Wedding in Las Vegas

By: Seuss Fan

(No copyright infringement intended. Please review. If you like this check out my other stories on my profile. I'm sorry this update took so long. This past year was extremely hectic for me. I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me.)

Chapter 3: You made the lock on my heart explode…

Two days before the big day the gang decided to enjoy all of what Vegas had to offer, bachelor/bachelorette party style.

"Which clubs are you boys hitting up?" Mimi asked as she finished primping.

"Well, we were thinking about taking in a show first."

"Huh?"

"Yeah, it's called G-strings and Pasties." Maureen chimed in as she preceded to rummage through the guys' belongings.

"Maureen, that was private!" Roger yelled as he tried to snatch the flyer back from Maureen.

"Baby, I don't care what you do. I work as a stripper. Do you realize how many bachelor parties I service on a weekly basis? It honestly doesn't bother me if you see a peep show tonight."

"I know. I don't know what I was thinking."

"I personally think you're letting your wedding jitters get to your head."

"Baby, are you getting cold feet?"

"Thanks, Collins. Look, I'm fine, okay? You girls go and finish getting ready in your room and have a good time tonight."

"You sure there's nothing you want to talk about?"

"Not right now. Don't want to spoil your night."

"The only thing that will spoil my night is knowing that there's something bothering you."

"You know I haven't had the best track record regarding expressing my feelings and talking about my problems."

"That doesn't mean you can't at least try."

"Look, Mimi we can talk later alright. Now go and celebrate your last few days of freedom, for my sake."

"Fine. But we're definitely talking later."

"That's okay with me."

"So, what's this about your wedding anxiety?" questioned Mark as the girls left the room.

"Not you too!"

"Dude, aside from Collins I'm your best friend. I should know about these things first."

"Well, if you want to get technical Mimi is my best friend but that's beside the point."

"Whatever. You gonna tell me what's been bothering you?"

"No."

"Well, if you told Collins why can't you tell me?"

"Because he found out by accident."

"I caught him writing a song about his nerves by the pool yesterday."

"It started out as a wedding present for Mimi but it slowly turned into a pseudo rant."

"You having second thoughts?"

"No, just a little bit of nerves."

"Why couldn't you tell me that?"

"Because you guys might make a big deal out of it."
Dude, you've known us for years. We wouldn't do that."

"And neither would Mimi."

"I know. I just didn't want anyone to worry. If I start going around telling you guys about my worries all you'll think about is, 'Poor Roger, he really needs our sympathy right now.', instead of having fun. It's not like I'm scared of walking down the aisle. I'm just getting a little jittery. And from my limited understanding of weddings this is how most grooms tend to feel as the big day approaches. Now, before I really start to feel like I'm on a talk show can we please go see some strippers?"

"Roger's right. After all, we're in Vegas baby!"

"And he's not even drunk yet. This should be interesting."

As the boys left their hotel room Collins had no idea how true his last statement would become.

The girls had a somewhat typical evening. They went club hopping, went to a drag queen strip club, and visited every bar on the Vegas strip. Even Joanne was smiling by the end of the night. But the boys on the other hand had a much crazier night.

"Hey, Mark you like the show?"

"Yeah, what's not to like?"

"That's not what Roger's getting at."

"What do you mean?"

"I think one of the dancers was checking you out."

"Dude, that's a 200 seat theater. There could have been plenty of guys that she could have been staring at."

"We were sitting in the second row. That doesn't leave her many options."

"She could have been looking above us."

"Pretty sure she was staring solely at you."

"Whatever. What are we doing next?"

"You can't change the subject that fast."
"Why is this a big deal?"

"Because in all the time I've known you I've never seen a woman who wasn't Maureen hit on you."

"Just because no woman in New York has hit on me doesn't mean anything."

"Well, your mood quickly changed."

"Excuse me if I don't enjoy getting picked on."

"Excuse me.", said a small female voice standing behind them.

"Told ya she was staring at you."
"Hi, I'm Mark."

"I'm Zhanna."

"That's a really pretty name."

"Thanks. Do you mind if I take you away from your friends?"

"Well, we're kinda in the middle of my buddy's bachelor party but…"

"Don't worry Mark, it's totally okay."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I won't be offended. Just meet us at the bar by the hotel in two hours."

"Okay. See you guys later."

"Two hours seems pretty generous." Collins said as Mark and Zhanna walked away.

"Mark hasn't gotten laid in a really long time. He needs this."

"You're right. So, where to now?"

"Wanna hit the black jack tables?"

