Hey guys! You're all too sweet. Thanks for all of the follows, favorites, reviews, and support.
Anyway, I'll go ahead and say that I decided to devote the whole chapter to Callie's last few days. It was going to be shorter then jump to Randall in the present, but once I looked at it I realized she needed more time than that. So here we go. This is the last chapter before we stay in Randall's present the majority of the time.
It's sad with a few jokes here and there, so… (Slides a case of tissues over)
Hope you enjoy. Please review : )
Chapter 10 Final Moments
Randall: Past
"Aw, Fungus. I'm so sorry, man."
Randall's eyes darted to the double doors of the waiting room as he patted Fungus on the shoulder. The doctor had said that as soon as Callie was stable enough to be seen, he would come back. Until then, he just had Fungus….and the terrible dread of calling Callie's family. How could he ever tell Brian and Mary their daughter might be dying? His mouth felt dry as he pictured their reactions, their faces... He couldn't do it. He couldn't even accept it himself.
Fungus kept his face buried in his hands as he sobbed.
"I didn't even get to say a decent goodbye," he choked.
Randall averted his eyes and tried to think. He wasn't good at expressing emotion, much less comforting others.
An idea popped into his head. "Quick, Fungus. What was the last thing you said to Feebie?"
Fungus' red eyes peered out through the gaps of his fingers. "Wh-What?"
"You and Feebie were holding hands before they left. What were you two talking about?"
Fungus wiped away his tears. "I told her that I loved her."
"And what did she say?"
"She said she loved me too. Why?"
Randall sighed. "Because if I could go back and say something else to Callie, that's just what I would say."
"Wasn't that what you said? You two always say that."
Randall ran a hand through his fronds. "Not even close. The last thing she said was that she loved me, and all I did was wave her off and say she couldn't take my car. And now it's possible that I might have to live with that for the rest of my life."
Fungus' eyes fell to the floor. "At least there's a possibility she could make it. I mean, Feebie's gone. I will never talk to her again."
"But is there anything better than that to say? Feebie was happy."
His loyal assistant considered this. "You're right. I think I'm going to…call her family."
He stood when Randall just nodded, but hesitated a moment before turning around. "Sir?"
"Yeah?"
"I hope Callie makes it."
Randall managed a hint of a smile by scrunching the corners of his mouth. Shortly after Fungus left, the doctor came through the double doors.
"Mr. Boggs, your wife is stable for now. She will be in room 503. Give us twenty minutes and come on back."
Randall glanced up. "Is she awake?"
The doctor shook his head. "No, she's heavily sedated. She won't wake up until the anesthesia wears off."
Randall grew frustrated when the doctor gave a brief description of what they did (basically nothing) to keep her going until the tests came through. The fear was that her heart would go out before they could identify the problem. It was beginning to look like the only option was a heart transplant.
Randall spread his hands desperately. "Can you do that?"
The doctor shrugged helplessly. "In order for a heart transplant to take place, she would need a heart from someone of her exact kind with the same blood type. I've scanned through the options, but none of them are a match. The chances of finding one are…very slim. I'm sorry."
Randall ducked his head helplessly. The doctor tried giving him something to occupy his mind.
"Have you called your family?"
Randall shook his head. The doctor sighed as if he understood.
"Well, I would use these twenty minutes to contact them. My advice is to encourage them to come right away."
Once he left, Randall flipped his phone open and dialed Brian's number without taking the time to think things over. If he did, he would just stop himself again.
He picked up on the second ring.
"Hello?"
"Brian, there's been an accident…."
…
Randall wiped away tears threatening to spill over and glanced over his injured wife for the millionth time that night.
Callie was hooked to so many machines they almost overpowered her. He wasn't sure if there was a single place on her body left untouched by machinery. The room was full of robotic sounds. Beeping. Beeping. Beeping. The rhythmic measure of her heartbeat. The oxygen machine. Callie was still and pale. The only sign of life was her horrible, ragged breathing. It was such a struggle for her that she almost sounded like she was gasping for each breath. This looked nothing like Callie….the lovely nurse, the spunky wife he loved, the energy….everything that made her, sacrificed for the simple task of breathing.
