New York City Friends
Season 2, Episode 9: Magical Moments
Starring~ Michelle McCool, Ashley Massaro, Candice Michelle, and Torrie Wilson.
After the big magical moments, come the very real moments. I was engaged, but I didn't feel 'engaged'.
"So, anything new with you all," Ashley asked the girls as she ran syrup on her pancakes.
Michelle was the first to speak, "Well, Jack proposed to me and I said 'yes'... I'm engaged," Michelle told them as she poured some sugar into her coffee.
"OH MY GOD! That's so great, congratulations," Torrie exclaimed as she jumped up in excitement. "I'm so happy for you... but where's the ring?"
Michelle laughed, "Well, he technically didn't have a ring on him... but you know, no big deal. That's why I didn't tell you guys the second it happened, it's my second marriage, no big deal," Michelle insisted as she drank from her nearly cold coffee.
No matter how much sugar I added to my coffee, it wouldn't intoxicate me to believe that marriage was all that sweet or magical. It's great, if the love is there and if that love sticks by.
Ashley gave Michelle a smirk, "Great, you're divorced for 11 months and already engaged! I've been single all year long, I've practically been single for 3 quarters of my life," Ashley jokingly said. "But good for you, really, I mean it," Ashley told Michelle with a sincere smile.
"Thank you, thank you girls! It means a lot," Michelle told them, then slowly turning to Candice to hear what she had to say.
Candice looked up, "Go you! I'm sure that marriage will be fine from your side of the bridge... I just don't know how it'll go from the groom's side of the bridge," Candice honestly opinionated as she carried on with her brownie.
I wanted to feel confident with the fact that I was engaged, but some were making it very hard for me.
"Okay, what is up with you and Jack! You attack him every damn time and you better get used to him, I mean it," Michelle snapped at Candice.
Candice looked at the expression on Michelle's face and she knew Michelle was pissed. "Oh come on, Michelle, I'm just being realistic... you are talking to a recently divorce woman here," Candice remind her as she got her purse and took one last bite of that brownie.
Torrie gasped as Michelle simply crossed her arms and turned away. "Candice don't leave! We're just talking here," Ashley said as she watched Candice dash out of the breakfast dining restaurant without even looking back.
Michelle drank her coffee and she moved on to another topic, "Let her leave," she said to the two women still sitting at the table.
You would think that two divorced women would agree on the topic of marriage.
I may have been the engaged one, but Ashley was engaged in another form, she was engaged in some very great sex.
Dwayne let Ashley borrow his private locker room at the gym, but she was not expecting him to be there when she arrived in the very early morning.
"Ashley, I didn't think you'd be here at such early hours," Dwayne said as he grabbed her by the waist.
Ashley loved the touch of his rough hands, but she still insisted on pushing his hands away. "Look, I like having sex with you, but that's about it, I only 'like' it. I loved it the first time, but now it's just getting boring and repetitive! A couple thrusts and boom bang done, I want more honestly," Ashley admitted as she began to walk away.
I guess even a sexual relationship with some stranger can begin to lose it's magic too.
Dwayne wanted so badly to have sex in that moment, "No, we can make it more exciting... role-play," He desperately suggested as he tried stopping her.
Ashley turned around, "Okay, I'll come over to your place and I'll be dressed up. You have to be dressed up too by the way and make it sexy, some 50 Shades Of Grey type of thing," Ashley teased as she gave him one last blowing kiss.
The very same girl that was not too long ago rejected by the same man, because according to him it was all about sex between the two, was now the woman with the power and she was making him work for it, no matter how hot he was.
After the breakfast fiasco, Candice went her own way, but along the way she crossed paths with another one's path. Cody's path and he was getting heat for not showing up to rehearsals... partially due to her.
Candice walked into the theatre through the back door, when she overheard Cody's name being constantly repeated.
"We can fire you if we wanted to. If we can fire the creator of this whole show, what makes you think we can't fire you," The producer warned Cody with his finger in the air.
Candice quickly stepped in, "Woah, woah, woah! No one's getting fired and Cody has been doing a great job with his part," Candice reminded them as she took off her sunglasses.
"Back off Candice! It's your fault he's in this whole mess in the first place," Becky came out saying as she made her way to them. "That's right, everybody knows about your little affair with Cody," Becky mocked her about.
Candice was willing to turn the other cheek with this young actress twice, but this 3rd time around, she was ready to put up a fight with the newly orange-haired Becky.
"Oh really, see, last I remembered you were terrified of me," Candice reminded Becky. "But you come back with your poorly cheap dyed hair and you come back stealing my part, so now you think you're all that," Candice barked out at as she refused to even look at Becky in the eye.
