"Jealousy is a disease, love is a healthy condition. The immature mind often mistakes one for the other, or assumes that the greater the love, the greater the jealousy - in fact, they are almost incompatible; one emotion hardly leaves room for the other."

Morgan Ann Bennett

M&M wedding countdown: 0️⃣1️⃣

Something felt different about me when I woke up in the morning after a passionate night.

I smiled for no reason and it seemed like that was the first time in a while I'd done so.

My cheeks burned as I sniffed the sheets where Chris lied, his scent lingering.

If I was only dreaming, I didn't care.

In the middle of my morning stretch to ease my recurring back pain, I got a phone call. Knowing it had to be someone I knew personally since it was my "secret" phone, I answered without studying the unsaved number.

"Morgan, it's X. Where are you?" Malcolm's security detail talked to me.

I walked over to the indoor/outdoor home office off of Chris's bedroom and smiled down at his hard work, proud.

"I'm okay, don't worry. What is it?"

"Malcolm's up but he's not feeling well, he said to keep you away until he feels a bit better."

"Oh," I pretended to care. "is it from the drinking, or?"

"Most likely," X's gruff voice let me know which put me at ease. "he just doesn't want to get you sick but he'll go to the E.R. if things get worse. Are you sure you're okay?"

I grew annoyed at him asking me again, but I secretly admired that he cared. It's just that since Teddy, I didn't want to get close to another guard and get them in trouble or worse.

"I am fine, thank you. Keep me posted, okay? I'll be back later, tell him I'm— I don't know— doing last minute wedding stuff with Jasmine all day."

X waited for about three seconds to say, "Okay," and then end the call.

With Malcolm out of the way, I could have more time with Chris to play house and keep dreaming.

I showered and pulled out an outfit from the large tote bag I brought over: a grey cropped knit turtleneck sweater, black high rise leggings, and a pair of white gum sole New Balance sneakers - something casual since I figured I'd be ripping and running around all day.
I would've worn a band tee but Chris had childishly left hickies over my neck and breasts and I didn't have any concealer to cover them. I was devastated, imagining what Malcolm would say or do when/if he sees them.
If I know Chris like I'm sure I do, I know he just did it to prove a point - mark his territory, because why else, especially before I'm supposed to get married?Luckily my gown would cover those problem areas.

Since the sun was shining and the temperature was high fifties, making a pretty nice March Colorado day, I wanted to spend it outside of these walls.

Just as I wiggled my toes into a pair of plain socks, the smell of bacon danced under my nose.

Seeing the time, I figured there's no way it was Chris, he'd usually be working or at the gym.

"—because I said so, Cleo. Damn." Chris gave his guest a hard time. Or maybe the other way around.

I quickly learned Cleo was quite the character. Chris already couldn't handle my social battery and overall positive outlook on life, I knew he had his hands full with such a wisecracking friend. Cleo's like an Energizer bunny. She's not particularly smart or even necessarily a happy person, just really talkative and pushy but in the best way (sometimes.) Like, you either love her to death, or hate her, no in between. I was indifferent because Chris having a girl friend would take some getting used to even though she's a lesbian, it was just kind of weird for him. I can't complain too much, though, she seems to already be connected to him in some pure way.

"You don't let me do anything." I listened to Cleo complain before I presented myself to them in the kitchen.

"That's because your breath stinks and you look like Gollum in the morning." He laughed at his own jokes.

I shook my head but laughed silently, too. Cleo was a totally different person with her extreme E-girl type of makeup. I appreciated her artistry. What I didn't appreciate was her in the kitchen in just a dingy yellow tank top and pair of polka-dot panties. That and the way her platform Converse boots were everywhere, like why did she even own more than one pair? Not to mention the spilled black nail polish in the window sill that stunk up the place.
She definitely was not used to having roommates, I think; could explain her clinginess to Chris.

"Good morning." I finally walked around the corner.

My smile grew wider as I watched Chris's body react to seeing me. His lips parted and he sucked in air as if he were shocked, and his pupils dilated.

"Ugh." Cleo sounded for whatever reason. With the roll of her eyes, she plopped her large bare over to the couch where she stretched out and made herself at home.

"Chris, you okay?" I giggled, seeing him carelessly pour way too much cinnamon into a bowl.

"I tried making French toast." He explained, pouring the mixture down the sink.

"Good morning," Chris finally said to me with a soft kiss. "How'd you sleep?"

"Like a baby, I missed your bed!" I reminisced, hugging my body.

"It missed you," he replied lowly, grabbing me by the waist. "You look beautiful."

I blushed, loving this side of him.

"Are you wearing makeup?" Cleo asked me.

