"So what's the problem?"
"Well..."
"Well what?"
"My dad sorta tracked me down... and I had no choice really but to talk to him... and then we got on the subject of us..."
"Us as me and you or us as in you and him?"
"Me and you..."
"Mhm."
"And... well..."
"C'mon now," he said a little impatiently.
"I told him we were married."
.:.
"What?" He stared at her, disbelieving.
She tried to hid the look of dismay on her face as she whispered, "I told him that... that we were married."
"But when we were talking in the parking lot... he asked if we were married and you told him no."
"Yeah well... we were talking again and I told him that I lied."
"Why?"
"Because he wanted to know where Alec was..."
"And?"
"He didn't remember your name... he called you 'that guy'... so I thought..."
"He thinks that I'm your idiotic ex-husband?" Cal asked madly.
"Cal! You don't understand!"
"Then help me to understand!" he said, walking towards her.
"All my life... I could never please him... I always failed..."
"What are you getting at, Gill?" he asked.
"Cal, I can't let him think that my marriage was a failure too..." she whispered, crossing her arms over his chest.
"Gillian..." he whispered, sympathy filling him up. He laid his hands on his shoulders and took a deep breath. "I can't believe you told him that..."
"I was stuck in a tight situation, Cal. I didn't know what to do!"
"It's okay... don't worry... seriously... He... He wasn't at the wedding?"
"What do you think?" she asked, a tear escaping.
He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and took a deep breath, pulling her ito his chest. "I love you, Gill. My place or yours?"
"What...?" She looked up at him.
"He's gonna come and visit, of course. So... are we gonna share my house... or yours?"
She smiled widely and buried her face in his chest. "You are absolutely amazing, Cal."
"Yeah, well you know. Can Emily be ours?"
"Of course she can be ours." Now they were tears of joy. "I'm so sorry."
"Naw... it'll be fun." He winked and the threw his arms back, stretching. "So... we need like... wedding pictures?"
"I can have Loker do some photoshopping."
"That'd be great, because I really don't like getting dressed up."
She smiled and said, "Two days from now. He's staying in a hotel, but he somehow managed to find a way... to ummm..."
"Just tell me, Gill. I've been loaded with enough stuff... nothing could surprise me now."
"He's staying with us.'
"What?"
"For two months."
"FUCK!" Cal yelled suddenly. He grabbed his mouth and smiled. "Oops."
"Wow... you've got quite a mouth on you," she whispered.
"Sorry... two frickin' months?"
"Yes."
"WHY? That's crazy!"
"I'm sorry, Cal! I don't know! He said he'd tell me..."
"And did he...?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"I don't know! Cal... please just go with it."
"You're asking a lot of me, Gill..."
"I know... but... please, Cal."
"Alright. Whatever. I guess I'll just do whatever you tell me to... huh?"
"It's not like that, Cal."
"Feels like it."
She bit her lip an crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm sorry."
"Well... Gill you're telling me to stop my life so I can fix yours... that seems a little unfair right? I'm not just overreacting, am I?"
"No, no, of course you're not being ridiculous..."
He stared at her, raising an eyebrow.
"I really need this."
"Great! Just guilt me into it. Thanks."
"No, Cal. If you don't want to do this... the I'll just tell my dad."
"Why didn't you do that in the first place?"
"I was scared."
"Alright, well I was just joshin' ya. I'm cool with doing this. We have to like... make out in front of him to prove it, right?"
"Cal..." she warned.
"Well, if this is gonna work, we gotta be convincing, right?"
She bit her lip and shrugged. "I guess."
"Bingo. Alright, darling. Where do we start?"
"We tell Emily?"
"Sounds like a plan..."
.:.
"You're getting married? Oh my gosh!" she screamed.
"Emily, calm down."
"You're getting married!" she screeched.
"Yes! I just told you that... but not really. We are faking it while her father is here."
"Oh please... you'll end up getting married after. How long?"
"Two months."
"TWO. FREAKING. MONTHS? Oh my gosh, dad!"
"What?" he asked, becoming scared. He grabbed her by the shojulders and yelled, "Calm down, Em! You're freaking me out."
"Dad... you two are getting married. You do realize what that means... right?"
"What?"
"I can't believe your my father."
"What?"
"You two are getting married."
"Not for-"
"Yes, not for real... I realize that, but if you pretend to be married for long enough... then you'll end up wanting to get married. It's very clear." She whacked his shoulder and smiled. "This is good, dad."
"Ok, then. This was interesting." He pulled out his phone and called Gillian.
"So?"
"I told her... and she screamed so loud, I'm pretty sure I should go to the hospital."
She laughed and said, "She's happy."
"Apparently so. Gill, I'm not so sure about this."
"About faking a marriage?"
"Yeah..."
"Why is that?"
"I just feel like... maybe it isn't a good idea... if he finds out..."
"He won't find out," she whispered.
"He would hate me."
"Plenty of people hate you."
"Do you think that I like that?"
"Huh?"
"I don't like being hated, Gill. Just because I am doesn't mean it means nothing to me... Whatever. You don't care. Let's do this."
"Dad, why aren't you jumping at the chance to even pretend marry her?"
He jumped, knocking a couple cups of the counter. "Dammit, Em. You're still here."
"Yeah... why doens't it totally excite you?"
"I love her, Em... but want to actually marry her... for real."
"This will lead to it." She smiled.
He nodded and mumbled, "Emily, I want her dad to be proud of her... he's a real bastard and she shouldn't be worried of him not being proud of her, but I want us to actually be married... I don't want to fake it."
"Well, you already said you would and now she feels all guilty about it... smooth."
"No..."
"Yes... She probably doesn't want to anymore."
"Emily... I talk to her about it tomorrow." He smiled at her and said, "You're totally right. I should be ecstatic about this. I guess I'm just tired." He kissed her forhead and patted her back. "Good night, love."
A/N: Whataya think? I've got a big surprise coming!