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Marisol whisper shouted: „You married a stripper last night?!“ Eddie looked sheepishly at the new shiny ring on his finger. „Yes, I think so.“ „…“ „I was a married man before, you know. That didn’t put you off.“ „Well of course not, Eddie. Shannon died!“ „Yeah. Thanks for the reminder.“
Marisol took a deep calming breath. She didn’t mean to mention Shannon, knowing she was still a delicate subject for the two Diazes. But still. She really liked Eddie and she thought they agreed to give themselves a real chance to get to know each other.
„Eddie, I didn’t mean it like that. But… what am I supposed to think now? I thought we were going to give us a chance. And now you married a random stranger?!” The last bit came a little bit more heated then she intended, but Eddie’s nonchalant mumbled answer shook her the core.
„Well, at least I didn’t get married to God…” It didn’t help in the least, that his eyes widened comically as he registered his own words. He sputtered something like he didn’t mean it like that, but Marisol didn’t want to hear anything else from his stupid handsome mouth. Not now, at least.
„I will leave now, Eddie. This isn’t the place to discuss this any further. See you soon, okay?” For a very short moment she hoped he would tell her that she should stay, but her hopes were crushed when he didn’t even try to tell her otherwise. His face did something complicated before he gave her a resigned answer. „Yeah… See you soon.”
Marisol searched for the safest escape route. Unfortunately, she would have to pass the dancefloor where many happy couples were dancing. In the middle of them all the happy bride and groom, together with their adorable daughter. They looked so incredibly joyful. As if nothing could destroy their happy ending. Marisol felt for them, the day had been not as smooth sailing as anybody would wish for their wedding day. If they weren’t all first responders with apparent connections to any other first responder in LA, they wouldn’t be dancing now.
Not far from them Buck was dancing with Tommy. Marisol couldn’t help but laugh a little about these stupid men, Buck especially. In hindsight his comment with the “hot chicks” was really terrible, but what little she knew about him, he was a good man, even if his behavior could be kind of awkward. Adorable in a way. She could see why Tommy would be interested in him.
In reality, she had been jealous of Buck, at first. He seemed to be everywhere in the Diaz household, where she should be one day if she would ever be considered a part of their little family. Christopher couldn't shut up about his adventures with Buck on a good day, even if he was a teenager and should be more interested in the drama of his classmates than a coworker of his dad. Eddie didn't talk much about Buck, or other important people in is life really, but Christopher hadn't such qualms. He seemed rather determined to show her where her place should be in their life and where it couldn't be. He wasn't mean about it, just honest.
Definitely more honest than Eddie had been with her.
Well, to be completely fair, she could tell he had been trying and he'd been genuine before she did move out, after moving in just a few hours earlier. (What a bad joke had that been, really?)
But she was a little bit bitter here, okay? She came as a plus one to a wedding, where she was finally going to meet the friends, if not the second family, of her boyfriend. To really meet them. To celebrate with them and dance with said boyfriend and to be as happy as the other couples here, while dreaming of her own future wedding.
And now it felt like she would be leaving so much more behind than just the venue, because she could tell that her time with Eddie had come to an end.
With another deep breath she shook off any further musings and took the fastest way to the exit.
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Josh was tipsy. Or rather drunk? Definitely more drunk than he had been in a long time for sure.
But why the hell not? After this disaster of a day, they all deserved to let loose. Most of all Maddie.
As long as they didn't lose anyone else in the process, it would be fine.
Eddie and Buck were really something else. Losing the groom at the Bachelor party? He was sure he saw a movie like that a few years back.
Speaking of Buck: what was going on there? Well, Josh kind of knew what was going on the moment Buck all but stormed to the helicopter and, instead of greeting Chim, pulled the - rather hot, he could give him that - pilot in for a not entirely PG a rated kiss.
Now Buck and the pilot - Tommy, he had learned a little later - were slow dancing, seemingly in their own little bubble.
When did this happen and why on earth didn’t he know anything about Buck being into men? Of course, he suspected it a little bit... He did, okay? At one point, a few years ago, he had hoped, at least. For a few embarrassing minutes, while Buck had walked him to his car after game night at Maddie's. He could have sworn Buck had been flirting with him. But nothing came ever out of it, so, he kind of had shoved it out of his mind, thinking Buck had simply a flirty personality. Perhaps he shouldn't have?
Josh would definitely grill Maddy about the matter later. On another day of course. He loved to gossip, but he was also an adult and could patiently wait to do so. Well, mostly patient. For now, he could drink another glass of wine and enjoy the show... The evening of course. He wasn’t a kid anymore and could live his own life without collecting gossip (even if those two were not only sweet but obviously hot guys), thank you very much.
Or not…. Because, wasn't that Eddie's girlfriend, who left just yet? How very interesting.
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Karen didn't know yet if she should talk to Eddie or if it would be better to wait a little bit, as she approached him anyways. He didn't look up when she came to stand beside him, so she started carefully: „Is everything okay, Eddie?"
