Broken:
By: Taralynn Wakelin
She starred out the window smiling as the rain that had been falling all morning finally stopped. She put on her coat and left the office where she worked and headed for the large warehouse next door. As she walked the short distance she could hear the sound of music coming from inside. She knocked once before going inside to find her four friend's who worked there solving people's problems as the Imagination Movers singing and playing their instruments together. The four men not only worked and loved making music together; they were also best friend's…more like brothers! Seeing her the guy's stopped singing and smiling always happy to see her spoke together greeting her.
"Nina!" They said together.
"Hey guy's! I see you finished your new song!" She said as they sat.
"Yep! Finished it this morning between customers!"
"You know Movers since you're between customers, I thought maybe we could go to the Wind room and fly our new kites? We didn't get a chance yesterday when a customer showed up!" Nina said smiling.
"Sure! The guy's and I were hoping you'd ask!"
"Well Scott I just did!" Nina said as they all laughed.
"Great! Oh, I almost forgot Smitty guess what Dave and I found in the Sun room this morning?"
"What?" Smitty asked as they stood and headed to fly kites.
"Your missing key's!" Dave said smiling. "Rich found them buried in the sand by the sandcastle we built yesterday!"
"Really? Thanks guys!" Smitty said smiling as Rich gave them to him.
As they reached the room a knock came to the front doors, the four Movers looked at each other smiling before they spoke together.
"A CUSTOMER!"
"Oh, well work calls!" Nina said smiling. "Its okay, we'll fly kite's later!"
"Sorry Nina! Come on Movers we've got work to do!" Rich said smiling.
Two Week's Later:
Time passed and thing's were great as usual for Nina and the guy's. Until one day, she came to see if after work the guy's wanted to watch the new movie she bought on her way to work that morning. She smiled as she reached the front doors, but it quickly vanished when she heard the sound's of arguing. She went inside confused and saw the four of them standing together as they argued.
"I think the song sounded good!" Smitty said frustrated.
"You would! You always agree with Rich!" Scott said.
"So we're playing that game huh? Then what about you always agreeing with Dave huh Scotty?" Smitty threw back at Scott.
"Speaking of Dave…you know if you worked as hard on our music, as you do your invention's maybe you'd know what song we're rehearsing!" Rich said.
"Really? That's funny Rich! Wasn't it me who gave you the word's to the last song when you forgot them?" Dave said angrily to Rich.
Nina had heard enough, she went up to them and got in the middle of them before she gently, but firmly pushed them all back a step as she spoke.
"Whoa! Time-out!" She began. "What is going on?" She asked looking at each of their angry faces, no one spoke. "Well?"
"Just a little creative brainstorming!" Dave finally answered, the other's agreeing.
"Really? It sounded more like an argument to me!" Nina said.
"Nope! Just a friendly discussion!" Scott said yawning, before the other three yawned too, all four looked and sounded exhausted Nina spoke concerned for her friend's.
"Look at you four, you're exhausted! When was the last time you had a day off, or a goodnight's sleep?" She asked all four shrugged.
"Umm…Monday!" Dave answered, the other's agreeing.
"Oh…well today's only Friday, so…" Rich cut Nina off.
"Two month's ago, Monday!" He said as the other's agreed again.
"What? Are you serious guys? Why?"
"Well with us getting more customer's, writing and practicing songs, and taking care of the warehouse we just haven't had the time to do anything else!" Smitty answered.
"Alright then…here's what you're going to do! You're going to lock up early, then you're going to go change and meet me in the Sun room for some fun before you all go home and get a goodnight's sleep!"
"There's no point in arguing is there?" Rich asked.
"Nope!" She said.
"Come on guy's, let's do what she say's!" Scott said smiling.
A couple of hour's later she smiled as she watched all four guy's building sandcastle's together, only to knock them down right after. Relaxing and having fun seemed to not only rejuvenate them, but it took all the anger and fight out of them as well; you'd never know by looking at them laughing and acting like kid's that only a couple of hour's earlier they were angry at each other. They came to where she was and sat smiling she looked at each of them smiling before she spoke to them.
"Now aren't you four glad I made you do this?"
"Yeah, thanks Nina! I guess we just worked so hard we started picking on each other, I'm sorry guys!" Rich said.
"I'm sorry too!" Dave said.
"Me too!" Scott and Smitty said together.
"You're all welcome! Come on its late, let's go home huh?" Nina said smiling.
Two Week's Later:
After that day thing's returned to normal, the guy's were back to their usual selves and Nina couldn't be happier about it! All four guys were like brothers to her and she had never seen them like they had that day. Two week's later she went to the warehouse to hang out after work, once again though she heard them arguing and rushed inside. They stood together, so once again she got into the middle of them, but they all ignored her this fight was different then the last one they had.