He willed Callie to take each breath, reflecting on the way Brian's voice shook when he promised to board the next train.
Randall dozed off without giving his body permission. He startled awake when a raspy voice squeaked his name.
"Randall…."
He fell to his knees and clasped the hand Callie reached for him with in both of his. A sob racked his body when he pressed her hand to his lips.
"Oh, Cal….I'm so sorry….."
He tried to stop the sobs, but it seemed like the more he fought them the harder they came. Callie tried to speak around the oxygen mask before deciding to remove it and stare back at him helplessly.
She feebly tried to pull him closer. "I know, sweetheart. Sshh…"
Randall stood so that he could press his cheek to hers. "I thought I'd lost you without getting the chance to say how much you meant to me, Cal. I-I was so stupid. I..."
She pressed her hand to his cheek as she covered her mouth with the oxygen mask and took a few deep breaths. Randall stroked the back of her hand with his thumb as he tried to still his breathing. Her hands were hot when they should have been freezing, meaning there was swelling. One of the many symptoms of heart failure.
He tried to fill in the pause so she would take as many breaths as she needed. "I-I can't believe I acted that way over- When we were told about the accident, I- I thought I would never get to tell you I…. And Fungus, he…."
Callie set the mask to the side and pressed her cheek to his. "I know, baby. It's okay. I know you love me. I wouldn't doubt that just because of some argument."
Randall sniffed and kissed her hand. When he drew back, Callie's tired blue eyes were moist. "And Feebie?"
Randall sighed and averted his eyes because he didn't know what to say. Callie gathered all the information she needed from his reaction, gasped, and turned her head to the side.
He covered his mouth when he saw tears spill down her cheeks as her face crumpled. He tried stroking her cheek. "I'm so sorry, baby."
Callie's heart monitor went crazy when she cried for her best friend. Randall panicked and squeezed her hand to get her attention.
"Hey, babe? You know what Fungus said about the last time he talked to her?"
Callie had noticed the monitor, too. She took a shaky breath and tried to hold it in. She winced when something about the sudden movements hurt her.
"What?" she squeaked.
"He said the last thing they ever said to each other was how much they loved each other. They were happy, Callie. Feebie was happy."
Callie smiled with a sob of relief. She pressed her forehead to his. Her crystal blue eyes were beginning to close.
"I love you, Randall Boggs."
Randall kissed her gently and helped her move the oxygen mask back into place.
"I love you more than anything, Callie Denise Boggs," he whispered.
….
Randall took a shaky breath and squeezed Callie's hand. She tried to smile around the oxygen mask and squeezed back with such weak pressure he barely felt it. She coughed up mucous at least twice every hour now. He couldn't believe the words he heard next.
"Promise me you'll take care of yourself, Randall. That you'll move on… You still have so much ahead of you."
Randall leaned down and stroked her cheek.
"Shshshshsh….. Don't talk like that, Cal. You- You're gonna make it. You're going to pull through this. Just keep fighting, okay?"
Callie didn't even blink. "Randall, please… J-just promise me."
"Okay. Okay, I promise…"
"Keep everyone close. Let them help you… Don't push them away…."
Randall drew in a shaky breath and nodded. Callie stroked his face. "You've made my life…so wonderful. You gave me everything I ever dreamed of. Our marriage, our beautiful daughter….coffee…."
Randall had to scoff at the last one. "You too, babe." He ran a hand through his fronds. "You deserved so much better, Cal. How will we live…if anything happens to you?"
Callie brought the mask back to her face. "You'll be fine…"
Sometime later, Sullivan slowly opened the door and gasped when he spotted Callie. Randall gradually turned his head and curled his lip to show his teeth. Callie was in pain, and he wasn't in the mood to see Sullivan. She noticed his expression.
"Randall…"
The sound of his phone ringing broke the silence. He flipped it open without looking.
"Hello?"
"Randall, its Brian. We're here. There's no bus to the hospital for another hour."
He thought it over. "I can pick you up," he said hesitantly.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah."
He hung up the phone, stole a suspicious glance at Sullivan, and stroked Callie's cheek. She opened her eyes and took his hand.
"D-daddy…." she asked.
"He just called, babe. I'm going to pick them up. Don't go anywhere, okay?"
