91I'm still here! And bound and determined to keep working on this giant novel. :) We're picking up immediately where we left off. In this chapter, Randall's father finds out about the gang's little trip to Iceland and he's not too happy about it. Also included: a big moment in the spotlight, and some more of the Randall/Becca pairing! (I'm writing it super-carefully, so that everyone stays in character and it totally works.) Things start looking up for the gang from this point onward, as we near the big finale!
Sorry to keep you waiting for these many pages of awesomeness, but it's worth it. So read on and enjoy! :)
Chapter Thirty: A Bend in the Road
"Aw, but I don't wanna be grounded!" Rex whined. "Not even Dad ever grounded me before. What does it even entail?"
"It entails staying in the house, no going outside, and no friends coming over." Randall explained sternly, hiding the fact that he was impressed by the five-year-old's vocabulary. "Kind of like prison, but with modern luxuries." He waved a hand around the kitchen, where Naomi nodded in agreement as she gathered up some mixing bowls.
The rest of the day had gone on more or less normally, but it had been taxing when Zachariah video-called earlier that evening. Randall was worried that Rex would accidentally spill the beans about the trip. Hosting day trips into the frozen wilds of Iceland wasn't really the way to prove oneself of being a suitable guardian. But the call had gone well, with the uncle and nephew playing off that today had just been a normal day. Zachariah had no inkling of the trip…Yet. It was hard to shake the worry that the peace wouldn't last long.
Rex understood that he was being punished for good reason, but that didn't mean he liked it. "'No friends over?' Then what about her?" he pointed at Miss Naomi.
"I hardly think a baking lesson counts." She said, balancing a spoon on her claw. "I've got a big exam coming up and can use every pointer I can get. Pastries aren't my strong suit, and your uncle is a great baker!"
"Sorry, Rex. After what you did, being grounded is a fair punishment. Starting right now and all through the weekend." Randall stated firmly.
"What?! But there's supposed to be snow this weekend!" Rex's scales faded to a duller shade of orange.
"Perfect. Not playing in the first snowfall of the season sounds just fine to me. Any more questions, or do you want to jinx your luck and make things worse?" Randall crossed every arm and raised his brow, waiting to hear what his nephew had to say about that.
The boy pouted and slumped in the kitchen chair. It was clear he wasn't going to get anywhere. Without further argument, he slid off the chair and miserably dragged his eight feet out of the kitchen. He wandered into the living room across the hall with much exaggerated groans of defeat. While remaining in sight of the grown-ups, he found a comfortable position on the sofa, lying with his one-fronded head hanging off the edge to view the world upside-down. Being stuck inside for days on end…already the boredom was seeping in.
Randall could feel his nephew's eyes following him but did not react to it. Thank goodness that was over. It was time to start laying down the law with the little troublemaker.
Without further delays, they got started on Naomi's baking lesson. For her next chef's exam, she was supposed to make cream puffs with some kind of fancy filling, and she was completely clueless on what to do. So they got to work mixing ingredients and brainstorming possible flavors. Naomi made more than one mistake, but wrote down every piece of advice Randall gave all through the lesson. Soon the pastires were in the oven—after a bit of trial-and-error—and she sighed in relief. That had been the easy part. Once the gooey, chocolate-and-spider egg filling was underway, she took a glance at Rex across the hall. The kid was still there, sitting in weird upside-down positions on the sofa, looking bored. But he was flipping through picture books, trying to keep his mind occupied.
After witnessing the argument, Naomi commented, "You know, Randall, you may not have been at it for very long, but it seems like you're getting the hang of the whole parenting thing,"
"You're right; it hasn't been long at all." Randall replied, not as confident. He handed her some spices that would add a bit of heat to the spider-eggs. "There's still tons of time to mess things up. Him sneaking out through a closet door into the wilderness is just an example of how bad things can get."
"Did your father find out about the trip?" She knew Zach was video-calling every evening during the guardianship trial, just to check on how things were going.
"I don't think he knows. We pretended that it had been a normal day at the factory; Rex did a decent job of playing along with the ruse. But I wouldn't be surprised if Dad figured out what really happened…if he does, there's no way he'll give me permanent custody!" Randall vented in a quiet voice, lest Rex overhear. He shared a secret thought with Naomi. "…Sam wanted me to be a guardian, and now that he's gone, I really owe this to him, for the sake of his memory."
Naomi reminded, "That whole fiasco wasn't your fault. Rex knew he shouldn't have been out there and now he has to deal with the consequences. Though why he followed us was a mystery to me…I mean, he never even met Suzie."
Randall did not dare explain that Suzie had been haunting the house for months. He agreed with Naomi's claim, though. "Ugh…why can't this be easier? I promised Sam I'd try…"
"At least Rex doesn't throw tantrums or cries when he doesn't get his way. He's quite mature for his age, so that makes things easier, right? Here, taste this. Does it need more eyes?" she handed over the mixing spoon. They carried on with the baking lesson until the filling was the perfect gooey, chocolatey consistency. All that was left to do was wait for the cream puffs to finish in the oven.
The lesson had taken longer than expected, courtesy of Naomi's many mistakes. One of which involved a painful stove burn. Randall had to quiz her on pretty much everything in regards to the assignment. But all the while, they continued the casual banter even after the pastries were cooled and filled. The cream puffs looked very delectable, piled high on a plate like a pyramid when finished. After the friends had cleaned up the kitchen, they sat down at the kitchen table to eat some and kept talking.
"By the way," Naomi began. "What were you and Becca talking about for so long? You guys were hardly paying attention to the Northern Lights the entire time we were out there."
Immediately, Randall guessed what she wanted to know. He looked at her with a silent, deadpan expression.
"C'mon! I won't laugh. We've known each other for how long, now? And even though we never officially met in college, I still knewyou by reputation. That's a long time to have known someone." Naomi pointed out. "So tell me! Please? I'll totally die of insanity if you don't."
Randall groaned. "Alright, alright…Becca and I—" he hesitated, not wanting to sound foolish. Oh, just admit it, already. The others are going to find out, anyway, so why not explain things before the teasing starts? His conscience advised. So he held his patience together and went on. "Becca and I admitted that we've, well—become more than just friends by this point. So…yeah. That's what we were talking about…What?"
