New York City Friends
Season 3, Episode 1: Tales Of A Single Gal
Starring~ Michelle McCool, Ashley Massaro, Candice Michelle, and Torrie Wilson.
It was a typical New York City Spring day, 'typical' as I liked to sugar-code a wedding day. My wedding day to be exact.
"Can we still call you Michelle or should we call you 'Mrs. Swagger'," Candice teased. "I just can't believe today is your big day!"
Torrie and Ashley laughed as they patted Michelle's back. "I'm still the same Michelle, please don't forget that," Michelle insisted to them whilst she spread some apricot-jam across her bagel.
Torrie got up from the white lush bed and she went over to stand by the grand hotel window. "Oh how magical, weddings are so dreamy! You must be so excited Michelle," Torrie gushed about. Torrie looked out upon the city's morning foggy skies, with her hand over her heart.
"Okay, calm down bridezilla," Ashley teased. She drank from her glass of freshly made orange juice and turned to them satisfied. "Can I like live in this hotel, it's like really freakin' fancy," Ashley blurted out, loving the soft touch of the silky sheets and the specially made breakfast, and everything else.
Some wanted weddings and others simply wanted to sleep in a hotel room, I was in between those two.
The girls stayed silent for a while, enjoying breakfast in their sleeping wear. Torrie then turned to the clock and she quickly got up, "We should probably finish up and start getting ready," Torrie warned them as she excitedly ran to her bridesmaid dress.
"Always one step ahead of us single girls, and Michelle you know you'll always be a single girl at heart," Ashley told Michelle, while the two got up from the bed.
Michelle turned to her with a confused face, "What's that supposed to mean," she asked, almost defensively. "You know what though, this will probably be our last single gal breakfast," Michelle shook it off.
Candice shook her head and turned to her, "For you!" They all laughed in unison as they began to put on their bridesmaids dresses. The bridesmaids dresses were satin material, with a soft pink color and a pretty pearl necklace to accessorize with. It was simple, yet so exquisite and complicated.
I got to thinking about Ashley's comment of me being a 'single girl at heart', I didn't really know what to do with the comment. I did however know what to with the wedding dress, I put it on like a good girl should.
"Oh my fuck sakes," Michelle gasped to herself, feeling the dress sink within her skin. She went to the mirror and she stared, it was like a pimple she couldn't stop staring at... except more prettier, but could still possibly pop like a pimple.
"Wow, wow oh wow," Torrie couldn't hold it in the second she saw Michelle. Candice and Ashley followed in, both in awe over how Michelle looked. "You're like, you're like a wife dude," Ashley told Michelle in shock.
Michelle was frozen, as if her winter doubts had come back over her. She put her hands over her pearly white dress, while her single friends watched from the back of the room, "I'm not ready for this, to be a wife, that is something that I am not ready for again," Michelle admitted, turning away to run.
The three women looked at each other and soon they were chasing Michelle down the hotel hallway, "Michelle wait, what are you doing," Candice yelled as they all chased after the bride in dress. "I can't do this," Michelle yelled back, when suddenly a guest of Jack's family side stepped out of her hotel room.
"What the hell, aren't you my nephews soon-to-be-wife," the older lady asked as she watched all four women running in commotion. Michelle panicked and ignored, she ran through the nearest door, which happened to be a janitor's closet.
I was running for my freedom and ironically I did that by locking myself up in a very small closet.
"Michelle, please open up," Ashley begged from the other side of the door. "Give me one reason why I should," Michelle cried out from inside the closet.
"Michelle you will open the door because I said so," Candice got right to the point. Torrie was about to bring up the scripts of love, but Candice took over. "Okay, I remember when I was married to Wade and I locked myself in my bedroom, crying because Wade and I fought and you and Ashley overheard it and I was embarrassed. I was hiding from the reality Michelle and that was getting in the way of me leaving the past behind me, but you two made me open that door and if I hadn't opened that door, Wade would have opened it up for me and I most likely would still have been married to him... so now you need to open this door and see where you go with Jack," Candice explained to Michelle as she leaned her head on the door.
After about five seconds, Michelle finally opened the door and the three girls rushed in. Michelle looked up with her eyes all watery, they all sat by her side.
The three friends could sense the nervousness in the small space. "I'll make you wanna get married, because trust me, it's rough out their for us single girls," Ashley promised Michelle, with a story ready to spill. "Now let me tell you a little story my friends..."
Flashback from two weeks ago.
"Well thank you for coming Ashley," the therapist said with a smile, one that secretly read 'pity'. Ashley took her cherry-flavored lollipop and out she went into the real world, which basically was the monster that forced her into therapy.
