For Better or For Worse

Day 4

Goal: Confirm guest list

Since mailing the invitations now would be way too short notice, Sophie had wisely sent out save the dates before the show. Today the wedding team shuffles through the guest list to confirm who is coming and who is not.

Sophie scans the list, "I think we can mark a check next to Steve, Cream, Cheese, and Jim. I think we can say at least 99.9 percent confidently that they're coming." Jenna marks their names with a bright red check.

Sophie's first call is to two of Amy's friends from the orphanage named Hope and Faith. The two had both been adopted by a lovely couple who had traveled from across the planet just to give two little children, a chance at a normal life. Though a tad cliché, the two young girls could not be more grateful. (Maybe their names had something to do with it)

Dialing at Sonic speed, Sophie waits patiently while the urgent bring, bring, persists. Her call is answered by two raspy voices singing a duet of West Side Story. The voices are horrifically out of sync, the diction of each word barely distinguishable. Sophie waits for the signal…BEEP, "Um…hi, this is Sophie, one of Amy's friends, I was just calling to see if you were coming to her wedding this weekend, and if you can't make it, please give me a call at 747-2293. Thanks." Click.

Sophie decides call number two will be her mother, Annabelle. Bring, bring, bring. Thankfully the phone is picked up by the fourth ring, "Hello?"

Sophie perks up a bit, "Mom? It's me, Sophie. Are you coming to my friend's wedding? …No, I don't expect you to pay for your plane ticket…no, don't be silly…….Ma, I promise, there won't be snakes on the plane…I told you not to go see that stupid movie…okay, so you are coming then, I'll see ya this weekend. Bye." Click.

Sophie nods to Jenna who checks off Sophie's parents.

Tails tries to dial who Frank claims is Amy's aunt (though he's skeptical that Frank even has any sisters).

A fatigued voice answers him on the third ring, "Yeah?"

Tails clears his throat, "Um…hello, is this Mrs. Pattyca—uh, I mean Pattysmith?" Tails had to hold his breath for a moment to suppress a chuckle.

"Who's dead?" (Quoted from Moonstruck…good movie)

Tails is momentarily speechless as he tries to gather a response, "What? Nobody…I was actually calling about your niece's wedding this weekend, are you going to come?"

Silence on the other end, "…Who?"

Tails rolls his eyes and below his breath mutters, "I knew it." "You know, Amy Rose."

Another long pause, "…Oh…you mean Frank's kid? I thought she died or something." (Tails concludes that the woman has obviously experienced a lot of trauma in her life)

Tails desperately tries to speed up the conversation, "Well anyway, her wedding is this weekend, and I just need to know if you're coming or not."

A rustling noise in the background, "Hmm…sorry, I don't think I'll be available that day…you see, I got this appointment and it takes months to get this so I really can't cancel..."

"Okay, fine." Tails hangs up before she can speak again. He shakes his head at the curious looking Jenna, and she puts an x mark next to the name.

Nobody seems to know where Shadow lives or if he even owns a telephone, so Rouge and Knuckles decide to go look for him. The two stand on the edge of the bustling city streets looking here and there, in every nook and cranny. By the time they had searched all of uptown, three hours had passed without any sign of him. They were beginning to wonder if Shadow is even present in the city.

Knuckles stops at a corner, looking in each direction and trying to decide which way to go. "Well, I don't know…where do you think he would be?"

Rouge shrugs, "How should I know?"

Knuckles grunts, "Alright…let's try this way," he says pointing west. After they get halfway down the next block Knuckles stops again, "Do you think either Amy or Sonic would know where we can find Shadow?"

The rules of the show state strictly that the bride and groom are not to share communication with the wedding team, but Rouge decides this would be an exception.

Amy's work number is conveniently on speed dial number 2 of Rouge's sidekick. Amazingly, Amy answers on the first ring. "Hello?"

Rouge greets merrily, "Hi!"

Amy is slightly surprised to hear Rouge's voice on the other line. "Rouge, is that you? Is something wrong?"

Rouge reassures her, "Oh…no, no. We, uh—I was just calling to ask if you knew where Shadow is. I've looked absolutely everywhere, but I still can't seem to find him. Do you have any hints?"

Amy thinks for a moment while typing simultaneously. The phone held securely in place between her head and shoulder. "Hmm…I think I have his email address. Does that help at all?"