Naomi slammed her clawed hands on the tabletop triumphantly. "Knew it! For ages and ages Bernard and I have been wondering if—"
"Don't you dare start making a big deal out of this, Princess!" Randall hissed. He glanced across the hall into the living room, where Rex had perked his head up, having partially heard. He pleaded for Naomi to get ahold of herself. "Do us all a favor and don't push things, alright? Just stay out of this and let Becca and I figure things out on our own. And no gossiping."
"I don't gossip! Much."
"Uh huh, sure." Randall raised a brow at that false statement. "Rumors have a way of spreading. If monsters at the factory hear that Randall Boggs is becoming romantically interested in somebody, I'm never going to hear the end of it."
"OK, OK…But you and Becca worry too much about your reputations, if you ask me." Naomi then added more seriously, with one claw raised in the air in a solemn oath. "OK, then. I cross my heart and promise not to gossip to another soul—except for Bernard, 'cause he already knows."
"Don't make me throw this at your head." Randall held up the messiest cream puff, teasing but still asking her to keep quiet. "The whole thing is still kind of foreign territory for both of us, so we're taking things in stride. On top of Rex's punishment, my final interview with the press is tomorrow, so I'm stressed out enough as it is."
Naomi's face fell. "Aw, can't you dish just a little bit? What did you say to her? Did she get all mad and moody as usual, or did you lose your cool? Did it all go perfectly? C'mon, I reaaaally want to know what happened—"
"Don't even think about it." Randall snapped, deadpan. Not only was he speaking to her, but also in the direction of a cream puff that was slowly floating away off the table.
The pastry paused mid-flight. Rex dropped his camouflage, holding the treat longingly. He slowly put it back at his uncle's silent insistence. Really, it was amazing how much one monster could say without uttering a word. "I can still go to daycare tomorrow if I'm grounded, right?"
"Nope. Bernard's coming here to keep an eye on you. And as for my social life, which I'm sure you heard all about just now, things are still in the works." Randall addressed both of them. "So both of you, stay out of it."
Naomi was disappointed at not getting all the information she wanted to hear, and knew better then to push Randall's patience. But she was far too curious to give up pestering for very long.
Rex decided to push his luck regarding the deserts just a little bit. "Can I have one? Pleeeeaaaaase?" he pointed to the pile of pastries.
Randall caved and pushed the plate over. He wasn't sure if the punishment for his nephew was too harsh or not harsh enough; learning how to parent was entirely new, too. His nephew picked out the biggest cream puff and bit into it with such gusto that the gooey chocolate-spider egg filling gushed out onto his face.
Naomi giggled as the kid licked it off quite happily. "At least this means they're tasty enough to pass the exam."
…
The next day was the day of the final interview. Randall woke up extra-early, a big bundle of nerves, excitement, and a quiet pride. After his long redemption, this was finally it. His great achievement in the form of those new door station designs at Monster Inc. were complete; every Floor was renovated and ready for operations, the entire system ran smoothly with no glitches to speak of, workers loved the new look it gave the factory, and feedback from everyone had been very positive. (No one said anything directly to Randall, but with a bit of invisible eavesdropping, he had heard many conversations regarding the project.) So much work had gone into his new invention that it was hard not to feel overly self-satisfied.
Be careful. Don't let it all go to your head. The quiet inner voice warned as he gathered up notes scattered on his bedroom floor. You might turn back into the old Randall in an instant. Wouldn't be that hard, really.
Don't worry, conscience. I have no intention of letting that happen. My friends keep my head firmly on the ground. He found his rectangular, black-framed glasses and decided to wear them today. His eyes weren't bad enough that he needed to wear glasses all the time, but they gave off a better 'inventor' appearance. He looked in the mirror and exhaled slowly to brace himself for what was to come. "Here's hoping it was all worth it."
He gazed around his room, half-expecting a ghost to blink into sight. The room was quite tidy, save for some papers scattered around with diagrams and notes from the last few months. But it was devoid of any other monsters. There hadn't been any sign of Suzie or Sam since the Iceland trip. I wonder if they'll be at the factory…Randall easily pictured his brother being there for support. But Suzie was another story. The trip yesterday went great; Becca can finally accept it, now. But does that mean Suzie moved on?...No. It wouldn't be like her to leave out of the blue without saying goodbye.
Bernard arrived at the house, ready to hold down the fort and babysit Rex for the day. Randall scarcely had time to say good morning when the older monster came in. He wanted to get to the factory as soon as possible to prepare for what was to come. The moment Bernard strolled into the kitchen, Randall finished a final bite of toast and practically bolted out the door. "Wish me luck. I'm gonna need it if Sullivan's going to be there."
Shortly after, Becca and Naomi arrived for breakfast. While Rex picked at some scrambled rotten eggs, still sulking about being stuck inside all day, Bernard told the girls of what Randall was going through this morning. "It's been a long time since he's been this agitated; almost jumpy! He made a mad dash out the door the second I got here; the burden is really on him today."
"After all this time spent redeeming himself, that's not surprising." Becca observed. The interview would be televised that evening, so of course Randall would be under a lot of pressure.
Naomi wanted more cooking practice, and was raiding the fridge. "Sure is nice of him letting us use the kitchen…oh, look! There're enough eggs left over for omelets!" She immediately got to work, pulling out a frypan with a clatter.
"So Rex," Becca peered at the kid over the rim of her water glass. "Your uncle's giving the old 'grounded for the weekend' bit? Good on him."
"Humph. Yeah…but look outside, the snow's gonna fall soon! The sky is all white, meaning there must be snow up there. Mr. Bernard, when it comes, can't I just—"
"Nope. A punishment is a punishment." Bernard insisted firmly, and went on, "And remember, Randall has to prove to your grandfather that he's responsible enough to look after you. That includes all the negative stuff, as well as the good. Or else your grandpa will take you to live with him, instead."
