I uh…I had another idea. Please don't ask me how this came about. I just had it, outlined it, accidentally made a story, and here we are now.
This would be the sixth (?!) story in my Zoey series. It does follow things I've previously established—including a child of Quinn and Logan, an engaged Zoey and Chase, and an unseen character I mentioned in my third story that is "the worst"—so if anything seems confusing, you may have to go back to one of the previous stories.
Which sitcom gimmick could I possibly have borrowed from this time?
Malibu, 2028
"So what do you think his surprise is?" Zoey asked Chase as they headed up the driveway of Logan's family estate in Malibu. "Do you think it's for Ava?"
Chase shrugged. "It could be, but I have no idea. Quinn clue you to anything when you talked to her?"
"Not really. She said she had an idea, but she won't know for sure until she gets here. She's gotta finish some things at work and then pick up Ava from her playdate."
"Uh, Zo."
"Yeah?"
He pointed to something in the distance. "Has that always been there?"
"Uh…" Zoey couldn't finish her thought as she parked the car.
"Aloha!" Logan called from his spot on the bow. "Or should I say, 'ahoy there'?"
"Um…" Chase was in awe, "…this is a boat."
"Um, yeah, no shit," Logan retorted back. "You guys know I've been talking a lot about getting one."
"Yeah, but we weren't taking you seriously. Holy Hell, this is awesome!"
"Isn't it? Quinn's on her way over with A.J, but for now, you guys are clear to come aboard the S.S. Quogan."
"The S.S. Quogan?" Zoey questioned as she boarded the boat (with Chase close behind her). "The heck kind of name is that?"
"You like it?" Logan seemed proud of that. "It's mine and Quinn's ship name."
Chase found that amusing, "Ha, cute." He noticed Zoey's confused look. "Look up 'ship' on Urban Dictionary." Zoey pulled out her phone. "Would it be too corny to make a Love Boat reference?"
"God, yes. Has anyone our age ever watched The Love Boat?"
Zoey quickly looked up from her phone to add, "Or Gilligan's Island."
"Well, Gilligan's Island, yeah."
"Gilligan's Island is iconic," Chase was compelled to comment.
"Okay, fair, that was a fun show," Zoey agreed as she went back to her phone.
"I'm just surprised the boat isn't named the S.S. Ava, or something that would clearly be chosen by a three-year-old."
"Four-year-old next week," Logan pointed out.
"Yes, as she keeps reminding us."
"Did you really think I was going to let my nearly four-year-old name a boat?"
"May I remind you that you're letting that same almost-four-year-old name your unborn child."
"A mutual decision by me and Quinn. We did ask for her input on what to name the new baby, and A.J. came up with something good that is—hopefully—in no way shape or form influenced by Bluey."
"Oh!" Zoey laughed. "I get it now, that is a cute name for a boat!" She noticed the looks she was getting. "I feel like something may have been said that made my statement poorly timed."
"Yeah," Logan somewhat acknowledged Zoey's thing before moving on. "Anyway: Quinn totally approved of me getting this when I suggested we take it out for a spin around the Catalina Islands for the fourth of July."
"Are you sure she-"
"I made sure it was completely safe for Quinn to be on a boat before buying it. Apparently, it's best to go in the second trimester, who knew. Come on, Zoey: I've been with Quinn for twenty years now. Do you honestly think I'd put her life in danger?"
Zoey put her hands up in defense. "I'm just askin', is all."
"We're invited for this fourth of July thing, right?" Chase inquired.
"Yeah," Logan allowed. "You guys, Michael, and Lola. Stacey and Mark are on their book tour and may be back for Ava's birthday on the ninth, but definitely not the fourth. I also asked Nicole, but she'll be in France visiting Dana."
"What about your sister?"
"I doubt it she'll come. Lyric's gotta be in court the next day."
"She prosecuting another case?"
"No, she's the one on trial. She is defending herself though."
"I have so many questions."
The honking of the horn caught their attention. "Hey, Quinn's here!" Zoey vocally observed before she and the guys got off the boat.
"Ahoy, there!" Quinn greeted as she finished helping the nearly four-year-old out of her booster seat.
"Hey, Beautiful," Logan greeted his wife with a kiss before picking up his daughter. "And hello, Mini Beautiful," he kissed his daughter. "Did you have fun with your friends?"
"Duke's an asshole," the little girl responded back.
"Watch the mouth, Ava," Quinn reprimanded as she retrieved Ava's backpack.
"I think she's totally justified in that statement," Logan defended. "You've met Duke and his father."
"Ugh, Don is the worst," Quinn looked to Ava, "This is your only warning, Little Miss; no potty mouth."
"But Duke made fun of my Dor-fee Dress!" Ava declared.
Logan gasped. "No! Not the Dorothy Dress!"
"He said it's s'posed to be blue and I should only wear it for Hal-o-ween. I said it's a replica of the dress, but in pink 'cause I like pink."
"You look good in pink."
"Daddy, I look good in everything."
Logan couldn't help but chuckle. "I can't argue with that."
"Then Duke said that was stupid, and the dress was stupid, and he pulled my pig-tail."
"Did you tell one of the moms at the play date?"
"I did after I punched Duke in the belly."
Logan looked so proud. "Heck yeah, ya did! Good girl, A.J! High five!" Ava excitedly slapped her father's hand.
"Normally we don't solve our problems with violence," Quinn started like she was about to lecture, "but this case was definitely an exception and I approve. High five, Sweetie!" Ava then gave her mother a high five. "Excellent use of the word 'replica' as well."
