuvieron juntos, no fue la primera vez que lo atrapó en el tarro de miel con sus propias manos, pero sería la última. Esa era su miel. Ella no podría permitir eso.

Cubierto de oro pegajoso, Bud fue al lugar más cercano para limpiarse. Su hermano Benson estaba, como siempre, en el sótano de sus padres, calle arriba.

"Hola Benson... Sheila me echó para siempre". Bud dejó caer su gran bola de ropa al suelo.

“Vaya hombre. Eso es…” Benson cerró los ojos pensando profundamente, buscando las palabras adecuadas para decirle a su hermano en su momento de necesidad. ¿Sería él quien animaría a Bud y le ayudaría a recuperarse? Consideró darle consejos útiles para guiar a Bud hacia una vida feliz con o sin Sheila. Su hermano lo miró, esperando que se cumpliera su sentencia. Benson abrió un ojo y miró, pero fingió no hacerlo cuando Bud se dio cuenta. Volvió a preguntarse cómo proceder. Empezó a darse cuenta de que él nunca había tenido una relación. Fue difícil encontrar pareja en el sótano. Volviendo a la frase, pensó, ya se había demorado bastante. Luego pensó en la naturaleza de las palabras y la ambigüedad. Tenía que ser lo más claro posible para que Bud no se hiciera una idea equivocada. Estaba listo. Benson llegó a la conclusión perfecta de su frase después de mucha deliberación. "...malo."

Bud estaba frustrado pero agradeció las amables palabras de su hermano. Caminó por el sótano pensando profundamente. ¿Todas las veces que compartió su propia miel con Sheila y ahora ella no hará lo mismo? Se puso furioso. Se dio cuenta de que ahora estaba en el mercado del amor. Enfurecido, el viejo saco de boxeo que colgaba del techo recibió un gancho de derecha. BAM. Voló por la habitación.

Benson apartó la vista del televisor y miró a su hermano con toda la intriga que pudo reunir. Bud no sólo había de alguna manera lanzado el saco de boxeo a través de la habitación con sus propias manos, sino que también estaba levitando y brillando. Le tomó unos momentos concentrarse y volver a la normalidad.

"Oye, haz eso de nuevo, hermano". —preguntó Benson.

Con facilidad, Bud lo hizo de nuevo. “Eres flotante….. y…. resplandeciente.” -exclamó Benson-.

Sheila abrió la puerta y se apoyó en el marco. De alguna manera ignoró por completo el brillo y la flotación.

“Vuelve, Bud… exageré”.

"Oye, Bud, mira, soy Sheila". Benson informó a su hermano.

"¿En realidad?" Bud respondió a Sheila.

"En serio... ¿qué dices?"

"Yo digo, vámonos a casa".

Al pronunciar esas palabras, el brillo de Bud se desvaneció y cayó al suelo. Estaba claro lo que había que hacer. Retrocedió y se sentó en el sofá junto a Benson.

"¿No vienes?" -cuestionó Sheila, mientras la confusión se extendía por su rostro.

“No”. -respondió Bud-.

Su negativa le devolvió el brillo y el sofá flotó. Benson ya estaba dormido en ese momento. Sheila se fue enfadada y Bud supo quién tenía que ser para mantener su poder. Estaría en el mercado del amor indefinidamente, ya que ahora era Bachelor Bear.

Honk directed a one-night circus in Big City Park which was wildly successful. The event ended around midnight, so he began to pack up. While he collected all the props and dismantled equipment, he kept hearing a strange belching sound just outside the tent. Each time it got louder and more messy. Honk took down the tentpoles and it revealed to him the heavily impaired bear with honey dripping out of its mouth.

“Just leave me. BURRP.” Bachelor Bear requested, though there was no indication anyone was going to help him. “LEAVE!!”

A balloon began to inflate just above the bear on the park bench. With a swift move of the hands, Honk turned it into an exact replica of Bachelor Bear, complete with glasses and all. He smiled and handed it to Bach, but the bear just rolled over and groaned.

“Impressive, but a balloon can’t mend a broken heart.” he whined.

