OMG this double update is several months behind schedule. I am soooo sorry for the long wait! Lots of crazy things have been happening in real life. There was a fire at my work place, and all during a pandemic with Christmas on the way. I work full-time at an essential service, so I'm not surprised it took this long to update. I thank you all for your patience!
To refresh your memory of where we left off: Randall just got rid of his terrible ex-sister-in-law in order to protect his nephew, and had been dropping hints to Suzie and Sam about some big plans. What are they, you may ask? Just read on and find out. I did my best and worked super-hard to make these final chapters worth the long read. This is our big finale, readers! I sincerely hope you enjoy it.
Chapter Thirty-Four: The Winds of Change
The day was warm with hints of the approaching summer in the air. Today was Bernard's birthday, so there was much activity going on at his place. It was an event he used to have mixed feelings about in the past but now looked forward to the celebration. The mansion-sized home was decorated inside and out, mostly by Naomi with the help of Becca, Randall and Rex. Helium balloons were everywhere, with streamers, party poppers, and garlands of birthday cards strung up wherever there was room. Even the trees of the backyard were draped with streamers with games set up on the lawn.
Becca was starting to regret putting Naomi in charge of decorating. "Don't you think this is a bit much?" she surveyed the explosions of colorful balloons on the patio.
"Oh, don't go complaining about it, Becca!" Naomi insisted, quite pleased with everything. "Bernard deserves it and I worked hard on the cake!" She balanced the baked creation and set it down on a table. The cake was an extravagant multi-tiered thing complete with real spiderwebs and crushed cricket legs as edible decorations.
Randall came outside with four armfuls of food trays. "Hate to say it, Becca, but I'm on Naomi's side this time. It's been ages since we had something big to celebrate, and this setup isn't all that bad."
"'Not bad?' C'mon, I need more praise then that!" Naomi whined.
"Um, I helped, remember? Against my will, I might add." Becca crossed her arms, tossing her fin-tipped feelers over her shoulder. The three of them took a moment to admire all the splendid work put into the patio and backyard. She didn't want to admit defeat, but was far too stubborn to give in. "It's still a bit much, Princess."
Randall cut in before any argument could start between them. "Chill, you two. Let's have a day where no one has to think about anything important." So the girls agreed to disagree, and returned to preparations. It was just the three of them and Rex at the Brennens' house right now. Everyone else—Nicholas, Lucy, Penny, and Bernard himself—were out at the park having a family outing. By the time they returned, everything would be all set for the party. Of which Bernard knew nothing about.
"There! All done!" Rex strolled outside carrying a giant card that was as big as him. "You think Mr. Bernard will like it?" He showed off all the doodles, dutifully drawn around the border. "I left all this space so everyone can sign it as they arrive."
"Good job, Squirt." Randall rustled his nephew's one-fronded head. "Bernard's only turning fifty-nine once. This birthday is already far more festive than the last one." Remembering the gang's time back in the Human World, he and the girls used to go present shopping in dumpsters or during supply raids. (Lots of stealing and sneaking around was necessary when it came to finding gifts.)
Rex went back into the living room to tidy up the mess of markers he'd left. Randall, Becca and Naomi continued making trips back and forth from the kitchen to the patio, setting up food. By the time Rex was done, the entire patio looked like an outdoor banquet hall. "Looks great. Now, just one more finishing touch," Naomi brought out an enormous metallic sign, made up of shaped letters. "This can be hung from the balcony, right above the patio."
Becca groaned, yet smiled with amusement at the 'Happy Birthday Bernard' sign. "Need we remind you the man is turning fifty-nine and not sixteen? There are already plenty of decorations—"
"Nonsense! C'mon, come help me with this!" Naomi dragged Becca to head upstairs to the balcony overhead. "And don't be a party pooper! Can't you just enjoy yourself for one day? I swear you're like this every time there's an excuse to have fun. Not much of a social butterfly, are you?"
"I just…like to criticize all these crazy ideas the rest of you come up with! And I am not a party pooper." As Becca was dragged off, she glanced back at Randall with a 'back me up?' kind of look. "What do you think, Genius? Am I?"
"Yes." He smirked, crossed every arm and leaned on the table with a bemused chuckle.
She made a chuffing sound, as if holding back a laugh. "Don't you start too!" She went upstairs to help with the large sign while Naomi chattered away excitedly the entire way.
Bernard was greatly admired by every monster who knew him, especially by the three of them. Even back in the Human World, it was his wise ways, good leadership skills, advice, and overall experience with life that had kept the gang's survival going. A day of celebration just for him was long overdue. Randall waited outside on the patio, intending to tell the girls if the sign was hanging straight.
Rex noticed his uncle was alone and took the chance to ask an especially important question. He quickly scurried over on all eights and stood beside him, every orange scale shining so bright that they were practically neon. He rocked back and forth on his four feels and asked eagerly, "So…are you gonna ask her soon?"
Randall's posture slumped at the question. Not this again. "…Soon."
"When?"
"When the time is good and right."
"But you've been saying that for weeks! When is the time gonna be good and right?" Rex demanded.
"I think you're picking up on my impatience, kiddo." Randall had been keeping his own patience in check so far with Rex's pestering, but now it was starting to run thin. The black ink of his tattoo began flickering different colors, emphasis of his inner mood, but he got it back under control. The thought of endless prompts from his nephew—as encouraging as they were—made him groan with dread. "I'm really starting to regret telling you…"
"Hmph. You didn't seem to have a problem talking to me about it first!" Suzie blinked into view right in front of them. Her royal blue scales shimmered in the sunshine with robust health. Beside her, Samuel Boggs appeared, too. All of his fatal injuries were completely healed. His pewter grey scales, with the splash of blue and purple at the tail, were also bright and healthy. He'd been very happy ever since allowing Rex to see him. Their first father-son talk several weeks ago had only been the first of many since that day. The ghost looked like a new monster as he nodded in agreement with Suzie.