„Yeah... Yes, yes of course." Now he did look up, but wouldn't quite meet her eyes. „You're sure about that? That was Marisol, who walked out right now, wasn't she?“ A deep sigh escaped him. „Yeah, that was her."
Rather than asking further questions, Karen decided to wait him out and it did pay off sooner than she thought.
„You know, Chim and Maddie weren't the only ones getting married today." Eddie grinned sheepishly at her, while Karen opened and closed her mouth like a fish in the water. „I didn't think it was that serious between you two?", she asked cautious and was pretty bewildered as Eddie began to laugh hysterically. „Oh, no, I didn't marry her. But I did marry someone last night. A stripper, I think. Don't remember their name. Or anything else about them for that matter", he wheezed out between his laughter.
To say Karen was confused, was putting it mildly. „Okay. So, let me make this clear. You got married last night, but you don't remember who you married. Just that you've gotten married? - And don't think I didn't notice, you didn't even mention the gender of your spouse." „Well, I'm not sure. I think there was a white dress involved. And long, nice blonde hair? But really, who knows anything about gender or sexuality or whatever nowadays, just look at Buck." Eddies cheeks were getting redder and redder, where as his speech was getting quieter and quieter.
The last bit was quite interesting, but what could she more contribute to that than: „Fair point."?
„From an almost nun to a stripper, my parents will be thrilled. And don't get me started on God. I practically cheated on his ex."
„Hold on, a nun? God? What else is going on in your life, Diaz, and why haven't you told me yet?!"
Karen didn't know what she had expected, but THAT was most definitely not in her top ten. Eddie got tense under her scrutinizing gaze and she got pity on him.
„You know what, don't answer that. We're going to get another drink... Or not, I think you had more than enough alcohol in the last 24 hours... No, we're going sit down on our table over there and get some water into your system. No tough talking, just some friends sitting together and enjoying each other’s company. And tomorrow I will help you to figure out, who your spouse is. That should be the first step, okay?"
Eddie threw her a grateful smile and nodded in affirmation. Karen led him to her table, where Hen was already waiting for them. Her wife shot a questioning glance her way, but Karen shook her head and Hen immediately followed her lead. Thankfully the rest of their table was otherwise preoccupied, so that nobody was asking unwelcome questions. Eddie settled himself between the couple and soon they found themselves in an animated discussion about their kids.
And when somebody saw the way Eddie glanced at his ring from time to time, with a forlorn look on his face, at least no one mentioned it to him.
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Phillip Buckley wasn't much into social gatherings of any kind. Too many people, too many eyes and way too much work to appear settled and completely normal. Since Daniel's death he was of the opinion that absolutely everybody could see through the facade of a happy family and successful business man. His pride forbade him to ask for help, so he did what every Buckley since his great-great-grandfather was good at: he run.
He took his family and moved them to another town, where they could start anew. But they didn't really start anything. They were stuck.
At times he was so stressed out about proper appearance, that he nearly forgot to grieve his son. Instead, he felt so hollow, so void of any positive emotion that he couldn't see what was right in front of him. That he had still two healthy kids who had deserved to have two loving parents, even if they couldn’t always pretend to be happy.
But now, in the last few years, but especially after his little, perfect granddaughter was born and his own, not nearly as little, but in his eyes still perfect, son were struck by lightning, he started to see. He saw the time running by and all the times he didn't get to be with his youngest, because he couldn't stand the reminder of his deceased son. How he didn't have want to see what his daughter was going through in her own home. What her ex-husband did to her.
Deep down he knew he could never make this right. What's done is done. But he would try anything to mend his relationship with Maddie and Evan. He really wanted a relationship with them and he wanted to see them happy at all costs.
For this reason alone, this day had been a roller-coaster. First Howard was nowhere to be found, because Evan and Edmundo Diaz, his best friend, had lost him at his Bachelor party. Then Maddie and a bunch of their mutual friends had started to search for him in all of LA, only to find him at the roof of a hotel of all places? And don’t get him started of Howards dramatic entrance via a helicopter. A helicopter flown by none other than his son’s… “boyfriend”, apparently.
This day had been full of surprises for sure. One of the biggest surprises of all coming in form of Evan (rather nonchalantly but obviously smitten) introducing him and his wife to Tommy, after they and most of the wedding party had gotten to witness way more than an innocent kiss between those two.
But well. This was Evan for you: All or nothing was a motto Phillip could get behind to an extent. As long as his son was happy, he would do nothing to jeopardize this happiness.
Finally, there had been the wedding of his beloved daughter and Phillip couldn’t have been prouder of her. She had been beautiful before, but at the moment she was declared Howard’s wife and he her husband, she rivaled the sun itself.
Yes, Phillip Buckley was still not much into social gatherings. But now he didn’t have to pretend anything, because he was happy. Even if it would be forever bittersweet to know that Daniel couldn’t be happy with them.