Meanwhile, Angel and Cherri were chuckling and continuing to chase each other. Even with his long legs, Angel struggled to keep up. Cherri was agile and able to evade him.
Eventually, they both found what they were looking for, the park bench near the center of the labyrinth.
"You think we're far enough away?" Cherri asked as they finally stopped running and sat down on the bench.
"I think so," Angel said, catching his breath. "Wanna split the cake while we talk? If they come around, we don't want them to get suspicious."
"Way ahead of you," Cherri said as she pulled two forks seemingly out of nowhere.
Angel took a fork and said, "That was a hell of a performance you pulled off there, doll. I didn't know you had it in ya."
"Me neither," Cherri said. "We really pulled it off. But now, the question is what we should do next? Especially since we got these ankle bracelets."
Angel pulled out and unlocked his phone and said, "Yeah, it looks like we ain't escaping before the wedding, but we can start making plans and contacting mutual friends. We have to stay smart about this though so that we can allay any suspicions that come our way. They might think we're on the level and be giving us more freedom, but I doubt they won't stop monitoring us completely."
"Do you have anyone in mind?" Cherri asked with a mouth full of cake.
"Yeah," Angel said. "Molly."
Cherri swallowed her bite and said, "Of course, she's the one person they will be kinda okay with us talking to."
"Yep," Angel said, dialing Molly's number into his phone.
Angel put the phone on speaker and the pair waited eagerly while the phone rang. In less than a second, Molly picked up.
"ANGEL?!" Molly yelled anxiously through the phone, causing Angel and Cherri to jump. "Angel, is that you?!"
"Yes, Molly," Angel replied. "It's me. I'm right here."
"Oh, my God," Molly began breathlessly. "Angel, what have they done to you?! Arackniss said that you had undergone heavy therapy and that you had progressed enough to marry Cherri! What is going on…?!"
"Molly, Molly, it's okay!" Angel interrupted. "I ain't straight. They just think I am."
"What?" Molly asked confusedly.
"Let me explain…" Angel said.
Angel launched into a quick yet detailed summary of the past 48 hours. Molly listened and soaked everything in.
When Angel was done explaining everything, Cherri said, "So, now that you know what's been going on and what we've done so far, do you know what we should do next? We can use the Internet and contact people now, but there ain't much the two of us can do since we're going to be monitored. I don't know how we're going to help Vaggie escape on her wedding day."
"Don't worry, Angel and Cherri," Molly said. "I'll find a way to contact your other friends and make a plan."
"Okay, we'll be messaging and making plans, too," Angel said. "I don't know what we can do for Charlie, but we can do something at the wedding to save Vaggie. Once we're at the condo, you can visit us as much as you want since you're about the only person Dad will be okay with coming to see us."
"Alright, do you know which condo Dad is going to move you in to?" Molly asked. "He owns a lot of 'em."
"You know the one closest to his house?" Angel asked.
"Got it," Molly said. "I'll visit you as soon as you're settled in. Oh, Angel, I'm glad you're okay. I can't believe what they did to you! I tried to make my way into the house the mornin' after the auction, but Dad wouldn't let me see you. I'm so sorry I couldn't get to you sooner."
"It's okay, Molly," Angel reassured. "You couldn't have done anything then, but now, you can help me as much as you want. Then, you can help me help Vaggie. She endured so much shit from Alastor for me. I owe her…What?"
Just then, Cherri had noticed Arackniss rounding the corner of a hedge and heading straight for them and had nudged Angel in the elbow.
"Quick, end the call and take a selfie," Cherri whispered.
"Okay, gotta go," Angel said with a nod before he ended the call, switched over to the camera, and held the camera over both him and Cherri, holding up the cake with one hand, using a fork to take a piece with another, and pulling Cherri close with the one left.
"Smiles, babe!" Angel gushed as he and Cherri took their photo.
Arackniss made his way over to the park bench, and then, without missing a beat, he asked, "Anthony, who were you talking to just now?"
"Molly, of course," Angel replied. "I figured that I should tell her about the happy occasion since she wasn't invited here to watch it herself."
Arackniss looked at him suspiciously and said, "Okay. Let me see your phone."
Much to Arackniss's surprise, Angel handed over the phone without a word of protest.
While Angel and Cherri were watching, Arackniss went to the phone's recent calls list and found that it was in fact Molly who they were talking to.
To be sure, Arackniss pressed the recent call and called Molly back.
The call was answered immediately.
Arackniss held the phone out, pressed the speaker, and asked, "Hello? Who is this?"
"Arackniss, why didn't you tell me Angel was getting married to Cherri today?! Why did he have to call me and tell me himself?!" Molly yelled.
On the sidelines, Angel and Cherri were eating their slice of cake while Arackniss endured the yelling.
Angel swallowed his piece of cake and said, "Oh, boy! Is she mad at you…"
"Shut up," Arackniss replied.
"Don't yell at my twin brother!" Molly yelled on the phone. "I want answers!"
Arackniss held the phone away from his face and said, "Sorry, Molls. The doctor had us pull it together in a day. That didn't leave a lot of time to invite guests."