The soft-spoken, gentle giant's words had a resounding effect. Rex seemed to have an epiphany at the plain, simple words and sat down in the chair thoughtfully. "…You're right…" Zach was a devoted, caring grandfather, and Rex loved visiting him. But he truly wanted to keep living here in the city. Everything and everyone he'd ever known was here in Monstropolis. To move out to the country permanently would be a really big change…so right then and there, Rex decided. "Right. I'll be good! No more breaking rules and getting Uncle Randy in trouble."
"That's the spirit." Bernard smiled, his colorful feather crest popping up with joy. "The trial will be much easier if you're committed to it, too." A loud clang rang out when Naomi dropped a metal spatula. The others watched her proceed in a high-speed omelet-making frenzy; the heat from the stove made her perfectly styled lavender hair grow bushy and wild. Oddly enough, her vanity didn't seem to mind.
Becca asked if she wanted some help, but Naomi insisted she was fine. "The practice will come in handy…" When Bernard and Rex moved to the kitchen's windowseat to watch the sky for snowfall, she took the opportunity to ask Becca, "So…what did you and Randall say to each other back in Iceland?"
Becca remained pokerfaced. "He warned me you were trying to get some info about that. You're never going to stop pestering, are you?"
"Don't be all defensive about it! Can you blame us for being curious?" Naomi motioned over to Bernard, and also Rex, who had overheard the conversation last evening.
"Well, I—" Becca stuttered, embarrassed. Suddenly the entire room was listening. She decided to talk, if only to satisfy their curiosities. "I don't want it to seem like I'm going soft—I mean, what would all the scarers at the factory think? I'd never be able to coach a class ever again…But yes, we talked about it yesterday. We're not sure if it would work, but we understand each other and are friends already, so that's a good start…" her harsh expression softened up at her own words, but she recovered and went on, fully aware that all three of her friends were hanging onto every word. "He may have started off as a bad guy, but he's grown so much in the time we've known him. And I'm a hell of a lot more patient with better morals, so—" A loud ringing came from a laptop on the table. She sighed in relief. "And saved by the bell."
Bernard looked at the laptop. It had been Sam's, and had barely left the table since he'd died. "Should we answer?"
"I got it." Rex pulled the thing over and answered the ringing with expert skill. "Hi, Grandpa!"
On the laptop screen, Zachariah was eating his own breakfast in his large countryside home. His dark eggplant scales were a sharp contrast to the light colors of the old-fashioned wood kitchen behind him. He was confused by the presence of Bernard and Becca sitting there as well. "Uh, good morning? I take it today's another breakfast get-together?"
"Uh huh. Check out the fancy omelets! Miss Naomi's making them right now." Rex held up a plate happily right as she set one down. He pushed the laptop to the table's center so Zach was better able to see the entirety of the kitchen, including Naomi returning to the stove in the background. But Randall was nowhere to be seen.
Becca answered Zach obvious question. "Randall left early for the big press interview. Doing a pretty bad job of hiding how nervous he is."
"Huh. Must've forgotten I was calling this morning. I wanted to wish him good luck. That boy has come a long way since our falling out all those years ago…" Zach, ever the hard-to-please parent, snapped out of the old memories with a shake of his head; the many short fronds running down his back waving in time to the movement. "I'm surprised you're not there with him, Rex. This is a big moment in your uncle's life. Are you all headed there later?"
"We are, for sure," Becca pointed to herself and Naomi.
"I'll get to see it on TV later." Rex explained while wolfing down the delicious omelet. "I'm staying home today."
"Why? Not feeling well?" Zach asked.
Rex was a bit distracted by the plate of food. "Oh, I'm fine. But Uncle Randy grounded me, so I can't go out. Right when the new snow is starting to fall, too! But it's OK."
The gang all gave one another alarmed looks. Bernard practically winced with exasperation at the boy's carelessness. Naomi froze in place at the stove, her three eyes going wide. Becca remained neutral, but sat up a little straighter upon the dreaded feeling. Zach was a clever monster—both of his sons definitely took after him—and a master of getting information out of others. The eggplant-purple lizard took note of the others' nonverbal behavior. The signs were subtle; almost unnoticeable. But something was up. "And just what did you do that deserved grounding, Rex?"
Naomi cut in with alarm before the kid could open his mouth. "Nothing! Well, nothing too bad. It all worked out well and we're all still here in one piece, aren't we? So no harm done!"
"Uh—what are you talking ab-?"
"It's fine, Grandpa." Rex said, realizing his little slip-up. He went on, much calmer then Naomi. "I went someplace I wasn't supposed to yesterday and got caught. So Uncle Randy's punishing me."
Zach asked sternly, "And where did you go?"
"The factory door vault." Rex thought fast, impressing the other grown-ups in the room. "It's the biggest, loudest room there is, and I always wanted to see what was in there. Which I did, but got too tired from being invisible. It's hard keeping it up for so long." He did his best to try and look sheepish and regretful. Unfortunately, he was not as good an actor as Randall. It was an art that required much practice.
On the screen, Zach crossed all eight arms and leaned back with a raised brow. His grandson sounded truthful, but didn't quite look so. And Bernard, Becca and Naomi all exhibited signs of trepidation. It was hard to buy the story…"Tell me the truth." Zach demanded. "Sam taught me how to spot a lie; it's all in the body language, and you all look very guilty right now. So I'll ask again: What did you do to deserve grounding?"
Everyone remained silent for several seconds. In the background, Naomi slowly sidled out of the camera's view.
Bernard was the first to speak up. "Now, Zach, I promise nothing terrible has happened—"
"Please, just tell me. With Randall on a trial guardianship, I want to be informed of everything that's going on." He uncrossed his arms, at least, and rested his elbows on his countertop like a police officer interrogating in a jail cell, just waiting for someone to talk. When no one did, he bored his grey eyes into Rex. "Well?"
It was impossible to ignore that gaze. Suddenly Rex became very nervous. His grandfather meant well, but did it mean his uncle would get in big trouble? He certainly didn't want that…"Aw, Grandpa, do I have to tell?" One harsh—but also caring and concerned—nod from Zach was all the motivation needed to reveal the truth.
