Mordecai sighed as he looked on at Margaret. She looked so happy.

John came over and patted Mordecai's shoulder. "Hey. All good?"

Mordecai shrugged. "I guess. I just… I feel kind of… Hurt."

John nodded thoughtfully. "I'm really sorry, man. She and Alec have been on and off for years."

Mordecai looked at him. "What! I thought they'd been going out for like, a month!"

John shook his head. "Nope. They started going out Junior year of high school. He's been wanting to pop the question since college."

Margaret walked over to the two. "Mordecai, I want you to meet Alec. Alec, this is Mordecai."

Alec smiled and shook Mordecai's hand. "Dude, great to meet you! Margaret's told me a lot about you. Thanks for keeping an eye on her." He winked.

Mordecai gave him a weak smile. "Yeah, no problem. I'm happy for you two." He walked away, his head down.

"John, is he okay?" Margaret asked.

"No, he's a little… bummed. I think he wanted to be the one to pop you the question." The oriole shrugged.

Margaret bit her lip. "Mordecai!" she called out, running to him. "Mordecai, wait!"

"Huh?" He turned, a little surprised. "Margaret, what's up?"

"I'm sorry that you feel bummed." She pulled him into a hug. "You're a great guy, but you're like a brother to me. I think you'd be happier with someone else."

He returned the hug. "Thanks. I'm probably looking really selfish or something."

"What? No, of course not." She looked at him. "You just have the wrong girl. I'm sure you're gonna find someone who's totally awesome and way better than I could ever be." She gave a gentle smile. "Really, Mordecai. You deserve nothing but the best."

"Thanks, that means a lot."

"Oh, I wanted to ask you, are you free on the seventeenth?"

"Yeah, why?"

"My girlfriends are coming into town, and we're gonna throw a huge party. An engagement party… I want you to go." She had an adorable face on. "Pleeeeeeeease?"

He chuckled in spite of himself. "Yeah, I'll go."

She jumped up and down. "Sweet! It's at the park, too. So you really don't have to go far."

"At the park? Really?"

"Yeah, and I invited everyone. Even Muscle Man."

"You are so brave," he joked. She laughed.

"Well, I'll see you then. Alec and I have to go house hunting today." She kissed his cheek. "Thanks for being there."

He blushed. "Y-Yeah, no prob."

She walked off while Rigby walked up. "Dude! I totally can't wait for Margaret's party!" He did a bit of a fist pump. "Unh! It's gonna be awesome!"

Mordecai just nodded. "Yeah, dude. I bet you can't wait to hang out with Eileen." He snickered.

"STOP TALKING!"

The seventeenth arrived quickly. Benson was on high-stress, ordering everyone to do certain stuff. For example, the house was cleaned, down to every corner. The lawn was cut, the trees trimmed, the fountain cleaned. Next, the canopies were set up, with the tables underneath them for food and drink, as well as gifts.

"How many people are comin'?" Skips asked curiously. "It looks like we're going to have at least fifty with all of this."

Benson shook his head, a little distracted. "Nope, just about eighty." He tapped his pencil against his clipboard as he overlooked the list. "Okay, so apparently there's going to be a couple of DJs, but they're using a flat-bed truck as their stage. So all we need is a tent for their equipment."

"When will they be here?"

"About four. What time is it now?"

"About four."

"Crap!" Benson whipped out his walkie-talkie. "Muscle Man, High Fives! I need a tent up near the soccer field, stat!"

"You know who else needs a tent up ne—" Muscle Man started.

"NOT NOW!"

"Okay, okay!" Muscle Man replied. "We're on it…"

Benson rubbed the bridge of his nose. There was a sudden, "Hello!" causing Skips and Benson to turn around.

A pretty canary was walking over to them, along with a cardinal and a macaw.

"Sorry, guys, but the park is closed." Benson turned back to his clipboard.

"Oh, we're the DJs," the cardinal girl smiled. "Shouldn't we be here at four?"

Benson looked back at her. "Oh! Yeah, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were the DJs."

"Understandable," the macaw, with a thick British accent, smiled. "We're not famous or anything."

"Antony, shut up. He meant that as a sarcastic joke," the canary frowned, punching him in the arm. "Where do you want us to have the truck?"

"The soccer field. Go ahead and hop to it," Benson told them.

"By the way, I'm Calli," the canary smiled. "This is DJ and Antony." She pointed to each in turn.

"Pleasure to meet you, Calli. I'm Benson, and this is Skips," Benson replied.

Calli shook their hands, then ran off to follow the others.

Mordecai stretched his back, grunting in slight pain. "Man. All this heavy lifting is killing my back."

"You said it," Rigby sighed.

"Dude, you're not even doing much!"

"Shut up! I put up two poles, that's good enough!"

"Yeah, while I put up the other six and then set up the canopies!" Mordecai retorted.

"Would you two quit fighting!" Benson suddenly bellowed. "Get those chairs set up, or you're both FIRED!"

"I thought you said we didn't have to set up chairs anymore!" Rigby whined.

"No, that was one time. Now get the job finished!" Benson stalked away, grumbling angrily to himself.

"Ugh. Benson seriously needs a girlfriend."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Mordecai frowned, grabbing a few chairs.

"A girlfriend will loosen him up more, duh."

"Your logic sucks, dude."

