Me: Okay here's the last chapter for the MR saga…the reception!
Raven: Is it more fluff?
Me: Yes but it's the last super overload of fluff. Okay and to my realist readers, I know that in reality that they wouldn't have this circus of a reception but for the sake of pure fun just go with it. I don't own any songs though.
Atrus: I miss Mimi!
Me: Maybe they'll come back afterwards.
The wedding was just ending and it was time for the first of hundreds of pictures being taken. Rachel, being the unofficial photographer for the day took enough of pictures of Mark and Roger, Ryan and Ria, Mark, Roger, Ryan, and Ria together to fill a wall.
After the last one was taken, Ria and Ryan got in their car that was taking them to the reception.
"I can't believe it finally happened" Ria sighed
"Me neither, it's so surreal like the twilight zone"
"Did you see MTV and Vh1 out there?"
"Yeah it's like if you write a one-hit that makes the top of the hit 100, you'll be famous for life." Ria laughed
There was an awkward silence for a few minutes. "So what do we do now?" Ryan asked
"About what?"
"You know…us, where do we go from here?"
"I don't know, I mean it's like we could still date since we're not blood but it'll be weird because in theory you're now my step-brother."
"Yeah…we sound like the lead story on Jerry Springer!" Ryan said with a snicker.
"Well we can think about it later, today let's just enjoy the party!" Ria said
When they got out of the car, the other kids crowded around them to see their chains.
"It's so pretty!" Rachel squealed, anything sparkly was pretty to her.
"What does it mean?" Angelo wondered
"The four gold rings represent the four of us and the stud in the middle represents the new family we create." Ria explained
"Wow that's deep!"
"How cute!"
"Alright guys, it's time to head in they're gonna start soon" Jason said to the others.
They all headed in as Ria and Ryan waited for their dads to show up so they could make their entrance together. Unfortunately their car was swarmed with reporters from Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Vh1, and almost every film magazine in the area. Many reporters claimed it was a publicity stunt by the both of them, and all other screwy rumors that would later hit the tabloids. When they finally got to the front door they were a little tired but ready to go.
"Okay, does Angelo have the camera ready?" Mark asked them as they crawled out of the car
"Yeah, it's hooked up to the screen inside, I just have to go tell Benny to go tell Jason to start." Ryan answered
When Jason got the message, he went into the reception all and went up to the mic.
"Okay guys, I'm Jason Collins and I'll be emceeing for tonight! I just got word that they're here so let's get it started!" he cheered to the other 75 guests and the six reporters who got VIP access. Rachel started up Sirrus by the Alan Parsons Project and hit the switch to the TV. Everyone saw the four of them walking down the hall being led by Angelo holding the camera. When they got to the door, Rachel and Kyle pulled the doors open as Jason went on.
"And now the moment we've been waiting for the last two hours, I'm pleased to welcome…the new Cohen-Davis family!"
Final Countdown began playing as the four walked, or more like Mark and Ryan walked in as Roger and Ria came in total rocker style with complete poses and natural wild attitude they were destined to have. After about two minutes, Jason announced "Okay you two this isn't the MTV Video Music Awards, get to your table!" with a laugh.
Everyone went wild as the press snapped pictures and talked to their bosses on the phones giving a full play-by play of the events. Afterwards they calmed down and got to their table at the front of the hall. The guests walked around chatting and drinking champagne, stopping by the table to congratulate them. Everyone was having a good time as "We are Family" played in the background. Soon the food was ready and everyone sat down to eat a typical boho dinner…paid in full by the reformed benevolent god Benny of course. After everyone was done eating and about to dance off their big meal, Ria walked up to the front of the hall with her champagne glass in hand and got the others attention by tapping on her glass.
"Hey everyone, it's your girl Ria here! Welcome to this carnival we're calling a wedding reception. Since I'm kind of the maid of honor/best woman I've gotta give a toast. Keep in mind, I wrote this last night so bare with me. I can honestly say I didn't think we'd ever be here today. It's been a wild roller coaster ride these last three months. We've dealt with discoveries, loss, and best of all, newfound love. I will admit that at first I was not thrilled at my dad's…announcement, but then I realized later that my father has overcome all the odds. He's survived for 18 years with an illness that took out half of his generation in the eighties. He's been faced with more loss than anyone else could ever fathom, and for that he deserves praise and joy in his life. The truth is I was not thrilled not only because my dad found someone else other than my mother, rest her soul to love but who it was. Then looking back on my short life and how my boho family of twelve has helped shape into the girl I am today and the woman I will become, I couldn't think of a better person for my dad to commit to than Mark. He had already been his best friend for nineteen years, and when the stormy times hit them both, the other was there as a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen." She raised her glass "So here's to you and Mark Dad, in the immortal words of Tina Turner you're "Simply the Best!"
Everyone repeated "SIMPLY THE BEST!" as they took a sip of champagne. Then Ryan came up to the mic next.