"Thank you, Mama," Ava thanked Quinn before looking back to Logan. "Mama said you have a surprise?"
"I do," Logan confirmed before lowering her down. "I'm gonna walk with Mama, you walk with Uncle Chase and Aunt Zoey."
"Hi Unca Chase! Hi Auntie Zoey!" Ava excitedly greeted Chase and Zoey.
"Hey, You," Zoey was the first to give her a hug.
"Way to go on duking Duke," Chase praised as he picked her up and hugged her. "And may I say you look fabulous in your pink Dorothy Dress."
Ava smirked in a way all too similar to Logan. "I know."
"You are definitely your father's daughter." Chase looked to Zoey to say, "Let's hope the next one takes after Quinn."
Zoey let out a small laugh. "Why don't we all walk down together?" Chase nodded, set Ava down, and he and Zoey each held on to her hand and walked toward the water. "Okay," Zoey picked the child up and faced her toward the water, "there it is."
Ava seemed unimpressed. "It's a boat."
"It's your daddy's boat."
"Daddy doesn't have a boat."
"He does now."
"Wow," they could hear Quinn approaching, "you weren't kidding."
"You like?" Logan asked her.
"It's…definitely something." She looked at the side of the boat. "Is that a portmanteau of our names?"
"Our ship name."
"Clever."
"I thought you'd appreciate that."
"How come it's so big?" Ava questioned.
"That's so everyone can fit when we take boat rides. You wanna go on the boat?"
"Yeah!" the little girl nearly bounded for the watercraft.
"No running!" both Quinn and Logan called after her. Ava gave an aggravated groan and stamped her foot as she waited for an adult to catch up with her.
"I do actually have something up there for her," Logan informed the other adults. "She's in the phase where she likes wearing all these different clothes, so I couldn't resist picking her up a sailing outfit."
"Aww," Zoey swooned, "I'll bet she'll look adorable in it."
"Damn right, she will."
"Swear jar," Quinn reprimanded.
"A.J. can't hear us from-" he saw Quinn point to her bump, "-ah. Sorry, Stella," Logan gave Quinn some money.
"Wait, you guys settled on a name for the new baby?" Zoey inquired.
Quinn snapped her fingers in remembrance. "That's what I forgot to tell Zoey yesterday! Yeah, we officially decided on Stella Luna Reese."
"That's cute, but isn't that the name of a-"
"Yes," both Quinn and Logan (and even Chase) cut her off.
Quinn continued, "We did ask for Ava's help in naming the new baby and she thought it was one name, like her book. We explained it wasn't, but that we liked 'Stella' and it would make a good first name, and 'Luna' could be the baby's middle name."
"It's not like we'll use the middle name though," Logan inputted. "Heck, even I don't use my middle name."
"It's not a bad choice in middle name Logan Roland." Logan made a face at that.
"At least Ava didn't suggest Corduroy," Chase jested.
"Can we go on the boat now!?" Ava called to them.
"We're coming!" Quinn answered back. "Come on, let's get her on the boat before she decides to throw another passive aggressive tantrum." She and Logan met up with Ava while Zoey and Chase lingered a little behind.
"Ava would look cute in a sailing outfit though," Zoey agreed.
"So would you," Chase playfully teased before kissing her. "You could also rock the bucket hat."
"The bucket hat?"
"Yeah, like the hat Gilligan wears."
"Um…okay."
"You know: if we wanted to, we could totally re-enact the show."
"You and me? If I'm Gilligan, would you be Ginger, Mary Ann, or the Skipper?"
"Ha, ha. I meant the seven us. You, me, Logan, Quinn, Ava, Lola, and Michael."
"Are you saying that because there just happens to be seven of us? Using that logic, we could also be the Seven Dwarfs."
"Well we got a few Gilligan archetypes filled. Logan and Quinn would obviously be the millionaire and his wife, Lola is the movie star, and since I'm a teacher, that kinda makes me the professor."
"Kinda."
"Michael would be The Skipper. They're both big, jolly guys occasionally prone to outbursts. Plus the Skipper could officiate things at sea and Michael is a certified officiant."
"Logical. That leaves me and Ava."
"And Ava would be Mary Ann."
"Not Gilligan?"
"Everyone loves Mary Ann. She's adorable, rocks the pigtails, is the youngest, the most innocent, and…is essentially Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz—how did I not realize this? Anyway, all of those qualities that Mary Ann has, Ava has too."
"Ava is even wearing her Dorothy Dress."
"She also has brown hair."
"So, by process of elimination, I'd be Gilligan?"
"The lovable klutz who causes trouble."
"You're the klutz!"
"Ah, but Gilligan's the one who inadvertently ruins plans or accidentally makes things worse, but at the end of the day we all love him."
"Gee, thanks."
"Gilligan's also the star and the one who bonds everyone together."
"Still not selling me on the idea. Though the sailor and the farm girl thing could work for a more…intimate re-enactment between you and me."
Chase considered this. "I suppose it could."
"And you would make a lovely farm girl."
…
"Hey Zoey," Quinn caught up to Zoey sometime after they were off the boat, "can I get your help with something?"
"Yeah, of course," Zoey started to follow Quinn. "Everything okay?"
"I just need my assistant for something really quick," she led her to a makeshift laboratory in the garage.
"Quinn!" Zoey was about to protest. "We told you-"
"-no experiments until after the baby's born," Quinn finished this statement with Zoey.