Margaret gasped in happy surprise as she came up to the party area. "Oh my gosh, it looks great!" she squealed. Eileen nodded, but then got distracted looking around for what seemed to be a person. She mentioned something about being right back.

"Glad you like it," Mordecai grinned. "I slaved to make the canopies nice for you."

"I helped!" Rigby snapped.

"With two poles."

"STOP TALKING!"

Margaret giggled. Eileen ran back, calling out, "Oh, Margaret, I almost forgot! I have a second present for you!"

"Oh, Leen, you didn't!" Margaret teased.

"Yup. Now, close your eyes!"

Margaret did so. Eileen motioned to someone off in the distance, who trotted over. Mordecai tried not to gasp in surprise.

A pretty little canary stopped in front of Margaret, smiling. She put a finger to her lips, looking directly at Mordecai and Rigby.

Rigby shrugged at Mordecai, but Mordecai just kept staring at her.

"Okay, Eileen, I gotta get a hint! Is it bigger than a bread box?" Margaret asked in excitement.

"Hm… Last time I checked, I was," the canary replied.

Margaret yanked her hands away, gasping dramatically. "No way! Calli!" She immediately wrapped the canary in a bear hug. "I missed you so much! You said you couldn't make it!"

"Yeah, I kind of lied." She smiled and pulled away. "Eileen told me she wanted me to make it a surprise for you. I said sure!"

"Oh! This is Mordecai and Rigby!" Margaret pointed to them as she said their names. "They helped set everything up." She then motioned to the canary. "Guys, this is my college roomie, Calli."

"Oh, so you're the friends she's told me so much about!" Calli grinned. "Great to actually meet you in person!" She shook their hands. "I'm famished. Any snackage for me before the partay?"

She walked off with Margaret and Eileen, with the three chattering nonstop.

"Dude." Mordecai numbly stood there. "Calli. Is cool."

"Yeah, man. Totally speaks our language," Rigby agreed. He glanced at his bro, only to look at him again. "Dude, stop staring at her! You look like some kind of a creepy loser."

Mordecai glared at him. "I do not! And I wasn't staring, thank you."

"Oh, my bad. Stop gazing at her. Because it's creepy."

Mordecai replied by punching Rigby.

"Oooooooowwww!"

The food session had gone well. All thirty girls and twenty guys (excluding Muscle Man with his date and High Fives was feeling sick) enjoyed the large choices of hamburgers, hot dogs, steak, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, homemade pizza (which is technically Italian, but Mordecai and Rigby disagreed), chicken wings and salads (six different kinds); not to mention the dessert, which consisted of cake, cupcakes, brownies, candy galore, and lemon squares. Pops even made peach cobbler.

Then of course there was a large choice of drinks. Benson had really outdone himself with Coca-Cola, Coke Zero, Diet Coke, Pepsi, Sprite, Mountain Dew, and of course, coffee and tea of as many flavors as you could think of.

"Dude! Look at all the booze!" Rigby exclaimed. "I'm gonna have me one of them die-kiries."

"It's pronounce dah-cur-ee, and you can't have any alcohol," Mordecai chided. "Remember all of those college parties?"

"Nope. That's why I want some. I'll end up with a chick and at least ten numbers."

Mordecai rolled his eyes. Though he admitted that they looked good, Rigby could not have any of the Daiquiris, Jack and Coke, Long Island Iced Tea, Champagne, Wine, Red-Headed Slut, Sex On the Beach, or Vodka. Or Whisky.

"Geez, we might as well just be having the wedding now," Mordecai mumbled. He slapped Rigby's hand away from a Daiquiri. "I said no!"

Rigby muttered as he folded his arms in anger.

Music suddenly started to play. Calli waved as she spotted Rigby and Mordecai.

Happiness, it hurt like a train on a track

Coming towards her, stuck still no turning back

She hid around corners and she hid under beds

She killed it with kisses and from it she fled

With every bubble she sank with a drink

And washed it away down the kitchen sink

The dog days are over,

The dog days are done!

The horses are coming,

So you better run!

As he was dancing, Mordecai could feel his happiness for Margaret and Alec turn real. He was over Margaret. At least for tonight.

Run fast for your mother and fast for your father

Run for your children for your sisters and brothers

Leave all your love and your longing behind you

Can't carry it with you if you want to survive

The dog days are over,

The dog days are done!

Can you hear the horses,

'Cause here they come!

Rigby couldn't help but blush when Eileen came over to dance next to him. She was pretty cool, so it was okay.

And I never wanted anything from you

Except everything you had

And what was left after that too

Happiness hit her like a bullet in the back

Struck from a great height

By someone who should know better than that

Benson sighed as he sat at one of the tables. Everyone looked like they were having fun, which was great. It really was. He just didn't feel right being there, not with all of these young, laughing partiers.

The dog days are over,

The dog days are gone!

Can you hear the horses,

'Cause here they come!

Run fast for your mother and fast for your father

Run for your children for your sisters and brothers

Leave all your love and your longing behind you

Can't carry it with you if you want to survive

The dog days are over,

The dog days are gone!

Can you hear the horses,

'Cause here they come!

The dog days are over,

The dog days are gone!

The horses are coming,

So you better run!

The dog days are over,

The dog days are gone!

The horses are coming,

So you better run!