"What is this, an intervention?!" Randall hissed at the trio. The ghosts, as well as Rex, stood with baited breaths and smiles of anticipation. They stared with excited expressions, prompting him to say something. "I will ask Becca on my own time, so quit bothering me! Also, do you two have to be here? As in here at this house?"
"Would you rather we come back for the party?" Sam snickered, teasing his brother.
Randall was deadpan. "I take that back." Having two ghosts around would be a tad distracting. Accidentally talking to them when there were lots of monsters around was a high possibility. "But in all seriousness, if either of you show up just to annoy me—"
"Aw, but I want Dad to stay for a while!" Rex cut in.
"Who the hell are you guys talking to?" Becca called down from the balcony. The 'Happy Birthday' was half-draped across the railing, Naomi holding the other end.
"Are there any imaginary friends around, Rex?" Naomi asked harmlessly. The boy often dragged his uncle into playing with imaginary friends. Sometimes she caught one or both of them talking to thin air.
Randall, ever the good actor, recovered brilliantly. With one hand, he pointed at his nephew. "He talked me into it. Not my fault." Out of the corner of his eye, he witnessed Sam and Suzie blink out of view in an instant.
Rex called up to the balcony, "You outta watch your language, Miss Becca! There are going to be kids at this party!"
Becca made a grimace of regret. At least Rex had a good head on his shoulders and knew not to pick up bad habits. The gang went about finishing the decorating without any more distractions. In truth, Randall hated shooing away Sam and Suzie like that, but there was sure to be a slip-up if the pair stayed. Yet he sensed they were still here, staying hidden. Rex sensed it, too and they were both cheered by the thought. This party for Bernard was the biggest one yet and it had to be one to remember. It was ever more special when they were all together. Even if two of them were unseen.
Guests began to arrive shortly after. (Once several little arguments regarding decorations had been settled.) Most, if not all, were from the Brennens' fleet of fishing boats; big, burly monsters well-suited to working at sea. They may have been a rough-looking bunch, but all were hard-working, family-oriented folks. Bernard often went down to the docks with Nicholas, so of course the entire crew from the fleet knew him. The big red monster was immensely popular; he was one of those rare souls who was impossible not to like. Therefore, as the guests came in, it was as if more family was coming through those doors.
Naomi acted as host. She had changed into a girly pink party dress and directed everyone where to be for Bernard's arrival. "OK, they'll be coming around the back of the house, so head out to the yard and enjoy yourselves for now. No eating just yet, though." Naomi explained to one of Nick's friends who had brought his own family to join the festivities.
Rex was outside, at the bottom of the garden where games were set up. Quite a few kids were coming, so the little orange monster made it his duty to make friends with all of them. Meanwhile, Randall and Becca—not being as social as the others—hung around the giant card Rex had prepared, asking guests to sign it. "How'd we get stuck doing this gig?" Randall joked. All around the patio, monsters were mingling and talking with excitement.
Becca made no reply. The sunlight caught the gold speckles on her forest-green scales brilliantly, which Randall noticed right away and could not help admiring. But she wasn't paying attention. She was braiding her fin-tipped feelers absentmindedly, staring into space.
Hm. Should have expected this. She gets like this every time one of us has a birthday…He realized. Birthdays were a heavy reminder that her sister would never have another one. It was an extremely sensitive topic. Right in front of him, he blinked and saw Suzie. She gestured towards her sister, mouthing the words: 'Say something to her!' before disappearing on the next blink.
Randall was unsure if that would be a foolish idea, given Becca's defensiveness. But she wasn't nearly as snappy about sensitive subjects as she used to be, so he stepped closer to nudge her shoulder. That broke her out the trance, at least. "Sorry! Sorry; just lost in thought, here."
"Every birthday it's the same," He said matter-of-factly. "I know what's bothering you, but do you want to talk about it?"
Becca hesitated, but relented. They stepped away from the card table and off to a corner of the garden where they wouldn't be overheard. "I hardly need to spell it out…" she confessed. "Bernard's turning fifty-nine today, and that's great. But it keeps reminding me that Suzie never made it pastnineteen. She was just so young when she died…"
"Yeah…" He remembered that day and how hard Suzie had fought to live. This conversation was suddenly taking a bad turn. Neither of them wanted it to go that way. "But I'm sure she wouldn't want anyone to be miserable whenever there's a chance to celebrate life. That's what birthday parties are for, aren't they? She loved them whenever one came around."
Becca gave the smallest of smiles. "True." Putting that into perspective, she immediately began to cheer up. She looked around at all the monsters who'd come here for a day of fun. "Naomi did go to all this trouble. Maybe the gaudy décor isn't all that bad; everyone seems to like it. Suzie would be having a blast if she were here."
The ghost popped up again, nodding vigorously in agreement. Randall shooed her away with one hand.
"OK," Becca stood up straighter with determination. "I'll try not to be the party pooper. Try. Let's get back to table-guarding. Some of these guys look about ready to chow down…" She paused and turned back to Randall. "Thanks. It gets easier each day." She let her guard down and gave him a grateful peck on the cheek.
He was pleased these episodes of sadness were becoming fewer and farther between. And the subtle affections were nice, too. They almost walked back to the patio holding hands, but quickly regained their normal composures upon realizing they had an audience. Naomi was right there when they turned around. With an expression akin to a fangirl who was trying not to squeal with delight….
