Thank you to everybody who read or reviewed this story recently. You are all so wonderful. I definitely need your support as I start to get towards the end of the prewritten material and really work on the ending of the story. I do have a clear vision of where it's going to end.
This is the first 100% new chapter in this story. While I was re-reading, I was sad to realize that I completely skipped over the craziness that was Monique's rehearsal dinner and the awards banquet, with Justin only summarizing how insane things were. I feel like I cheated you so much.
I know this probably happened because I was writing these chapters relatively soon after the car accident, and at that time, the writing was painful. I could only sit at my computer for an hour or two at a time. I had so many different stories I was working on at the time, and I had so little time to devote, which may have also been why I put this story on hiatus for so long. But it's been eight years and a ton of rehab later, and I'm in a much better place now. I've also learned much better time management. Therefore, I decided to go back and fill in the blanks in hopes of leading us to our endgame.
Also, I feel like this is an opportunity for me to do a little bit of Marc/Cliff bonding. Which means a text message chapter. If you follow me, you know I love doing text message chapters. I've done entire stories in this format, see my Use Your Words universe in the MCU. It's also very forgiving for voice recognition typos.
Warning: The only beta for this chapter is Grammarly. But hey, we all know that text messages are a grammatical mess on good days. Also, I'm pretending that iPhones had voice rec in 2010. I can't remember if they did or not, but I'm so used to text messages with written out words that I can't go back to the old days. But I did try to make the messages short-ish not like what I do with Tony in my MCU stories, who you know is a rambler.
Chapter 28: Text messages to the ex-boyfriend (that makes you question if the "ex" part is still applicable)
Marc: So good news, while Amanda was packing up my ex's hotel room, she found your SD card. Apparently, Troy didn't flush it down the toilet.
The one you let get away: Thank God. I'll send her chocolate.
The one that got away: Also, I find it ironic that now that you're no longer together, you remember his name.
Marc: It's the police report. Don't send Candy because Mandy has gestational diabetes. She also changed your name in my address book to "the one that got away."
The one that got away: That was probably Monique.
Marc: Nope, Mandy. She is mad at me right now because I'm only letting her get one scoop of no sugar added gelato. She stepped on my toes.
The one you let get away: You have the lawyers visit this morning, right? How did that go? Did that go badly, and that's why you're getting gelato?
Marc: I had to promise her ice cream just to go to the lawyers, and even though things went well, I still had to get her ice cream regardless of If that might make us late for the rehearsal lunch.
Marc: So mommy Faye actually set up a trust fund for Mandy and was using the dog as a test. Mandy actually passed it, and therefore she won't have to depend on Matt.
Marc: Which is good because Matt is a flake.
The one you let get away: I'm glad things with the lawyers went well. I've been friends with Bree for years, and I'm well aware Matt is very flaky. It's good that you care about Amanda so much.
Marc: She says I'm hovering because I'm trying to make up for the fact that I didn't get to do any of this with Jade's mom.
The one you let get away: Maybe. However, I thought it best not to mention that.
Marc: You're good like that.
The one you let get away: How did the meeting with HR go this morning? That did happen?
Marc: Yes, unfortunately. I was berated repeatedly for sleeping with a subordinate. It doesn't matter that we were equals when we started sleeping together.
The one you let get away: I'm rolling my eyes at that.
Marc: Although here's the fun part, Monique actually asked if I could date you. Apparently, that's allowed because you're an independent contractor.
The one you let get away: Of course she asked that. I'm giving her a pass because of the wedding and the anniversary of Molly's death being tomorrow. Matchmaking makes her happy.
Marc: Which is why I just smiled when she reminded me to never fuck anybody who sleeps on my front step for a week after I decide that a hook up in the Bahamas was all I wanted, again.
The one you let get away: Why did you get back together with him?
Marc: Loneliness and depression.
The one that got away: Next time, see a therapist or get a dog or a "toy."
The one that got away: Actually, still see a therapist. The Jade situation cannot be easy on you. Troy just makes it worse.
Marc: Yes, none of those texted you pictures of knives tearing through Prada.
The one you let get away: What?
Marc: I'm forwarding you his messages. I'm confused too because I thought he was still in jail, which is why I haven't blocked his number yet. I've been too busy. I'm going to call the lawyers.
The one you let get away: Did you asked for a restraining order? I think you need one.
Marc: I know. He texted again asking what I'm going to be wearing to the rehearsal brunch, so we can match. He also wants to see if he needs to get my tux from the dry cleaners for tonight.
The one you let get away: It is like he doesn't even realize you broke up with him. He hit you in front of two dozen witnesses. You had him arrested. There's no way you're going to stay with him after that.