Becca glared over at Naomi. If only Princess had kept her mouth shut and not panicked, then the gang's secret trip may have stayed a secret!
…
At the factory, it was much more crowded than usual. Not only was the foyer packed to the brim, but monsters lined every hallway, everyone trying to go about their daily routines as normally as possible while trying to weave through the throngs of visitors. The reason for the extra bodies was because of the large camera crew and other press guests that were here. It was surely the biggest turnout yet regarding the engineering project.
Understandable, making all this extra fuss. Randall looked over his shoulder into the Floor behind him, observing his handiwork. The new stations gleamed with fresh polish, their silver chrome plating and beautiful design reflected the sun from the skylights. He smiled proudly. After all this work, they'd better appreciate it.
Don't let it go to your head!
Alright, alright, conscience. I won't let it turn me back into my old self. Geez…I've worked too hard to go back to the way things were. One reason I did this was too prove anyone can change, right? Randall leaned against the wall impatiently. He was hanging out in the entryway to Laugh Floor A, watching the camera crew from a safe distance. The hall opened up into the main foyer, where a section was roped off to make room for the factory's guests. They were in the middle of talking to James Sullivan; an attractive reporter with wispy hair and oversized bat-ears was talking to the big blue goody-too-shoes, and every one of the camera guys was giving him undivided attention. Sullivan had grown used to the spotlight ever since taking over the factory. He was talking confidently and breezing through this thing like it was nothing. Randall didn't care about his former rival's status anymore. Just knowing that Sullivan would be listening the whole time was all the motivation needed to do a good job and not mess this up.
There was one little problem, though. Fungus was supposed to be here. But he wasn't; a fact that didn't sit well with Randall. "Of all the days to be running late…the guy had better get here soon." He frowned in annoyance, his patience running short. That stammering little chicken-legged bean had helped with the entire project! It was vital he was present.
Randall continued to wait, mentally going over the answers to any questions that might be asked. A lot of nearby monsters kept trying to talk to him, so he blended away to match the light blue of the wall and retreated onto the Floor to be alone. None of the gleaming stations were in use, but there were still plenty of monsters in here; just a handful of coworkers hanging out to watch the big upcoming interview. The showy stations kept them all distracted, and nobody noticed the inventor come in.
The fact that this whole thing was taking place on a Laugh Floor didn't suit Randall at all. He mumbled to himself, "Humph. Why did Sullivan insist on having it on a Laugh Floor? The Scare ones don't have this dumb circus atmosphere…" He frowned at the remnants of earlier shifts—joke books, magic tricks, and other comic gags had been left on some work desks.
"I dunno, it's charming in its own funny little way." Suzie's voice rang out cheerfully behind him.
"Suzie!" Randall became invisible with a start. He moved behind an assistants' work station to better talk to her. Reappearing, he questioned the ghost. "Suzie, what are you doing here? I thought you would have moved on, or something."
"Sorry for being here in your moment of glory." She joked around. "I'd never leave without saying goodbye! Besides, there are still a few things I want to stick around for."
"Like what?"
"This whole shindig, for one thing," She waved around at the big room. "And a few other things, too. Becca is doing great, but I dunno…I'm still not ready to move on…Oh! But look at this!" She spun around and pushed her dreadlock-like feelers aside to reveal the back of her head. The gold-speckled, royal blue scales showed no sign of injury, now. The fatal caved-in break on her skull was completely gone. "I'm all healed! This is the first time since I died when I've actually looked well. And it's all thanks to you! That trip yesterday really gave Becca a good sense of closure. But I can't leave now; who else will torment you with corny jokes, otherwise?"
"Gee, thanks. That's real considerate." He replied sarcastically. He was glad she was finally healed after so long, and would hate to see her leave for good…she was a still a part of the gang, after all. A friend who'd died far too young. He wondered if passed-away monsters were all over the place, only letting certain monsters see them, just as Suzie and Sam were only visible to him these days.
Suzie was still babbling on. "…and Sam needs the extra company right now. He's still got a ways to go until he's healed up."
"Yet I'm adapting to my situation more each day." Sam materialized in a single blink, jumping in to join their conversation. He turned to his brother, who'd again jumped into an invisible state from the surprise. "Randall, I just came from the house and it's not looking good."
Randall was instantly dreading the news. "What do you mean? What did Rex do now?"
"Actually, it's Dad. He called via video chat on my laptop."
"Oh, right, I forgot about that. Sorry, but there's a lot going on this morning, so I guess I just—" He trailed off, for both brothers suddenly shared the same thought. Sam nodded grimly, while Randall shook his head, hoping to be wrong. "Oh great. Dad knows about the trip to Iceland, doesn't he? Ugh…this is just great! How is it that parents always seem to know everything?!"
"One of life's mysteries. I stuck around for the conversation; Dad got the whole truth out of Rex. Bernard and the girls tried defending you, but it's no good. There's going to be a rough talk later, so I thought I should warn you." Sam started pacing. His broken, bruised and battered body made the situation all the more dramatic. "I only hope Dad calms down enough to be reasoned with. If he decides to end the trial and take Rex right now…"
"Hey, we've got all day to figure something out." Randall tried to sound reassuring. "We both know Rex is better off here in the city. Plus, I'm more capable of handling your crazy ex-wife if she shows up again. Dad should understand those points, right?"
The brothers' worries were interrupted by Suzie. "I'm sure your father will listen. The whole Rex-tagging-along thing wasn't anyone's fault, really." She would have gone on, but more and more monsters had begun filing onto the Laugh Floor, including the massive camera crew with Sullivan. "I hate to sound inconsiderate, but isn't there something important to do right now?"
"Right." Randall snapped back to reality. Outwardly he looked fine, but a subtle dullness on his purple scales betrayed him.
Sam noticed it. "Are you nervous?"
"Of course I'm nervous! This whole thing is going to be televised across the whole city! What if I make a fool of myself? That's Fungus' primary role, and if he doesn't show up soon—" He lowered his voice, knowing someone might overhear him talking to apparently nobody. He peered out from the hiding spot to see the crowd. The news crew monsters were all marveling at the gleaming renovations of the Floor, obviously impressed. The rest of the crowd consisted of assorted workers of the factory—Randall even saw Mike and Celia Mae near the front—and finally caught a glimpse of Fungus trying to push a path through. "Finally! 'Bout time he showed up."