My eyebrows arched with the confused look on my face.

"No? Why would I be, it's ten in the morning." I swiped a hand down my face to show her nothing was there.

Cleo flailed her tattooed arms. "Seriously, how did you end up with him?"

I just laughed at her, reverting my attention back to Chris. He seemed to not be bothered by her antics anymore.

"No work today?" I asked him.

Chris shook his head, sliding the last two slices of bacon onto a plate.

When Chris pulled up a stool, I sat on his lap and said, "Good. So we have all day together?"

Chris, with an Eggo waffle in his mouth, looked pleasantly surprised.

"Are these— Sherry's muffins! Oh my God! Aww, you did all this for me?" I squealed, wondrous eyes taking in the breakfast spread.

I didn't know what to taste first, the Eggos, a piece of turkey bacon, the one good slice of French toast he salvaged, or an omelette.

"But when I asked for something to eat, you said all you had was cereal." Cleo complained from the living room. For someone in a whole other room, she sure was into our conversation.

"It's not for you." Chris barked, his jaw tight like his fist.

"Stop," I pouted, slapping Chris's hand. "she can have some."

"Cleo, here, let's share." As soon as I offered she ran from the couch and sat at a stool parallel to us.

"So, what are we doing today?" Asked Cleo, scarfing down a muffin. "Damn, these are good."

Chris didn't like the sound of that. "We?"

When she hung her head like a sad puppy, I pulled Chris to the side to have a quick chat.

Once back in his bedroom, I folded both arms over my chest.

"What?" He acted innocent but mirrored my body language.

"Be nice, she's your guest. I was thinking we could go to Chester, spend the day there - away from all of this? Ask her to come with."

Chris blinked slowly, I could see he didn't like that idea.

"I just got you back, I'm not tryna share you. You could be getting married tomorrow, we don't have that much time."

I frowned at the hard truth. "Speaking of which, what are we going to do?"

Chris took my hands in his. He said, "Let's not think about it right now," but I could see his wheels turning.

I picked up my mood and smiled. "Okay. But you should still invite Cleo, and stop being mean. You're clearly all she has."

He loosened up with a deep exhale. I know he didn't want to give in but it said a lot that he did for me.

After a team high-five, Chris and I rejoined Cleo at the island where she was on plate number two.

"I'm sorry I said you look ugly. Do you want to come with us today?" His voice was very insincere but it beat not inviting her at all, even though when he thought I wasn't looking, he shook his head at Cleo to get her not to come.

"Chris, you're acting totally different, wow. Can you say whipped?" She started making whip noises and this wasn't the first time one of Chris's friends got on him about that.
Honestly, I kind of liked it, but he's not whipped. That's their problem, these simple-minded people make fun of men who actually cares about their relationships.

"Yeah, I'd love to come. What's on the itinerary, it is my first time in Colorado, after all, I'm thinking Skii'ing then-"

"Actually," I interjected. "we have to meet Jas and JB for wedding stuff first, but after that we can-"

Cleo cut me off this time. "You're still getting married? Well you two are a very open couple. I guess if Chris got sucked off by Sabrina, then you can... nevermind."

I looked over my shoulder and saw Chris's eyes lasered on Cleo as if he was trying to burn a hole into her.

She finished chewing her food and then excused herself. "I'm going to go get ready..."

Sabrina. Well, at least I had a name to match to the voice I heard in the background of Chris's phone call. At first I believed him, it was nobody. Now I just feel stupid. Of course he didn't wait for me, how and why would he not sleep around in New York?

The second the guest bathroom door closed with Cleo inside of it, I removed myself from Chris's lap despite his efforts to hold me there.

"I'm sorry." He said, rubbing his hands together.

I took a second and that was way too much time passed for Chris, he grew worried or impatient and crouched down in front of me, trying to meet my spaced out eyes.

"Don't be."

"Seriously, Morgan, and you shouldn't have found out like that."

I nodded in agreement but I still couldn't look at him, I was thinking.

Seems like we get better and move on just for something to creep up and throw a wrench in our happily ever after, you know? All the up-and-down is giving me motion sickness.

"She's nobody, I swear. It was just a few times and I didn't touch her or approach her first, it just happened and meant nothing."

I eventually looked at Chris right in the eyes.

I was just so tired. I said, "It's fine, really. I'm not mad."

How could I be mad when I expected nothing less?

He put his head in my lap. "No but you should be, I fucked up. Again."

"Chris," I exhaled, "it doesn't matter. I love you."

He stood and pulled me up so that he could properly hug me.

"I love you," he rasped. "so much."

