The Newlyweds

“I can’t believe your honeymoon was like that,” Maria stated. “It sounds…”
“Like a fairytale? yeah, it kind of was. Except the whole coming back home part.”
Maria looked confused.
“What do you mean?”
“John’s been out with the boys nearly every night,” I sighed, folding more clothes and putting them on the display table. “He just gets in later and later.”
“That’s so freaking weird,” She said. “Kenny comes home before mid-night,”
I grimaced.
“Lucky you,”
Maria clapped my back twice before jumping off of the counter. At that moment, Kendra walked into my store with a huge smile and a holder with three cups of coffee in it.
“Good morning!” She sang. “I brought brain juice.”
“Thank you,” I smiled sadly an accepted the cup that she handed to me. My store, Dia’s, had been keeping as busy as possible. It helped me to keep my mind off of my husband. “So why are you all chipper this morning, missy? It’s March and you should be in school,”
Kendra laughed.
“It’s a work day,” She shrugged. “Pat wants to take me to lunch. Apparently its at his favorite place?”
I laughed, stealing a quick glance at Maria.
“Patrick has it bad for you, my friend.” I stated. “I mean really bad.”
“I do too,” She blushed. “Is it obvious?”
“Yes,” Maria deadpanned. “but sweet, really.”
I rolled my eyes at my friend.
“Have you asked him to go to prom with you?”
“Not yet,” She shrugged. “I don’t...I mean… I’m just…”
“What’s stopping you?!” Maria laughed. “He’s obviously crazy about you,”
“He’s an adult,” She laughed. “That’s it…”
“Barely,” I giggled.
Kendra blushed and moved on over to the back room.
“I’m getting clothes to fold,”
I laughed and looked over at Maria. She just shrugged and went back to picking at her nails. I was really blessed to have Kendra where and running a lot of the store while I was off on my honeymoon. Of course, Maria helped during the day, but I was smart enough to know that Kendra kept this place afloat. I checked my phone and sent my husband a quick text message before I got to work. My mind reeled with how Kenny had been coming home earlier, but John wasn’t. I tried to focus, as a possibly designer was coming in to discuss business. John had set the entire thing up, but I was just so everywhere with my thinking.
The bell rang, and my head snapped up. In walked a girl that looked around my height. She was dressed in black jeans, nice black booties, a really nice top and a leather jacket. Her dark brown hair was pulled up into a high pony hair, hoop earrings dangled, and her make-up was perfect. She was accompanied by a blonde girl that was dressed similarly. She waved and I smiled. I assumed that this woman was the brain behind widely popular, yet new, clothing line Rosana. Maria moved toward me, and I headed to the two women who looked rather young.
“Hi, I’m Dorinda… can I help you?”
The brunette smiled widely.
“I’m Mackenzie, and this is my best friend Mickie. I’m the designer of Rosana.”
“Oh!” I clapped my hands together. “It’s so nice to meet you,”
“You as well,” She smiled.
Maria smiled.
“I’m Maria, I’m Dia’s best friend,” She laughed. “You guys look super familiar…”
The blonde girl, Mickie, blushed rather hard.
“Well…”
“Hey Dia?” Kendra called from the back. “We really need to order more...Whoa! You’re Mac and Mickie!” she giggled.
I furrowed my brows.
“How do you know them?” I questioned. “You don’t go to school together right…”
“No,” Kendra laughed. “They’re on a reality tv show.”
“I have no idea who you are,” I felt my face heat up.
Mickie laughed.
“I know who you are though. You’re Dorinda Pope, correct?”
“Yeah,” I shrugged. “O’Callaghan actually,”
Mackenzie’s smile widened.
“You’re John’s wife!” She stated excitedly. “He’s told me about you!”
“You know John?” I felt my face twist up. “I...I’m sorry, but how exactly does he know you?”
Mickie giggled.
“I’m married to Alex Gaskarth,”
“OH!” I laughed. “You’re Mac!”
“There,” She laughed with me.
I shook my head.
“I’m sorry for being a doofus,” I stated.
“Kind of her strong-suite really,”
“I feel you,” Mickie laughed.
“Anyway, let’s talk business!”
Within the next hour and a half, Mackenzie and I had struck up a deal with our companies. Her best friend Mickie was really funny, but definitely inappropriate. Maira and her hit it off, but Kendra was really a selling point. Kendra was the absolute best employee I’ve ever had. She might be just eighteen, but she was smart. I quickly found out that Mackenzie and Mickie were nineteen years old, which took me a little by surprise. Maria thought they were her age or twenty-one. We were all close in age for the most part. I was the old lady, being twenty-two.