"You're the one whose always telling us to take action Rich! So I did! I didn't know we had to run everything by you first!" Dave yelled upset.
"Yeah, who put you in charge Rich?" Smitty asked.
"I'm not! Its a mutual decision around here!" Rich yelled back.
"Could have fooled me! Everything we do you have to okay it first!"
"That right Scott?" Rich asked angrily.
"Yeah it is! You know we're the Imagination Movers, not Rich and the other guy's! You need to remember that Rich!" Scott answered.
"You two feel the same?" Rich asked looking at Dave and Smitty.
"Yep!" Smitty said.
"I do! I'm so sick of our idea's coming in last to your's Rich!" Dave said.
"I get it! You three get together earlier to plan how you'd gang up on me?" Rich asked.
"Really? That's the best you can come back with?" Dave said angrily. "Why the hell am I even here? All I' am to you three is the little, bass playing, gadget guy! None of you take me seriously!"
"You feeling a little rejected Dave?" Rich mocked.
"Back off Rich!" Smitty said angrily.
"You his bodyguard now Smitty?" Scott teased.
"I don't need your help Smitty!" Dave said turning on him. "Damnit I'm so sick of the three of you acting like you're better than me!" Dave said.
"You and Rich don't treat Smitty and I like that Dave?" Scott yelled.
"You walk around here like you haven't got a clue what you're doing half the time Scott! What the hell are we supposed to think Scott!" Rich yelled.
"Screw this! Screw you three! Screw our friendship! I'm done! You want me gone…fine! You got it! Forget you even know me, cause I sure as hell am going to forget you! There is no more friendship, I'm gone go to hell!" Dave said angrily as he left.
"Dave wait please!" Nina called out, he never stopped or acknowledged her.
"To hell with this! I'm done too go to hell!" Rich said angrily as he left too.
"Rich don't go! Please wait!" Nina tried again, but like Dave had Rich left.
"They both finally had a good idea! I'm finished with this crap!" Smitty said.
"Smitty, wait please!" Nina tried yet again, but he just left.
"Nina stop! Its over…we're over! Just let it go please!" Scott said sadly, as he too left with Nina calling after him, but like the other's he never turned around or stopped.
After they all left she couldn't believe what just happened, they ended their friendship and she watched it happen helpless to stop it! She looked around the Think Tank sadly before stopping in front of their locker's, as she starred at their name's she decided that she wouldn't stop until they realized they needed each other. She left the warehouse and went home and called Rich first, he didn't answer so she tried Dave next. When he didn't answer either she tried Smitty, but like the other two he didn't answer. Frustrated, but not one to give up easily she called Scott fully prepared for him not to answer as well.
"Hello?"
"Hey Scott, its Nina!" She said surprised he answered.
"What's up?" Scott asked sounding sad and tired.
"I…I umm, wanted to talk to you about what happened at the warehouse?" Nina replied.
"Not again! Nina please, I thought I made it perfectly clear to you that its over? The damage is done, there is no more friendship!" Scott said sounding defeated.
"Scott please reconsider? If you just…" Scott Nina off.
"Nina you need to stop please! Its over! I'm exhausted, I'll see you tomorrow or something okay? Goodnight!"
"Okay Scott! Goodnight!" She said sadly as she hung up. She picked up a picture of the five of them off the table and spoke to it. "No, Scott its not over actually! It won't be over until you four are back to being friend's again!"
Four Month's Later:
Day's past and Nina tried and failed many time's to get the guy's to talk things out. The guy's had no contact of any kind with each other and it killed them, but their friendship was over! Nina still talked and hung out with all four of them and saw the pain in their eye's over their lost friendship. Each of them tried too hard to make her believe they were doing okay, but she knew better. She would tell them how the others were doing and even though they acted like they didn't care, she knew the truth! After all they've been through together and how much they meant to each other she refused to give up on their friendship! One day four month's after their fight Nina came up with a plan to get them together. She called each of them and asked them to come to lunch with her, not telling them the others would be there too. She went to the restaurant and waited at the entrance nervously for them to arrive, hoping they'd show. After waiting 10 minute's they finally arrived at the same time, they stood starring at each other. No one spoke it was so tense, Nina had no idea what would happen as she looked at all four of them finally Rich spoke.
"What are they doing here?" Rich asked upset.
"Surprise! I invited them too!" Nina said smiling.
"I'm out of here!" Scott said turning to leave.
"You're good at that!" Smitty said mocking him.
"Excuse me Cowboy?" Scott asked turning to him.
"You hard of hearing Goggles Boy?" Smitty answered.