Marc: I spoke to the "my now ex-boyfriend hit me, lawyer," and they're working on the restraining order. Especially because Troy made bail an hour ago.
The one you let get away: Next time get a puppy. I think your daughter would at least like a puppy.
Marc: And now he just sent me a picture of a gun in a designer handbag. Number blocked now, and that message is going straight to the legal team.
The one you let get away: Good
Marc: And he's now making threatening text messages to Amanda. My taste in men is horrible, you excluded.
The one you let get away: Call your lawyer back and call the cops. And maybe call Wilhelmina.
Marc: Why?
The one you let get away: Per the rumor mill, your ex is terrified of her. She threatened to shoot Troy after she found out about him sleeping on your doorstep. At least that's what the rumor mill told me. She does have a concealed weapons permit, right?
Marc: Yes. She doesn't really carry it anymore after the "accidental shooting." Monique will kill me if I take her to the rehearsal dinner.
The one you let get away: No, she won't because she wants Jade to have at least one parent that she can tolerate.
Marc: I took your advice and asked Willie to come with me. Mo is furious.
Cliff: Did you show her the text messages from Troy?
Marc: Yes, which is why she is furious, and I had to listen to another lecture about bad boyfriend choices.
Marc: Worst of all, she and Wilhelmina agreed, which cause Mo to freak out even more.
Cliff: Sorry.
Marc: I understand. Monique was already in a bad mood because she had to deal with her own crazy Ex.
Cliff: Gio's business partner?
Marc: Yes, she threw eggs at the limo.
Cliff: Bad dating choices all around. This is why I'm checking shelters out for dogs.
Marc: Also, according to Amanda, she's trying to sabotage the wedding. Daniel barely managed to arrange for a cake yesterday.
Marc: This was also sort of how he ended up getting his perfect engagement ring. I'm sure you heard about that by now.
Cliff: Yes. It is pretty. I'm not surprised about the wedding sabotage. This is why I'm an advocate for puppies over boyfriends.
Marc: And I'm sorry again for making you 100% team puppy.
Cliff: You're not the only horrible boyfriend I've ever had. Unlike the ex-boyfriend that followed, you actually regret what you did. You also never bought me diet pills.
Marc: I'm not that much of a prick. You have no idea how much I regret the neighbor thing. I think I owe you chocolates for the rest of eternity.
Marc: Okay, now Monique and her mom are fighting about Monique refusing to press charges against Gio's ex-girlfriend.
Cliff: There's that good old Monique Osborne guilt complex.
Marc: I feel like this is going to bite her in the ass.
Cliff: Probably, but fingers crossed, it won't happen until after the wedding.
Marc: Oh God, her father is here, and I'm pretty sure his wife is younger than Mo.
Cliff: Such an asshole. And she is. I think she's Betty's age.
Marc: Wilhelmina wants to smack him. Something about a god awful date in the early 90s.
Cliff: That's never a good sign.
Marc: Now, I'm extra furious about Jade's mom canceling our visitation. I don't want to be here at all.
Cliff: I know. At least tell me if the food is good?
Marc: Yes, actually. Wilhelmina is glaring at me as I eat, but I really don't care.
Cliff: Eating is essential.
Marc: Monique just actually punched out her father. Justin has a video. BTW, his hair is totally fake.
Cliff: I know. I did a photoshoot with him once. The amount of airbrushing involved was remarkable on so many levels. I'm not surprised that Mo punched him.
Marc: I just barely kept Justin from posting it online, but I'm emailing it to you.
Cliff: Did he call Gio something really derogatory?
Marc: He made a pass at Candy in front of his pregnant wife. Inappropriate touching was involved.
Cliff: Not surprised.
Marc: Mommy Wyndham West is now having security escort him out of the lunch. She also gave her successor the name of a ruthless divorce attorney. She had the card in her purse because they drafted Monique's prenup.
Cliff: Again, not surprised. I escorted Monique to a few country club fundraisers in the years after her husband died before she met Gio. I saw things. That family is crazy.
Marc: And you didn't warn me?
Cliff: I didn't know her father was going to be there. He usually avoids anything involving his daughters. He's like a dark cloud.
Marc: That's obvious.
Marc: Okay, the lunch portion of this rehearsal lunch is over, and we actually need to go practice the wedding.
Cliff: You're now in the bridal party?
Marc: I'm actually officiating. The original guy backed out.
Cliff: There seems to be a lot of that going around.
Marc: That happens when somebody is actively sabotaging the wedding.
Marc: Apparently, Monique has decided that her mom and stepmom are walking her down the aisle. Her biological mom may join them, but that still TBD.
Marc: Oh, we just found out that the stepmom is a former classmate of Betty's.