"I'm not scared of you Candice, not anymore... and at least I'm not the desperate 40 year old in need of major rehab, all while sleeping with a guy two decades younger than me," Becky bashed her as she got closer up to Candice's face.
The tension heated up the place and the roof could come off any second now, so the two were pulled apart. "Okay, you two, cut it out," The producer finally told them off as he pushed them in opposite ways. "Cody, I guess you won't be getting fired, just don't screw up with rehearsals, it costs money to rent this place!"
Candice saved him on that stage, similar to how he saved her on that dark alley the other cold night.
Planning for a wedding wasn't even on my mind, but Torrie insisted on starting the wedding planning right away.
The two girls took a long trip to a bridal shop in the Upper West Side, a place Torrie always knew about and a place Torrie dreamed of one day going for herself. "It's important to look around and get an idea of how you envision your wedding, even if it's not happening in the next few months," Torrie would remind Michelle as they walked into the fancy little boutique.
"Okay, so it's like a birthday party for a kid... except more expensive and more white," Michelle jokingly said as she got a first glance of the entire display of wedding dresses.
Torrie turned to her, "Oh come on, be more positive! I hate feeling more excited about this than you, it's your wedding and many girls would kill to have a spot in your shoes... like me, so take this serious," Torrie demanded as she held onto Michelle's arm like a mother would.
I wasn't being cynical, I was just not really feeling it.
"Look, I have to be honest with you, I'm not too excited about this... I love Jack, but I just don't know if I'll ever love marriage," Michelle admitted as she purposely ignored the dresses around her.
Torrie understood, even though she believed marriages were magical and sacred, she understood. "I get it and you know what, the 'wedding magic' will eventually catch up with you, it'll take time, but eventually it'll catch up," Torrie convinced Michelle as she patted her shoulder.
"The important thing, even more than a wedding, is to feel the magic with Jack and if their's passion, then you'll be fine," Torrie reassured Michelle as she gave her a smile and carried on with dying over the beautiful dresses.
Torrie reminded me that passion to me was always the most important aspect in a relationship, and I had that... as for the 'magic' part, well I'm not so sure about that.
About two hours later and about two blocks away, Torrie met Brock for a quick lunch in Central Park.
"So how has your day been so far," Torrie asked as she walked along, with her hand in his.
It took Brock about 1 minute to finally put his phone away and actually respond, "Busy, what about your's," Brock asked as he almost carelessly walked down such beautiful scenery. The orange & brown & yellow & red & green leaves were falling right in front of them, the smell of Autumn was fresh, but Brock only smelled his turkey sandwich and he knew he had to finish it fast so that he could get back to his office.
"It's been good so far. I had breakfast with the girls and Michelle's engaged, so I took her to a wedding boutique so that she could maybe get in the wedding mood," Torrie told him about as she held onto his arm this time and tight too.
"Good for her," Brock said, short and simple.
Torrie smiled and looked up at him, "How lovely must it be to have a wedding and be married to the love of your life," Torrie daydreamed about as she looked at her 'love of the life'... or at least that's what she thought.
Brock chuckled, but he didn't say much after that.
Brock has been married already, he was over it. Torrie on the other hand, was just getting started, now that she was in her 30's, she was determined to marry anytime soon.
A man was walking very fast towards Brock, Brock waved and he let go of Torrie's hand. "Hey Eli, I have the charts for the growth of the stocks we invested in," Brock said as he shook the big businessman's hand.
"I'll leave, I don't want to disturb you two," Torrie said as she walked away. Brock hugged her before she left, "I'm sorry, but I'll make it up to you," Brock promised her as he finally turned around to walk away.
Some women want weddings, others simply want a date, and others simply control a man's sexual fantasies. Ashley was fully dressed as Batgirl and she was going to fully control Dwayne with her moves.
Ashley made adjustments to her costume, adjustments that involved her breasts being tightly compressed in that leather black dress. Her whip was fresh and you could only see Ashley's dark red lips and those mysterious seductive eyes of her through that black bat mask.
"Is anybody in there," Ashley teased with a breathy voice as she knocked on the door lightly.
Dwayne opened it up, dressed up as a full on gladiator, "I don't know what a gladiator would say, but I'm saying that 'I wanna f*ck'," Dwayne exclaimed as he pulled Ashley by the arm.
Ashley's cape swooshed as she was pulled in. The two almost instantly had their hands all over each other, soon enough they were teasing each other. "I need to have you," Dwayne groaned as he ripped Ashley's dress. He couldn't resist and she didn't mind.