Callie almost seemed back to her old self when she responded with a snarky comment.
"I'll….wait here, Randall."
Randall tilted her chin and kissed her. He glared at Sullivan just before he left and tapped the ends of his fingers together.
"You've got until I get back to talk to Callie."
When Sullivan just nodded, he hurried to the train station.
…
Randall immediately sank down into his chair, wondering just what exactly Callie had said to Sullivan. The big, strong monster everyone knew sat with his face buried in his hands while Callie spoke with her family. Randall dismissed his curiosity. He would never tell Callie, and would probably never tell Sullivan, but the blue monster deserved it. He needed to cope with the fact that if Callie and Feebie hadn't left work to get those stupid cupcakes, they would still have a life ahead of them.
He had to shut himself off when he saw Brian's face crumple over Callie's shoulder as Mary held her hand. He couldn't accept it. Up until the last possible moment, he willed the doctors to find a match.
Brian seemed to be having just as hard a time as he was accepting it. His brown eyes burned with hopeful ambition as he held Callie tight. "Just hold on, Callie. Keep fighting. They'll find a match..."
Callie shook her head doubtfully. "Daddy..."
She didn't say anything else, but Mary understood. They weren't finding a match. Callie's mother covered her mouth, quietly wiped the moisture from her eyes in order to stay strong for her daughter, and stared at nothing. Randall sighed and ran a hand through his fronds, feeling numb.
Callie had a room full of family and friends sleep over that night. No one wanted to go home. The doctor raised his head when he realized how many had stayed past visiting hours, but chose to remain silent. Callie had practiced under him for a while, and he apparently liked her enough to turn a blind eye to the visiting rule.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Callie. The results for the test show no signs of heart injury other than major bruising. As of now, there is nothing else we can do… I'm sorry."
Callie closed her eyes in acceptance. Randall accidentally tossed the rolling table aside when he stood. "What you mean you can't do anything? You're the so called 'best doctor' in Monstropolis, and yet you come in here and say there's nothing more you're going to do?"
The doctor slowly turned to face him. The other monster's eyes were gravely sincere as he answered. "Mr. Boggs, I've known Callie for a while. If there was anything I thought we could do, I would."
Callie lifted the oxygen mask. "It happens with heart injuries, Randall."
Randall took a deep breath and glanced around a room full of monsters in just as bad of shape as he was. He sank back into a chair beside Callie and rubbed his exhausted eyes, trying to absorb the doctor's words. Callie was dying. And there was nothing they could do about it.
The doctor sighed and turned back to Callie. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
Randall glanced up in alarm. "Do what?"
Callie nodded and offered him the wrists hooked to multiple IVs and machines. "Please, I don't want any machines that aren't necessary."
He panicked. "What? Babe, no…"
"Randall, I'm so tired… Please..."
Sullivan stood up, clearly siding with Randall. "Brian?"
The older monster held Mary in his arms. "Please, she…she just wants to be comfortable."
The doctor took a deep breath. "Okay, I'm going to unhook everything but the main IV and the monitor. And I'll make it so you can unhook the chords to both if you wish to move around. Just be sure to connect them again if you do. As soon as possible."
When the doctor left, Callie and Randall stared at each other. Finally, she turned her head to face everyone else. "Can I have a moment with Randall, please?"
Brian nodded. His voice hadn't been steady since Randall told him about the accident. "Take as long as you need."
He kissed his daughter's cheek before he went out. Callie smiled as Sullivan walked past.
"Cheer up, big guy."
He just flashed a half smile before closing the door behind him.
Randall sniffed and grabbed Callie's hand. "Why'd you give up, Cal? I…"
"I didn't."
There was a long silence. His sweet wife reached up and stroked his cheek. "You're going to have to let me go, Randall."
His body was racked by a sob. Even though he didn't accept it, he nodded anyway. For Callie.
"Randy?"
"Yeah, babe?"
"I want coffee tomorrow."
Randall chuckled a little. "Mocha?"
"What else would it be?"
"I'll get it first thing in the morning, Cal."
"One more thing…."
Randall stared into her crystal blue eyes. "Anything, baby."