Cliff: That seems awkward.
Marc: She saved Betty from being trapped in a locker. She's also a year older than Suarez. It could've been so much worse.
Cliff: True.
Marc: I don't think I'm going to make a second career out of officiating straight weddings. Amanda through up on me during the middle of rehearsal. Or rather near me.
Marc: We also barely kept Justin from tweeting that.
Cliff: I feel like you are going to have to have a long discussion with him about what's twitter appropriate.
Marc: A very long discussion with the PR department in attendance. Although, at least he knew not to say anything about Jade.
Cliff: That's covered under best friend confidentiality. Despite the age difference, you are his best friend.
Marc: I feel like I'm more his surrogate father than anything else.
Cliff: Okay, maybe you're a cross between best friend and favorite uncle. You bought him a safe sex starter kit.
Marc: Considering that Monique's 16-year-old sister in law might be pregnant, I think that was for the best. And let's not even talk about my surprise kid. I'm almost 30, I can deal with it. And let's be honest, this is the only kid I'm going to have.
Cliff: What? Antonella is pregnant?
Marc: Maybe. It's inconclusive. The Ass hole boyfriend convinced her to sleep with him before Antonella moved to London and then dumped her.
Marc: Now, after throwing up on everyone, all the pregnancy tests are coming back fuzzy, and the results of the blood test won't be available until Monday. No one wants to do a transvaginal ultrasound unless they have to.
Cliff: Understandable, how is Monique dealing with this?
Marc: Apparently, when I was at the lawyer's with Amanda, Monique passed out when she found out. Justin thankfully did not tweet about this either.
Cliff: That would again fall under the friendship clause. Antonella is another one of his friends.
Marc: This is good because Gio does not know yet. Monique's not going to tell him until they know for sure unless she has to.
Cliff: This is wise. I'm so sorry I had to work and couldn't come to lunch. Monique did invite me. I offered to be her photographer, but she wanted me to enjoy the wedding.
Mark: I'm sure she did. You're going to be at the MAMAs tonight?
Cliff: Yes, although I don't know what table I'm going to be at. I don't have a plus one this year because Ms. West Hartley is dealing with Alexis stuff.
Marc: That's another awkward element of this entire afternoon. The kid is cute, though, even when she interrupted my speech, so she could ask to go to the bathroom.
Marc: I'm so glad that Justin made tomorrow's engagement brunch family only. I'm not dealing with that.
Cliff: I know all of that's awkward. Bree has sent me a few text messages. She also wants to talk to you about Austin.
Marc: Why?
Cliff: I don't know, maybe intern scouting. I'll tell her to wait until next week to talk to you.
Marc: God, I love you.
Marc: I mean in a friend way.
Cliff: I know what you mean. Are you on your way back home to change?
Marc: Yes. Unlike Betty and Daniel, who are going to the Mode offices. They don't have time to run back to Queens since the rehearsal went late.
Marc: Actually, we're not anymore. Amanda just called. Troy had roses sent to the apartment, and she doesn't want me to see.
Cliff: Why do I have a feeling these are probably roses covered in pigs' blood?
Marc: I don't want to find that out. Amanda is going to bring my suit to the Mode offices, and I will change there. Besides, the makeup team is going to have to give me a touchup.
Marc: I can't look like a battered boyfriend if we win.
Marc: I love my new assistant. Tamika already had the makeup team waiting for me. She also sent a cleaning crew to my apartment to take care of Troy's present. Amanda is paying for it as an apology for throwing up on my shoes.
Cliff: She does live there as well.
Marc: This is true. Although half her stuff is in boxes. She was planning to move in with Matt, but he is a jerk.
Cliff: Again, puppies over boyfriends.
Marc: You were a good boyfriend, I was just an awful one. And now this is the price I must pay.
Cliff: You're being extra mellow dramatic today. No one deserves what Troy is doing to you. It's not right.
Marc: I blame the sleep deprivation.
Cliff: You can sleep tonight.
Marc: Mode after party.
Cliff: I'm putting you in a cab myself after the show is over.
Marc: Only if you come with me.
Cliff: Sorry, not an option.
Cliff: I think you should know that the security at the hotel was given pictures of your ex-boyfriend. Monique is worried that he might try to crash, and she has connections.
Marc: This does not surprise me.
Cliff: Also, because neither of us has dates, we are sitting together at the Mode table.
Marc: That's actually practical. What colors are you wearing, so we can coordinate or at the very least, not clash?
Cliff: I'll send you a picture. Breanna picked out my outfit.
Marc: I am not surprised. We're matching already.
Marc: Also, Monique has informed me that I'm going to her pre-wedding slumber party tonight because she doesn't want me home alone.