"It wouldn't be so repetitive if it wasn't a frequent occurrence," Zoey pointed out.
"I promise everything I'm doing is safe for me and the baby," Quinn assured. "I'm actually almost done with an experiment; I just need you to help me test my synthetic coconut aroma."
"Um…okay. I mean, I like the smell of coconut." Zoey took a seat at a worktable while Quinn set a glass tube on the table. "Is this it?" Zoey took the cap off the tube and sniffed it. Immediately after, she let out a great big yawn.
"Yeah, but it's not quite ready yet," Quinn was oblivious Zoey as she gathered more ingredients. "I did this experiment over twenty years ago, but couldn't figure why it put everyone to sleep."
"Sleep sounds nice," Zoey rested her head on the table.
"I may have a solution if I mixed in some—and you already sniffed it." Quinn sighed. "I suppose it's good to know it still has the same effects before I alter it." Quinn heard her husband calling her name. "Drat!" She looked to her sleeping friend. "Just…hang out here until I get back." With that, she hurried back into the house.
Zoey seemed to respond with some incoherent sleep mumbling. Although the word "coconut," would have been easy to understand if someone had been around.
xxxSTARTFANTASYSEQUENCExxx
The wind swayed through the tropics, causing a coconut to fall from a palm tree and land on the head of the person sleeping under it. "OW!" Zoey, dressed in a red sweater and blue pants, instantly put her hand to her head to feel a bump. "Am I wearing a hat?"
"There you are!" a little girl in pigtails and a pink gingham dress ran over to Zoey, grabbed her arm, and began to shake it. "Come on! Come on!" She urged before running off the way she came.
"Okay! Okay! Sheesh, bossy much?" Zoey rose to her feet and chased after the little girl. Eventually she was led to a wooden table sitting in front of a series of huts. "What…" Zoey took notice of everyone sitting at the table, "…what's going on?"
"There you are, Little Buddy!" Michael, wearing a blue polo, white pants, and a Captain's hat rushed over to Zoey. "They're about to make a special announcement over the radio." He too took Zoey by the arm and led her to the table where a bunch of familiar faces were gathered around a radio.
"Hold on," by this point, Zoey had finally noticed something, "am I wearing a red shirt?" She quickly eyed everyone at the table. "Why are you all-" the entire group shushed her, "-wow, rude."
"Gilligan," Chase—also wearing a polo, but in white (which complimented his khakis, Zoey had to admit)—was directing to this to Zoey, "it's imperative that we be able to hear any reports from the radio."
"I thought I said I didn't wanna do the Gilligan's Island thing."
Chase's face etched confusion. "I beg your pardon."
"One too many hits to the head with a coconut, if you ask me," Logan was putting on a high society accent to go with his high society attire. "I say, when are we going to get to the stock market reports?"
"I'd rather listen to the latest Hollywood gossip," Lola's voice was a lot breathier. If she was trying to imitate Marilyn Monroe, she wasn't doing a terrible job in both looks and voice.
"Now Ginger," Chase looked to Lola, "Mr. Howell," then to Logan, "our very survival may depend on the news we obtain from what is most likely the only method of keeping up to date with what's going on in the world. The stock market and Hollywood gossip are going to have to wait."
"Sorry, Professor," Lola (why did Chase call her Ginger?) apologized while Logan (since when was his last name "Howell"?) adjusted his ascot.
Suddenly, a little hand went up as if it was seeking attention. "Do you have a question, Mary Ann?"
Mary Ann (Mary Ava?) nodded. "Can I go catch butterfwies?"
"Yes, you may. Feel free to borrow the net I made, it's in the supply hut." following the Professor's approval, the littlest group member ran toward one of the huts.
"Um, hey," Zoey started, "isn't someone going to go with her?"
"Whyever for? Mary Ann is perfectly capable of going on her own."
"She's three years old!"
"I'll be four soon!" the youngest castaway told her before running off into the jungle with a butterfly catching net.
"Little Buddy," Michael started to feel her forehead, "are you feeling alright?"
"And if you're contagious," Quinn scooted closer to her husband, "kindly maintain a respectable distance," she clutched her necklace, "I can't have any potentially infectious germ on my diamonds."
"Or on my money," her husband added.
"I must admit," Professor Chase made his way over to Zoey, "you are acting stranger than usual, Gilligan. Perhaps you should join Mary Ann."
"I mean…" Zoey wasn't sure what to say, "…that's probably the best idea."
"If you can, try to return after the announcement. We wouldn't want Mary Ann to get upset if the news bulletin confirms what I suspect. Poor thing, she does get emotional easily."
"And I thought I was supposed to be the drama queen," Ginger Lola quipped.
"Hold up," Zoey looked around at the five adult castaways, "what's going on?"
We interrupt this program for a special news bulletin
"I think we're about to find out," Professor Chase turned up the volume.
The National Weather Service has issued a warning of an impending hurricane located around a series of islands in the South Pacific
"South Pacific?!" Michael gave an audible gulp. "That's where we are!"
"How curious," Professor Chase put his hand to his chin in contemplation. "We've determined our location is on an island somewhere in the South Pacific, but tropical storms over the South Pacific are 'cyclones'. A hurricane—classified as a tropical storm with wind speeds between 74 to 95 miles per hour—would originate in the Atlantic or Northeast Pacific Ocean, usually between the months of June to November."
While everyone was stunned by what Professor Chase had described, something else entirely shocked Zoey. "HOW do you know all that?!" A pause. "WHY do you know all that?!"