The girls explained that they were currently touring with All Time Low, which made sense as to why they were in Arizona for a few days. We all traded stories about being on the road with the bands, and Kendra just sighed. She expressed that she really wanted to tour with the band just once, but couldn’t because of her age. We were all really clicking so much that I invited everyone over to the bonfire at Moose’s that evening. The girl was quick to accept. The band wasn’t playing at night and it just seemed like a good idea. I realized how easy it was to talk to the two Vegas natives. They were quick-witted. I felt like I had known them for years instead of just two hours.
“That’s John,” I apologized as my phone rang. I waked away from the back room and outside into the alleyway. “Hey you,”
I could hear the smile in his voice.
“Hey my beautiful girl,”
“How are you, love?” I asked him, feeling my own silly smile spread across my face.
“Pretty good, just catching up with some old friends,”
“Thank you,” I stated. “For getting me hooked up with Mackenzie.”
He laughed.
“You’re welcome baby.”
“Hey, I invited the girls and the band over to the bonfire tonight,” I stated.
“That’s great,” He smiled. “I’ve missed those guys a lot.”
I sighed.
“I miss you,”
“Already?” He laughed. “I figured you wouldn’t want to be anywhere near me after all that time in Italy,”
“Oh shut up,”
“Hey...I have to go okay? I love you very much. I’ll see you tonight, Doe.”
“I’ll see you later, Johnny.” I replied, hanging up my phone and walking back into the store. I rounded the corner and hear Maria telling both Mackenzie and Mickie about how I ended up marrying John.
“So she was like having some major inner turmoil, and basically admitted that she was in love with him. Things just got really crazy. We plotted and schemed so John and Julie wouldn’t get married. Even her dad told Dia to break them up. How sad is that?” Maria stated, making the girls agree. “So we’re at the wedding and Dia’s the maid of honor, and she actually got the balls to ask her to leave John at the alter. That didn’t go over very well, but the wedding continued until John was all romantic and expressed his undying love for Dorinda. Then bam, three months later they’re married and back from their honeymoon.”
Mickie laughed.
“What a way to get what you want,”
I blushed.
“It wasn’t that easy, that’s for sure. Julie and I are great friends now though.”
“I really do hate to cut this short, but we’ve got to get back. We’ve got some interviews as well as having to rangle the guys,” Mackenzie stated. “It was very nice to meet you, Dorinda,”
“Call me Dia, please,” I laughed.
“Call me Mac.” She replied with a wide smile.
I nodded my head as everyone said their goodbye’s. It was a really nice meeting.



“John?” I yelled through the house as I got ready. “Babe?”
He shuffled from our bedroom to the bathroom rather slowly.
“Yeah?”
“Why aren’t you dressed?” I questioned, putting down the flat iron. “We have to be there in thirty…”
He shrugged.
“I don’t want to go,”
“You don’t want to go?” I asked him, furrowing my brows. “Babe...you were literally just running around and saying how excited you were,”
“I changed my mind,” He said coldly. “I don’t want to go, okay?”
“Okay…” I trailed off. “I love you…”
“You too,” John huffed before he turned around and walked out of the bathroom doorway. I heard the bed squeak, and I assumed that he was laying down. I shook my head and turned toward the mirror to finish up getting ready. When I was done, I walked to our bedroom.
“Are you okay?”
“Leave me alone,” He sighed heavily, just a huge lump in the bed.
“Baby?” I questioned. “Are you getting into a funk again?”
“No.”
“Do you need anything.”
“Go, Dorinda.”
“Are you sure because I can help? I love you, John,”
“I said go!” he yelled, lifting up from the bed. “Please, just leave me alone. I want to be alone. I don’t want to go to the fucking bonfire. Go without me,”
I physically stepped back.
“I...okay...just come by later if you want.”
I barely heard his reply before I walked out of our bedroom. I was quick to grab my purse and keys before stepping out into the surprising warm, winter air. Arizona doesn’t really get cold...just cool. I got into my black car and drove as fast as I could to the party. My mind was racing. I really didn’t like seeing John like this, and he rarely ever yelled. It scared me, honestly. I wasn’t sure why, but I had a feeling that this would be going away anytime soon.