"I don't wanna hear it!" Molly replied. "And another thing, you guys been so mean to Anthony! Especially you! You stood by and let that creep torture him in the basement! Why?!"
Arackniss scowled, look back at the phone, and said, "It was the doctor's orders, Molly..."
"THAT IS BULLSHIT AND YOU KNOW IT!" Molly screamed.
Arackness sighed, put the phone off speaker, and hopped over the hedge to give himself some privacy.
"Hey!" Angel called out. "Come back here with my phone!"
Arackniss ignored him and replied to Molly, "Look, Molly. All this was done so that Anthony would be welcome back home where he can be safe. I didn't like the good doctor's methods either, but Anthony needed to come home. You saw how he was ruining his afterlife out there being a slave to that fucking moth. This is the best thing for him."
"I still don't like your brainwashing methods!" Molly retorted. "Anyways, what's done is done. He's straight now. So, can't you lay off him?"
"No, Molls," Arackniss replied. "The doctor said he has a high chance of relapsing. Besides, I don't completely buy his straightness. I'm pretty sure he's just going along with what we want so that he doesn't have to live in the basement anymore. Now, I don't mind that per se as long as he keeps the peace, but we have to make sure he's going to be committed. That's why we have to be hard on him to be sure he's serious about behaving and rejoining the family."
"Uh huh," Molly said skeptically. "You're just jealous that he has a wife now."
Arackniss flushed in embarrassment and retorted, "Shut up! I am not! Are you coming to the party tomorrow?"
"If you're gonna have a better attitude, then yes," Molly replied.
"Alright, I'll try," Arackniss replied with an eye roll.
"Good, now let me talk to my twin brother!" Molly demanded.
"Fine, hold on a moment," Arackniss said.
Arackniss hopped to the top of the hedge and yelled, "Anthony, Molly wants to talk to ya!"
Angel turned around on the bench just in time for Arackniss to throw the phone back at him, hitting him square in the jaw.
"OW!" Angel said on impact. "Really, 'Niss? Right on my face?!"
"It was an accident, sorry," Arackniss said in a tone he knew was insincere. "Anyways, Doctor Red and Dad want to go to bed, so you and your new wife need to come in, too."
"Can't I say goodnight to Molly first?" Angel protested.
"Sure," Arackniss replied. "But I can't return without you, so…"
"Fine, be a buzz kill," Angel said with a sigh. "Come on, Cherri. Let's go before Arackniss blows that stick outta his ass."
Cherri chuckled out loud while Arackniss steamed angrily as she and Angel walked ahead.
Angel placed two arms around Cherri and held the phone up so they could hear it between their ears after he turned on the speaker.
"I've gotta go, sis, but I'll see ya tomorrow," Angel said. "We can catch up then, 'kay?"
"Okay," Molly replied. "I love you, Angel! You too, Cherri! Welcome to the family!"
"Thanks," Cherri said. "I love you too, sister-in-law!"
"Have a good night, you two!" Molly said. "See you in the morning!"
Molly hung up and the call ended. Angel put the phone back in his coat pocket and continued walking with Cherri hand in hand back to the house.
Arackniss continued to stew behind the happy couple until they reached the stone patio where Henroin and Doctor Red were waiting.
"So, Cherri?" Angel asked flirtatiously. "Wanna head off to bed now?"
"Yes, dear!" Cherri replied just as flirtatiously. "I'm completely beat."
Angel gently stroked Cherri's face and said, "Want me to keep ya warm tonight?"
"Always," Cherri replied, squeezing Angel's fluff into her face.
"Awwwww!" Doctor Red gushed. "What a lovely couple!"
"Indeed," Henroin noted while Arackniss silently sulked.
Without another word, Angel swept Cherri up into his arms and began carrying her back towards the house.
Cherri smiled gleefully and rest her head against Angel's fluffy chest.
Henroin and the others watched Angel and Cherri walk back towards the house. Doctor Red followed them and opened the door to the house.
Doctor Red continued following the groom and bride until he opened the door to their bedroom.
Once Angel and Cherri had entered the room, Doctor Red said, "Have a good night, you two."
"Thanks, doc," Angel said, flashing the most suggestive smile he could muster.
The doctor smiled back, and without another word, he shut the door. To both Angel and Cherri's relief, the door wasn't locked.
As soon as he was sure the good doctor had left, Angel laid Cherri on the bed and said, "Good work, doll."
Cherri sat up, gave Angel a peck on the cheek, and said, "You too, Angie. You're a fantastic actor."
Angel laid down next to her and said, "Thanks. I try."
After a moment of silence, Cherri asked, "You don't think they expect us to have sex now. Do you?"
"They better not be outside the door," Angel said.
"Want me to blow it up and see?" Cherri asked with a mischievous smirk.
"No," Angel said. "Not yet, sugar tits."
"Okay," Cherri conceded as she sat up again. "I'm going to take a shower."
"You do that," Angel said, pulling out his phone. "I'm gonna catch up on the news to see what we've missed out on."
"Alright," Cherri said, getting to her feet and walking to the shower. "Let me know what you find out. Holler if you need me!"
Without another word, Cherri entered the bathroom and left Angel on the bed. He searched Hell's internet for news, and he was lucky enough to find a livestream of 666 News.