Zoey seemed to go ignored as Chase continued, "The inaccuracy of that news bulletin has me questioning its validity."
"What about all those scary looking clouds that have been forming?" Ginger Lola asked him. "Those seem pretty valid."
"People in the media do make mistakes," Zoey pointed out.
"I'm going to look more into this," Professor Chase decided. "Once I feel I have sufficient information, I'll gather everyone back and go over our course of action."
"Hey, wait!" Zoey called after him.
"Yes, Gilligan."
"You don't have to take this so seriously, it's a fun bit. I'm just wondering how you guys managed to pull it off."
"I'm not sure what to make of what you're saying. Perhaps Mr. Howell had a point; did a coconut hit you on your head at any point today?"
"Well, yeah, but-"
Professor Chase took off Zoey's hat and looked over her head. "Physical wise, everything looks fine. I'll conduct a mental test to ensure there has been no internal neurological damage once I determine whether or not we're truly in any danger. May I suggest joining Mary Ann in her butterfly catching, or assisting the Skipper with some chores, perhaps Ginger needs a partner to practice a kissing scene with."
"Yeah, I'll bet you, Michael, and Logan approve of that idea."
"I'm afraid I'm not familiar with Michael and Logan. Nor do I have time to be. I'm sorry Gilligan, but I have very important things to do." Chase fast-walked away from her.
Unsure of what to do, Zoey started to look around. "Is this a set or…" she started exploring, "maybe Logan owns some small island somewhere. This all seems totally real." She looked up at the sky. "Even those ominous looking clouds seem legit."
"Oh Gilligan," a feminine giggle brought Zoey back down to earth, so to speak, "always with your head in the clouds."
"Very funny, Lola."
"Lola?"
"Your Marilyn impression has gotten better though."
"Gilligan, why did you call me that?"
"Marilyn? As in Marilyn Monroe?"
"No, Lola. I've never once played a character with that name—which is a shame, because I really wanted that role in Damn Yankees."
"Okay, you guys are really committing to this bit."
"Bit?"
"But don't you think it's getting a little tiresome?"
"Gilligan, you're not-"
"Quinn!"
"-you're not Quinn either."
"No, I need to talk to Quinn. I can always count on her to ground everything in reality."
Ginger Lola bit her lip in thought. "Sorry, but I don't think I've played any characters called Quinn either."
"Is Quinn still at the table with Logan?" Zoey's response was just a confused expression from the movie star. "Right, the getting into character thing. Are—what were their names—the millionaire and his wife still at the table?"
"You mean Mr. and Mrs. Howell?"
"The Howells! Yes! Are they still out there?"
"Last I saw they were headed back towards their hut with the radio."
"I guess I'll meet them over there. If I know Logan, he's probably gonna have the biggest hut."
"Who's Logan?"
"Lol—er, Ginger—I'm gonna go talk to the Howells you…do whatever it is Ginger did on the show." With that, Zoey hurried off toward the huts.
Sure enough, Logan and Quinn were each relaxing on wooden beach chairs in front of the largest hut. As a stock report droned on the radio, Logan sat upright in his chair counting out cash while in her chair, Quinn was resting under a parasol and holding a pair of glasses to her eyes as she read a romance novel. "Lovey," he was still using that high society voice, "do we have any assets in the Caribbean Islands?"
"Cayman Islands, Thurston," his wife wasn't taking her eyes off her book.
"Ah yes, wonderful vacation destination during the tax season." He reached for the pineapple cup with the straw closest to him.
"Hey guys!" Zoey's voice was heard.
"Is Gilligan addressing us like that?"
Quinn 'tsked'. "And in such a dreadfully vulgar manner."
"You guys," Zoey had made her way over to them at this point, "I was hoping we could-"
"Ah, Gilligan," the millionaire interrupted, "just the person I wanted to see."
"Actually, I wanted to talk to-"
"Fetch my golf bag, I need a caddy for my daily rounds."
"You have golf clubs on a desert island? Also, have you ever heard of asking? I'm not gonna be your caddy."
Logan Howell scoffed. "Good help is hard to find these days."
Zoey knelt beside Quinn Howell. "I was actually hoping to talk to you."
"Oh," Quinn set her book down. "Whatever for?"
"This whole Gilligan's Island thing. Don't you think-"
"Gilligan's Island?"
"Egads! If anyone's going to have an island named after them it's going to be Thurston Howell the Third!" Logan protested. "Or his wife, Lovey, of course."
"Oh Thurston, you're so romantic," she reached for her husband's hand.
Zoey pulled Quinn's hand away. "Quinn, I'm serious! This has gone on long enough and everyone will listen if you stop it."
Quinn blinked in confusion. "Goodness, and I thought it was hard to understand the Professor." Zoey groaned in frustration and stormed off. "Whatever do you suppose got into Gilligan?"
Logan shrugged. "The youth is so hard to understand nowadays." He turned up the radio as his wife went back to her book.
An aggravated Zoey stomped her way through the island. "This whole thing is getting out of control. Lola playing into it for this long I get, but Quinn, Logan, and Chase! There has to be some way to-"
"Hi!" a peppy little voice surprised Zoey.
"Hey, you," despite the situation, seeing Ava always brought a smile to Zoey's face. "What are you doing?"
"Catchin' butterfwies."
"It's nice to know someone's having fun with all this."
"Wanna catch some with me?"
"Not right now." Ava shrugged and held up her net. "Sweetie, do you even know what's going on?"
