Bonus story : More than just colleagues : Part 28 : Another Week

On Monday morning, Aldric woke up a few minutes before his alarm. He lay there for a moment before getting up, opening the window, and starting his usual routine. There was nothing particularly different about this day. He made breakfast, put away the dishes, checked the contents of his bag, then put on his shoes and left the apartment. As he walked down the stairs, his phone vibrated in his pocket. The Extreme Movers group already had a new message.

Lucas: Who's alive?

Patrick: Unfortunately.

Karim: Barely.

Emma: I refuse to answer before my first coffee.

Aldric: Status uncertain. Further assessment after breakfast.

Lucas: HE'S LEARNING 😂

Emma added several laughing emojis, while Patrick responded with a thumbs-up. Aldric put his phone away and continued downstairs.

When he arrived at the depot, Lucas was already standing by the truck with his coffee. He looked up when he saw Aldric approaching.

"So? Status uncertain?"

Aldric set his bag down near the changing room.

"My assessment is complete."

"And the result?"

"I confirm that I am alive."

Lucas burst out laughing as Patrick emerged from the small office with the day's schedule.

"You're starting already?"

Karim closed the storage box containing the straps.

"They started before seven."

"This group never sleeps..."

Patrick looked at him.

"Maybe you don't."

The day's work looked straightforward. After the particularly large move the previous week, the two jobs on the schedule seemed almost routine. Patrick explained that the first client lived on the third floor of a building with an elevator, while the second job involved a small house where only some of the furniture needed to be moved.

Aldric prepared the moving blankets. Karim checked the straps, Lucas loaded the hand trucks, and Patrick finished putting away the paperwork. Once the truck was ready, they left the depot.

The first apartment was exactly as Patrick had expected. The boxes were properly labeled, the furniture had already been taken apart, and the elevator was large enough to carry several loads at once. Lucas walked into the living room, looked at the neatly organized stacks, then pulled out his phone.

A few seconds later, a new message appeared in the group.

Lucas: Organized client. Rare species.

Emma: Pics or it didn't happen.

Lucas looked at the screen.

"She's becoming one of us."

Karim smiled as he picked up a box.

"She's officially integrated."

Lucas raised his phone, took a few steps back to get the stacks of boxes in frame, and snapped a picture.

Lucas: Proof.

Emma: Could be staged.

Patrick burst out laughing when he read the message.

"Even Emma doesn't believe you anymore."

Lucas placed a hand over his chest.

"I've lost all authority in this group."

Aldric picked up a second box.

"I'm not certain you ever had any."

Lucas turned toward him.

"Another attack…"

By midmorning, Karim received a photo from Samira. Yanis was standing in front of his new desk, holding a large sheet of paper. Karim shared the picture with the group.

Karim: New masterpiece.

Aldric opened the photo. Yanis had drawn several figures gathered around an oversized dragon. A knight stood in the center of the page, easily recognizable by his gray armor and the enormous sword he held in one hand.

Lucas: Which one am I?

Karim: None of them.

Lucas stopped in the middle of the hallway.

"What?"

Patrick looked at his phone.

"You don't exist."

"That's brutal..."

Emma: The little one on the left kind of looks like you 😂

Lucas zoomed in on the picture.

"Why am I so small?"

Karim smiled.

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"Because that's not you."

"The knight still has a disproportionately large sword," Aldric said.

Lucas turned toward him.

"That's really what you noticed?"

Aldric saved the photo before putting his phone away. At noon, they ate beside the truck. Patrick was already looking over the details of the second job while Lucas unwrapped his sandwich. Karim looked at his phone for a few seconds before raising his head.

"Emma's asking if anyone wants to get something to eat with her Wednesday evening."

Lucas pulled out his phone.

"Where?"

"In the group."

The message was already on their screens.

Emma: I finish early on Wednesday. Anyone want to grab something to eat?

Karim: Works for me.

Aldric: With pleasure.

Lucas: Depends on Patrick.

Patrick: Why me?

Lucas: You're the one who decides when we get our freedom back.

Patrick: I don't decide how long the moves take.

Lucas: That's exactly what someone who controls our schedules would say.

Karim: He's not entirely wrong.

Patrick: Don't encourage him.

Lucas: So, reasonable release time on Wednesday?

Patrick: Maybe, if you work instead of talking.

Lucas: Emma, do you see the conditions we work under?

Emma: I'm starting to understand why your days are so long.

Lucas: ...

The second job went just as smoothly. A small house needed to be partially cleared out, but the owner was leaving much of the furniture behind for the future occupants. Patrick checked the list while Lucas pointed at each piece of furniture.

"That one goes?"

Patrick checked the list.

"No."

Karim pointed to a dresser.

"That one?"

"Yes."

Aldric was already walking toward the dresser.

"I'm only asking for appearances at this point," Lucas said.

"You can stop," Patrick said.

"I like being involved..."

They finished the job before four. On the drive back, Lucas took a picture of Karim, who had dozed off against the truck window. He sent it to the group.

Lucas: Hard at work.

Karim opened his eyes a few seconds later, checked his phone, then looked at Lucas.

"Delete it."

"Too late..."