When I arrived, I let myself in toward the back yard. It seemed that almost everyone was already there. I smiled as I spotted Kendra and Pat. Quickly, I walked over toward the two who seemed to be in their own little world. Pat was constantly complimenting her red hair or her hazel eyes. The girl was blushing as deeply as I’d ever seen her. It was precious really. In all of the years that I had known Pat, I had never seen him so smitten with someone before. It was obvious that the boy was in love with the red-headed girl sitting in front of him. I decided last minute that I wasn’t going to interrupt the love birds.
Just a little ways ahead, Maria was talking to Kennedy, two tall and unfamiliar men, as well as Mickie and Mac. I made my way over to the small crowd, and Kennedy was the very first one to embrace me.
“There you are,” He laughed. His scent was calming, and made me feel better. Kennedy was forever the best. “We’ve been waiting for you! Is John still in the car?”
I shook my head.
“He wasn’t feeling too well, so I don’t know if he’ll come tonight or not,”
“He was fine earlier,” One of the tall men stated. He had reddish hair and his arm was wrapped around Mac. Naturally I assumed that this was Alex, and her husband. “He was chatting our ears off.”
Mickie furrowed her brows.
“I’m sorry, girly. That sucks.”
“I’m Jack,” The tall dark haired one stated, holding out his hand toward me. “I play the guitar,”
I laughed.
“Blunt, aren’t you?”
“Pretty much,” he just shrugged.
Maria wrapped her arms around me.
“It’s all going to be okay. Maybe he’ll show up later?”
“Maybe,” I shrugged. “Drinks?”
“I’m down,” Mickie smiled, following me to the drink table. “How did you and John meet?”
“We were in high school,” I laughed. “Freshman too,”
She cooed.
“That’s so sweet,”
“How did you and the tall, dark haired one, Jack, meet?” I questioned. I was hoping I didn’t just butcher his name. I forget names very easily.
“Yes it’s Jack, and we met at a club.” She laughed. “Well...technically through Mac and Alex.”
I nodded.
“That’s how Maria and Kennedy kinda met,”
“They’re so precious. How long have they been together?”
I chewed on my lip.
“I believe nearly three years,” I recited. “They just got married. It was great,”
“That’s so cute,” She laughed.
“How about you and Jack?”
She shrugged.
“We were together, but we’re not really together right now. I’m not sure what the hell we are.” She admitted. “He’s confusing…”
I turned to see where she was looking, only to see Jack flirting with one of the girls that usually come with Jared’s new girlfriend.
“Aren’t all men?” I asked with a laugh. “I mean...my very best friend was in love with me for years and I didn’t see it until he was getting married.”
Mickie giggled.
“Maybe he will come to his senses?”
“And if he doesn’t…” I trailed off, “Garrett’s still single.”
“Which one is he?” She asked, taking a long gulp from her drink.
I thought about pointing over at him, but I just looked at my new friend.
“Follow me...I’ll introduce the two of you,”
“But…”
“Trust me,” I laughed.
Together the two of us walked over to where Garrett was now talking to Kendra and Pat. I tapped his shoulder and he grinned widely at me before crushing me in a hug.
“Hi you!”
“Hi! This is my friend Mickie that I wanted to introduce you to. She’s from Vegas.”
Garrett smirked.
“Nice.”
“Thank you,”
“I’m not looking for anything serious,”
“Hmm...what a coincidence...I’m not either,” She smirked back, tossing her blonde hair effortlessly to the side.
He gave me a quick wink before he offered his hand to her.
“Wanna get out of here for a bit?”
“Sure,” She laughed, accepting the outreached hand and following him toward the house. Cat calls could be heard and I looked over at where her Jack was standing with the other girl. He didn’t look too thrilled about what was going on, but he didn’t make a move to stop it either.
“That was pretty deceptive of you,” Kendra laughed. “But it’s going to make one hell of an interesting episode. Their camera men are here tonight.”
I nodded briefly.
“I did it all in the name of love,”
“You meddling kid.” Pat laughed. “I heard John wasn’t coming?”
“No…” I sighed. “You guys looked so cute when I got here,”
I tried changing the subject as quickly as I could.
“Thanks?” Pat looked completely and utterly confused while Kendra smiled at me.
“We are pretty cute, aren’t we?”
“That’s what I thought,” I shrugged. “When are we going to start the bonfire?”
“Ask Moose,” Pat just shrugged. “I don’t really know about any of it,”
“Great,” I sighed, leaving Pat to stand there while I found a seat for me to sit on.
This was going to be a long night.