Ashley had been going to therapy for the past few months, according to her it was something that she needed and she wasn't ashamed of it.
Ashley stepped into the streets of New York, she could smell the hot-dogs in the corner of that street... then suddenly her nose picked up the smell of some pretentious European cologne from miles away. The infamous French-Scottish man, Drew McIntyre, with his gorgeous wife Maryse along his side.
Ashley panicked, it was too late to go back into the therapist's office, so she ducked down behind the big black trashcan.
Drew and Maryse were in the middle of some deep conversation, he then pointed to the therapy place and laughed. Ashley could see the couple's reflection through the window she was leaning against.
"Gosh, only the needy people go to a therapist! It's quite sad and they're all crazies," Drew said with his thick, rich French accent. Maryse laughed with no worries. They were linked, both literally and metaphorically speaking, you could see the big karat ring around her spoiled finger too. The sun hit the ring's diamond and it reflected back into the window, the glare of that ring blinded Ashley and everybody else for a second.
"Fuck them," Ashley said under her breath. "Fuck them all," Ashley repeated, while she crouched behind the smelly trashcan to protect her pride... ironically. She watched the married couple walk into some other fantasy world, one she didn't belong in.
"Well, back in I go," Ashley said to herself, walking back to her shrink
Apparently freedom smelled like an old cart of hot-dogs and it tasted like dollar cherry lollipops to those 'single girls' at heart.
"So yeah, that happened," Ashley finished off her story while she laughed at her own silliness. They all laughed too and Ashley didn't blame them.
"So you're basically saying that being single sucks," Michelle asked as she sniffled from all of the tears.
Ashley nodded, but then shrugged. "Well, kind of, being single rocks, but it's not for everybody... similar to how being married must rock, but it's not for everybody," Ashley explained, waiting for the next humiliating story from one of the women.
And again I got to thinking about what Ashley really meant by that comment.
Torrie got jittery, "Oooh, okay, my turn," she told them, with a specific story in mind.
Flashback from a couple of days ago.
"Do you like your chicken," Corey Graves asked Torrie. Torrie nodded with a kind, simple smile.
Corey Graves was a 32 year old Queens man, he was in marketing and he was also a part time dancer. Torrie had been seeing Corey for the past few weeks, they were really hitting it off, but Corey was practically a 2.0 CM Punk.. except Corey really believed in monogamy and the wonders of love, he was like a fruity version of Punk.
"You should marry me," Corey suggested out of nowhere. Torrie gasped, she dropped her fork and she backed away. "I've known you for less than a month, I'm sorry, but no," Torrie told him off.
The entire restaurant turned to the two, watching as Torrie rejected the vulnerable man in front of them all. "It's okay guys, we've only known each other for three weeks! I still really like him and he's a great man, and believe me, I really really love love and I would have said yes if I had known him for a longer time and I probably would be doing back-flips-" Torrie went on about to the bunch of strangers.
Corey interrupted her, he kissed her on the cheek and he politely sat her down, "It's fine everybody, she's a lovely woman and I am not hurt, don't worry," he let them all know, by then everybody had lost interest and they all went back to their own business.
"Thank you punk," Torrie said, without even thinking about it.
"What," he asked confused. "I mean... you know, thank you, you little punk cutie," Torrie tried to save herself from the cringe-worthy car crash that nobody could really look away from, not even herself.
He laughed and she did too, "You're silly, I like that," Corey told her.
They all laughed as Torrie covered her face with her hands, "It's not funny, I was mortified," Torrie told them. "His poor face! I should've said yes, he's everything I want in a man... except he just doesn't feel like the one," she admitted.
"Yeah, I think we've all agreed that he reminds us of Punk and he looks like Punk too honey... except he's a more softer pussy version of Punk," Candice said as they all laughed.
Torrie shrugged "That's not it, he just doesn't feel authentic," Torrie tried explaining.
"That's because you've met him already, aka Punk," Ashley said. Michelle interrupted, "Okay what was the point of that story," Michelle asked Torrie.
"The point of the story is that it's not so simple to just say yes to any man... but you did and he wasn't just any man, he was Jack! You and Jack are supposed to be together," Torrie reassured Michelle.
Torrie had a point.
Candice had the floor now, the three women turned for the last story. Candice rolled her eyes and her story soon rolled out from her tongue.
Flashback from one week ago.
"Ugh, look at Candice, why on earth would she bring her little young boyfriend to a child's birthday party," one of the Shannon's said. "I know, you divorce Wade and we are okay with that, but to then go from Wade to some young dancer or actor or whatever he calls himself, it's just wrong," the other fellow Shannon said.