"Don't you say a word!" Randall warned. Becca crossed her arms with a frown at Naomi's unforeseen spying.
"OK, OK, I won't! But this is just so great!" The lavender monster's three blue eyes shone with delight. She fought back the squeal and told them, "Nick just called; they're going to be here any minute!"
Randall and Becca instantly hurried to join the crowd. When Nicholas, Lucy, Penny, and Bernard came around the house and into the backyard, they were met with thunderous cheers and applause from all their friends and extended family. Most screamed out 'Surprise!' or 'Happy Birthday!' Any fire-breathing guests let out a few jets of flame just for the fun of it. The look on Bernard's face was priceless. A combination of shock, joy and utter confusion at how they pulled it off so secretively. Nick explained over the cheering, "Sorry, Dad, but we had to keep you distracted all morning!"
Bernard laughed, knowing the rest of the gang must have had a big hand in this.
The party was a huge success. Everyone ate, drank, mingled throughout the garden, played games, all while piling gifts on the patio. Bernard was very overwhelmed by all the attention, and truly touched by his friends' gestures. The giant card was his favorite part of the day. Naomi had outdone herself when it came to the food. She had not only baked the cake, but also all the appetizers and tiny sandwiches—a bit fancy for this type of event, but no one was complaining. Even picky eater Randall liked it. I guess all those extra cooking lessons paid off. Teaching her about the skill seemed to have been worth it.
From this spot at the top of the garden, he checked on Rex. The kid was still playing with the other little monsters amongst the trees in a rowdy game of tag. Randall sensed that Sam and Suzie were still around somewhere…thankfully staying hidden just like they promised. He couldn't help but remember the intervention from earlier…I really should bring it up with Becca eventually…It's such a big deal, though. Maybe I'll ask Naomi for her opinion. The lavender monster in question was currently giggling nearby with a few other guests in conversation. Randall reconsidered. On second thought, maybe not. She's not one to keep a secret easily.
His inner voice of conscience was most insistent and gave the advice he needed to hear. Don't worry so much about this! More opinions will only make you chicken out. If it feels like the right thing to ask, then go ahead and ask!
What if it ends badly? Or what if it sounds too weird? Becca may never speak to me again.
Of course she will. The whole gang are friends for life, no matter what. You should know that by now. And you won't know what will happen until you say something. So get a move on!
Shut up, conscience! I don't need nagging from you, too. Randall argued with himself. He scanned the crowd for his friends. A part of him almost considered talking to Becca here and now. But the rational side won over. This was Bernard's party and not the place to bring up a topic as serious as what he wanted to discuss. Drawing attention to myself during someone else's party? Yeah, like that'll go over well. I may not be a glory-hog anymore, but I've got way more sense than that. He sought out the gang anyway, only to join in the festivities.
Bernard—easily spotted with his colorful feather crest and red skin—was eating cake with the girls, shoving whole slices into his mouth and getting gobs of icing stuck on his angler-fish teeth. The man grinned through another bite. "The best birthday I've ever had. You three really didn't have to go to so much trouble—"
"Nonsense!" Naomi reassured. "We've always wanted to throw you a huge bash. We all pitched in; even Rex and Penny helped. And also Becca, with a lot of complaining along with way."
Becca scoffed, but smirked in agreement. That was true. She handed Randall a slice of cake. A quieter, more subtle smile of affection came with it. One thing they prided themselves on was keeping their relationship quiet when in the presence of others. Naomi seemed to have noticed the looks they gave each other, though, and was suddenly grinning even wider.
Bernard said to Becca with fatherly concern. "How are you doing? I know how you are at get-togethers like this, so if there's anything you want to talk about—?"
She held up a hand to stop him. "Everyone stop worrying. I'm good! Great, actually…Suzie is here in her own way. That's all I need to not feel sad anymore." She said truthfully before insisting they return to the crowd. "Now, no more downer talk! Let's get back to the party before we all go into reminisce mode. I don't want the day to be ruined!"
Randall talked with his friends, joined in some games, rolled his eyes at any jokes and had a good time overall. But the same nagging thought remained…Asking Becca to marry him had to be the craziest idea he'd ever come up with…They had become so close ever since returning to the Monster World. The thought was undoubtedly nice, once he seriously started thinking about it some weeks ago, and had even discussed the idea with Sam, Suzie and Rex. They were being encouraging, despite that there was no way to predict what Becca would say, or how she would even react to such a ridiculous question. But during Bernard's birthday party was certainly the wrong time. All that was to be done was patiently wait for the proper moment. Randall frowned slightly. Patience…humph. Not exactly my best quality…
…
Later that week, James P. Sullivan was busy working in his office. The spacious room was at the very top floor of Monsters, Inc., with a great view of the cityscape, nice furniture, indoor plants, and even a plushy couch for times when he was stuck working in here all day. Sulley really liked the room and bring head of the company—it was going on three years, now—but there were many days when he missed being in the thick of the action as a scarer. Yet somebody had to take charge and keep things up and running for the better. It was a role he was quite happy to fulfill.
He sat at the desk, reading off the computer. His blue fur rumpled when he passed a hand through it. Apparently other places like Scream Industries and Fear Co. were interested in adopting the new door station designs. "Huh. That's not surprising…" Indeed, the faster, modern upgrades had put Monsters Inc. at the very top when it came to scare and laugh power. "Good thing I'm talking to him about it today." Sulley remembered. Randall's invention had really made a difference around here. Such a task as what the other factories were proposing would be quite an endeavor.
"Sulley!" Mike Wazowski suddenly burst in so suddenly that the office doors banged against the walls. He dashed over in a hurry, arms and legs flailing in his unique running style. "Sulley, Sulley, Sulley, you are never going to believe this!"
