Andy was in a co-op program in college. Because of this, his schedule tended to vary from spending either fall or winter semesters working to taking full-course loads during the summer. Michael had come to dislike this as it resulted in Andy coming around less often than he did when he and Ashley were in high school.
Michael had known Andy for as long as he could remember. While Ashley had many friends, Andy was one of the few Michael got extra excited about whenever he came around or otherwise had the chance to spend time with. At social get-togethers, not very many of them played so dedicatedly with him the way Andy did.
That's why it hurt Michael that much more to disappoint him.
"Hi, Michael," Andy said with that same friendly smile. His gleaming blue eyes became fixed on him in a way that usually made Michael feel very comfortable, but in this case, made him even more insecure. Either Andy didn't notice it or looked past it, continuing to smile affably. "How're you feeling?"
Michael leaned back against the bed, the mattress being too high for him to sit himself onto without having to climb. He hugged Buzz to his chest in a self-conscious, defensive manner. He didn't speak, nodding instead as though to say, Fine.
Andy appeared to suddenly tense up as well. He was used to Michael running up to give him a hug. Ever since Michael was an infant, Andy always managed to get a smile out of him, even if it was something as simple as allowing him to tug at his hair or paw at his face. The only time he recalled the little boy becoming awkward and shy around him was that day he gave Woody to him.
He nodded understandingly. "Hey," he said, bending down to Michael's level, who continued to stare at him with a frown. "I'm glad you're all right." The awkwardness was so bizarre. So he turned his attention towards Buzz, his eyes brightening again immediately. "Hi, Buzz."
Buzz wore his usual teeth-bearing grin as Andy ran the tip of his finger down the side of his space suit. But where Andy smiled at the toy, Michael unexpectedly dropped his shoulders in defeat.
"Andy," he said softly and, to both Andy and Ashley's alarm, with a hint of sadness and remorse, "I gotta tell you something."
It tore Andy's heart in two when, as Michael said this, he held the space toy out for Andy to take. Even more so, it hurt Buzz. It was one thing when a child had a guilty conscience over accidentally breaking a lamp or spilling a glass of milk. But over something he couldn't possibly prevent – something Buzz had a chance to put right – he couldn't stand it. He was almost ready to comfort him on his own.
But luckily, Andy seemed to have it under control. "Hey," he said with a reassuring smile, "come here." Ignoring the plastic toy being held out for him to take, he wrapped an arm around Michael and helped him up onto the bed. It was only as he was doing that with a minor struggle to support Michael's weight with a single arm that Buzz noticed that Andy's other arm had been behind him the whole time.
Despite the slight heartbreak Andy felt at the way Michael was staring down at his dangling bare feet in a means to avoid eye contact, he kept the smile. He found this to be a good a time as ever. "Before you tell me, I've got something for you." With that, he pulled Woody out from behind his back.
It took Michael a second to notice and take it in, but as soon as his eyes became fixed on Woody, a suddenly-vivacious gasp escaped him and those green orbs began to shine once again from under his bangs. The toy appeared to be unscathed, still wearing that hat and smile with the same honour and pride Michael had grown to love most about his favourite cowboy.
"Woody!" he exclaimed, stretching out his hand, but not grabbing the cowboy doll. He looked towards Andy first.
Andy shook his head at this. "Don't even, pal," he assured him compassionately. He closed the gap between the toy and Michael's reaching hand. "He's yours."
Michael, while still maintaining those last few drops of timidity, took Woody with much gratitude and hugged him next to Buzz. And for a while, that's all he did was hug both of his toys close. Andy smiled wide and stroked the side of Michael's head – the side not mended by stitches, brushing his hair back.
Behind him, still by the doorway with her arms crossed across her chest, Ashley grinned as well. There was the Michael they both knew.
Michael looked ready to thank him, but Andy intervened before he got the chance. "Don't thank me," he said. He glanced towards Ashley. "I ran into your sister on the way up here."
Ashley shrugged and looked at her shoes.
"She told me you were feeling bad."
At that, some of the glow in Michael's eyes disappeared again.
"Listen to me for a sec," he asserted, stern but sincere, gently grasping Michael's shoulder so he would face him directly. He couldn't recall the last truly serious moment he and Michael shared. "And I want you to remember this for as long as you and I are pals. And that's forever, by the way."
Michael nodded, hugging Woody and Buzz close.
"I gave Woody to you because I knew you would love him as much as I do. I gotta admit, I've lost and broken him a lot of times before. Same goes for Buzz."
"Really?"
"Of course," Andy proclaimed matter-of-factly. "I was a kid. We're allowed to do things like that."
The corner of Michael's mouth tightened at that.
"You wanna know the amazing part about that is?"
"What?"
"It's that no matter what we do, no matter where we leave them or how bad we break them, they'll never stop loving us. And we'll never stop loving them. Right?"
An enthusiastic nod. "Right."
"'Ever notice how Woody and Buzz never stop smiling?"
Michael laughed and nodded once again, glancing down at his toys' faces as though to confirm. He heard Ashley lightly chuckle at that curious statement as well.
"That's because they're always happy as long as you still care about them."