"Answer any questions they ask you, and it'll go just fine. You've handled it well so far, so don't sweat out this last step!" Sam tried putting a hand on Randall's shoulder, but it only went right through. "I'll stick around in the audience, if you like."
"Me, too!" Suzie added enthusiastically. The brothers looked at her in silence, then to one another and back. She then clued in that they wanted to talk alone and blinked out of sight.
Without prying ears, it was easier to be a bit more honest with Sam. Randall gazed out at the growing crowd with a sigh. "…I really wish you were here. Really here, I mean…We were only just starting to get along like the old days, but then this happened…" he waved a hand at Sam's ghostly form with all those injuries. "There are a lot of monsters around this building who miss having you around. Not just me."
The reminder was difficult for Sam to hear and he took a moment to look at all the injuries still horrifically graphic from the crash that had killed him. "Yeah…But I'm in no rush to go anywhere."
Randall smiled in gratitude. He was about to respond, when Sam suddenly blinked away. The reason being a trio of monsters was headed this way. Not only was Fungus here, but Becca and Naomi had arrived at precisely the same time. Randall regained his usual attitude and gave Fungus an annoyed glare for being late on such an important day. "Finally you're here! Don't you realize how crucial today is? I would think that would mean keeping on schedule!"
Fungus, breathless from pushing through the crowd, sheepishly adjusted his nerdy checkered tie and 3-lenses glasses. "S—sorry. I'm just so tense and distracted that I lost track of time!"
"That's hardly an excuse." Randall turned to the girls. "So what happened when my father called? How much did you guys tell him?"
"Rex did most of the talking," Naomi explained. "Zach is very persuasive while hardly uttering a sound. I can see where you get your own manipulative talents."
"Wait, how do you know about that call?" Becca wondered.
"Uh—" Randall thought fast, not exactly willing to say that two ghosts had told him. "I remembered he was calling when I arrived here, and from the looks on your faces, I'd say it didn't go well. But no matter…we'll cross that bridge when it comes."
They were approached by one of the camera guys, an extra-slimy slug-like monster wearing a press badge. "Hi there! We're all set up over here, and Ariel is ready to start. Are you ready to go or do you need a few more minutes?"
"Oh, we're ready. Be right over." Randall pushed Fungus back onto his feet when the guy half-fainted out of nowhere. "Guess this is it; the big one," he turned to Becca and Naomi. "Wish us luck."
Naomi clapped her claws together. "Yay! Good luck! We'll be in the audience!" She excitedly dove into the crowd to try and snag a good spot.
Becca followed close behind, but turned back at the last second. After a quick check that no one was looking, she gave him an encouraging hug. Such an act was a coveted rarity, and Randall reciprocated without hesitation. It was over quicker than they liked, but under the circumstances, that made sense. Becca smoothed down her fin-tipped feelers hastily, satisfied. "Break a leg out there." She realized Fungus was staring in shock with eyes as wide as saucers. She gave him a terrifying glare with hands on her hips. "What?!"
"N—nothing!" Fungus stammered and averted his eyes. To see the tough, no-nonsense scare coach being affectionate was just such an uncanny sight.
While Becca bullied through the crowd to catch up to Naomi, Randall gave Fungus his own evil glare, daring him to say something about what just happened. Fungus spat out, "I—I saw nothing! Nothing at all. R—really!"
"Good; it's none of your business. Now, let's get back to the here and now. For both our sakes, try not to stammer when the cameras are rolling. And be grateful this interview isn't live…"
As they moved towards the reporters and camera guys, a few monsters gave little signs of encouragement. Some coworkers gave a thumbs-up, and others simply nodded in approval. Even Sullivan, who stood out like a sore thumb with that massive blue-furred bulk, waved encouragingly. All the signs were seemingly directed towards Fungus, who looked like he was going to pass out from fear any second. But that was fine. Randall found he didn't really care. Despite all the troubles of the past, he actually felt happy to have done something that benefitted everyone around here. Maybe this was what it felt like to be good for a change, instead of the slightly-crazed evil genius monster from before, always striving to be the best…but he was careful not to be conceited about what was happening right now. The inner voice wouldn't allow for such a thing.
The camera crew consisted of more than two dozen monsters. The thought of so much attention was like a sudden volt of shock, but he hid it well. That hug from Becca had certainly helped calm his nerves. Having her, Naomi and the two unseen ghosts in the audience was also a good show of support. He took a deep breath and stepped forward without a moment's hesitation. Fungus trailed behind more reluctantly, but didn't trip over his own feet, at least.
All in all, the ordeal went well. It would have been better if the audience had been absent—it was hard to concentrate with so many watchful eyes—but Randall simply ignored them and focused on all the questions. The attractive pink, bat-eared news reporter was the primary one asking them, but several other monsters in the crew had some as well, so the interview process took far longer than expected. Fungus did his best to hold it together, but his stammering nature and tendency to sweat profusely in fear made it difficult to be interviewed himself. It was embarrassing enough having such a bumbling assistant, so Randall took over whenever Fungus struggled. They were asked about everything from the first reasons why an entirely new concept for the factory was ever thought of, to the earliest blueprints, to the final construction that had completely transformed Monsters, Inc.
There was a tense moment when the reporter lady brought up James Sullivan and how generous it had been to allow the big project to happen at all. Randall fought to keep from losing his cool. (He and Sullivan may be on better terms, but that didn't mean they were friends.) His conscience said a simple message: Well, think about it long and hard. All this never would have happened if the guy hadn't given you a chance to turn things around.
The words resonated strongly. He looked over at Sullivan in the crowd and nodded once. It was a curt nod of gratitude which Sullivan returned. Past days seemed so far away now; after everything that had happened, all was finally forgiven.