"Nope!"
"What did everyone tell you?"
"That they need to listen to the radio."
"No, I meant about—how would they word this to you—about playing Gilligan's Island?"
"Nope!"
"So you also have no idea what's going on?"
"Nope!"
"I guess that's an admirable attitude. You don't know what's going on, but you still play along."
"I guess."
As Zoey watched the little girl swing the net around, something seemed to occur to her. "Play along?" A notion came to mind. "Maybe if I play like I'm Gilligan." Zoey tried to do so. When she thought she had the right idea, she put it to the test. "Gee Mary Ann, I sure am hungry. Can you make me your famous coconut cream pie?"
The nearly-four-year-old dropped her net and turned to the other person. "Auntie Zoey, I don't know how to make a pie."
Zoey let out a squeal of delight, picked up the child, and spun her around. "You called me Auntie Zoey!"
"What else am I s'posed to call you?"
"Auntie Zoey is perfect."
"Auntie Zoey, you're weird sometimes."
"Believe me, Ava: I'm not the weird one right now. Everyone thinks they're people on Gilligan's Island."
"What's that?"
"Oh that's right, you've never seen that show." Zoey set Ava down. "I have to try my playing on someone else and see if it will work like it did with you. Come on," Zoey held Ava's hand and they walked through the island jungle until they came across Michael in the clearing. "Okay, who's that?"
"That's Unca Michael."
"Yes, we know it's Uncle Michael, but Uncle Michael thinks he's someone called the Skipper. Auntie Zoey's gotta go and convince him he isn't."
"How?"
"By pretending he is the Skipper. And since he thinks I'm Gilligan, I have to do that by pretending I am Gilligan."
A somewhat confused Ava literally shrugged this off. "Okay."
"Basically I gotta do what Gilligan does whenever he interacts with the Skipper."
"What does Gilligan do?"
"Well he…" Zoey thought about that, "…he tends to hurt the Skipper a lot."
Ava gasped. "Don't hurt Unca Michael!"
"No, I won't really hurt him! It'll be pretend hurting." Zoey then quietly added, "I hope," to herself.
"Can I pretend to be Gilligan too?"
"No, you're gonna be Mary Ann. When I need you, I'll call you Mary Ann. Come on," Zoey started leading Ava toward the clearing. "SKIP-PER!" Zoey called to Michael.
Skipper Michael turned around. "There you are Gilligan! Oh, hello Mary Ann," he quickly acknowledged Ava. "Come on, Little Buddy and help me fix The Minnow."
"Actually, Mary Ann and I were-"
"Gilligan, get over and help me fix the ship. That's an order!"
"Aye, Aye Skipper," Zoey got into character. She waited until Skipper Michael started working on the damaged boat before going over to the toolbox to fetch a hammer. Then Zoey made sure he couldn't see her approach the Minnow. "Gee Skipper, I don't think that nail's in all the way. Lemme fix that," she deliberately dropped the hammer on his foot.
"OOF!" He held his injured foot and shook it before reaching for his hat and swatting Zoey with it. "Gilligan!"
"Oops," Zoey backed away as Michael clutched his hurt foot, "sorry, Skipper."
"Auntie Zoey," Ava looked offended, "you said it was pretend hurting! It looked like real hurting."
"It IS real hurting," Michael agreed. "Dang it, Zoey, why did you-"
"YES, ZOEY!" Zoey suddenly cried out. "I'M ZOEY!"
"No shit, you're Zoey!" Michael noticed Ava. "Ava! Uncle Michael didn't say a bad word."
"He didn't call you Gilligan no more," Ava pointed out.
"Why would I…" Michael took notice of his surroundings and Zoey's attire. "Did I miss something?"
"It's kinda hard to explain," Zoey informed him.
"You think maybe you could try?"
"Okay: I tried Quinn's synthetic coconut aroma and next thing I know I'm dressed like I'm on Gilligan's Island. I mean, I don't think I was actually transported to an uncharted desert isle where all of us are dressed like characters from an old TV show."
"Her Quinnventions aren't THAT powerful."
"I'm just telling you what I remember."
"Maybe it's like that one time we all fell asleep after smelling that thing Quinn made when we missed the beach party."
"Oh my God, I remember that now! We all sniffed her coconut thing and fell asleep. The same thing must've happened when Quinn and I went to her lab earlier."
"How long have you been asleep?"
"I don't know. How long did it take for you and Lola to come over and recreate all this?"
"What are you talking about? I have no idea what's going on or where we are."
"You don't."
"Maybe we need to go and find Quinn and ask her."
"That's actually not a bad idea. Come on," Zoey headed to look for Quinn.
"Unca Michael," Ava tugged on Michael's pants. "Can I have a horsey ride?"
"One horsey ride coming up," Michael lowered himself for Ava to get on his back. "Ready?"
"Giddy up!"
"Neigh," Michael pretended to nicker as he carried Ava on his back.
Meanwhile, Mr. Howell was playing a round of golf while Mrs. Howell stood nearby holding her parasol in one hand and stroking her mink stole with the other. "By Jove, Lovey," the millionaire began as he readied to swing, "I'm close to a new personal best."
"How marvelous!" Mrs. Howell commented as she watched her husband line up his putter with the golf ball.
It was at the moment Mr. Howell raised his golf club to swing that Zoey's, "HI, MR. AND MRS. HOWELL!" distracted him enough to drop his golf club.