Michael smiled proudly towards Andy. "I do."
"I know you do. And that's all that matters."
Even if they tried, Buzz and Woody could not have been more proud of their owners, both previous and present, at that moment. Andy knew them well. And they were both glad that, from now on, Michael would now know that as well.
~ O ~
It was hard to find a quiet moment between their arrival home that afternoon and after their family members and close friends finished giving their condolences for the nightmare Michael, Ashley, and their parents had endured. But by that night, Mrs. Ryan had kept her promise, and the four of them were, in fact, in the family room, with nothing but each other's company to keep their spirits up and help them move forward.
Michael, in all his enthusiasm and lasting daze from the stream of family and friends coming in and out of his house, left Woody and Buzz in his room as he joined his parents and big sister in a mellow night of mindlessly watching the television.
In that silence, Woody and Buzz sat up from where they were on Michael's bed. Woody looked towards Buzz, grinning shrewdly. "What'd I tell you?"
Buzz grimaced and nudged Woody in the arm with a fist.
"Ow," said the cowboy before being swarmed by a horde of toys led by Jessie.
~ O ~
The week went by quickly. Ashley had spent the week doing her best to motivate her mind to focusing on her studies. Michael had done his own personal best to play quietly. (Ashley always laughed out loud every time Michael would accidently push one of Buzz's buttons or get Woody's or Jessie's pull strings caught somewhere, and then shush them afterwards.)
The Ryans found themselves at the following Saturday too quickly. With Ashley continuing to prepare for a midterm that upcoming Monday, Mr. Ryan at work, and Mrs. Ryan at the car insurance place, Michael spent the day roaming the house.
Sometime in the afternoon, Michael wandered right into the kitchen where his sister was bent down towards the open refrigerator. Michael's eyes were cast downwards. One hand dragged across the wall while the other held Woody by the torso. He wore his cowboy hat and a frown.
"Hey, buddy," Ashley proclaimed when she spotted him at the corner of his eye. She did a double-take before noticing the despondent look in her brother's eyes. "What's the matter?"
Michael didn't answer, continuing to hang his head.
"'You bored?"
He nodded.
She sighed, looking at the soda can in her hands, then back at Michael. "Well, mom's not home until later. 'Can you hang in there a little longer?"
Downcast still, he nodded half-heartedly.
Ashley twisted her mouth in thought as she looked upon her unenthused brother. "Hey," she said again, "I'm almost done the last chapter. I can take a break and we'll play together a bit, all right?"
Michael looked up. "Can we go- Can we go to that place?"
"What place?"
As he racked his brain for the name, he held Woody up in the hopes of having her figure it out first.
She did. And she froze when she did. She shifted her eyes back and forth between Woody and Michael. "Oh, well…I don't know, Michael." The truth was that she didn't feel entirely ready to get back behind the wheel of any car. In fact, earlier that week, in a state of post-traumatic stress, she'd told her mother she would probably never drive again.
"Please?"
Ashley pressed her lips together in consideration.
~ O ~
"Chin up," Mrs. Ryan instructed. Michael complied and she zipped his coat up all the way to near his neck. She made the extra effort of making sure it didn't get caught in the yellow handkerchief tied loosely around Michael's neck. "There."
Michael excitedly pushed his cowboy hat back on his head, grinning widely. He then moved his hand down to hold Woody with two hands.
Ashley peered through the door's window when she saw a pair of headlights enter their driveway. "He's here." She opened the front door. "Let's go."
"Have a great time, guys," their mother declared happily. She kissed her son on the cheek before he rushed out the open door, Woody's hanging limbs swinging with every step.
Mr. Ryan was standing behind his wife, leaning against the stairs' banister. "Say 'hi' to Andy for us."
Ashley nodded. Michael was already making his careful way down the front porch steps. Before following him out the door, her mother leaned in and whispered, "You're driving us to breakfast tomorrow." Ashley rolled her eyes with an amused half-smile as if to say, We'll just see about that. Her mother laughed. "Enjoy yourselves."
"Bye, Mommy! Bye, Daddy!"
"Have fun, pal!"
Buzz, all the while, was already by the window of Michael's bedroom, staring down at where Andy's car was in the driveway. He grinned as he saw Michael run across the driveway and hop up and down impatiently by the sliding door. One step at a time, they'd decided. Ashley was the type to get back up onto the horse – Woody had assured him of this. And Buzz knew he was right. Michael was the same way; Buzz watched Michael jump into the back seat of Andy's car as soon as the door was open. Already set for a new adventure.
Resting his arm across his knee, Buzz followed the car with his gaze as it pulled out of the driveway once they were all settled inside. With the light inside still temporarily on, he caught sight of Andy and Ashley's smiling faces. He could not have been more relieved at that. They deserved a good time. And no matter what may come, no matter what stumbled into their path, they would take it on.
"Hey, Buzz," called Mr. Potato Head from where he and several other toys were huddled around the toy car track. "'You in or what?"
After all, it was just as Bo said: One way or another, they always found their way back home.
And there you have it! I hope you all enjoyed. Thanks so much to everybody who reviewed.