Cliff: That actually makes me feel better. I'll see you here in an hour.
Marc: Looking forward to it.
Marc: Did you get home, okay? My crazy X wasn't waiting in your foyer?
I'm still in love with you: Thankfully not. Yes, I got home safely. I would've stayed for the after-party, but I'm exhausted.
Marc: That's okay, I only stayed for 20 minutes before sneaking off to the slumber party. I'm going to bed after I actually eat something. I am so done.
Marc: Oh, and Amanda kidnapped my phone again and changed your designation.
I'm still in love with you: What is it this time?
Marc: I'm sending you a screenshot before I change it back to your name.
Cliff: I still think it's Monique.
Marc: But I can't be mad at Monique. She got me my own room and a Gucci goodie bag for the wedding.
Marc: And she got me a Gucci diaper bag which she referred to as a "new baby starter kit."
Cliff: That's definitely going to come in handy. I'm sending you a list of everything else you need to buy.
Marc: My best friend is five months pregnant. I've already been compiling a shopping list for the last two months. I've already pressed the buy button on the must-haves.
Cliff: Good
Marc: On second thought, I will be annoyed with Ms. Osborne because there are a lot of things in the adult version of my gift bag that are not appropriate. I think it's in bad taste to get somebody a gift bag that includes lube after they have to press domestic abuse charges against their now ex-boyfriend.
Marc: Amanda says that Monique was expecting you to come back here with me.
Cliff: Told you she's in full matchmaker mode.
Marc: So much. Probably to distract her from the teenage pregnancy thing.
Cliff: Don't forget Gio's ex-girlfriend throwing red paint on her tonight at the awards show.
Marc: That was such a fashion don't. BTW, the stepmom is sleeping on the couch right now. She is still invited to the wedding, but the father is not.
Cliff: There are a lot of options. That still doesn't excuse the gift bag thing.
Marc: I'll talk to her next week. This can't be boss appropriate.
Cliff: Not at all. So what's happening at the bridal slumber party?
Marc: Me lamenting the fact that the daiquiris are virginal, and Monique lamenting the fact that her sister-in-law is not.
Marc: Actually, the sister-in-law is also lamenting that fact.
Cliff: Understandable.
Marc: The whole time I'm thinking, 'I hope I never have to deal with this with Jade.'
Cliff: Or that she will trust you to be there for her no matter what.
Marc: I'm worried I'm totally going to screw this up. I never thought I would become a dad.
Cliff: Funny, every time I saw you with Justin, I thought, 'this guy would make a great father someday.' Seriously, no visions of adopting cute little babies from China?
Marc: Once, when we were together, I thought about it.
Marc: Remember when you asked me to bring an extra SD card to some diaper photoshoot you were doing?
Cliff: I do a lot of diaper shoots. Actually, I do a lot of shoots for baby products.
Marc: Because you are good with kids. And I saw you there holding this little baby, and I thought you would make a great dad, and then I thought we could totally do that together. I never thought I would be doing it alone, though.
Cliff: You know you're not doing this alone. Jade considers me her favorite uncle.
Marc: It is crucial that she likes at least one of us. And I know I'm not doing it alone. Amanda is going to be bringing two kids into this, and we are going to end up being the gay Brady Bunch.
Marc: The acknowledged gay Brady Bunch.
Cliff: You do have lovely curls.
Marc: You're so ridiculous. Go to sleep, and I'll talk to you in the morning.
Cliff: Goodnight
Marc: Good morning.
Marc: Remember when Monique said she didn't need for you to be her photographer well, she kind of does now as the guy she hired canceled. Amanda was supposed to ask you before, but she got distracted.
Love of my life: Good morning to you and yes I'll do it. Do you know why he canceled?
Marc: Probably for the same reason Monique lost her style team.
Marc: Why does everyone keep changing your designate in my address book? I'm sending you another screenshot.
Love of my life: Because you have an awful password. Maybe you should stop changing it back.
Marc: Probably, and maybe I should.
Love of my life: Hey someone's at the door, I'll be back in a moment.
Marc: Maybe it's the psycho ex-girlfriend or my psycho ex-boyfriend. So many terrible dating choices.
Love of my life: It was a bad past hook up choice. It's Jody. She asked me to watch Jade this morning.
Marc: Instead of asking me? That's annoying.
Love of my life: That might be because she needs a babysitter while she goes to the lawyers.
Marc: That does not make me feel better at all. She is so going to use the Troy thing against me?
Love of my life: I don't know. You should probably call your legal team just in case.
Marc: I will. As soon as I get downstairs because the sprinklers just went off.
Love of my life: That's not good.
To be continued