"What?! What is it?" Sulley stood up with a fright. Mike was an excitable guy, who sometimes exaggerated things, but the one-eyed monster's crazed look was very alarming. "Have the laughers let loose a can of helium through the vents again?"
"Yes, just on Laugh Floor B this time. But that's not what I'm talking about!" Mike slammed both hands on the desk, staring directly at his best friend with so much incredulity that it was almost scary. He practically whispered. "What I just overheard you will never believe in a thousand years. It's about Randall—"
"Wait—Mike, were you spying?" Sulley disapproved of sneaky stuff like that.
"No! Well—maybe? I was just grabbing a few things. They didn't even notice me. So…kind of?" Mike wondered.
"Funny. You don't seem like the spying type. If it's about Randall, I was actually about to call him up here," Sulley explained, ever the easy-going CEO. "What's this all about?"
"It'll only take a minute, and don't worry, it ain't anything bad." Mike insisted. "But oh boy, this is sure to add a few more spots to that fur. OK, listen. I was down on a Laugh Floor, doing some routines…" having fully grabbed Sulley's attention, he went on and explained what had happened…
…
Down in the vastness of Laugh Floor A, Mike was having a blast performing comedy acts. As usual, he was in the lead on the board. All around the room, monsters were practicing jokes and clown routines before heading through the doors into human kids' rooms. The giant laugh canisters were filling up steadily, and the occasional confetti explosions made the day's work even more fun. Mike took a quick breather at his station's worktable. All morning he'd been doing his signature stand-up comedy. The swiftness of the silver chrome door stations meant that everything was moving smoothly, without a single glitch in the system. A few laughers had decorated their worktables with balloons and stickers to brighten up the Floor up a bit. Mike watched the guy next to him practice a pale-spinning act. The monster in question, Hulio, was a yellow-orange tentacled monster, but still had trouble keeping all the plates balanced. It only took a second for all the plates to come crashing down.
Hulio cringed. "Whoops. Knew I should've started with plastic ones…" The assistant with him began sweeping up the broken mess.
Before the assistant could respond, Mike chimed in, "Say no more, Hulio, I'll go get 'em for you! There's a stash in one of the training rooms. I need to take a breather, anyway." Hulio thanked him as the one-eyed cyclops strolled quite cheerfully towards the Laugh Floor entrance.
The maze of hallways deep within the building led to more then one training room. They were mostly identical, right down to the animatronic human dummies for practicing on. Ever since the integration of laugh power, all the rooms contained props for comedy acts, alongside the scaring equipment. One of them had a whole stash of plastic plates, perfect for spinning if one wanted to avoid breaking anything. The sounds of coaching sessions could be heard in some of the rooms.
"Can't very well go taking more plates from the cafeteria. The lunch lady is bound to have a few heads…" Mike chuckled. He reached the room he wanted but hesitated upon hearing one particular voice. The door was ajar, and the unmistakable dictating of Rebecca McKeen could be heard inside. "Oh boy," Mike bit a nail. "OK, Mikey, just slip in, grab those plates and leave. Nothin' to it!" Everyone knew not to bother McKeen's classes. She was highly respected, for she knew all about the art of scaring and kept all the scarers on their game. But she was definitely not one to cross. So Mike carefully slipped inside, hoping not to draw too much attention.
The storage boxes for laugh props was on the other side of the room. A small group of scary-looking monsters was gathered near the simulator with their backs to him. He was completely blocked from view, so McKeen did not notice anyone come inside. "…and for the last time, a sneak attack jump scare is not going to work every single time. Scaring the older kids takes a lot more work than that." she was saying. Mike half-listened with interest to the class as he tip-toed around the group, ending up behind the simulator walls. Now free from being discovered, he checked the contents of the storage boxes.
Beyond his sight, the scaring class seemed to be nearing its end. The group listened to McKeen's final lecture before dispersing. "…It'll all be a part of my next class. If anyone is interested in attending, be here. That means you, Vincent! Your numbers are up, so this could be just the lesson you need to push yourself a bit further." There was encouragement behind her stern tone. No doubt whoever Vincent was, he would do as she said.
Mike searched the shelves of boxes quietly. Many footsteps were leaving the room. Finding those plates for Hulio was now a necessity, for getting caught by McKeen sounded like a death wish. Maybe he should have waited until she'd left the room as well. Luckily, someone else came in just as the place got quiet. It sounded like two sets of feet, but then Mike heard Randall's voice. "A lot of those guys looked stressed out. Rough class?" the multi-limbed lizard asked.
"Ugh. You have no idea…" McKeen replied. "No one even tried to pay attention! All they wanted to do was spend the whole class gossiping. It was just one of those days, you know? Nothing seems to be going right. It's enough to make me punch a wall."
"By all means, do that if it'll make you feel better."
"And I suppose you'd like that just to get on Sullivan's nerves?" McKeen said in a lighthearted kind of way.
"Maybe. But he and I are on OK terms, now, so it'd be a shame to take a step backward. Being civil is a lot better than being enemies."
Hearing that threw Mike for a loop. The reformed lizard actually sounded happy. The discussion went on for a bit, mostly with McKeen venting about how the day's coaching classes were going. Randall listened and offered suggestions on how to secure the scarers' undivided attention. Giving advice. All throughout their banter, there were some disagreements, but the way it was all spoken was weird. As if the two were complimenting one another. Mike kept on eavesdropping, very bewildered, still out of sight behind the simulator. Wait a sec…were those two flirting? No, they couldn't be. They were the most serious, no-nonsense monsters in the factory. There was no way…
Mike finally found the box of plastic plates and picked them up quickly and quietly. Time to go! He definitely didn't want to be discovered, especially now that Randall was here, and this seemed like a private conversation. The one-eyed monster peeked out around the wall's edge. Randall and McKeen had their backs to him, sitting on the edge of the raised floor of the simulator. They were still talking and there was no doubt about it now. Something more than friendship was going on between those two. It was subtle, but still there, nonetheless.