"Hell yes."

"Tonight was great." Mimi said as she stretched out on her bed.

"I can't believe I gave away all my singles."

"Joanne, I'm so proud of you."

"Maureen, please don't hug me when you're drunk."

"Sorry."
"I wonder if the boys are back yet."

"Yeah, weren't' you supposed to have a heart to heart with Roger?"
"Yeah. I'll go knock. Keep the door unlocked please."

"No problem."

Mimi returned to announce that the boys still hadn't returned.

"Maybe they're just out having a good time. Don't worry about it."

"Maybe you're right Maureen. But I just can't shake the feeling that something's' wrong."

Just then the girls' phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Mimi."

"Roger? Where are you guys? We thought you'd be back by now."

"Well, we kinda have a problem."

"Okay….what's wrong?"

"We lost Mark."

"You what? How could you possibly loose Mark?"

"Well, he met this girl and Collins and I decided he needed the alone time so we let him go and told him to meet us at this bar. So, we waited for him to show and he never came so now we don't know where he is."

"Okay, um...stay where you are. We'll meet up with you guys to devise a plan."

"Thanks, you're the best."

"I try. And Roger?"

"Yes?"

"If this is some diversion to avoid talking to me I'm going to hurt you."

"Gotcha."

"What happened?" Joanne asked as Mimi hung up the phone.

"Mark is lost."

"Oh my gosh that's horrible."

"We gotta go help the boys track him down."

"Okay, let me put my shoes back on. Come on Maureen we gotta go track down Mark."

"You guys go without me.", Maureen called from the bathroom. "I don't think I can get up."

"That's gross."

"Mimi, be nice. Feel better sweetheart. We'll see you later."

"Let's go. Joanne, you don't think Mark getting lost is foreshadowing of the outcome of my marriage, do you?"

"Honey, don't worry you'll be fine."

"I hope so.", Mimi said as she closed the door and once more ventured out into the wilds of Vegas.

The gang searched for Mark from two in the morning till half past six with no luck.

"We've combed every inch of Vegas. Either he skipped town with that girl or she killed him."

"Roger that's a horrible thing to say!"
"Sorry, I'm tired and hung over."

"I understand." responded Joanne.

"Maybe he went back to the motel."

"But we hit every spot in this city. How could we have missed him?"

"Mimi's right." said Collins, "it's possible."

"If he went back to that hotel I'm going to kill him."

"I think someone needs a nap."

"Shut up."

"You know, we've been walking around the strip for hours now and not one of us has thought to contact the police." said Joanne.

The entire group stopped in their tracks.

"I feel like such an idiot." Roger said.

"Babe," said Mimi, "I think we all feel like idiots."

"We past he police outpost about five blocks back right?"

"Yes."

"Everybody turn around."

Collins and Joanne led their groaning friends to the Vegas County Police Mini Headquarters.

The gang arrived at the police headquarters to find an empty waiting room accompanied by an empty front desk.

"Well, this is disappointing." Maureen said as her friends walked past her into the building.

"What were you expecting? Criminals lined up all along the wall and police breaking up fights between those convicted?" asked her girlfriend.

"Yes. Don't look at me like that Pookie. This is Vegas! One expects there to be a little action."

"Is there anyone even working here right now?" asked Roger. "They can't all be out fighting crime."

"Is there a bell or something at the front desk that we can ring?"

"Maureen, sweetheart", said Joanne, "this isn't a hotel."

'Is anybody here?" Collins yelled, finally ending the ridiculousness that was ensuing.

Finally, a police officer emerged. He was stocky, short, and looked extremely over-tire4d with either blood or a jelly doughnut stain covering the collar of his shirt.

"Can I help you?" he asked in a voice that could peel paint off the walls.

"Um, yes", said Roger, "my friends and I went out earlier for my fiancée's and my bachelorette and bachelor parties. At my bachelor party we went to one of the shows and afterwards our friend went to spend time with someone else. That was hours ago and he isn't back at the hotel and we have no way of reaching him."

"You have to wait forty-eight hours before filing a missing person's report." said the officer without even looking up from a large pile of paperwork that was sitting in a bin on the front desk.

"Look Officer….."

"Sergeant Peterman."

"Sergeant Peterman", said Joanne, "I'm a lawyer working at legal aid back in New York City and I'm fully aware that forty-eight hours is the time required for filing a missing person's report but can't you make an exception just once? We've spent the remanding portion of our night and a good portion of our morning so far looking for our friend. Could you please just consider taking on our case?"

