Gods Look Like You | Brian Quinn

Engaged At Last

Allison McKinnon is a 25 year old retailer at Bergdorf Goodman, on her way to becoming the head stylist and coordinator of that particular branch on 5th Avenue of New York City. Her mind had been so high strung all day since she received a phone call from her best friend Melyssa. Her longtime boyfriend James had finally proposed, and Allison couldn't be more happy for her. They were both nerds and were a perfect match if Ali had ever seen one. The clock was five minutes away from relieving her of her job - then it was off to her house over in Newark to freshen up before her best friends party just a few minutes away.

For years they dreamed of this moment - more so Melyssa than Allison. She wasn't opposed to marriage but she also wasn't rushing to be wed anytime soon. At this point in her life, she was satisfied with the way everything was.

Over on Staten Island, Brian Quinn wailed on his car horn of his Royal Vic outside of his longtime best friend Sal's house.
"Alright, relax, I'm comin." Sal had his hand out to Brian as if that was suppose to prevent him from beeping again as he walked in front of the car. Q let out a laugh as Sal jumped and put his hand over his chest.
"I truly hate you, I really do." Just like that they headed off the James Murray's engagement party.

"Can you believe that we're the last ones to get married?" Brian asked as they sat in traffic on the Bayonne bridge, one of Sals least favorite ways to go.

"Honestly, yes." Sal let out a laugh and looked at his bearded friend. They had both started a contest in their podcast last month that the first one to shave has to do the biggest punishment yet. Neither of them had thought of something, but all in due time.

"It's just crazy to me." Brian had almost been married himself a few years back. He was engaged to a makeup artist from their show, who ran off two weeks before their wedding for a police officer. He swore himself to never fall so deeply in love again, especially someone who he saw everyday on set. He had plenty of flings - as charming as he was - all of them meaningless.

Sal had once bet him he couldn't go an entire month without getting his dick wet, but Sal had won. It's not that Brian had the urge; he just wanted to fill that empty hole inside of him he's felt since he was in his early twenties. Happiness wasn't in between any woman's legs or at the bottom of a whiskey glass, but that never stopped him from trying.

"It's about damn time," Sal complained as they made it off the bridge and into a steady stream of traffic.

Meanwhile Allison had just gotten home and took a body shower before retouching her hair and getting dressed. She kept it tame, not wanting to steal her best friends light. Biting her lip, she shifted through every outfit she had, not enjoying any of them. She finally settled on something she hadn't worn in a while and slipped into it quickly. She was notorious for being late everywhere she went. It was in her family's blood - they called it MST (McKinnon Standard Time). If you say I'll be there at 3, you really mean closer to 4.

Checking herself in the mirror, she applied lipgloss and grabbed her purse off her vanity so she could bounce down the steps of her apartment building and celebrate with her best friend.

Melyssa was gleaming around the backyard of her and James' home. It was filled with people she loved, strings of lights with music playing, food and drinks being served, and happiness. She spoke with a few of her friends, asking if they had heard from Ali as her husband was off with her friends.

"Thank you guys for coming." James got a hug from each of them.
"I'm so proud of you for roping her in before she was gone," Joe joked, taking his friends hand in his and patting his back.

The old friends laughed and Brian leaned forward to add, "In all seriousness we are so happy for you buddy."
"That means a lot to me," James set his hand on his chest and the boys all 'aww'ed. They laughed again, something they never seem to stop doing, and raised their glass in the air.
"To Murr," Sal saluted and the boys followed through.
"To Murr." They held their drinks up - an ice tea for Joe - and tipped them on back.