"I'm sorry guys," Sonny Munroe said to her fellow cast members on the show So Random. "I have to go home to sort out my feelings regarding this Chad business."
"But Sonny, how can we survive without you?" Tawni asked.
"I'm sure you'll manage," said Sonny, crestfallen.
"Without you, this show is like fries without ketchup. Pancakes without syrup. Pigeons without pooping."
Every turned their faces to Grady with shocked expressions on them.
"What?"
"I think what Grady is trying to say," Nico put in, "is that our job will be a burden with you gone."
At that moment, the sarcophagus that is always in the prop room crept open, slowly, slowly…
Everyone jumped in fright as a mummy wielding a sword appeared out of the sarcophagus. It ran up to Sonny and stuck its sword in her stomach before she could escape…
The mummy tore the bandages around its head off and revealed itself to be none other than the youngest cast member, Zora. "Scared you, didn't I?" she asked, directly the question at Sonny.
"A little," Sonny said, removing the plastic sword that had been taped to her midriff. "And I'm sure you'll miss me most of all," she said, wrapping Zora in a hug.
"Nah, I think we'll get along fine without you," Zora said.
Sonny pushed her away. "You can't mean that."
"Of course I don't, silly." Zora punched Sonny in the arm, causing Sonny to say "Ow!" "You are the greatest thing that ever happened to this show."
"Thanks," Sonny said.
"I thought I was the greatest thing that ever happened to this show," Tawni said. When everyone's astonished face was on her, she added, "Kidding! Just trying to lighten the mood."
Just then, Marshall walked in. "Sonny, your ride is here," he said, calmly.
"Group hug!" Grady said. He, Nico, Tawni, and Zora gathered around Sonny and hugged her tight.
"I'll miss you guys," Sonny said.
They all let go of her. She picked up her suitcase with the props from sketches she created, including her "Check It Out Girls" uniform. Tawni would be keeping hers. Then Sonny walked toward the exit, giving her fellow cast members one last glance, then vanished from their sight.
"I'll miss her!" Marshall said, weeping now that Sonny was gone and wouldn't see him shed tears on her behalf.
"Marshall, we didn't know you cared about her so much," said Nico.
"You never know how much you love something till its gone," said Marshall, still weeping. "And besides, who could ever be as good as her in the skits?"
"No one," said Tawni.
"Good, glad you think so," said Marshall, his weeping suddenly stopped. "You four will now have the opportunity to find a replacement cast member. I know that I sprung Sonny on you a year and a half ago, but this time you get to choose."
"Must we?" asked Zora.
"Yes, of course," said Marshall. "We can't continue our show without a fifth cast member. Going back to what we were before Sonny came into our lives is impracticable."
"Don't you mean 'impractical'?" asked Zora.
"How would I know what I meant? Sonny's g-gone!" Marshall was weeping bitterly as he left the props room to take care of other business.
The four Randoms sat down on the couch together, sighing as they thought about the new task they were burdened with. Then the star of another popular show from Condor ambled in.
"Guys, where's Sonny?" Chad asked.
"She left," said Nico.
"Left? But we didn't say good-bye!"
"Chad, she doesn't want to say good-bye to you," Tawni said.
"But we have to say our farewells. We're meant to be together!" Chad was frantic.
"You might still be able to catch her at her apartment," Zora offered.
"Really? There might still be a chance." And with that, Chad was gone.
"Yeah, when hell freezes over," Nico said.
"Sonny gave him all the chances he deserved," said Tawni. "Don't you agree, Grady?"
Grady was busy looking at something in his wallet. Suddenly he felt awkward, and looking up noticed that the other three had their eyes on him. "What? Did you say something, Tawni?"
"I'll repeat my question if you show me what's so interesting in your wallet."
"It's nothing important," Grady said, hastily.
Zora grabbed his wallet from him and found what he was looking at. She could not refrain from laughing.
"What is it? Oh," said Nico, looking on.
Tawni was the last to find out, and she burst out laughing too.
"Hey, don't you guys dare laugh at my girl!" exclaimed Grady, yanking the wallet out of Zora's hands.
"She looks like a meatball with hair," said Zora.
"And since when is she your 'girl'?" Nico asked. "You haven't even mustered up the courage to ask her out yet."
"I'll ask her today, or tomorrow, or—"
"Or next week, or next month. We get it," Tawni said. "What you need is some girl advice."
"I have a better idea," said Zora. "How 'bout we take Grady over to Mel's apartment right now, and ensure that he asks her out."
"Why would be do that?" Tawni asked.
Zora stared at them without saying anything.
"There's no reason for us to go to that apartment building anymore, now that Sonny's…oh," said Nico.
"Yes," said Zora, "and now you three better get off the couch a.s.a.p. so that we can see if Chad made it or not."
"And say one more good-bye to Sonny," said Tawni.
"That too," Zora said.
They all got off the couch and followed Zora to the taxi that would take them to Sonny's apartment building.