"Hello Gilligan," Mrs. Howell acknowledged the first mate. "Captain," she took sight of Mary Ann on the Skipper's back, "Mary Ann?"
"Hi, Mama!" Ava greeted.
"Why'd you call her that, Mary Ann?" Zoey addressed to Ava. "Don't ya recognize Mrs. Howell?"
"I gotta say," Michael began, "I'm lovin' the hats you guys are wearin'." He noticed the millionaire. "Spiffy blazer there, Mr. Howell," he looked to Quinn. "And Mrs. Howell, that fur looks lovely with your outfit."
Quinn stopped stroking the fur and immediately chucked it to the ground. "Oh my God, that isn't real mink, is it?" She noticed her husband. "Since when do you golf?"
"What up with the umbrella?" Logan questioned back. "It's not raining and you already got that ugly hat on."
"Look who's talking," Quinn giggled as she lowered her parasol and took off her hat.
"What the?" Logan took off his own hat and inspected his outfit. "These outfits seem a bit much, don't ya think?"
"Get a load of Gilligan and Skipper over here," Quinn pointed to Zoey and Michael.
Ava excitedly waved to her mother. "Hi, Mrs. Howell!"
Quinn laughed as she took her daughter from Michael. "Hi, Ava."
Ava shook her head. "Nope! Since Mama is Mrs. Howell, Daddy is Mr. Howell And I'm Mary Ann!"
Logan chuckled as he went over to take Ava from Quinn. "How could we forget the cutest castaway?" he asked before kissing his daughter's cheek. "You are the most adorable Mary Ann."
"I don't know who Mary Ann is, but I do know I'm adorable," Ava's remark made everyone laugh.
"Hey if we're Gilligan's Islands characters," Quinn started, "wouldn't it make sense for me to be the Professor? It's not fair to have me as Mrs. Howell just because I'm married to the millionaire."
"Sure," Zoey agreed, "but nothing seems to make sense. None of us have any idea what we're doing here or why we think we're the characters from the show. Michael and I were hoping you could tell us."
"Add Logan to that list," Logan inputted before looking to Quinn. "Babe, do you have any idea what's going on? Why would we think we were the Howells? They weren't even the best characters."
"Don't ask me," Quinn objected. "I'm just as confused as the rest of you."
"Dang," Michael lamented, "maybe if you were the Professor you'd be able to figure it all out."
"The Professor!" Zoey figured. "Chase is the Professor! If we get Chase back to normal, he might know what's going on because his character was the smartest!"
"I mean…" Quinn considered this, "that's a logical start."
"Can I ask a question?" Logan spoke up.
"You just did," Zoey pointed out.
"Ha, ha."
"What's up, Babe?" Quinn allowed him to continue.
"If Zoey's Gilligan, Michael's the Skipper, you and me are the Howells, Ava is Mary Ann, and Chase is the Professor, then who's Ginger?"
"Lola," Zoey remembered. "We gotta get Lola back to normal too."
"Oh!" it appeared something to have dawned on Michael. "Lola is Ginger because Ginger is the movie star and so is Lola."
"Yeah, but I'm the stupid millionaire's wife," Quinn grumbled.
"I don't know why we are who we are," Zoey had heard Quinn. "If so, do you really think I'd be Gilligan?"
"Where is Lola anyway?"
"There you are!" Lola's sudden appearance answered the question.
"DAMN!" Michael was impressed with what he saw, while Logan was unimpressed with the casual swearing as he quickly covered Ava's ears. "When all this is over, Lola can keep that outfit, right?"
"I'm glad you're all here because I need an audience. I've been rehearsing a scene from a movie I was going to audition for before we got shipwrecked and I think I've got it all down. Now all I need is someone to stand in for my kissing scene," Ginger Lola pulled Zoey to her, "Gilligan, could you-"
"No, thank you," Zoey tried to get away.
"Aww don't be a spoil sport, Little Buddy," Michael had a playfulness to his tone as he guided Zoey back to Ginger Lola. "Help Ginger perform her kissing scene."
"You guys can not be serious."
"Come on Zo, it's just so we can get Lola back to normal. We can't help that it also fulfills a longtime fantasy."
Logan nodded in agreement before telling them, "Though in mine, it was Quinn and Lola, but I'll take what I can get." That resulted in an elbowing from his wife. "Um, OW!"
"Michael does have a point," Quinn noted. "Zoey, you're gonna have to let Lola kiss you." Zoey emitted a moan of displeasure. "You're seriously telling me you've never once kissed another girl?"
Zoey quirked a brow to Quinn. "Are you saying that you have?"
"Well, yeah." Even Logan and Michael nodded at that. "It's really not bad."
"Alright," Zoey eventually capitulated, "but I'm only doing it because it'll get Lola back to normal." She ignored Michael and Logan exchanging pleased glances with one another (as well as a resulting eye roll from Quinn) as she stood near Ginger Lola. "Okay, Ginger, I'm ready."
Ginger Lola took a moment to get into character before sashaying toward Zoey. "Oh my love, I know it was wrong of me to pay so much attention to Willy. He acted like such a charmer when in reality, he was the snake all along. But you're not like that, my love. You're so perfectly wonderful and I took you for granted. I can actually have a conversation with you, and when I do you make me feel smart." She grabbed Zoey by her shirt collar. "You have no idea what a guy with brains does to me," with that, Ginger Lola passionately pressed her lips to Zoey's.
"Bravo!" Michael clapped while Logan whistled. "Encore!"