The two sure had magic, the imagination type of magic, but they had it. Halloween passed, so Ashley didn't mind having her costume ripped by this sexually intrigued man.
Ashley lied on the bed as Dwayne began to lick away, each lick made Ashley tingle. The touch of the white silky sheets gave her comfort, while the pillows of his bed were all surrounding the floor. Dwayne's hands were holding onto Ashley's hips and Ashley was holding onto those sheets as she moaned with pleasure.
Ashley sure had her fun in Gotham City, because sex is never as good anywhere else.
Earlier that day, Cody had invited Candice to a new club he had heard of in the Bronx, but she turned down the invitation... until Cody mentioned that Becky Lynch would be going too and suddenly Candice changed her mind.
She put on her makeup in a new way, one that made her look 'younger'. She put her hair up in a bun, the way one of those Italian Jersey Shore girls would. She picked the most 'hookerish' dress she could find, one that emphasized all of her assets and out the door she went.
Cody's jaw dropped the second he saw her from the cab. "I don't do the f*cking Bronx, so this better be good," Candice warned him as she got in the cab. Cody couldn't stop staring, he was drooling over her.
Candice was the ultimate fantasy to Cody and she sure was playing the part for him.
"What, are you judging me like the rest of society," Candice snapped at him as she closed the door.
Cody laughed and turned away, "I'm just admiring you, not judging! Becky could never reach your level by the way, even with you not trying," Cody tried flattering her as he continued smiling like some fool.
"Don't fucking judge me, because you are, you actually think that I'm competing with some young bitch! It's only coincidental that I realized that I had nothing else to do today and it's only coincidental that I had this dress ready to go... that Becky bitch has nothing to do with why I decided to come with you to this club," Candice insisted.
She was desperately trying to tell the world that her time wasn't up, even if that 'Becky bitch' took her lead role. But maybe it was deeper than that, maybe Candice was feeling the pressures of society and what they expected her life to look like?
"If anything, I'm competing with those Puerto Ricans over at the Bronx... trust me, they're all smoking hot and this Manhattan bitch isn't letting some other borough bitch steal the shine," Candice let Cody know and the rest of New York.
Cody turned back to her after a few seconds of silence, "Well I think you look smoking," Cody added in.
"I know," she responded as she looked out the taxi cab's window.
I was feeling the pressures of society too, a marriage doesn't always come directly after a proposal... well technically it does, but not in the world of an over-analyzer. I was being pressured into planning some huge dreamy wedding and I went along with it, I even called up a few wedding planners that same day.
Michelle was waiting at a local Starbucks as she read a book. "Hello, Michelle?" A woman asked as she carried a large binder with her. Michelle put her book down and nodded, "Yes, I'm the bride, you must be Antonia," Michelle joyfully exclaimed as she took off her reading glasses.
My cheerful tone was fake, inside I was dying. Even me reading the damn book was fake, all I could think about was how on earth I would go through with this? I was faker than the pretentious hipsters that take their laptops over to Starbucks to 'write'.
"Okay, well let's get started," the wedding planner said as she put her binder down. The sound of it coming crashing onto the coffee round-table scared Michelle, but the idea of a marriage scared her a little more.
"First, when is the wedding, you know, what season? Is it a Spring one, a Winter one, or a Summer one maybe?" she asked Michelle as she flipped through the binder. Michelle shrugged and she didn't even have to say anything for the wedding planner to realize that Michelle was very clueless.
The truth was, I would gladly take a honeymoon for all those seasons any day... but the wedding comes first and that's the part that still questionably lingered on my mind.
The wedding planner refused to give up on Michelle so fast, "Okay, you don't know, no big deal! So what theme do you want for this wedding?" she asked Michelle.
Michelle shrugged, she try'd giving her more than just a shrug, but she just couldn't come up with anything to say.
"No big deal! You'll eventually know, okay, how about flowers? Every girl knows the flowers she wants for her big day," The wedding planner teased as she waited for Michelle to respond.
She was oddly right, even Ashley knew what flowers she would want for her big day... and Ashley is more cynical than I am.
Michelle had a blank look on her face. After seconds of awkward silence, Michelle finally chuckled to ease the uncomfortable misunderstanding. "Look, Antonia... I'm sorry to have dragged you over here and I'm sorry that I wasted your time, but I'm happily engaged right now and a wedding isn't even on the horizon for me yet," Michelle admitted.
The wedding planner slammed her binder and she got up from the stool, "You have got to be f*cking kidding me," the wedding planner grunted as she walked out.
Later that evening, Torrie was finally having her long-awaited official real date with Brock.