"Look, lady I know we may not appear that busy to you at the moment but this department has to deal with reprimanding the scum of the earth on a daily and nightly basis. There's no way we could make an exception to look for your friend even if you had substantial evidence that he was kidnapped. Take a form from that pile on the other desk and submit it within the required time and we will add your friend to our missing person's list."

"Sergeant Peterman," said Mimi, "our friend, Mark, was supposed to participate in our wedding. If we wait the allotted time before submitting a report he'll miss the most important day of our lives." she concluded as she out her arm around Roger.

"That's a very touching story doll but I'm an officer of the law. Rules are rules."

Collins made his move to start arguing but there was no use, the officer had made up his mind. The gang walked out of the police station and back to their hotel upset, tired, and worried for Mark's safety.

The group settled in to their respective hotel rooms. As Roger and Collins finally started to fall asleep they heard a knock at their door.

"If you're housekeeping please come back in two hours at least", screamed Collins through his pillow.

"Open up, now!"

"He's back!" exclaimed Roger as he leaped up as Mark continued to bang furiously on the door.

"What happened to you?" said roger as he opened the door on a severely disheveled Mark.

"I managed to record some of it."

"You took your camera?" said Collins as he rose to great his friend.

"You're surprised?" asked Roger.

"Good point."

"We looked for you for hours!" said Roger as Mark began to set up his explanation.

"I'm sorry. I tried to get away but that girl…."

"Mark, you okay?"

"Yeah, sorry. Still in shock."

"That bad or that good?"

"Unexplainable."

"And you recorded this?" asked Roger

"Only the first time."

"You did it more than once?" asked Collins

"She made me.", Mark responded as he finally finished setting up his camera and projector.

"Gentleman, I give you my night."

"Wait, why are you leaving again?" asked Collins

"If I stay I might start crying. I'll be in the lounge recovering with a scotch and soda."

Roger and Collins were left to watch the visual recap of Mark's outing. Less than a minute in and the guys could not believe what they were seeing.

"This is like really good porn." said Roger

"No, this is better than porn." responded Collins. "I didn't even know the human body could bend that way."

"Apparently it can. And this is what traumatized him?"

"No, I think that move right there is what traumatized him."

"Yeah, that's brutal. Dancers are crazy, man."

"This is why I will never date one."

"Amen, brother."

The boys continued to watch Mark's bizarre antics until they felt just as horrified as their poor, sexed-out friend.

Later that day, after Mark announced his presence to the girls and everyone got an adequate amount of sleep the group decided to have a pseudo-rehearsal dinner (pseudo mainly because no actual rehearsal was taking place).

"I feel so out of place in this restaurant." said Maureen as she shuffled around in her chair.

"Well, dear if you hadn't worn your ripped jean shorts as I distinctly remember telling you not to maybe you wouldn't feel that way.", replied Joanne.

"Stop trying to change me!"

"I'm not trying to change you! I just don't want you to embarrass yourself!"

"Sounds similar to me."

"I was looking out for you!"

"Girls, fighting in a fancy restaurant is even worse than wearing ripped jean shorts. So can we please save the bickering for another time?"

"Yes, Collins." responded the girls in unison.

"Thank you. Mark you may precede with your toast."

"Thanks, Collins. As I was about to say I've known Roger for a long time. Longer than he'd like to acknowledge. And because of this I know almost everything there is to know about this man. But even my vast amount of Roger related knowledge could not compete with that of Mimi Marquez. Not only do the two of you know so much about each other but you both saved each other. Roger was as close to emotionally dead as a person can get and you made him come alive again. Mimi seemed to be thoroughly enjoying her life but she couldn't severe ties with her past. You gave her reason to. Marriage really isn't necessary for a couple like you. Over the past year you've already experienced enough joy, pain, romance, and sadness to fill two average marriages. But I know that this isn't about finally getting the chance to spend your lives together. It's a chance to celebrate the culmination of a truly remarkable romance. Whether you end up dissolving this marriage or see it through I know that you'll be satisfied because you did it together. To Mimi and Roger, may they continue to love each other and be committed to each other with a hundred percent dedication."

"Here, here."

"Mark, I'm touched", exclaimed Mimi as she gave her fiancée's best man a hug.

"What can I say; I have a way with words."

"Don't gloat. It's not flattering on you." responded Roger

"Thanks."

"I'm kidding. That was a really great toast. Thanks."

The gang continued on with their dinner and desert but Mimi and Roger could barely eat. They just kept staring into each other's eyes, eagerly anticipating what the next day would bring.