"I didn't actually write a speech so I'm flying by the seat of my pants right now. Many of you are shocked that I'm even here, let alone giving a toast since I was the main one dead-set against this whole day. These last three months like Ria said, have been one hell of a trip. Most of that was my fault and I regret that now. For a long time up until…well today, as you all know I felt that my dad was replacing my mother, but after some words of wisdom from Aunt Mo of all people, Jason, and Kyle I feel that maybe this was her working. Everyone has said that she and Aunt Mimi wouldn't have wanted my dad and Roger to be miserable after they were gone so they probably thought that since they were already best friends, they might as well in the words of Uncle Collins "get married already!" He paused as everyone laughed with him at that last line. Ryan raised his glass, "So here's to you not only to Dad and Roger but also to Mom and Aunt Mimi. Thanks for looking out for them and us even from above."
Everyone clapped along as they took another sip. Just then Jason came back up to the mic, "Before we dive into that cake over there, will the four of the hour please come to the stage?"
They walked up to the stage as Rachel started playing "Will You Be There?" by Michael Jackson. "Can someone tell me why we're up here?" Ryan asked Jason
"You guys did the medallion thing already but we forgot to bring the unity candle so we're gonna have you all do that here." Jason said as Kyle and Rachel wheeled in a wreath with four small taper candles and a larger pillar candle in the center. He dimmed the lights and lit each of the smaller candles and spoke again. "Okay now each of you take a smaller candle and Ria you stand on this side of the table next to your dad across from Mark and Ryan."
They did as they were told as Jason explained what was happening "Now you all know that the lighting of the unity candle usually represents the new unity that the couple creates. But in this case the lighting of the unity candle not only represents the union of Mark and Roger in their new partnership but the unity formed in this new family in which your lives will now shine as one family. The four smaller candles remain lit to show the unique qualities each of you will bring to this new union."
Mark, Roger, Ria, and Ryan each took a candle and lit the center candle together as Rachel, Kyle, and all the other guests wiped the tears from their eyes. Even Benny, whose wife was trying to call him after wondering why he had been gone with their daughter the whole day without telling her had cut his phone off, figuring that moments like these were more important than the status quo his pompous in-laws had tried to install in his and Rachel's minds.
"Okay we're really getting tired of this whole hall-mark stuff now so let's get this party started!" Ria exclaimed
"You heard her guys, it's time to rock!" Ryan added as the guest cheered some more.
"Okay then we're going to need Mark and Roger on the floor for the first dance." Jason said as they walked onto the floor and Rachel started up "This I swear" by Nick Lachey.
There wasn't a dry eye in the house as Ria cut in at the end and danced with her father to "You'll be in my Heart" by Phil Collins and then with Ryan to "This I Promise You" by NSYNC. By this time everyone was getting a little bored with the cutesy stuff and at the end of the dance with Mark and Ria, Rachel played the request list….made without Mark or Roger's knowledge which could only mean it would be wild.
The list went as stated: "Luv U Better" by LL Cool J, "Smooth" by Santana, "Like a Prayer" by Madonna, "Still the one" by Orleans "Ain't no stopping us now"by McFadden "Shout", "Gasolina, "Living La Vida Loca" by Ricky Martin, and at the requests of Ria and Ryan "It's Raining Men" and "Dirty Little Secret" which was a laugh at the fact that Mark and Roger kept their relationship a secret from them and had everyone rolling. By nine o'clock Ryan had requested "Maria Maria" which he tried to dance miserably to with Ria but failed miserably in keeping up with the salsa beat.
At ten, everyone was relived from hosting duties which led to all of the boho teens lining up to dance to "Dancing Machine". The whole crowd was stunned at the perfect drill like timing they all had to the beat. After the kids dance, everyone had wondered what a very drunk Roger was about to do. He had Mark sitting in a chair in the center floor with his scarf wrapped around his neck and requested "You can leave your hat on" by Joe Cocker. Just then all the adults realized he was about to do an adapted version of the garter toss with Mark's scarf and began hooting and cheering.
Benny ran up to the stage and jokingly told all the kids to shield their eyes to protect their innocent minds as they all laughed along watching Mark's reaction to Roger's attempt to sexily pull off the scarf with his teeth, trying to be the sex god he had always claimed to be. After about three minutes he finally got it off and threw it, which Angelo caught.
The party went on into the late hours of the night until everyone was too tired or too drunk to care anymore. Since it was late and no one of driving age in the family was fit to drive due to tiredness or intoxication they all stayed the night exepct for our happy new couple, who were getting into their car to take them to their hotel where they were gonna stay until they had to catch their bus to Atlantic City…or so they said.
After sending them off Ria and Ryan walked back to their car to take them to the motel with the rest of the family.
"That was great!" Ria said
"Yeah who would've known that your dad would get so drunk he'd sing "Mickey" and change the name to "Markie"?" Ryan added
"I can't tell if it was funny or oddly disturbing?" Ria laughed "But seriously, I think this will be the best memory my dad will have of all us and I'm glad you came. I don't think we would've been able to have this much fun without you here."
"I felt so good afterwards, the emotions shown today during the wedding and at the reception proves that we ALL need to stick together, not just the four of us." Ryan sighed
Ria fell asleep on his shoulder as they laid there in the backseat together, draped in serene bliss.
Me: Hey guys wake up!
Atrus: That was long!
Raven: And fluffy!
Me: Enjoy it because next chapter's the lawsuit against the school and that's gonna be a handful.
Atrus: R&R!
Raven: We have glowsticks!