By the time lunchtime rolled around, the crew had all the footage needed. There was a lot of work for them to do to prepare the big story for the news tonight. Randall and Fungus shook hands all around and were finally free from all the attention. The crowd of coworkers had been coming and going this entire time—some had even managed to avoid doing their own daily tasks by coming to watch the interview's entirety. Becca and Naomi pushed through the excited chatter once the crowd had dispersed enough.
"Whew…thank goodness that's over." Randall came up to them, his throat dry from talking so much.
The girls gave their opinions on how it had gone with mostly positive views. Until they noticed the sorry state of the overwhelmed Fungus. He stood shakily on his chicken legs, wiping nervous sweat off his brow and looked about to collapse. Fair enough; he had always been a bit jumpy, and this whole process may have been a bit much for him.
Naomi bit her claw in concern. "You look like you could do with some cold water. Maybe a bucket of it dumped on you. Do you want to sit down?"
"Y—yeah, that sounds nice…water!" Fungus was glad to be free, at least. "The cafeteria's open, so guess I'll do that. It's almost lunchtime, anyway…whew! I'm not cut out for all this fuss. A break sounds great right about now…"
The trio bid a shaky Fungus goodbye. He headed off the Laugh Floor—insisting he didn't want any help walking—planning to go to either the cafeteria for that cold water, or maybe the nurses' room for a sedative. The poor guy was promptly slowed down by a barrage of friends who couldn't help but run over and blast him with a barrage of congratulations.
Randall went invisible and followed the girls, all quietly sidling out of the Laugh Floor without any trouble.
They decided to take the long route to the cafeteria, winding through the more deserted hallways of the factory so as able to talk more privately. With the ordeal of the new invention now over, another fresh worry became more apparent. Randall couldn't help but voice his concerns. As they walked, he asked for more details regarding his father's call this morning; knowing that trouble was coming was more disconcerting then he cared to admit.
"…so how exactly do I explain that it was an accident?" Randall finished venting. "Dad warned me about messing this up. There's no way he'll listen."
"The truth is the only option to go with, here." Becca advised.
"Yeah," agreed Naomi. "Lying will only dig a deeper hole, and your father is a very understanding guy. Even if he is being a tad strict about this guardianship trial. But can you blame him? I mean, he just lost one of his sons! He wants to make sure Rex is going to be OK."
Randall nodded in agreement. That made sense. Even Sam had taken after their father when it came to being cautious and strict, while still being caring and kind. The girls were right; the truth was the only option. That truth being that Rex was a sneaky little nightmare. "If I miraculously manage to get full custody of my nephew, that kid is definitely starting school. Maybe there he'll stir up less trouble…"
Becca laughed. "I dunno; Rex being surrounded by more little monsters his own age? That might have the opposite effect."
She imagined such a scenario while Randall further complained. "Honestly, I don't know how Sam did it."
The others smiled sadly. To suddenly try and play a role that one wasn't prepared for had to be tough. Sam would be a wonderful advice-giver right about now. It truly was a shame he wasn't here…
The high from the interview's success had died down, and now Randall was left with yet more things to worry over. Naomi stayed positive, trying to lift his spirits with no success. He only half-heartedly listened while his fronds drooped and his coloring faded to a sickly purple.
Becca remained quiet. She had planned to ask him something important in regards to a completely different topic—but with this new problem looming over his head, now didn't seem like the proper time. Not to mention Naomi was here, too, babbling away to point of making them insane. She debated for a while, wondering if there would be a chance after lunchtime…But no…definitely not. Better to wait a tad longer…
…
Meanwhile, back at the Boggs house, Rex was having a very boring day. It didn't help that fresh snow was falling steadily outside, and he could only stay in and watch. Like all cold-blooded monsters, cold weather made him sluggish and low on energy, but the special heated jacket he owned helped a lot. Having to stay inside was so frustrating! All he wanted to do was run outside and play. But the stern talk with his grandfather was still fresh on the mind. Uncle Randy was going to be in a lot of trouble…so Rex made up his mind to behave well. He wouldn't even disappear to sneak off during this whole grounded thing, or else Mr. Bernard might get in trouble, too.
The day was going by so slowly…so far Rex had done some reading, played with toy cars and a train set, done board games with Bernard, all while wondering how Uncle Randy was doing with the TV monsters. "Humph. I really wanted to go see that…" His uncle had worked so hard, harder than most monsters ever would, all to show that anyone could change.
Alone up in the loft, Rex sat on the floor of his bedroom, coloring pictures. Miss Suzie had been popping in at various times today to tell what was happening at the factory. It sounded like all was going better than expected! But there was something serious that he wanted to ask Suzie. There had been a moment in Iceland yesterday when his uncle had spoken to thin air. That moment had gotten him wondering about something that he desperately wished to know the truth about.
As he colored, Miss Suzie sat in the windowseat, looking out at the falling snow. Rex piped up, "Miss Suzie? Can I ask you something?"
"Sure! I'm always around to lend an ear."
"Do you think—well…" He hesitated, not sure if he truly wanted the answer. "…Is my dad hanging around, too?...I mean, he died real suddenly and stuff…If he is still here, can I just not see him yet?"
The abruptness threw Suzie off. "Um…" She glanced over at Sam nearby. He was currently hiding from everyone, save for his brother. The physically broken grey lizard smiled sadly and nodded an OK. So she went on, unsure how the kid would react. "…Yes. He's here. But he's pretty banged up; it's not a good idea for you to see him just now."
To both their surprise, Rex was relieved. Almost happy, even. "That's OK." He gazed around the room slowly, not sure where to look. "It's nice knowing he's nearby, even if I can't see him. Think he'll show up eventually?"
Suzie looked at Sam again for an answer. But Sam remained unsure as he gazed down at the many, many injuries sustained from the accident: visibly broken limbs, horrific bruising everywhere, and although his tattooed arm and face had healed up, there was still a lot more to be done. Suzie said aloud what he was thinking. "It could be a while, but yes, I think he will eventually."
Rex smiled contentedly and went right back to coloring.
Samuel Boggs watched his young son sadly, green eyes fighting back tears, wishing the bus accident had never happened.