"Leave him alone Smitty!" Dave said turning to leave.
"Screw you Dave!" Smitty said angrily.
"Really Smitty? You're going to try that?" Dave said turning to him. "Or are you going to get the almighty Rich to do your dirty work for you?" Dave said looking at Rich.
"I think you better watch your mouth Dave!" Rich responded.
"Or what? You going to beat me up?" Dave was so angry.
They stood there starring each other down angrily, Nina was so worried that something would happen, she was relieved when Dave spoke.
"I'm out of here! Go to hell!" Dave said leaving.
"Dave wait please!" Nina called out to him, but he just left, the other three left too without saying a word or looking back, she was upset. She sat down on a nearby bench and sighed she was scared their friendship really was over!
Two Week's Later:
Despite what happened at the restaurant Nina had decided she wasn't going to let their friendship end like that, there had to be something she could do! One night two week's later she sat in her living room thinking of a way to fix their friendship the TV on in the background. She was so frustrated she got up and began to pace, as she did the show she was watching came back from commercial. On the show two friend's were fighting, so their other friend locked them in a room together to talk and when they let them out they were friend's again! She sat down on the couch starring at the screen, she turned off the TV and stood, she picked up a picture of the guy's and began talking to it as if it would answer her back.
"Lock them in a room? I…I couldn't do that…could I?" She asked as she put the picture on the coffee table and began to pace. "This is real life it wouldn't work…would it? What other choice do I have though?" She asked as she stopped pacing and picked the picture back up. "Okay then its settled! Tomorrow I lock you in a room together, until you're friend's again!" She said smiling as she sat down to work on her plan.
The Next Day:
The next day she went to the warehouse and found the master set of key's for the entire warehouse before she called the guy's and not telling them about each other asked them to meet her at the warehouse. She paced the floor nervously unsure if any of them would show up after she tricked them like this once before. She smiled when they all showed up minute's apart, knowing they'd try to leave she blocked the doorway. She stood with her arm's crossed starring at them, before she spoke finally giving them her ultimatum!
"Now you four listen! I've had enough of this! You four are going to sit and talk this out or…or you'll lose me as your friend!" She said, the guy's stood together before they looked at each other, then back to her not one of them believing her Rich spoke for them.
"You're bluffing!" He said smirking as the others did too agreeing with him.
"You think I'm bluffing? Okay then!" She said turning to leave.
"WAIT!" All four guy's said together stopping her.
"Still think I'm bluffing?" She asked.
"No!" Dave said the other's agreeing again.
"Good! Now are you going to talk?"
"We'll talk!" Scott answered.
"Great! Come on let's get you comfortable, this could take awhile!" She said smiling as she grabbed Dave and Rich's hand's and dragged them to the couch, Scott and Smitty followed and they all sat. "Okay, who want's to start?" She asked smiling looking at them, they all avoided her eyes. "Guy's?"
After no one spoke for a few minute's she knew it was time to lock them in together, so she stood and took Scott and Smitty's hand's this time and with Dave and Rich following they went to the Sun room. She opened the door and pushed them inside, they were confused as she stood in the doorway arms crossed before she spoke to them smiling.
"Since you won't do it the easy way, we're now doing it the hard way!" She said.
"What are you talking about?" Smitty asked confused.
"This!" She said smiling as she held up the key's, all four recognized them as the master set for every room in the warehouse; none of them had thought about the key's since they became the Movers, after all they leave all the door's unlocked anyway, Dave spoke.
"You wouldn't! You're…" Nina cut him off by shutting and locking the door, smiling to herself at how easy that had been she spoke to them.
"You'd think you would stop saying I'm bluffing!" She said loud enough they heard.
"Okay, funny joke ha, ha! Now let us out!" Scott said.
"Nope! Not until you're friends again!" She answered as she walked away.
"Did…did she leave?" Scott asked, none of them could believe she did that!
"Great!" Dave said going to a corner and sat, the other three went to different spot's as far from each other as they could get and sat too.
They sat in silence for a while not looking at each other, doing their own thing's, stealing glance's at each other when no one was looking, until an hour later Dave spoke.
"Look guy's this is crazy! Nina's right, we need to talk and fix this!" Dave said as he stood and looked at the guy's.
"Yeah, Dave's right! Its been too long!" Scott added. "What do you two say?"
"I say…you're both right!" Rich agreed.
"El' Smitto?" Dave asked.
"I think its time we talked!" Smitty said smiling.
"Awesome!" Dave said smiling as they got their beach chair's and sat together. "I guess I'll start! You know you three are my best friend's, but lately I just…I don't know, I guess I felt like everything I said or any idea I came up with wasn't good enough! I felt like I was useless, you know?" Dave said sadly.