"Auntie Lola sure is a good at pretending she loves Auntie Zoey," Ava innocently noted.
"End scene!" Quinn called (much to Michael and Logan's dismay)
Before the kiss came to an end, Lola's eyes opened wide. Slowly, she backed off. "Zoey?"
"Yep," Zoey didn't know how to respond, "it's Zoey."
"Did we just-"
"Yep."
"Um…" Lola also didn't know what to say, "why were we-"
"It's a long story, but it was the only way to get you back to normal."
"Back to normal?" Lola looked around. "Where exactly is normal and why are you all-"
"I'll explain later. Right now we have to find Chase."
Chase, meanwhile, was in the supply hut poring over various books. With a sigh, he closed the most recent encyclopedia he had been perusing. "It's no use."
"Professor!" Zoey was the first into the hut with the rest behind. "Professor, we-"
"Zoey, please, this is not the time to-"
"The radio just said—hold on," something caught Zoey off guard, "you called me 'Zoey' and not 'Gilligan'."
"Well, you are Zoey."
"Was it really that easy to snap you out of it?"
"Zoey, I've known who I was since I sent you away."
"What?"
"I was going to try and find you and the rest until I noticed the sky." He led them outside. "You guys see those clouds?" Everyone was looking skyward. "Those clouds indicate there's a hurricane coming."
"Oh my God, I forgot about that!"
"I've just spent all this time trying to figure out what's going on in hopes that I could stop the hurricane, but there's no way."
"There has to be!"
"There's not! I have no idea why we're the way we are, where we are, or how to stop the impending hurricane."
"But you're the Professor!"
"I'm really not! I told you I figured that out when you left."
"Zoey," Quinn began, "how did you figure out you weren't really Gilligan?"
"Is now really the time for that, Quinn?"
"Any small detail can help in the big picture. Zoey was the one to make us realize who we are, but what made her realize who she was in the first place?"
"I…" Zoey thought back, "I don't know. I woke up dressed like Gilligan on this island."
"What happened before you fell asleep?" Michael inquired.
"I don't know that either! All I remember is I woke up after being hit on the head with a coconut." The winds started to pick up as the rain began to fall.
"Everyone get into the supply hut for shelter," Chase instructed. I think I know what to do."
"You do?"
"Zoey, take me to the spot where you woke up. Can you remember where it was?"
"Yeah," Zoey took him by the hand and led him to the tree where it all started. "This is it."
"Sit under the tree."
"Is this really-"
"Trust me, I'm a professor."
"You're really not."
"Then trust me because I love you."
Zoey nodded and sat under the tree. "What now?"
"You just have to promise not to be mad when you regain consciousness."
"WHEN I WHAT?"
Chase started shaking the tree along with the wind. "I'm only doing this because I love you!"
"DOING WHAT?"
"You have to wake up, Zoey!"
"Chase, I don't-" the falling of a coconut on Zoey's head knocked her to the ground. "What? Coconut?" she stared at the fallen object before drifting out of consciousness.
xxxENDFANTASYSEQUENCExxx
"Wake up, Zoey,"
When Zoey opened her eyes, she was back in Quinn's makeshift lab "What the-" she looked up to see her fiancée standing beside her. "Chase? What's going on?"
"My guess is you accidentally smelled the synthetic coconut aroma and it made you fall asleep," he deduced
"How long was I out?" She looked at the time on her watch. "Has it really only been a half hour?"
"Hey, that's not as bad as the last time."
"Ugh," she put her hand to her head, "I had the weirdest dream."
"Wanna talk about it?"
"So I wake up after a coconut falls on my head, and I see that I'm on some tropical island dressed like Gilligan," she recalled something. "Just like you described earlier."
"Huh?"
"When you said if we wanted to, we could re-enact Gilligan's Island! In my dream, it happened. I was Gilligan, Ava was Mary Ann, Michael was the Skipper, Quinn and Logan were the Howells, Lola was Ginger, and you were the Professor."
"Quinn wasn't the Professor?"
"You were the one who said she filled the archetype of the millionaire's wife."
"Only cause she's married to the millionaire. If it was the real Gilligan's Island, Quinn would totally be the Professor."
"Anyway, in my dream you were worried about an impending hurricane. To be honest, I kinda forgot about it because you guys were all acting like your designated characters and I wanted to get you all back to normal."
"Did you?"
"It took a while, but I did. Then you reminded us about the hurricane, it got real windy and rainy, and then you took me under the tree where I first woke up."
"What uh…what did we do under the tree?"
"I didn't say you were under the tree with me. In fact, you started shaking it. You told me you loved me and to trust me."
"Why?"
"I don't know, but I do know I was hit on the head with a coconut!"
"That doesn't exactly sound good."
"But after that happened, I woke up back here in the lab!"
"So you're saying after you smelled the coconut aroma, you fantasized about something that was mentioned earlier, and then you woke up."
"I…it does sound that way."
"Like it was all a dream."
"But it seemed so real." Zoey groaned in exasperation. "Now I know how Dorothy felt."
"I mean, we did also mention the Wizard of Oz earlier. Maybe you experienced something like that under the effect of the coconut aroma."
"Maybe, but it would've been less painful if I did click my heels together to get back to the real world."
…
Two days later, the S.S. Quogan was sailing around the Catalina Islands to celebrate the Fourth of July. The seven passengers were having a good time enjoying their trip on the water. As the day was winding down, Logan called everyone's attention. "Hope everyone's having a Happy Independence Day," he started, "and I wanna thank you guys for joining me on the S.S. Quogan's maiden voyage." The adults raised their glasses—save for Quinn who raised a water bottle—to toast the boat, "but as most of us know, the boat wasn't exactly the only surprise we've had in store."