Mike held his breath and carefully inched across the way. Never had the training room seemed so big!
McKeen was in a better mood already. The woman had even scooted closer to Randall so they sat side-by-side. Mike wished to investigate further, but a death wish was not in his schedule today.
"…The next batch are a bunch of newbies. Not my cup of tea." McKeen was saying. "Not that I don't mind new recruits, it's just they're always asking so many questions. I always cover everything; all they have to do is shut up and listen."
"A bunch of questions can't be all that bad. Perhaps you're just in a worse mood then usual." Randall fidgeted, uncharacteristically nervous all of a sudden. At least it seemed that way to Mike. The open door was only a few tiptoes away…
Randall cleared his throat. "Listen, before the last class comes…This may not be the right place to bring this up, but seeing as we never have a chance to be alone these days, there's actually a question I've been meaning to ask you. And it's a serious one, so listen up and think about it long and hard before answering."
McKeen's fin and feeler-covered head perked up with curiosity. Mike's curiosity was piqued, too, and he couldn't help but pause. One foot rested in the safety of the carpeted hallway. Randall spoke quietly. So quietly that Mike could barely hear. But what he heard was so unbelievable that it made him question reality…
…
"So what did he say?" Sulley prompted when Mike paused dramatically. "Good to know you weren't spying on purpose, Mike, but if you're this excited, it must be really—"
"He proposed to her!" Mike practically screamed. "As in asked her to marry him!" There was a dumbfounded silence. When his best friend blinked in disbelief, he further assured, "Would I ever lie to you? Sulley, I was there. Heard him pop the question right there in the training room. It came out along the lines of: 'Would you ever want to marry me?' but Lizard Boy looked dead serious."
Sulley was extremely surprised. Mike was still carrying the stack of spinning plates meant for Hulio, meaning he must have come straight here. The big, blue-furred monster snapped out of his stunned stupor. "Whoa. So what happened next?"
"I dunno! I got out of there right after he said it. The whole thing was so out of the blue that I didn't trust myself to keep quiet another second!" Mike moved over to the sofa and flopped down, exhausted from the hysteria episode. "Are you as shocked as I am? I didn't even know those two were together."
"Me neither." said Sulley. A discovery like this was a bit of a shocker. Mike remained on the sofa, massaging his temple to try and wrap his head around it.
"Out of all monsters…" Mike had known Randall since collage, and in all that time had never imagined him having a love life. He was always way too busy with everyday life to be bothered with such things. "Maybe I misheard the whole thing? What do you think, Sul?"
"Why not just ask him?" Sulley suggested simply. "I was going to call him up here anyway for something important."
"Is it about that engineering position? Wow, it's gonna be quite the day for that guy." Mike whistled.
…
Evidently Randall had been about to do the maintenance rounds, for he wore a hardhat and clean tool vest, with his glasses in the pocket. Mike and Sulley expected the lizard to be, well, enthusiastic, or at least slightly cheerful, if Mike had really overheard a proposal to Rebecca McKeen. But Randall acted completely normal when he came into the luxurious office.
The two best friends exchanged confused glances. Then again, Randall was a good actor. When Sulley asked him to take a seat, he immediately got defensive. "Whatever it is, I didn't do it. Haven't I done enough to prove I can stay out of trouble?" He noticed Mike Wazowski in the room, still chilling on the sofa. "And why are you here?"
"Mike's welcome to come up here anytime he likes. This won't take long, anyway, Randall." Sulley began in his usual friendly manner. "And no, you're not in trouble. This is kind of the opposite, really, so I'll get right to it. A lot of the other factories want to upgrade to the new door station design. It'll take a lot of work, and since the entire system is your design, it got me to thinking: How would you like to be chief engineer of the factory?"
There was a stunned silence. Randall, still standing while holding on to the back of a chair, blinked several times. This had to be a joke. Or else he didn't hear quite right. "Huh?"
"I'm serious." Sullivan assured. "I've already discussed it with the rest of the maintenance crew. They all agree we need a new chief engineer, what with all the recent upgrades. You know your way around machines, and with all the hard work you've put into the design, you deserve it. So, what do you say?"
Sullivan held out a giant, blue-furred hand for a handshake. The gesture was an underlying peace treaty between them; the extreme former rivals could finally leave the past behind. It also made Randall realize something incredible: redeeming himself had really been worth it if he could make peace with a former enemy. Still overwhelmed by all that was happening today, he reached out and shook Sullivan's hand. "Sure. I'll take the offer. Uh—thanks." He managed to be sort of polite. He had no desire to go back to square one. As aggravating as Sullivan was, he was still the boss around here.
"Wasn't expectin' that, Sulley," Mike commented from his spot on the sofa. "I'd say it's a good call, though! And there's somethin' else I wanna congratulate you on too, Lizard Boy, but first I gotta find out if it's true. No one can be sure about a rumor until they get to the source, am I right?" Randall was confused as Mike stood up on the sofa cushion with a slight interrogating manner. The one-eyed monster immediately questioned, "So, what did she say?"
The lizard stiffened, but his expression remained neutral. "Just what are you talking ab—oh, great…" he groaned upon understanding. "And what exactly did you hear, you one-eyed snoop?"
"Easy, Randall, we're just curious to know what's going on." said Sulley. "And Mike didn't mean to be spying, were you, Mike?"