Karim searched through his gallery and sent an older photo. It showed Lucas asleep in the truck during a previous drive, his head tilted back and his mouth open.

Karim: From the archives.

Patrick burst out laughing.

"How long have you had that?..."

Karim put his phone away.

"A long time."

Emma: Perfect tie 😂

Aldric looked at both photos.

"Lucas's position appears considerably less comfortable."

"Thanks for the support..."

"That was not support."

The group continued like this throughout the week. On Tuesday morning, Patrick sent a photo of his father's house. The work had finally begun, and sections of the damaged walls had already been opened up to check for moisture.

Patrick: Making progress.

Emma: Finally!

Karim: Good news.

Lucas: Don't do everything yourself.

Patrick: I'm literally paying people to do it.

Lucas: Progress.

Aldric: The walls already appear to have dried properly.

Patrick: Yeah. The company confirmed it.

Emma reacted with a thumbs-up.

On Tuesday evening, Lucas sent a photo of his living room. The couch was clearly visible, and there were no clothes anywhere on the cushions.

Lucas: For all the doubters.

Emma: Where are the three T-shirts?

Lucas: Put away.

Patrick: Photo of the closet.

Lucas: I refuse to tolerate this invasion of my privacy.

Karim sent a laughing emoji.

Aldric: That response reduces the credibility of your previous statement.

Lucas: YOU TOO??

Emma: I'm proud of you, Aldric 😂

On Wednesday morning, the conversation started before Aldric had even finished breakfast. Emma had sent a photo of a croissant sitting beside her computer.

Emma: Survival breakfast.

Patrick: Acceptable.

Lucas: You need two.

Karim: Minimum.

Aldric: The croissant appears large enough for a light breakfast.

Emma: Thank you for the nutritional analysis.

Lucas: He's back 😂

Aldric put his phone away with a smile before finishing his breakfast.

That evening, they met at a small pizzeria Emma had chosen. Lucas was the last to arrive and set his bag down beside the table.

"I almost forgot..."

Patrick raised an eyebrow.

"How?"

"I went home after work."

"And?" Karim asked.

"I sat down..."

"Bad idea," Emma said.

"Very bad..."

"Did you fall asleep?" Aldric asked.

"Almost... But I'm here..."

They ordered their pizzas and spent almost three hours talking. By Thursday morning, the messages picked up again as though the conversation had never stopped.

Karim sent another drawing from Yanis. Emma shared a photo of a ridiculous advertisement she'd spotted in the metro. Lucas sent a video of a cat sitting inside a cardboard box and stubbornly refusing to come out.

Lucas: Next week's client.

Patrick: No.

Aldric watched the video twice. The cat remained perfectly still despite its owner's attempts to get it out.

Aldric: The animal appears to have claimed the box as its own.

Emma: That's exactly it 😂

Lucas: We're fluent in cat now.

On Friday, Patrick was the one to send out another invitation.

Patrick: Anyone free Sunday around lunchtime?

Lucas: Yes.

Karim: After 1 for me.

Emma: Same.

Aldric: Available.

Patrick: We could eat at my place.

Lucas: Barbecue?

Patrick: No.

Lucas: Why so much hate?

On Friday afternoon, Emma stopped by the depot. She had a work appointment in the area and showed up carrying a bag with five drinks. Lucas spotted her as she walked in.

"What are you doing here?"

Emma held up the bag.

"I come bearing peace."

"Coffee?" Patrick asked.

"Two coffees, a tea, a soda, and a bottle of water."

Lucas looked at Aldric.

"She knows our orders now too..."

Emma held out the bottle of water.

"Of course."

Aldric took it.

"Thank you."

Patrick took his black coffee, Karim grabbed the second coffee, Lucas took the soda, and Emma kept the tea. Lucas opened his bottle.

"We're becoming predictable."

Patrick took a sip.

"You especially."

She stayed for almost twenty minutes before leaving for her appointment. As she walked out of the depot, Lucas watched her go.

"It's weird."

Karim turned toward him.

"What is?"

"I remember when I used to always call her 'Aldric's friend.'"

Patrick smiled.

"Not anymore."

On Sunday around lunchtime, they all met at Patrick's place. The meal was simple: salad, chicken, and several side dishes. Emma brought dessert, Karim arrived with Samira and Yanis, Lucas brought bread and chips, while Aldric showed up with several drinks.

Yanis practically ran over to Aldric.

"Are you going to play swords with me later?"

"After we eat," Karim said.

Yanis sighed.

"Okay."

"He's already better at negotiating than you were at the beginning," Lucas said.

"I did not negotiate over meals."

They ate, talked, and played with Yanis. Lucas lost to him at a card game and insisted the rules were bad. Patrick made coffee, Samira talked with Emma, and Karim sat in the garden while Aldric played with his son.

Late that afternoon, Aldric headed home. When he entered his apartment, his phone vibrated, and several photos from Lucas appeared in the group. The first few showed Yanis with his wooden sword, Patrick standing by the table, Emma and Samira in the garden, Karim with his coffee, and Lucas making a face. The last photo showed the entire group together.

His phone vibrated.

Emma: That last photo is really beautiful 😊