It was at this moment that everyone turned to Chase and Zoey. "What's uh…" Zoey (and Chase) took notice of this, "what's goin' on?"
Michael cleared his throat and stood center. "With your guys' permission, I'd like to perform a wedding ceremony."
"Logan and Quinn renewing their vows or something?" Chase inquired.
"Hold on," Zoey pieced something together, "are you implying you want to marry me and Chase?"
"You are supposed to be the next bride," Quinn reminded Zoey of her catching the bouquet at her wedding.
As Zoey and Chase vocally protested, Lola was the one to catch their attention with a loud, "HEY!" That silenced them. "I don't know why you guys are making a big deal out of this. You're gonna marry each other eventually, right?"
"Well…yeah," Zoey confirmed.
"But we kinda like to know when we do," Chase told them.
"You know now," Lola pointed out.
"Guys," Michael began, "it's been a long time comin'."
"We've been engaged almost five years!" Chase countered. "Quinn and Logan were together fifteen years before they got married."
"But Quinn and I were engaged for like a month," Logan brought up a valid point. "Is it really fair for you guys to wait another ten years before making it legal?"
"We wouldn't wait that long."
"Who wants to get married on a holiday anyway?" Zoey asked.
"Today's like the best day for you guys to do so!" Quinn encouraged. "Seven, four, twenty-eight; that's like a perfect math thing."
Chase considered this. "That is kinda fun."
This seemed to take Zoey aback. "You're serious about this?"
"I do want to marry you, Zoey. I have for the longest time."
"I want to marry you too, Chase."
"We've put getting married on the backburner for so long. Maybe now's the time to move it forward."
"But is this really the right way?"
"Auntie Zoey," Ava (dressed in her cute, blue sailor outfit to compliment her white shoes and red headband) made her way over to Zoey, "you should marry Unca Chase."
"Oh, Ava, I will marry Uncle Chase. I just don't know if I want to marry him right here, right now."
"Can you? Please! As a burfday present for me?"
"I already got you a birthday present."
"As your second burfday present for me?"
Zoey couldn't help but smile. "Why is it so impossible to say 'no' to you?"
"Because I'm cute and you love me."
"Well, I can't argue with that."
"So you'll marry Unca Chase right here, right now?!"
Eager eyes all looked to Zoey awaiting an answer. Zoey, however, kept her eyes solely on Chase. "I will."
Chase's jaw nearly hit the floor. "Wait, you will?"
Zoey nodded. "If you want still want to." Unsure of what to say, Chase responded by pressing his lips to Zoey's as everyone applauded.
"LET'S DO THIS!" Michael shouted in celebration as everyone quickly set up for a spontaneously planned wedding.
"Okay," it kinda seemed like Logan had planned all this, "Michael's gonna stand here," he led Michael to his spot, "Chase, you'll be to his left. Your best man—me—will be behind you. Our absolutely gorgeous maid of honor," Quinn waved in acknowledgement, "stands behind where Zoey will be. A.J.," Logan handed his daughter a pillow with rings on them, "you're gonna walk down the aisle first as the ring bearer, and then stand next to Daddy. Think you can handle that?"
"I can do it!" Ava proudly assured her father before running up the aisle.
"Then Lola escorts the bride down the aisle and stands behind our sexy maid of honor."
"We get it, Logan!" Quinn pretended to chastise.
"What? A man can't find his wife attractive?"
"Today's not about us."
"If Zoey and Chase can make our special days about them, I think I can do the same for Quinn and Logan." The others had looks that basically said "no argument there". Logan then took his spot behind Chase. "We all ready?" Everyone gave their vocal go-aheads. "Okay, A.J!" Ava started walking down the newly created aisle.
"Looks like I'll be giving you away," Lola told Zoey as she looped her arm around her.
"Why do I get the feeling this was all your idea?" Zoey asked her.
"Come on: is the big, grand wedding really your guys' style? While I wouldn't be opposed if you wanted a second wedding with practically everyone you know, this is more your speed. Someplace nice with your closest friends gathered together as you finally make it official, and then get have Chase get you pregnant on your honeymoon night."
"Lola!"
"It is a perfect night for fireworks and going off with a bang."
"Seriously?"
"Can you blame a girl for trying?" Lola gently nudged Zoey toward Chase before taking her spot behind Quinn.
Chase had a grin on his face as he looked to his bride. "Hey."
Zoey smiled back. "Hey, yourself."
"Dearly Beloved," Michael began as Zoey and Chase took each other's hands, "we're gathered here today to finally witness the union of Zoey Brooks and Chase Matthews in holy matrimony."
I mean Zoey and Chase are bound to get married eventually, I just figured I'd get it out of the way and then cut it short like they did with Quinn and Logan's wedding.
If you haven't guessed I'm a huge fan of Gilligan's Island. And judging by how many times that show has been parodied on other shows, I'm not the only one. The Wizard of Oz was probably the second most notable reference. Smaller references include the books Stellaluna, and Corduroy, the show Bluey, the show Love Boat, the musical Damn Yankees, and the movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Plus a couple throwbacks to Zoey 101 and Zoey 102.
Huge thanks to those who have taken the time to read. I'm not good at responding to comments, but they really do mean a lot to me. Hope you enjoyed reading this too. Peace out!