…
That evening the whole gang was there at the house. It was already dark out, what with it being winter and all, but inside the fire was lit and it made for the perfect evening indoors. The group was scattered around the living room, enjoying the fire's warmth. Bernard lounged in the armchair, Rex was lying on the floor, and Randall, Naomi and Becca were on the sofa. Light from the TV flickered as they watched a brand new story about the ground-breaking new stations at Monsters Inc. The story had been edited, but every question that had been asked of Randall and Fungus were included. There was great emphasis about how the new technology would make the entire power-collecting process more efficient. The segment with Sullivan turned out to be very long-winded, which got on Randall's nerves, but he was overall pleased at how the rest of the story turned out. The camera crew had even gone through the factory beforehand to take shots of each individual Floor, both Scare and Laugh. Seeing the two different Floors gave off a more serious vibe. The way the silver chrome stations glistened was like looking at the equivalent of shiny new cars in the midst of the old factory.
Randall was glad he'd made the call of wearing glasses for the interview's entirety; made him appear more professional. As the long news segment neared the end, he suddenly realized how close he sat to Becca on the sofa. She had scooted close enough to brush hands with, which he almost did until Naomi jumped to her feet when the story ended, applauding loudly. "Woo hoo! That wasn't the boring builder story I was expecting. You designed all of that?! Geez, it sounded complicated. I seriously had no idea how much work went into that thing, Randall."
"I'm surprised they edited out Fungus fainting. That would have been funny." Becca pointed out. She reached over and squeezed Randall's hand in a congratulatory way, subtle enough so that no one noticed.
With his long redemption having come full circle, Randall said nothing in order to avoid jinxing it. He kept quiet with a humble pride as the others discussed the story; even Rex was happy for his uncle and how far he'd come.
The friends planned on having a homemade pizza dinner and a movie this evening to celebrate. The snow had picked up and was falling even harder outside. The sight was ever-tempting to Rex; the boy kept going to random windows to gaze out longingly, but the wish to help his uncle stay out of trouble was stronger than the urge to play in the snow. But before the gang could even start making pizza, the same loud ring from this morning sounded off. It was coming from across the hallway, calling out from the kitchen…
Randall gazed with dread at the laptop, which still sat on the table. It was like an alarm bell. The underlying fear plaguing him all day instantly became stronger and everyone looked towards the kitchen with a sense of doom.
"Humph…best get this over with. You all stay in here, would you? I have no idea how angry my father is going to be."
Becca nodded. "We'll call for reinforcements and a few cannons if things get ugly."
"Thanks. You're a sweetheart." Randall said sarcastically as he went towards the kitchen. Wait a sec, was that a flirt? Nah…He shook it off, not wanting to admit to such a thing.
With much dread, he settled at the table and opened the laptop to see Zachariah's face come into view. It was dark in the countryside living room, too, and his father was illuminated by a fireplace's light. It was apparent that Zach was holding back mixed feelings, for his normally dark eggplant-colored scales had a strong reddish-purple tint to them.
There was an awkward silence that lasted a few seconds. Randall was the one to break it. "So, Dad, did you see the story on the news just now? It went great, I think."
"Sure did." Zach replied calmly. "You've done a good job. The reporters definitely captured your good side."
Randall wasn't sure if that was a lame dad joke, but he shrugged. It was more likely a compliment. He took after his father in the fact that neither of them was prone to expressing emotions.
"In all honesty, I'm truly glad for you, Randall. Who knows? Maybe the rest of the Monster World will adopt the design." Zach went on more seriously. "But that isn't the main topic I want to discuss right now."
With a cringe, Randall tried to explain. "Yeah, the trip to Iceland yesterday. I know that you know, so if I could just—"
"How could you let Rex come with you? I heard about the whole thing from him and your friends this morning, and—"
"Dad, we didn't bring the kid along! Didn't the guys explain? Rex just decided to pop in out of thin air and almost got us caught by an angry Icelandic shopowner and his overfed guarddog in a hunting goods store!—Hang on, let me start over," The look on Zach's shocked face was priceless, so Randall quickly tried again. "Dad, I personally took Rex to the daycare that morning and didn't see him again until the gang and I were well into the trip. He got past Fungus, sneaked in, and followed us with no one the wiser. You know he's getting better at staying camouflaged, right?"
"Good for him." The scales on Zach flickered to a redder tone with rising anger. "All the way out there in the dead of winter—in a place called Iceland, no less—I can't begin to imagine all that could have gone wrong. Sneaking out was his own doing, I understand, but what I'm angry about is that you didn't bring him back! I would have thought Bernard at least would have suggested that, but allowing Rex to join in for the rest of the trip? What were you all thinking?"
Suddenly it clicked for Randall why Zach was so upset. "Dad, we physically couldn't bring him back. The closet door was offline. Didn't the others tell you?"
Zach seemed genuinely surprised. "Huh?"
"The whole thing was arranged with Fungus; it was a fool-proof plan. He took the door offline the moment we'd gone through." He explained. "Suzie's final resting place wasn't exactly close by. It took all day to get there and back, and one cannot leave a door online for that long—Humans are more likely to discover it otherwise. I wasn't purposefully avoiding my responsibilities, here."
The red color of Zach's scales faded little. He listened quietly as Randall continued to explain in greater detail, finally understanding the situation. "Then taking Rex along was the only option…"
"Yes, exactly." Randall sighed. "Either way, he would have been stuck in the Human World. Does that clear everything up, then?"
Out of nowhere, Rex materialized out of hiding between Randall's chair and the edge of the tabletop. The shock was so great that Randall yelped and fell over with a 'THUD.'
"Oh please don't be too mad at Uncle Randy! He's really, really trying hard!" Rex begged to Zach on the screen.
"He also hit the floor pretty hard. You OK?"
Randall rose and shook off the pattern of the kitchen floor tiles. "Kid's right; I'm doing my best, here. The whole situation was something I couldn't control, but it's done, and I still kept an eye on him while he was out there with us. I didn't mean for it to happen. So…what does this mean for the guardianship trial?"
For several minutes, Zach thought carefully, pulling on his multiple short fronds with a concerned frown. Over the course of that time, his scales went back to their usual eggplant color. "No. There're still over two months left." He observed his son and grandson through the screen. "Rex, you understand what's at stake here, don't you?"