Her voice was so weak it sounded as if it were going out. "Can we dance?"
Randall glanced up in confusion. Callie loved to dance, but there was nothing he hated more. The only time he danced was at his wedding and when Callie tricked him into it once. They had been out to dinner with their coworkers. A few of them were already dancing when they heard their song play. Callie had asked him to stretch his legs with her. When she had him close enough to the dance floor, she took his hands. He found himself dancing halfway through the song.
He chuckled even though he felt his heart being crushed on the inside and repeated the words he'd said when she tricked him.
"That's a dirty trick, you know that?" he whispered.
Callie managed a small laugh as he gently unhooked her IV and monitor. She embraced him as he scooped her into his arms and shuffled around the room. Randall felt his face crumple after a few moments and struggled until Callie rested her head on his chest.
Sometime later, he slowly lowered her back down on the bed. He thought she was asleep until he heard her whisper.
"Thank you."
Randall held her face in two hands and kissed her repeatedly. "I'll always love you."
Callie smiled as she drifted into sleep. "Me too."
…
She was so weak the next day she could barely hold her coffee. Randall sat with her as she spent time with her family. Brian even lifted Callie and held her in his lap.
Callie's eyes popped open. "Really, Daddy?"
Brian kissed the top of her head. "Yep."
Mary embraced both of them silently as Randall motioned for Brett and Beth to come in. They had come into town as soon as Brett could leave his work. Randall placed a finger to his lips to let them know it was a surprise. He took Ace and quietly placed him on the bed. Ace got the idea and crawled into his aunt's lap.
"Aun' Callie."
Callie's eyes popped open as she took him in her arms. "Ace!"
Brett instantly hugged his sister. Randall lowered his head when a sob racked Brett's entire body. "Oh Cal," he sobbed quietly.
Randall decided to let them have a moment and proceeded to go over to where Sullivan, Fungus, Mike, Celia, the Waternooses, and a few nurses were sitting. Instantly, they all waved him back.
"Go back!" a few of them whispered.
Brett called to him. "Randall, where are you going? You're family too. You're stuck with us, man."
Randall grinned back at his coworkers and took Ace in his arms. "Hey, kid."
Ace reached out to him. "Unc'a Randy."
Randall held him out at arm's length and glared at Callie and Brett.
"Randy?" he repeated begrudgingly.
Ace tapped his arm to get his attention back. "Spider," he said.
Everyone just laughed when Randall narrowed his eyes.
….
Later that day, he was glad most of his coworkers had gone back to work. Callie was so weak she could barely raise her head, and they had put the oxygen mask back on her. Violent coughing fits racked her body, and every breath rattled the mucous built up in her chest.
Whenever her eyes opened, Randall kissed her hand. Everyone glanced up in alarm when the monitor's beeping got louder and closer together.
Randall startled out of his slumber and leapt out of the chair.
"Callie!"
Callie didn't respond. She didn't even move. Or open her eyes. Could she hear him?
The doctor and a few nurses rushed in. He took one look at Callie and ordered everyone out.
Randall didn't process it until he felt himself being pulled out by Brian and Brett.
He shook his head vigorously. "W-wait. Callie!"
Everyone sat in tense silence as they waited for the doctor to come back out. Randall wiped another tear away and stole what must have been his twentieth glance at the door. He startled when he felt a small hand on his shoulder. Once he saw it was Callie's mother, he grabbed her hand and stood to pull her into a hug.
"Mary…"
Though the older monster said nothing, he knew what she meant. They were there. They accepted him as part of their family. Whatever happened, they were there. Randall's only fear was himself. What if he wasn't there? What if he couldn't give Callie's family whatever they needed?
They all stood when they heard the door open. The doctor kept his back to them as he gently closed the door. Something wasn't right. It was too quiet. And the doctor's face reflected failure. When it clicked shut, he slowly turned to face them. Randall felt his heart sink to the floor when he saw his expression. The world seemed to move slower when the doctor shook his head silently. Beth held Ace in two arms while she helped a sobbing Mary into a chair. Ace turned his head in alarm when Brian fell to his knees.
The little two-year-old touched his mother's face just as a tear ran down her cheek. That was enough for him.
"Mama!" he cried.