"Really Dave? We honestly had no idea you felt this way!" Rich said.
"You're not useless Dave! Hell your inventions and idea's have helped us out a lot many times!" Scott said the other's agreeing.
"I guess it didn't help when I became over active in taking the lead. I just get carried away sometimes because I know how great you three are and I just want everyone else to see it too! I guess I pushed too hard!" Rich said sadly.
"Rich we'd just like to know that we're good enough to take the lead sometimes too you know?" Smitty said gently.
"For me, I feel like all I' am is the comic relief! I know I can be a mess-up sometimes, but I try hard when it come's to work!" Scott said sighing sadly.
"Scotty you never were a mess-up, and you still aren't! You're funny as hell, but you also know when to be serious and you do your job perfectly! Hey, we've all had our moments where we've messed up too!" Dave said gently.
"I guess sometimes I don't feel like I fit in with you three! You guy's are so confident, and outgoing and I'm not! I feel like I'm in the background!" Smitty said sadly.
"Smitty you're just as confident and fun as we are! We never knew you felt like this, we never wanted you to feel like you were second best to us! You're an important part of our team, you've always been a huge part!" Rich said looking at him sadly. "I guess we've all made mistake's, and learned that just because you've been friend's for year's…its still nice to feel needed!"
"I think we needed this to realize and remind us how important we are to each other! Help us to understand each other better!" Dave said smiling sadly, the other's agreed.
"I'M SORRY!" All four said together jumping out of their chairs, they hugged each other before Dave spoke about their friendship.
"Let's make a pact right here, right now! That whenever one of us feel's like this again we talk about it! No more keeping it in until we explode, no matter what it is we tell the other's and work it out as a team!" Dave said smiling.
"Agreed!" All four said together before hugging, Scott spoke smiling.
"You know this probably wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for Nina not giving up on us!"
"You're right! She was there for the four of us, and never gave up on our friendship when we did!" Smitty added.
"Let's do something special for her?" Dave suggested. "We could…write her a song?"
"That's a great idea! Let's start working on it right now!" Rich said smiling.
Nina sat in the Think Tank, she checked her watch again before she got up and made another cup of hot chocolate. It had been a couple of hour's since she locked them in together and she still hadn't heard anything from them. She was beginning to wonder if they were ever going to work thing's out, and she was worried that it couldn't be fixed! As she thought that her cell phone rang, she took it out and smiled seeing it was Dave's number she nervously answered.
"Hello?"
"Hey, its Dave! Can you let us out now?"
"I don't know…have you guy's worked things out?" She asked.
"Yeah, we did! We're friend's now thanks to you!"
"I think you're bluffing!" She answered.
"So its proof you need then huh? How's this?" He said holding up his phone so she could hear them laughing at something Scott said. "Is that enough proof?"
"More than enough! I'll be right there!" She said smiling as she hung up.
She went to the room and unlocked the door before standing against the opposite wall arm's crossed smiling. They came out smiling too before Dave and Scott took her hands and led her to the Think Tank where she sat on the couch. Rich and Smitty got their guitars and stood with Dave and Scott in front of her before they sang their beautiful thank you song to her, she couldn't stop smiling.
"That was beautiful guys! Thank you!" She said when it was done.
"We should be thanking you! If it hadn't been for you not giving up on us, we'd still be fighting! We don't know what we did to deserve a friend like you, but we're grateful to have you in our lives!" Dave said as she stood and hugged them.
"You're welcome guys! That's why I did it, you need each other as much as I do!" She said smiling as she hugged them again.
"Let's turn on some music and get our party on!" Scott yelled happily.
So they did; they laughed, sang, danced and had a great time together! A little while later Dave need a drink so he went to the fridge and got one, he then stood smiling as he watched the other's having fun Rich joined him smiling as they watched them in silence.
"You okay man?" Rich asked patting Dave's back.
"Yeah Rich, I really am…we all are!" Dave said smiling.
"I'm so grateful to Nina for this!" Rich said as they watched the other's dancing and laughing Dave nodded as he spoke.
"Me too! You know I've really missed this!" Dave said sighing.
"I did too! You guy's are my brother's, and I'm really glad to have you three in my life still!" Rich said as they hugged.
"What are they doing?" Dave asked as they pulled away and laughed watched them dance, Rich shook his head and spoke between laughs.
"I think they're dancing!" Rich answered looking at Dave.
"Well come on! Let's show them how dancing's really done!" Dave said smiling as they joined the others.
As Nina watched the four of them dancing and laughing she smiled grateful that they were friends again, they had a bond that nothing and no one could truly break! You can't break a family's bond of love…and the guy's were a family!
THE END!