Beautiful Crazy

Beautiful, Crazy She Can't Help But Amaze Me

"Hi Joe!," Maren said answering the phone from the backseat of her Uber.

"Mulls, Bessy is cooking. You're coming to dinner tonight." Joe wasn't as much asking as he was telling her this is what was going to happen.

Maren smiled to herself. It had been some time since she had a home cooked meal. Dinner with the Gattos actually sounded like the perfect idea. "Name the time my friend. I actually finalized the itinerary so we could run through it if you want."

"See your face at 6," he said hanging up. Maren chuckled and smiled. She missed Joe a lot, and really felt like she let him down when she just walked out. Bessy and Joe were like family to Maren, and when she left she didn't stop to think about how her leaving might affect anyone else. It never even crossed her mind at the time. 'Yet I threw it in Brian's face how selfish he was when the pictures leaked," she sighed to herself as she watched the city go by from her window.

Joe walked into the kitchen and looked over at Bessy who groaned. "I know that look, what did you do?" Bessy asked cautiously.

"We have to set another place at the table. We're expecting one more." he said swiping an olive off the top of the salad she was making and popping it in his mouth.

"Tell me you didn't." Bessy looked over at her husband and spoke sternly. Joe just shrugged his shoulder and smiled at her. "So I supposed neither of them know then?!" She questioned nervously. "Do you really think this is a good idea?" she said unsure if she was half scolding her husband, or half asking in the hopes that maybe it would help. After all, they both did manage to get Maren back to New York.

"Guess we'll find out," Joe joked as he headed towards the dining room to decide how he should seat his two stubborn, broken hearted friends.

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"How'd it go with the lawyer?" Kelsey was laying across the bed in the guest room of her upper east side apartment watching as Maren got ready to head to dinner in Long Island.

"You'll love this," Maren chuckled as she did her makeup in the mirror. "He passed my case off to a lawyer friend of his and then proceeded to ask me to dinner."

"Wow. You're not even back in New York 48 hrs and you got asked out?" Kelsey raised her eyebrows animatedly in her direction. "You've had quite the eventful last few days haven't you?!" she kidded before curiosity got the best of her. "So, are you going to meet him for dinner?"

Maren shrugged, "I dunno. I mean, it wouldn't hurt right? I'm going back to Florida." Maren said with conviction when she turned to face Kelsey.

It was the first time since Maren had returned that Kelsey began to realize that her best friend really had every intention of heading back to the Keys. Everyone was so happy that she was back, they completely overlooked that Maren wasn't actually back. There was an expiration date to her visit and the countdown was on. Quite frankly, Kelsey didn't think that was in anyone's best interest. 'Except, maybe Marens'
Kelsey thought to herself and found herself once again torn. She was incredibly happy to see Maren so happy given everything that had happened, however she wished her back friend was back in New York City, with the man and job she loves.

"Alright, I will give your love to Bessy and the kids. I'll probably be back late." Maren said grabbing her purse and heading towards the front door.

"Ok, have a good time, but not such a good time that you'd change your mind and stay!" Kelsey called out jokingly after her.

Maren smiled, "Love you too Kels!!"

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Sal stood beside Brian and knocked on the front door. He had heard all about how everything played out that night after their run in with Hailee, so he hoped that this night, the tradition that Joe started, of the 'boys only'getting together for dinner before each tour, snapped Q out of it. It originally started out as dinner, but Joe always managed to up the ante by including something fun for the guys to do to blow off a little steam before heading on the road. One time it was renting some lanes at the Chelsea Pier driving range and firing golf balls out into the hudson. On another occasion, Joe rented out a bowling alley they all used to go to as kids, and just bowled the whole night. It was a way for the guys to reconnect as friends, before everything got so crazy hectic for them. All four of the guys always looked forward to these nights.

"Sup Bud," Sal said leaning into Joe for a tap as he walked into the house. "Something smells delicious!"

"Alright Joey, what is it this year?" Q quizzed his friend as he walked through the front door taking off his coat and American Flag scarf.

"Funny you should mention that," Joe began to say as Sals voice boomed loudly.

"Oh you are SHITTING ME!," Sal exclaimed not believing his eyes.

"I'm too old for this shit," Brian laughed as he caught sight of the gigantic oversized bright orange inflatable bounce house obstacle course set up out back of Joe's yard.

"Kriss Krioss will make you Jump Jump" Joe jumped in a fit of laugher as another knock came at the door and in walked Murr.

"I have an idea, let's all see if we can bounce this one back over to Manhattan," Sal joked as he playfully punched Murr.

"Guys, foods ready!" Bessy called out from the kitchen over the voices of the guys laughing and joking around.

The sound of another knock on the front door caught everyone's attention, since all the 'boys' for boys night were already in attendance.

"Joe... who's at the front door?" Murray voice was slightly high pitched clearly curious.

"Joooee," Sal groaned silently to himself as he slowly brought his hand to his face to hide it from who he was about to see when the door opened.

"Maren! So glad you could make it," Joe said as he answered the door. Maren stood there, with two gigantic stuffed Mickey and Minnie dolls for the kids.

"Hi!!" Maren said rushing in looking down hoping to see Remo and Milana. Instead, she looked up to see 4Impractical Jokers.

As if on cue, 3 male voices questioned Joe, "You invited her to boys night?" at the exact same time Maren turned to Joe and said "You invited me to boys night?!?"

"That's what I said!" Bessys voice could be heard saying front the kitchen.