The world seemed to regain speed when he processed that head shake. Randall lunged for the door. "NO!"
He felt arms grabbing him from behind. Pulling him back. Keeping him from getting to Callie. Brett.
Randall felt his face crumple. He now had absolutely no control over his sobs…his tears…anything. Brett's hold on him turned into more of a hug when he had finally wrestled Randall to his knees. He felt hot tears on his face as he cried for his wife.
He could actually feel the pain that came with each sob. Eventually, Brett began to cry too. What a sight they must have been. Randall's agonized muffled cries and Brett's agonized sobs. Brian took of his glass and silently wiped the tears out of his eyes.
"Callie….Callie…." he whispered as he wiped away the tears. He felt like his heart had been torn out of his chest. He'd lost everything.
But no amount of longing could change the truth of the matter. Like Riley, Callie Boggs was gone.
….
He remembered nothing of the last couple of days. He just found himself in places, with monsters….. He just remembered stroking Callie's face and giving her a kiss goodbye. He didn't talk. Just placed a flower on her casket and barely managed to throw in a handful of dirt. He just remembered snatching a pillow from their old bed and tossing it on the couch when he got home. He couldn't sleep in the same bed that, only days before, he'd shared with Callie.
Ever since he managed to dry his tears at the hospital, he'd shut down. To protect himself. He couldn't remember much about the funeral, either. He just stood there motionless, never talking. His coworkers eventually learned not to offer their condolences because Randall never responded. He couldn't. It was too hard. He blocked them out like never before. He wasn't even sure when he started talking again. Everything was too hard. Everything reminded him of Callie. Even the sadness in his coworkers' eyes.
Being alive didn't seem right. It was like he had no heart. Just a gaping hole in his chest he didn't know how to deal with.
He managed to go through the motions of work, keeping up his house, everyday stuff. He gradually started talking again. But his voice sounded different at times. Almost bitter. And worse… he didn't care.
He hated going home. Each night, for a long time, he pulled down his favorite photo of his lost family and stared at it for hours. Just longing.
He tried visiting Callie's family, but they couldn't help each other. If anything, it reopened wounds that had just started to close. Randall decided to stay away for a while and volunteer for extra hours at work. Eventually, the pain faded into numbness. He just felt like a zombie.
He almost regretted it when he found the easiest way to be around Fungus was to be unpleasant. He did nothing when he noticed Fungus becoming more and more easier to frighten. As for the rest of his coworkers, he just found it easier to continue to ignore them. He couldn't take the sympathy in their eyes anymore. He was almost relieved when their expressions started to harden when they saw him. It was better than them going soft.
One night, he stole another glance at the photo on the mantle. He had finally decided it was best not to take it down. He pushed away some old books on the coffee table and perked up when he spotted his old plans for a machine to extract children's screams.
He took the plans his hands and reclined against the sofa slash bed to study them. It looked like they should just be able to somewhat "extract" the screams out of kids, anyway. If they had some kind of tube to suck out the scream while the child was screaming….all they would need was a place to store the energy. If they did it mechanically, they could get as much scream as they needed.
Randall's eyes popped open when an idea came to his mind. That was just it. Just suck out the screams. Sure, it had the potential to hurt the kids a little, but it wouldn't kill them or cause permanent damage…and they wouldn't have to worry about another scream shortage. Plus, he could use the majority of his spare time to construct the machine. It just might work!
He flipped his phone open for the first time in a while, ignored the missed messages, and dialed Waternoose's number before he could change his mind.
The old CEO sounded groggy. "Hello?"
"Waternoose. You got a minute?"
There was a hesitation. "Randall?"
"Yeah. Look, I was looking over the plans for a….kind of Scream Extractor. And I…have an idea…..that I would like to talk to you about."
And thus, the origin of the Scream Extractor! (Here's another case of tissues.) And I'm sorry to do that. I actually got kind of attached to Callie, you know? But we'll see her again from time to time as the story goes on.
Hope you enjoyed. Please review and I'll see you next time. We'll probably remain in Randall's present most of the time. The story is probably at least three fourths of the way over. Next chapter, we'll move on to what Randall is going to do now. I know you're all worried. See you soon.