Rouge's eyes brighten a little, "Thanks…that would help a ton." Rouge somehow pulls out a piece of paper and pen; she writes down the email address, thanks Amy once more and hangs up.

Knuckles' foot stops tapping, "Well? What did she say?"

Rouge holds up the piece of paper, "Got his email, that'll have to do."

As she's about to message Shadow, Knuckles taps her shoulder and gestures to a figure behind them.

Shadow crosses his arms, "Such a shame…that she had to wait so long. I suppose the faker's heart just isn't quick enough to match his feet."

Rouge grins coyly, "Well whataya know? Just the guy we were looking for."

Shadow grins in response, "Here I am."

Knuckles feeling a sudden pang of envy, and attempts to fill the silence, "So…will we expect to see you at the wedding?"

Shadow looks up to the sky, "The faker actually giving someone his affection…is something I'll have to see to believe."

Knuckles nods and turns to leave, "Okay then, we'll take that as a yes."

Rouge holds back his arm for a moment and waves at Shadow flirtatiously, "Bye, bye Shadow. See ya this Saturday." After her farewell she proceeds to follow Knuckles who is fuming like a steamed vegetable.

By the end of the day, after much dialing and wire fiddling, and feet tapping, they had confirmed that 44 guests on the list were coming, and 17 were not for various reasons. One claimed she can't make it because her dog has gone missing and she's too depressed to go anywhere until he's found. She requested that if the team sees a stray labradoodle (cross between lab and poodle), that they call her immediately. Others just didn't feel like traveling intergallactically to witness the wedding of someone they barely even knew. All in all, the turnout would be good, with plenty of people to share in the joy of Sonic and Amy's matrimony.

Goals of day four: complete.

For Better or For Worse

Day 5

Goal: Get decorations and cake

One more day to go. The team is now hobbling towards the finish line, determined to make it all the way to the end.

At first everyone welcomes the idea of baking their own cake; it would save money and make their efforts a little more personal. The idea is a chocolate fudge cake, seems simple enough. On first attempt, Knuckles puts in too much flour. On the second try, all seems well until the cake comes out of the oven. Sophie tries to gently poke it, and like a wobbly Jenga tower, down it comes.

Tails takes off his chef's hat, "You guys, I don't think this is working."

Knuckles agrees, "Tails is right, we should try something else."

Rouge places her hands on her hips, "Like what?"

Frank suggests, "Perhaps a different recipe?"

Jenna nods, "That may work."

Knuckles objects, "Why would that work if we can't even make this stupid chocolate cake?"

Rouge nods her head grimly, "Radish hair has a point." Knuckles gives her a mean scowl.

Sophie slams her hands on the counter, "You know who can solve a problem like this?" Everyone shakes their head no. Sophie answers for them, "Mrs. Fields!"

So it's agreed. Instead of buying a traditional cake though, they decide to be a little creative and buy a giant chocolate chip cookie cake. Alternating pink and blue frosting for every other letter, the words spell out: LOVE IS FOREVER. The r on the end of forever is slightly smudged, but no one would really notice. The cookie cake is placed in a giant freezer in the back of TCBY, waiting for tomorrow.

On to the decorations. It is decided that the theme will be the colors red and silver. Red linens and silver platters…what two colors could be sexier?

Buying the decorations was a quick task, and with the leftover time they decide to make candles out of tin cans and red tissue paper, about thirty of them, five at each table. Despite the fact that they were cheap to make, they looked cute and would be a nice touch to their display tomorrow. Flowers were even surprisingly easy to get. Dozens of brilliant red poinsettias, some of which are sprayed with silver paint for the theme, will decorate the aisles and table tops.

Unfortunately, they can't set up the decorations until tomorrow since it's currently occupied by a party celebrating some guy's retirement from Little Tykes. Jenna only happened to learn this information since the man retiring was one of her father's colleagues. The man's name escaped Jenna, but he had worked making children's toys for fifty five years!

Jenna thought it would be a good idea if they all get a good nights sleep, they would need it. They all stayed overnight at Tails' house to reduce the risk of miscommunication for any plans tomorrow. Sophie, Rouge and Jenna slept in the guest room (two bunk beds and one single), while Knuckles and Frank were stuck in the living room on the pullout couch; Knuckles adamantly insisted that he sleep on the floor. Frank did little to protest. Within minutes, there was a soothing lullaby of snoring and clock ticking.

Goals of day five: complete.