Randall glared at the cyclops—who shrugged sheepishly—extremely irritated that the personal moment had had an audience. "It's none of your business."
"But I gotta know! I ran off right after you popped the question!" Mike quickly explained. "Well? What did she say?"
"How long has this been going on?" Sulley added. "I didn't even know you two were a thing."
"Since the holidays…" Randall confessed, if only to shut them up. But their eyes begged for a few more details. "Back in wintertime, we decided to see if things would work out on a deeper level, and well—they have. It's been great. Becca and I have been friends since banishment days with the rest of the gang, and now…" he hesitated, almost nervous of saying it aloud. "Now she's becoming family. So, if you two busybodies must know…she said yes."
Mike and Sulley's reactions were ones of amazement. Sulley gave a hearty congratulations, while Mike practically laughed with disbelief. "Wow! After only six months? That's a bit fast, don't you think?"
"You've been dating the receptionist for what, ten years? I fail to see your point."
"He's got you there, Mike." Sullivan laughed. "So when's the wedding?"
"I don't know! I've only been engaged for less then an hour." Randall groaned; all this grilling of information was ruining his good mood. "But in all seriousness—and I really am being serious, here—this is a great day. Becca said yes and I get promoted right after? What are the odds?" He couldn't help but feel what could only be described as joy. And it was getting hard not to show it. "Just one more thing, though: keep quiet about this, both of you. I don't want to cause a big chain of gossip around this place. I'm talking specifically to you, Mike."
"Hey! I don't blather on that much. Do I?" Mike defended, but quickly second-guessed his own words. "Why did you decide to go and propose, anyway?"
"'Why?' I should think that was obvious." Randall crossed his arms. "Because I love her. There's nobody better suited for me. So there you have it, Mike. Now quit asking me all these questions!" He glanced at the both of them, worried they would spill the confession. "And everything I've said in this room has got to stay quiet, got it? The factory doesn't need to know Randall Boggs has a soft spot."
"You have our word. Scouts' honor!" Sullivan made a cheesy boy scout salute.
Hmph. No surprises there. Randall wouldn't put it past the goody-too-shoes blue bear to be one of those do-gooders. After listening to the duo's added congratulations and further making them promise not to announce the engagement, (Becoming chief engineer was enough of an announcement, anyway) Randall finally managed to escape the office. He walked down the empty corridor feeling very calm. All resentment of the past was completely gone, and he even got to wondering…Hm. Whenever Becca and I decide to get married, maybe I'll invite them. Good way to bury the hatchet, so to say.
He thought back to when she said yes…
He had asked in a more indirect way; not really knowing how she would react. 'Would you ever consider marrying me?' wasn't exactly idyllic, but neither of them was particularly romantic. The full honesty in his voice made Becca turn to stare with wide eyes. It was not a questioning stare; just one of pure astonishment.
He wondered if she was going to reject the proposal right there, but she saw that he was indeed serious. So he repeated the question a bit more formally. "…Would you? Marry me, I mean?" He barely finished speaking when she began nodding. The joy in her smile was almost surreal. So rarely did Becca allow others to see the softer side of her. He just happened to be one of those lucky few. She leaned forward to give him a full-on kiss, and they broke apart beaming. (Randall fought to keep his scales from changing color of their own accord; they did go a much more vibrant shade of purple, though.)
"OK, my day was going downhill, but now I don't care." Becca exclaimed. "Are you sure? I mean, we clash a lot-"
"I suppose, but that's another thing I love about you," He replied. "We always make up afterwards, so being married will make it all the more convenient. My father and Rex already approve; they're more than happy to welcome you into the family. So…what do you think?"
Becca was touched. "Absolutely yes." They were still seated on the edge of the scare simulator, alone in the training room. These few precious minutes alone was all the time she needed. "I accept your proposal, Genius. This is by far the smartest, if not craziest idea you've ever had."
"Quite a day for you, isn't it, bro?" Sam appeared out of nowhere, snapping Randall out his thoughts.
"Yeah, it really has been. I'm not complaining, though." Randall kept walking down the hall towards the elevator. "You know…for the first time in my life, things finally seem to be looking up." Another thought suddenly came to him. He wondered if or when the ghost would move on…The idea of his brother leaving for good was disconcerting. "This might be a lot to ask, but do you think you can stick around for just a bit longer?"
Sam nodded. "Of course! You don't think I'd miss something like this, would you?" Although there was nothing left keeping him here, he would never miss witnessing Becca join the family as his new sister. He would have given Randall an encouraging bump on the shoulder, but of course this was not possible. His brother had done so much, even taken in Rex while fighting to fit in with the Monster World again. Sam couldn't be happier for how things were turning out. "I'm really proud of you; of all you've done."
Randall nodded with gratitude. "Thanks, Sam."
The rest of that day held a sensation of pleasant euphoria as if nothing could go wrong. The newly engaged pair went about their work, but everything felt different now. Both were masters of hiding their inner emotions and perfectly capable of keeping up their respective tough visages. But they ended up letting their guard down ever so slightly. At lunchtime, while sitting together at their regular table, other monsters noticed them smiling far more then usual, and talking more animatedly. Randall's scales were a brighter shade of purple, and Becca was actually laughing. All assumed it was the news of Randall becoming chief engineer that the two were talking about.
"We'd better be careful, in case word gets out." Becca said, after observing a few stares. The crowded cafeteria was noisy enough that they couldn't be overheard, at least.
Randall agreed. The factory was a natural hive for gossip. "I think they'll all find out eventually, no matter how hard we try to keep it quiet." He smirked with amusement at the thought.
They went on discussing future plans. The first ones that should hear the news would be Naomi and Bernard, of course. The gang was having breakfast tomorrow, and sharing such news would be a sure-fire way to begin a new day off right.