Honk held a hand to his chin and decided he was more invested in this than cleaning up the circus. He pointed a finger in the air as if he had an idea. From a ridiculously tiny briefcase, he pulled out a ton of balloons and tied them to Bachelor Bear’s waist. Bach just let it carry him as Honk himself took hold of some himself and they flew towards the downtown area.

“Please just let me mope.” Bachelor Bear pouted.

Honk slowly began to pop the balloons carrying the two of them so they could have a soft landing. They were in front of Club Juicy, where Bachelor Bear could be found most nights. Honk slapped Bach with a fish on each cheek. Bach glowed as if ready to fight, but the glow faded as even his Bachelor Presence couldn’t overcome his mood. Honk held open the door to the club and the two of them took seats at the bar as the nightclub was bumping.

The clown tapped Bachelor Bear and pointed to a woman a couple seats down. He mimed a conversation with his hands and pointed again, guiding the bear to speak to the woman.

“Hello, I’m Bud. What’s your name?” Bach weakly introduced himself. The woman completely ignored him. Honk grabbed his paw and gave a firm ‘no’ with his arms. He then slicked back his hair and smiled handsomely, showing Bud how to approach.

“Excuse me. You look like my mom.” Bach tried again. Honk put a sack over his head and dragged him out of the club.

A master of non-verbal communication, Honk was ready to whip out the big guns to convey to Bachelor Bear what he needed to. Before he was able to reach into the briefcase, a beautiful woman approached him from the street.

“If you’re coming into the club, we should dance.” she said, then entered the club.

Honk held up a finger to tell Bachelor Bear to wait while he began to head inside to dance with the pretty lady.

“Where are you going?” the bear said, looking up the ground.

Honk danced in response.

“She invited me to dance. Not you.” Bachelor Bear said, dead serious, as if he wasn’t just laying on the sidewalk on his back, covered in honey and the woman clearly spoke directly to Honk.

Honk laughed at Bach and walked inside the club. The woman was at the center of the dance floor, looking right at him. He danced over, but was grabbed from behind. Bachelor Bear was glowing bright and he swung Honk with one arm over to the corner of the room. As he began to dance with the woman, his glow dimmed until it was gone. Honk had an opening. He squirted the dance floor with a fake flower, causing everyone to slip. Bachelor Bear looked back at him.

“She doesn’t want you, clown. She wants to care for the bear.” he spoke in third person, causing anyone in earshot to cringe. The woman stood up and returned to dancing, however.

“Guys. You can both dance with me.” she said.

Honk was not too happy to share, but he moved in and the three danced until the club was otherwise empty.

“What’s your name?” Bachelor Bear asked her.

Instead of an answer, the woman screeched in many voices. The dance floor became warm beneath their feet. The skin upon her face peeled off, the clothes tore. There was something else beneath them, some kind of chitin exoskeleton. It was the top section of an otherworldly beast, primed to devour the two heroes.

“You can have her.” Bach told Honk.

The club owner, Ryan Flyer walked out in a white robe, his hands covered in blood.

“That’s right, bear.” he said as the beast descended into the floor and Bach’s glow came back on. “How many times have I banned you from Club Juicy. You come back another time, I’m summoning that thing for real.”

“Ry guy, what are you talking about!?.”

“Stop calling me Ry guy. It’s the worst possible nickname.”

“Big Ry?”

“No. Stop.”

“You really don’t want me to come back?”

“Please.” Ryan said. Bachelor Bear hung his head and began to walk out.

Honk walked up to Mr. Flyer and pulled out of his briefcase an envelope that said “Circus Money”. He handed it to the man and pointed at the sign.

“You want to buy Club Juicy?” Ryan asked. Honk nodded. He quickly counted the money and his eyes widened. “Yep. All yours.” He had Honk sign some papers and fled the building.

“How much did you pay?” Bachelor Bear asked. Honk shrugged. “So we own this place now.”

Honk shook his head violently at Bachelor Bear, who pretended not to see him as he walked around the club eyeing all the changes he planned to make.