"Who knows what he calls himself, but we sure know what she calls him, she probably calls him 'boy-toy'. What a bad influence," another catty woman added.
Candice was still seeing Cody, the road has been more rocky for the two, but they've managed to stay together and Brooklyn's friends mothers were definitely burning up with jealousy.
Candice looked back at them, standing in her 'unsocial' corner with Cody by her side, "Look at them judging me, what a bunch of phony's," Candice said about them, making sharp eye-contact with them. "Hold my hand, they think I care what they think.. well I don't," Candice proclaimed as she proudly held on to Cody's hand.
"Don't let them get the best of you," Cody advised Candice.
Candice turned around and shook her head, "You're right, let's just go! Brooklyn is here with his friends and they mean a lot to him, but that doesn't mean I have to be friends with their mothers... I'd rather just stay away and not ruin Brooklyn's friendships," Candice insisted as the two walked away for their own private party.
In the middle of Candice's story, Michelle abruptly stood up to leave the janitor's closet, "My wedding is in one hour, let's go get ready," Michelle confidently proclaimed as all four women followed her down the hallway.
I freed myself from the 'fear-box' I was locking myself in. Because whatever was destined to happened, I was ready.
"Wait, I didn't finish my story," Candice said. "Let me guess it ends with you flicking them off or proving them wrong by making out with him in front of them all," Michelle took a guess.
Candice picked up her speed to catch up with the soon-to-be bride, "Uh no, I had hot sex with him... not in front of them of course, but oh they knew we would be doing it and they probably didn't have sex that night, and if they did it was probably with their old bald husbands," Candice went on about. "And my point is that it's all the same, being married or not being married... it's all about who you're standing by!"
"I will be standing by Jack, I know that, so let's get our makeup and hair done ladies," Michelle ordered her 'wedding troops'.
After about forty-five minutes of makeup and after months of fear, the world was finally ready. It seems as though I was the last one to be ready.
"Wow, look at Jack. I think I want to marry him now, too bad I'm not the marriage type," Ashley teased. Michelle turned to her and smiled, "Okay, start heading out," the bride told her bridesmaids.
Candice was the first one to go through the doors and down the aisle, Torrie followed and the guests all turned their heads to look at the beautiful bridesmaids with their handsome groomsmen by their sides.
Ashley was one second behind Torrie, when Michelle suddenly pulled her by the arm, "What did you mean when you said I was a single girl at heart and that not everybody is marriage material, what does that mean," Michelle finally confronted Ashley.
Ashley turned to her and chuckled, "I didn't mean it in a bad way! I said that you're a single girl at heart because you're a free woman and you always have been, even when you were married to Mark, that's all I meant," Ashley explained to Michelle.
And then suddenly I understood what she meant all along.
Michelle shook her head, "A married woman can be a free woman too Ashley," Michelle responded. "I know and I realized that when we were in the closet! A free woman can be anything, which is why I said I'm not marriage material and guess what... I'm also not single girl material, because I'm not sure I still have my freedom, which is why I'm in therapy I suppose," Ashley admitted.
The two friends hugged, "I'm sorry," Michelle whispered. "Now go out there and be something in between those two types of women... which would be a bridesmaid," Michelle reassured her, nudging Ashley towards the door.
And then suddenly I found myself praying, praying that I wouldn't lose my freedom.
Seconds behind Ashley, Michelle followed down the aisle, with no man there to give her away... but a man lovingly awaited to take her away. Jack smiled at the sight of her, Michelle smiled back and the two were locked in a chapter that was just about to begin for them.
Vows and a kiss sealed the marriage official and it seemed to me that every other chapter in my past had been sealed too.
Michelle and Jack held hands as they ran down the aisle to their limo. The three bridesmaids and the three grooms followed, the guests all cheered in joy for the newly wedded couple.
A taxi cab passing by honked to congratulate them and the married couple waved back to the cab driver. Before getting in the limo, Jack pulled her in to kiss her, "I love you," he said, staring into her face.
Michelle smiled and she pulled him by the tie for another kiss, "You're my Jack, and I love you too," Michelle lovingly told her husband. The two jumped into the limo. The three girls looked at each other and they were all in awe, they then followed into the limo and they drove off.
Michelle rolled down her window and looked out. The chilly Spring winds threw her hair around, covering her face, but she could still see and Jack's hand in her's sure made it easier to see.
Married or single, I was determined to keep my freedom.
Special Guest Stars~ Drew McIntyre, Maryse Ouellet, Corey Graves, Cody Rhodes, and Jack Swagger.
Written & Created By~ Jonathan N.
Published On March 26, 2016.