As much as Randall wanted to deny it, but things continued to feel different for Randall and Sondra over the next several weeks. He always wore the shirt when he went out now.
Even at his job. It was so baggy that it covered the baby bump a good deal.
He rode with Fungus to work. It was good that he was only doing filing stuff for Roz right now.
After his stressful event and the near scare of the baby possibly being aborted, he needed to avoid stress as much as possible.
One evening, Sondra showed up at Monsters, Inc's front desk, talking to Celia as Randall approached the exit doors. He went over to her.
"Sondra, this is a surprise. What brings you by here today?" Randall asked.
"You. How about we go get some dinner uptown tonight?" Sondra asked him.
Randall's eyes lit up. He looked at Celia and around him. It was a little shock. He saw Celia's look, expecting an answer.
"Uh, okay. It was just a little unexpected is all." He said. "I just have to tell Fungus I'm not leaving with him."
"That's fine. No hurry." Sondra said.
Randall went to find Fungus in the locker room. He found him and said that he was leaving with Sondra. Fungus smiled. "Good luck and have fun."
"Thanks." Then he left.
Fungus was happy for his old partner. Then a voice interrupted his thoughts.
"So who's Sondra?"
"Huh?"
It had been Mike.
"A friend from Randall's childbirth class. She's taking him to dinner." Fungus said.
"Who would have thought a girl could be interested in him." Mike said.
"Hey, he's not who he used to be, Wazowski. You have a girl. Randall deserves to be happy too after so much misfortune in his life. After all he's been through these past several months." Fungus said.
"Yeah, I know. And he's going to be busy when his child comes. It'll be hard to balance childcare and a relationship." Mike said.
"Well, we better get going. I'll be expecting him home later tonight, or not. I just hope he stays safe in his condition." Fungus said.
They left the locker room. Mike picked up Celia on the way out.
…..
Fungus waited for Randall to come home that night. He wanted to know what happened on the date.
It was about 11 when he finally came home.
"Hey, Randall. How did it go?" Fungus asked as he stepped into the living room.
"Great. We had dinner, then went to a movie. Then the video arcade for an hour. I'm going to be meeting her daughter tomorrow. She has a school play tomorrow." Randall said.
"That's great. Does the daughter know you've been seeing her mother?"
"Yes. She said she wanted to meet me, and yes, she does know of me being pregnant."
"Good luck."
….
Randall met Sondra's 14 year old daughter the next night at Sondra's house before they went to the school play.
Sondra's daughter was an orange furry lizard. Her coloring taken from her father. She had four arms and four legs too. She had amber eyes. Her name was Megan.
School plays weren't exactly Randall's thing, but he did it for Sondra and Megan.
When the play was over, the three of them had a late dinner together back at Sondra's house. They just had simple take out.
"So, how long until you become a dad?" Megan asked.
"I'm not sure. Could be anytime." Randall replied.
"I doubt it will be, Randall. Lizards usually carry for about 8, sometimes 9 months. You still have a little ways to go." Sondra said.
"Is calling you Randy alright?" Megan asked.
"I prefer not. It's reserved for only one other young one. I prefer Randall." He said.
"Ok."
As they ate together at the table, they just about looked like a family eating together.
Sondra was nervous about asking something that had been on her mind, but after she saw how Megan and Randall were interacting so well, almost like a father and daughter would, she asked.
"Randall, I was thinking, since you are having a baby and you know not enough to take care of a baby on your own, and I see you and Megan are getting along so well, how would you like to move in with us?" Sondra asked.
Randall and Megan were so shocked that came out so soon.
"And it would be better for you to get moved in before the baby comes."
"I don't know. I just met Megan. Is that alright with her?" He asked.
"You seem nice, but can't we wait a little while? Till I get to know him, Mom?" Megan asked.
"Yes. It's fine, but Randall, this place has more of what a family home feels like. I rent this place. I make good money and you can help pay the expenses along with me if it makes you feel comfortable. But you and the baby are going to need some good care after it comes."
"I have to feel like I have to make a contribution with expenses. And yeah, I probably don't make enough to be able to pay all my bills and get things for what the baby needs. I am going to need help until I can handle it all. I'm open to moving, but let's give it a few more weeks. You would need to tell your landlord I'm moving in." He said.
"That's fine, but it needs to happen before the baby comes." Sondra said.
Randall had felt as if this was a little rushed, but he felt he could trust her. She hadn't used him once like the others had. Maybe she was the one for him. And when Junior came, he or she would have an older sibling, well, step-sibling.
They would give it a few more weeks of getting to know each other and Sondra getting things ready for him to move in. They would also have to move all the baby stuff there too.
…
Fungus had liked Randall living with him, he liked the company, and now he had found out that Sondra had asked his friend to move in with her. He was happy for Randall. He sure was striking women fast these days. It just must have been his time.
….
Two weeks later, Randall was still living with Fungus when a serious letter came in the mail addressed to Randall. It wasn't good.
Randall was to take place in a trial once again, but this time as a witness to Rhoda's trial and about what had happened at that warehouse. He knew he himself might end up being on trial again too.
This was going to be a stressful event. He talked it over with Fungus and they agreed that they would tell that the machine had greatly malfunctioned and blew up. Of course they had tried to stop the bad guys for doing it.
Randall just hoped he wouldn't go into so much stress it caused contractions again. The trial was in just 4 days.
Randall was now at 26 weeks. He was nearing full term soon.
That night, he told Sondra about it.
She was really supportive. "But what could be so bad that they would arrest you?"
"Rhoda thought I killed her brothers and her friends' brothers. The machine malfunctioned. Or I wanted it to so it wouldn't be a danger to humans or any of us. Waternoose would have given anything to have all that power to himself. And those other lizard males were going to harm me anyway. Rhoda was just teaming up with her brothers. And to think I gave her some babies and she betrayed me." Randall was close to sobbing.
"She had no right to do that, and neither did they to hurt you like that. But neither did the other females, saying you have no right to your children either. After all, they had started it."
"I had wanted no part of it, but things have changed in my life now, and need something better to look forward to." He said. "I'm willing to be committed to something new and different, such as this baby, as I've gotten attached to it."
Sondra was glad to hear it. She lifted his head up and kissed him on the lips. It surprised him for a second, but quickly relaxed. He gave to her advances. Maybe they already were in love with each other despite only knowing each other for such a short time.
Randall was definitely going to move in with her!
….
The next day at work, before he went to Roz's office, he went to talk to Sulley about the letter that he had to serve as a witness at Rhoda's trial.
"I'm worried if what I'm testified about too and I'm arrested again? Waternoose and those others were dangerous and they had to be stopped, Sullivan. I can't have this baby in prison and if I do, it'll be taken from me! Accepting this pregnancy took so long for me to come to terms with. And now I want it more than anything." Randall explained.
"Randall, calm down. You need to remain calm for the baby. This is about her, not you. You need to make them see why she needs to be put in prison." Sulley said.
"I don't know how I'll do with their questions. The last time I was in court was when I had to go to prison. And I didn't like the witnesses who got up there and said how guilty I was."
"This time it's different. Just answer what you can, the best you can. And tell what they did to you. Like when they kidnapped you and did the things they did to you. I know it may hurt to tell it, but the authorities need to hear you, Randall."
Randall knew he was right. He would do what he could. He also asked Fungus later that day if he had been asked to be a witness and indeed, he had. They would do this together as only they had known what had happened then.
