"We'll buy you something." Chris said. "Maybe we can charge it to Marcus."
"If you mean Neiman Marcus..." Valerie shook his head. "I don't want to take advantage of him." Valerie moved to her own suitcase. "I have money of my own. I can get something." She said grabbing some money. "Why do I get the feeling I will only wear it once?"
Chris shrugged. There was a dull knocking at the door. "I'll get that."
While Chris ran to the door Valerie modeled her current ensemble; a pair of shorts that barely fit and a t-shirt that had to be Chris's cause it only reached her midriff. "Maybe I oughta go like this. Too cute."
"Sure, if you want Marcus to jump you at the front door!" Chris laughed as she came in with what looked like a hanger in hand.
"I need some real clothes then." Valerie said diving into the pile. "What did they want?" She asked referring to the man at the door.
"This is for you." Chris said. "Marcus must be psychic, he sent you an outfit." Chris said as Valerie looked up at her. Valerie stood as Chris peeled off a layer of thick black paper that was covering whatever was underneath. As she got it off it revealed the most beautiful blue dress.
"Wow, kinda dressy for a music gig." Valerie said as she marveled at it. It was knee length and had a slightly dipping neckline. "Not like it would reveal anything on me anyway," Valerie thought. "ok."
"Maybe he has something else in mind." Chris said as she handed it to her. "Try it on."
"If its the right size I'm gonna get the mega-creeps." Valerie said as she took the dress off the hanger. She quickly undressed and pulled the dress on. She turned around and Chris did up the back zipper.
"Turn around." Chris said. Valerie turned around and looked at her friend. "You look great." She said with a approving nod.
"Thanks." Valerie said.
"If we put your hair up like so..." Chris said going in back of her. She grabbed some of Valeries ash blonde hair and put it up in an improvised bun in the back of her head. "it will look wonderful."
Valerie looked into the mirror and considered what Chris said.
"Do that." Valerie said. "And I guess some makeup will be in order."
"All right!" Chris said. She grabbed a small case that held some of her own makeup, Valerie assumed. "I'll be in the bathroom setting up. I'll call you in when I'm ready."
Valerie sat down on the bed to wait for her to be called in. A dull knock was again heard at the door. Valerie stood up, smoothed out the skirt part of the dress and made her way to the door. Expecting more room service she grabbed a tip for the bellboy. She had really meant to tip him the last time had it not been Chris who answered the door. The knock was starting to sound again when she opened the door.
"Just put it over there." she said flatly. When the person at the door didn't answer she turned to look. It was Mike.
"Mike?" Valerie asked.
He nodded. "Valerie? You look beautiful." She said clearly in awe.
Valerie blushed in spite of herself. "This old thing?" She said.
"I'm sorry." He said. "I didn't want to leave it like we did downstairs." He said coming inside the door. "But I want you to know that you will always have a place in my heart." He said. Valerie squinted at him questionably. He sounded incredibly awkward with what he said. No wonder Davy and Micky wrote the more romantic songs. Mike was never really good at expressing his feelings.
"I will always remember you." She said.
"But I gotta go. Its almost time to play." Mike said.
Valerie looked at the clock, time had passed while she played dress up with clothes that didnt even fit. It was on the tip of her lips to say "Please stay." but she didnt say it. Instead she said. "I guess I'll see you at the gig."
"Yeah." Mike said moving from the door. "I'll see you." He said and moved down the hallway." Valerie closed the door and moved back towards the bedroom. Chris was poking her head out the bathroom door. She seemed ready to make her over now.
"Who was at the door?" Chris asked.
"Nobody. It was nothing." She said with a deep sigh. "Damn bellboy wanted to leave liver and onions in the room but we don't like it." She pointed to the door. "I don't know where they get these idiots."
Minutes later
If Valerie heard a single word that was sung, she wouldn't have been able to tell you what song had just been played. During the whole gig, Marcus Matthews, her new husband, had been staring at her the entire time. She from time to time got the impression that if she were a hot fudge sundae, she would have been devoured a half hour ago. It was probably the first time a girl had stayed more than five minutes with Marcus. He reminded her of those guys in school who always asked her out but she always laughed it off. Fate was probably having a good laugh right now, she was now stuck with a guy she would have never given the time of day to years earlier. She treated various "Marcus's" better now though.