Torrie wore a beautiful sparkly gown, it was all glamour and she wasn't sorry for being too much. Meanwhile, Brock wore his most beloved suit and the two had a very romantic dinner at the rooftop of his apartment.
Everything seemed to be going perfect. "I love this wine, what type is it," Torrie asked Brock as she took another sip of her lovely maroon red wine.
"It's pinot noir," Brock said as he gave her a smile. That soon lead to a conversation about wine and then that lead to a conversation about memories caused by wine. They shared laughs and they kissed over & over again, sweetly, it was all magical.
His perfect silver Hugo Boss watch shined, the Manhattan lights in the distant background shined, Torrie's eyes gave off a shine... but Brock was missing that shine.
Soon enough, Torrie lost Brock and he became distracted by his own world. "I should've told you earlier, but the chairman of some business is coming over last minute. He wants to talk about this investment I might make in his business proposal, but you don't mind having a guest right," Brock told her as he cut his salmon up into pieces.
Torrie shook her head and had one last taste of that wine. "Don't worry, I'll go," she told Brock as she gave him a hug. Brock kissed her and Torrie's last taste of that night with him was sweet, but nothing 'magical'.
And just like that, Torrie's long awaited moment ended.
Ashley's delusional taste of 'magic' was also about to end. The hot guy she was banging wasn't just a hot guy, Dwayne actually played basketball for the New York Knicks.
After a long two hours of sex, Ashley and Dwayne dressed themselves back into their regular clothes. Ashley was all dressed up, she was lying in his bed just curiously looking for any good shows to watch.
Dwayne walked out of the bathroom, with his sweatpants and authentic Knicks jacket. Ashley turned to him and she was impressed, "Wow, you like the Knicks! I prefer my team the Nets, I mean, I don't watch basketball or any sport for that matter, but gotta represent my home Brooklyn," Ashley exclaimed as she unknowingly was talking to an actual Knicks player.
Dwayne laughed and he took the control from her hands, "Just watch," he told her as he searched for his pre-recorded October 31st game against the Wizards. He fast-forwarded through the first part and then paused it, "Hmm? He looks familiar doesn't he," Dwayne teasingly asked her as he stood next to the TV. Both faces staring at Ashley.
That was the problem, Dwayne's 'regular' self was dressed up in an NBA uniform that could easily be put up for sale on Ebay for a couple grand. Ashley's regular self was far too insecure now, maybe knowing that the man you are sleeping with is a basketball player for the NBA isn't always a good thing.
Ashley gasped and New Yorkers don't gasp when they meet someone 'merely' famous. "Well, that's not surprising at all," Ashley sarcastically said as she chuckled. "Just one question, why the hell are you sleeping with me then," she asked the Knicks player as she sat up on his bed.
He shrugged, "Sex is like a basketball game. Their are certain teams I enjoy playing because of how good the game ends up being between us... just like the great sex between us and I enjoy that," Dwayne told her as he gave her a wink.
Ashley gave him a wink and she put her hands around his waist, "Well, maybe, before you go... I can blow you, for good luck," Ashley teased as she soon went down on him.
Even though Ashley strongly believed Dwayne was out of her league, especially now, she was nonetheless turned on by it... he even let her stay at his loft after he left for his big game against the Lakers.
Over at the Bronx, Candice was enjoying herself when she ran into the devil and that devil wasn't wearing Prada. In fact, none of the people in that club were wearing Prada, Candice was the only one and she stuck out like a sore thumb.
"You must be the desperate mother! Honey, it's obvious that Cody and Becky are a thing, you could practically be their mother," one of the ladies said as she nudged Candice. Candice turned to the short young blonde woman and she stared down at her.
Before saying anything, Candice turned to look at Becky, who was laughing from the corner of the club. Next to Becky, Cody's hands were all over her and a group of young beautiful people were surrounding the two. It was the beautiful club and Candice felt uninvited and left out.
Candice opened her eyes and everything was no longer a glitzy party, it was all an embarrassing blur to her.
Instead of even saying anything to the beach-blonde woman, she simply walked away with her pride. Except, the young drunk blonde woman wasn't finished. "My friend Becky told me how big of a bitch you are! Like grow up, this isn't your playground old woman," she shouted at Candice.
Candice wasn't nearly as drunk, due to the fact that the club only served cheap alcohol that she would never dare put in her fine-wine and luxurious cocktail loving system. Candice had a full drink in her hand that she herself payed for and she sure wasn't going to drink it, but she didn't want to waste it.