…
Living at the Brennens' enormous household was great, despite being a bit fancy for Becca's simple taste. Bernard had taken her in when she had nowhere to go after their banishment. He was a father-figure in her eyes and Naomi had very much filled the role of sister. (Albeit a very annoying sister.) Becca couldn't wait until the next morning to tell them all that had happened today. Ever since Suzie's death, Becca had resigned herself to the fact that she would forever be broken inside. With the help of her friends—who truly felt more like family by this point—she had conquered the grieving process and all the bumps along the way.
All throughout the evening at the Brennens' house, Becca was far more cheerful then usual. Nicholas and Lucy soon noticed, and Bernard definitely suspected something was up, right from the moment she got home. Even little Penny asked questions. Becca realized she was being way too chipper, got ahold of herself and acted normal again. They would all know the reason behind her behavior soon enough…
She soon sneaked away to her room to be alone with her thoughts. What a crazy year this had been…falling in love with Randall Boggs was one thing she hadn't expected…and it had to be the best thing to ever happen to her. But it was a shame that Suzie and Samuel weren't here…Becca was happy to be joining the Boggs family but wished that they could both be here to be a part of it, too.
…
Becca's room was so large that it qualified as an apartment. Nice furniture, large rugs on the floor, a private bathroom, even a balcony overlooking the massive garden. The whole room had personal belongings scattered throughout. Mostly stacks of photo albums or old novels from Suzie's collection of books. The girl herself couldn't help but look around, reminiscing. Even their parents' heirlooms were here! Becca had really gone and tracked it all down. Suzie recognized a title she'd found in a dumpster back in the Human World: 'Frankenstein.' They really did write some amazing stories in that dimension. She tried to pick up the beaten-up novel, but her scaly blue hand passed right through it. She sighed in frustration. "Still can't pick stuff up. How annoying…"
It was the middle of the night. The entire room was full of shadows cast by the moonlight, which shone in through the windows. The balcony door was propped open to allow a light breeze to drift in. It held the pleasant warmth of an upcoming summer. Cricket songs could be heard out in the garden. That was a nice touch. Becca always liked the sound of them. During the banishment days, it always helped her fall asleep. Suzie looked at her sleeping sister, all curled up in bed with her eel's tail wrapped around her, smiling ever so slightly in her sleep. It was a shame to wake her when she looked so peaceful. This wasn't the first time Suzie had come to visit during the night, but this might very well be the last.
"Hey! Sis!" Suzie leaned against one of the bedposts that held up the canopy. "Becca, wake up!"
Becca stirred, her eyes giving a sleepy flutter. "Ugh…Great." She groaned groggily, still lying there. "Not another one of these..."
Suzie pretended to be offended. "Don't you like it when we talk?"
"Of course I do! It's just kind of weird, you being here." Becca spoke in a calm manner. She sat up to make room for her sister to sit down.
Suzie plopped onto the quilt soundlessly. There wasn't even a dent on the space where she sat, as if she were not even there. But Becca didn't care. Seeing her long-gone sister again was always a cherished moment, even if it was only in a dream. "So, what have you been up to?"
"Uh—" Suzie paused, knowing she had to keep up the dream ruse. "Celebrating! I heard you got engaged to Randall, right?"
Becca chuckled. "So you know about that? Kind of hard to believe. And to think I wanted to kill him with my trusty shotgun when he first stumbled into camp that day."
"Things change." Suzie laughed. "You know the best part about all this? Seeing you happy again. I think that's what I've been waiting for all this time." She paused to allow the accomplishment to sink in. It really was the final thing she needed before being able to move on. But of course she wasn't leaving just yet. "So, why don't you tell me what happened? Also, have you been reading my old books?" she pointed at all the novels scattered around the couch.
Becca rolled her eyes in a playful manner. "…Maybe." She half-confessed. She then sat up more eagerly. "Fine. I'll tell you. Here's what happened at the factory…"
The two sisters talked for a long time. They spoke of everything from old memories to new wishes, to things they missed most about the others' company. Just by being together, having what was possibly a final conversation was a joy on both their parts. They spoke of their friends and of how proud they were of the gang's progress. Both Bernard and Naomi had been through much this past year as well, not to mention all the ups and downs after Sam's death. The sisters reminisced of times spent in the Human World, where the gang had met, come together, and formed their tight-knit group. Becca solemnly claimed that they would all be friends for life, after all they had been through. Suzie even brought up some new lame jokes and one-liners she had made up. Even though she was gone, that weird sense of humor and old love of corny jokes was still there. She wished the conversation could go on forever. But Becca soon grew tired and started yawning. Besides, there were other monsters she wanted to visit before the night's end.
Becca sensed that her sister had to leave soon. She smiled rather sadly. "Thanks for coming, Suzie…Do you really have to go?"
"Sorry, but yeah." Suzie nodded. "I might not be coming back."
"Ever?" Becca sighed. "Well, I'll see you again eventually. But that might not be for a really long time—"
"Good! You've got a great life going on here! I still want to see my sister happy, so I'm gonna stick around for just a little longer. You won't see me, but I'll still be there."
"Good. That makes me feel a hell of a lot better." Becca said with full honesty, without any of the usual sarcasm. The next big stage of her life was approaching. Having her sister around, if only in a spiritual way, would make it a perfect day.
As Suzie got up from the quilt, she said her goodbyes. As far as Becca knew, this was only a dream. But it didn't have to end on a sad note. The blue-scaled, gold-speckled girl waved farewell with all the cheer as she could muster. "Bye, Becca! Take care of yourself, OK?"