Rex nodded profusely.
"Good. With all the trouble you got into in a single day alone, I worry for both of you. This trial has to go well if you want to stay there, understand?" His voice was stern, but also kind.
Rex nodded again. "Sorry, Grandpa."
The three patched up the misunderstandings. Somehow Rex managed to climb onto Randall's lap in order to better see the laptop screen. Randall didn't mind as much as he would have in the past. It was obvious Zach expected a lot from the both of them at this point. When it was time for him to say goodbye, the older monster looked at his youngest son and said something rather unexpected. "I'm proud of you, Randall, for all you're doing."
He blinked, shocked. That was the very first time in his whole life his father had ever said that. He nodded once, outwardly neutral, but internally glad. "Thanks, Dad. I won't mess this up." The elated feeling was even better than the one with the interview today. Getting on better terms with my father. Huh. What a day this is turning out to be.
Back in the living room, Bernard, Becca and Naomi all sat up straighter, wondering how it went. They all said simultaneously, "Well? How'd it go? What was that yell?" "The TV was on, so we didn't eavesdrop too much." "Is he gonna kill you for planning the Iceland trip?"
Randall set Rex down on the floor and reassured them, "The trial is still on; nothing to worry about." He could see they wanted more details, but waved it off for now. There was plenty of time to explain later.
"And Rex's grounding?" Bernard asked.
"Oh, that's still on, too." He turned to the pouting Rex. "Tough luck, kid, but you heard him. We're in this together from this point on."
"Excellent!" said Naomi, willing to forget about today's troubles. "Let's get started on that pizza, then. It's about time we wound down, and I could totally eat a whole one right now. Who wants to help? 'Cause if you don't, you don't get to have any."
Bernard grunted and dragging his prosthetic off the reclining armchair. "Time to exercise this leg around anyway."
"I'll help! We're making that yummy crust that Uncle Randy showed you how to do, right?" Rex trailed after Naomi with gusto. At least being grounded didn't mean missing out on dinner. The boy dragged his uncle along by a hand.
Becca looked like she wanted to say something, but closed her mouth looking a bit frustrated. She only wore that expression when something important was on her mind. Randall would have asked about it, but his nephews' grip was stronger than it appeared. But Becca still followed the train into the kitchen, albeit quietly.
The pizza-making session was fun and full of laughter. A bit of messy cooking was a good way to unwind. The gang chatted nonchalantly, cracking jokes and simply enjoying each other's company. There was a funny moment when a cloud of flour exploded into Naomi's face when she opened the bag. It settled all over her head, dusting it and making her sputter crossly.
"Ah! Now I have to fix it again; that's the second time today!" she coughed, trying to dust the stuff out of her lavender hair and make it look perfect again.
Randall snickered along with the others. Although it was chaotic in here, it was a very content sort of chaos. The gang made it easy to forget about all the stressful events of today; it was like they'd never happened. After starting off terrible, everything felt great now. Even Becca was happy, which was a good sight to see.
The gang ate pizza in the living room while watching a movie—a light-hearted comedy film suitable for Rex—and the golden firelight kept the house warm on this cold winter night. The snow fell harder by the minute outside, and made for a nice backdrop. This was how their eveings in the Human World always ended: being around a fire while getting ready to experience another day. The friends wouldn't have traded moments like this for anything.
At one point, Randall got up to grab a second helping from the kitchen. But when he turned around, Becca was standing right there. Still wanting to say what was on her mind, she held up a hand to prevent from going across the hall. She'd been waiting hours to catch him alone.
"Now that there's finally a chance to talk to you," she said. "I have a quick question; been meaning to ask you all day, but I couldn't find the right moment."
"Sure. What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong. I only wanted to ask—" she stopped, trying to sound normal and not too weird regarding the subject. But then she simply reverted to her bold self and said it. "Now that the renos at the factory are done, and your dad isn't raving mad at you anymore, what do you think of us going out sometime? After Rex's grounding is over, I mean."
"Just the two of us?" It wasn't surprising she would be the first to bring the subject up again. Becca was always blunt and not afraid to take chances.
"That is the general idea." She stated.
"True." Both thought the same thing: if anything was going to work between them, it was best to start somewhere. They had already discussed the possibility back in Iceland…His gut told him to go with the flow and see what happened. I mean, this was Becca; he counted her as a close friend, if not his best. Neither of them objected to the idea of being more than that. So, to match her boldness, he agreed. "Alright, then. Let's go out."
"Really?" she smiled a rare smile, having expected more resistance.
"Yes. Why not? After all that's happened, it would mean something to look forward to. Something positive, for a change."
She whole-heartedly agreed.
They returned to the living room, carrying more pizza slices so as to avoid suspicious questions from Naomi, who eyed them when they both came in with subtle smiles. But she stayed out of it like they had both asked. (Although the urge to bombard them with questions was seriously difficult to resist.)
Randall felt better than he had had in ages. He had survived the biggest interview of his life, made peace with his father, didn't get into a fight with Sullivan, and been asked out by Becca all in the same day. Being happy was almost a foreign emotion…now that he thought about it, he couldn't remember the last time life had gone this smoothly. There was nothing holding him back, now, and it sure was a nice feeling. Sam and Suzie were probably around somewhere, but staying unseen. Looking around the peaceful fire-lit living room, with friends and nephew eating pizza and laughing at the movie, he wondered if perhaps this was what it felt like, finding happiness again.
But of course, there's still the matter of the guardianship trial to get through. I can't screw it up again.
Next chapter coming up soon! Now that we're so close to the end, I'm feeling extra-motivated. :)
It's very difficult finding enough time to write these days, so I apologize in advance if it takes a while for the next update.
You see, I work in an essential service, and am working almost every day with brutally long hours. I won't say what I do, but let's just say that I'm in the thick of the action during this Covid-19 pandemic. It's tough, mentally and emotionally exhausting, but I'm doing my part in helping people get through these rough times. :) I've always been an extremely positive person, and I know this will all end eventually. Stay happy, do your part, and stay healthy out there, everybody! Love P.D.