Like that 12 dollar drink, she also payed for her 300 dollar Prada heels and purse... something every single young person in that club couldn't afford to say. Candice didn't feel so bad for herself now, she was never excluded, she just was part of another far more exclusive club.
Candice stared at the beach-blonde tramp for less than a second and Candice didn't hesitate to throw her full cup of alcohol at the blonde woman's face. "AHH, YOU BITCH!" the young woman yelled as she wiped her eyes.
Cody saw from the corner and he ran to intervene, but by then Candice was already walking away. Becky wasn't going to let Candice get away with it. Candice felt a hand roughly grab her bun and it was Becky's hand. Candice pushed her off and she pulled her orange hair right back.
The club was thumping and they were all surrounding this cat-fight, Cody couldn't even step in because of the crowded area. "You f*ckin' whore," Becky yelled as she speared Candice onto the nearby couch.
"F*ck you and your ugly hair," Candice would yell as she try'd getting Becky off of her. "Get off," she yelled continuously as Becky grasped onto her hair. Candice slapped Becky hard, which threw Becky off the loop. She gave her one last elbow and she walked out, while the young crowd in their 20's cheered on.
Sadly, at 20, this was the most exciting thing that their young little souls have witnessed. Candice's bun fell into just wavy hair, but she preferred her hair that way and her Prada heels were still just as shiny.
Minutes later, Candice found herself in the same cab with Cody. He ran after her and he insisted on taking the same cab with her.
"That was crazy, but damn, you showed her," Cody jokingly said as he waited for Candice to respond.
Candice chuckled, but she didn't say much afterwards. The cab was silent as they drove past the Bronx Zoo, which brought back memories for Candice.
And on 2137 Boston Road Candice cried like a baby. She would never cry in front of anybody, but Cody had already practically seen all of her embarrassing sides that night. Plus, he's already seen her cry, that's how they met.
"F*ck," Candice cried as she buried her face in her hands. "You're right, this is about Becky! It's about my ex-husband too, it's about my friend getting f*cking engaged! It's about society having this f*cking image engraved in our minds, I'm not married and I rarely see my son now, I'm a train-wreck in clubs that reek of 20 year olds, I drink alcohol like a man according to men, I get in fights with girls 2 decades younger than me... what the hell is my life," Candice cried out as she rested her head back.
Cody didn't know what to say, he usually always had something to say, but he just didn't understand the predicament Candice was in. It was too real and raw, he was too inexperienced to understand.
Candice wiped the tears away and she forcibly laughed as she shook her head, "I remember taking Brooklyn to the Zoo over here. I remember everything, even the cologne my husband would wear when we would drive over here, Brooklyn would get more and more excited the closer we got to the entrance of the zoo... and now, this is my life," Candice said as she opened a window to let the fresh air distract her.
Cody put his hand on her shoulder, but he still didn't say anything. "I'm so much better than this, I can't believe I'm lowering myself to this low," Candice continued saying as the winds brought nostalgic feelings that blew her hair dramatically.
"I'm sorry! You're far better than this, I shouldn't have invited you! But what are your plans, it's not too late," Cody told her, hoping she'd spend the night at his place.
Candice had one thing in mind, "Actually, I have a friend to see," Candice responded, referring to Michelle.
Back at my apartment, I was reminded that although I wasn't confidently sure about a wedding, I was deeply sure of Jack.
Michelle invited Ashley and Torrie over, she wanted them to get to know Jack a little more. The 4 of them ate in and they watched old 90's movies as they bonded, which made Michelle happy.
Their was a knocking at the door and Michelle ran to it, only to find Candice standing alone in the cold night with a bottle of wine in her hand. "I'm sorry," Candice whispered as she waited outside. Michelle smiled and Candice walked in, that's all it took for the two to get back on track.
"You're lucky we have leftovers," Michelle told Candice as she closed the door behind her. Candice stuck out her hand for Jack to shake, "Jack I wanna know you better! Don't worry, you'll know more of me, Michelle will hopefully tell you about me," Candice jokingly said as she sat at the table with the rest.
Jack laughed, "Oh, believe me, she has! She talks about all you girls all the time," Jack said to the 3 women as he opened up the wine Candice had set down.
Michelle watched from the doorway and she felt oh so lucky and happy.
We were all screwed up and we would never fit into this society, we couldn't live this perfect life or plan this perfect wedding... but the magical moments, oh how real they were! I mean, look at me, exactly one year after getting divorced, I was engaged again.
Special Guest Stars~ Dwayne Johnson, Cody Rhodes, Becky Lynch, Brock Lesnar, and Jack Swagger.
Written & Created By Jonathan N.
Published On November 7, 2015