"Bye…" Becca waved hesitantly. "Love you, Sis…"
"Love you, too. Now, go back to sleep!"
Becca blinked and Suzie was gone. There was a pleasant feeling of acceptance regarding her sister's death…and a wonderful peace at the same time. She would always miss her. The room was once again quiet…Only the sound of the crickets drifted in from the open balcony door. A song that always helped lull her back to sleep. Becca settled back down on her bed, thinking happy thoughts as she drifted off…Dreams like this were such a great comfort, really.
…
The following morning was another bright, sunny day. It matched the mood in the air perfectly and having breakfast down in the Brennens' garden was a great way to begin it. Well, that and telling Naomi and Bernard the news.
The park-like garden had a grove of trees; a small getaway for the friends that reminded them of adventures past. Randall, Rex and Naomi arrived at the house nice and early. Although Naomi suspected something was amiss. "You've been awfully quiet since leaving your place, Randall. Same goes for you." She said to Rex, who had been grinning nonstop the entire walk over. "Look, I may be, like, totally clueless sometimes, but even I know when something's up!"
"You'll know soon enough." Randall responded curtly.
They all pitched in with gathering the breakfast things to carry down to the tree grove. It was a simple meal today with raw eggs, fresh fruit, and plain toast, but nobody cared. It was the experience of eating outdoors like old times that they enjoyed. This was like the day before Christmas, waiting to tell of their engagement to their best friends. When the gang congregated in the garden, Rex included, the ice was broken over the first bite of toast. Becca said in a bluntly manner, "Well, time for the grand reveal. Genius and I got engaged yesterday."
It came out as such a shock that Bernard did a spit-take of the blood-orange-juice he was drinking. Naomi gave such a girlish squeal that it hurt their ears and made Rex go invisible from the high pitch alone. "Oh my gosh, that's amazing! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it—well, sort of. Something was going on, but of course I didn't think that was it!" The lavender monster jumped to her feet, overjoyed by the news. "Give me details!" Randall and Becca took turns retelling the story. When it was over, Naomi commented while pouring more orange juice, "That's hardly romantic, but exactly what I would picture for you two. I think a toast is in order."
"Yeah! I'm gonna have an aunt!" Rex exclaimed, his scales shing an extra-bright orange.
Bernard was far more subdued in his reaction. "Becca, as your stand-in father, I heartily approve." He joked, inducing a small laugh from her. "It sounded like quite a day for you, Randall. A proposal and your former rival making you chief engineer?" The lizard shrugged with a grin as Bernard continued, "Any idea when the big day is going to happen?"
Randall and Becca looked at each other. There was no rush, really, but that was a good question. Naomi was quite giddy, playfully suggesting, "Obviously this summer. No point wasting a perfect season, right?"
"I'm all for that," piped up Rex. "I hate it when it's too cold outside."
The three of them began bantering on and on about the news. Randall leaned over to Becca, "I think they're taking it well, don't you?"
"No sarcasm today, Genius. That's my job. But you're right, nonetheless."
Once the others had settled down and returned to breakfast, Naomi gave a wistful sigh. "If only Suzie and Sam were here to see this…It's kind of distressing, all these good things happening and they're—you know…"
Bernard nodded in respectful agreement. Losing Suzie had been like losing a daughter, while the intellectual, compassionate Sam had been a kindred spirit. "They'll be with us in other ways. Let's not ruin this; this is supposed to be a happy moment."
To the entire group's surprise, Becca actually encouraged the subject of her sister. "You know, I had a dream about Suzie last night. Nothing much happened in it; we just stayed up late and talked in my room. But it was awfully nice…"
"Really? That's weird," said Naomi. "I had a dream about her last night, too. The same sort of thing, just like you're describing."
Bernard was amazed. "So did I! Only Sam was in mine, too. What are the odds? I guess we're all missing them, aren't we?"
The coincidence was so out-of-the-ordinary, that they began comparing their respective dreams, leaving Randall and Rex wordlessly staring at a sudden vision standing just beyond the grove of trees. They craned their necks to better see…Both Sam and Suzie stood there in the sunshine. Both were healthy and well, without any signs of sadness or troubled minds. Of course. This whole thing signaled a fresh start for them, too. Randall comprehended it at last: Sam and Suzie had been waiting for all of them to find their new beginnings. It had been scary and strange at first, being followed by them everywhere. Now he couldn't be more grateful for having them around. He gave the ghosts a subtle wave with one hand, unseen by the others.
Sam and Suzie waved back. On the next blink, they were gone…But Randall had a feeling he'd see them again. His attention returned to the present. His fiancée was smiling, talking to Bernard and Naomi with exuberance about monsters who were gone, yet not forgotten. Perhaps they would get married this summer, just like Naomi had joked. The inventive wheels in his head immediately began turning…
Bernard filled the glasses with more orange juice and handed them out. Even Rex joined in the red monster's heartfelt toast. "Well, this has been a year to remember for all of us, and we've certainly had our struggles. I've had to adjust to an entire new life after thirteen years of banishment; and also this fake leg, but it's all been good. Naomi, you've discovered a more humble, hard-working side of yourself with this cooking career you've started. Becca, you've had more hardship than any one monster could emotionally face, and now you're becoming part of a family once again. And Randall, helping the Monster World for the better and falling in love was something I'm sure nobody expected; and with all you've done for Sam, taking in Rex like that, I know your brother would be proud of you." Bernard raised the glass of orange juice as did the rest of them. "Here's to new beginnings!"
"To new beginnings!" Everyone said in unison.
An old phrase Randall used to say came to mind. This time, the saying really made sense. The winds of change were felt in the air as clear as a new day.
This is a double update, so read on, readers! See you at the end of the Epilogue. :)