The gig was over befor she knew it. The last song she did manage to hear. She didnt know the title but one of the lyrics in the song was "She's out of my life and I don't know whether to laugh or cry."
"That was a great show." Marcus said applauding as he stood. They were right next to the stage so they were the first people the band saw when they got off the stage. "Magnificent gentlemen." He said.
"Thanks." Mike said dryly. He looked to the side of Marcus's face to avoid eye contact with him or Valerie.
"This is my wife Valerie, as you very well know." Marcus said putting his hand on her shoulder like she was a newly aquired piece of property. In a way she was, she thought.
"We know each other." Mike said flatly."If you excuse us please." He said moving to right so he could leave. Marcus stopped him.
"I wish to invite you to a glorious event." Marcus smiled. "My wife and I will be renewing our vows at the chapel across the stree."
"Really?" Mike and the others chorused.
"Really?" Chris and Valerie echoed.
"Geez, he doesnt want to wait five or twenty years, he wants to renew his vows to me even sooner." Valerie thought as she looked at Mike. "I can't do that, I can't marry this guy on purpose this time."
"We need witnesses." Marcus said. "Four ought to be about enough."
"Hey!" Chris said.
"Sorry, five. Valerie should have her very best friend there as well." Marcus said smiling brightly. Right now his grin was brighter than the lights of Vegas. "So shall we go."
"No." Valerie thought. "If I don't say anything now, I never will."
"As long as there are no objections, that is." Marcus completed his thought.
"There is a objection." Valerie said.
"The bride isnt supposed to object. Its just not in the tradition." Marcus said his face dipping a little.
"I know but the wedding wasnt in tradition either." Valerie said putting her hand up. "I can't marry you, again. I don't love you."
"What?" Marcus asked as surprise swept over his face.
"I don't love you Marcus. You are a really nice guy and I'm sure some woman out there would love to be with you but I don't love you." Valerie said. "I love him." She said looking at Mike. "I love Michael Nesmith and if I was ever gonna be a bride, accidental or otherwise, it would be to him." Valerie looked at Marcus, then at Chris. She made a motion with her head that told her she did the right thing. Valerie took the charm bracelet off and handed it to Marcus. "This is yours. Find someone who will appreciate it."
Marcus seemed kind of lost for a second. He looked to Mike. "Okay." He said.
"I hate to tell you something darling, but that charm bracelet isnt from Marcus. Its from me." Mike said as Marcus handed the bracelet to him.
"What?" Valerie said slowly.
"And you arent married to him, you are married to me." Mike said firmly. "You remember that wedding certificate you have?"
"How?" Valerie blinked. "How do you know I have that?"
"Did you look closely at the name on the husband part?" Mike queried. Valerie shook her head. She reached into a secret pocket and pulled out the certificate. It was very blurry but the name for "husband" was almost readable. It didn't say Marcus Matthews at, all...but it did read 'Michael Nesmith'."
"What?" Valerie said. "My head is doing belly flops and laps."
"I'll explain it to you." Mike said. "Better yet, let the guys explain it."
"They told me what happened. Fraught with worry I went back to bed." Chris shrugged.
"Mike admitted to us that he wasnt sure he wanted to be married yet so we decided to concoct a little scheme." Micky said. "Make you think you were married to another guy. Judging by the reaction of this new guy...well we never got that far." Micky finished.
"That was totally mean." Valerie said. "I oughta dump the lot of ya."
"We are sorry." Peter said.
"Bonus points though." Mike said. "I do know you really love me."
"So who is this guy?" Valerie said pointing to Marcus who seemed way to interested in a bar going chick.
"We needed a weird looking guy and he was handy." Peter joked. "Hes our new manager. And thats his real name."
"I think we need to be alone." Mike said. Chris, Marcus and the others left them alone in the foyer of the hotel.
"I should be so mad at you right now, and I can't manage it." She said poking him hard in the chest. "What do we do now?" Valerie asked.
"Do you still want to be married to me?" Mike said. "We can get it annulled just as fast."
"I don't know." Valerie sighed. "I need to sleep on it."
She went toward the hotel holding her head.
"I guess I will see you tomorrow then." Mike said with a sigh.
"I never said I was going to do it alone." Valerie said with a backward glance.
"Oh." Mike said. The true implication hit him like a ton of bricks. "OH!" He said quickly and ran after her.
The end
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