It felt nice to be in his arms. It also felt nice to not argue, I didn't have it in me. That, and I just really wasn't mad. I trust him and he said she's no one and it meant nothing, I'll accept that.

"Okay," Cleo rang, stepping out into the loft. "let's go!"

~~~

"—Oh my gosh, babe, look!" I exclaimed at the sight of puppies in the pet store.

Chris slowly let go of my hand and groaned. "Shit, here you go."

I looked away from the window to see him smiling. He secretly liked the puppies, just didn't want to admit it and feed into my puppy-fever.

An exhilarating growl came from the back of my throat. "It's a Dalmatian!"

I could've cried. They had to only be a few weeks old, the cutest things ever.

"Yeah, yeah, they'd make a cute coat. Hey, can we do something I wanna do now?" Cleo butt in.

I pushed off of my knees to stand and listen to her for the 27282939363734th time. And that's just since getting to the flea market. Before that, at lunch, she hit on our waitress so much we almost got asked to leave the premises.

"What do you wanna do, Cleo?" I asked, getting slightly annoyed.

"First," she bubbled, "take my picture, the last ones were blurry."

"We don't have time for this." Chris groaned.

"I thought we had all day?"

I stepped in to answer. "Chris doesn't like being out for a long time, he's like an old man."

Cleo made a face, handing me her Galaxy phone. "You got that right."

Anyway, I took at least fifty pictures of Cleo only for her to like the blurry ones from before.

"Finally." Chris grumbled once I took his hand and started walking towards the exit.

"I'm sorry." I apologized, actually feeling bad that we were being so long-winded. It was inconsiderate given we hadn't done anything he wanted to, yet, just shopped and ate.

"What do you wanna do next, baby?" I chirped in his ear, trying to lighten his mood.

Chris spun me and I giggled, aimlessly stumbling into his chest.

"A-hem! What about me? I'm the tourist here, can I get some attention?" Cleo's voice was becoming the equivalent of nails on a chalkboard.

She stomped in her heels behind our backs until catching up and splitting our hands apart so that she could be in the middle.

She snapped in Chris's face and that's when I knew she had some screws missing for certain because no one else would've done that to him — except maybe me or his mother— and she couldn't even read the room.

"Like, I know her tits have blinded you but I'm here, too." I took minor offense to her statement. I didn't have anything to do with their (not so) friendly fire.

"I know, Cleo. I've known since the second you got here, how could I forget?" Chris finally spoke up in the parking lot.

"Look, today isn't about you, Morgan is my priority so I don't really have time to listen to you talk about shit that's not important. I've acknowledged you all day but you're on ten and it's annoying. I get that's you and we're cool but bring it down, you only know one speed."

Cleo curled her face. "You're being an asshole, like, you should've just let me stay behind, then."

"I'm not being an asshole, I'm telling you as a friend, 'cause really, I've been keeping it cool all day; we've laid off the PDA, I could make you feel like a third wheel but we haven't. You two were literally holding hands and taking selfies without me earlier and I didn't complain once." I found his authoritative voice quite attractive. Like, yes, babe, put your foot down.

"Just chill," Chris concluded at the sound of his phone ringing. "I gotta take this, hold on."

He tossed me the keys to his truck and I shrugged at Cleo and hopped in the passenger seat. See, on the way here I let her get shotgun but Chris didn't want me to. Since they're having a little moment, though, I figured I'd reclaim my 'passenger Princess' title.

Cleo sulked in the backseat and slammed the door shut. I wanted to tell her that Precious didn't appreciate that AKA Chris would've flipped if he witnessed that, but time and place.

I patted my thighs to cure my boredom as the truck was silent since I simply didn't turn on any music, yet.

"He sucks."  Cleo spat and I just let her at first.

Her words made me turn and face her, neck rolling and everything.

"He was right, Cleo. It's nice that you're here but this isn't about you. This situation isn't easy for us and my life could possibly be completely different tomorrow. I'm enjoying spending time with you but sometimes you can be a bit much." I hoped she wouldn't take that the wrong way but it needed to be said. Again. She clearly wasn't getting it.

"Okay," Cleo jeered, removing her seatbelt like she was about to do something so I looked her up and down.

"I didn't wanna have to say this, but Chris and I have been friends since you let him go. He said you're his priority now but you weren't when he was letting my sister go down on him."

Her sister, hm? Explains a lot, I thought.

I had to laugh before pushing the hair over my shoulder and looking her right in the eyes.

"I tried to be nice yet you bring her up again. I know you think it'll make me crazy or hate him or something but it won't. I'm in love with Chris and he's in love with me, and we're going to be together forever if not, longer."

"I-" she made a sound but I put my hand up with a soft smile, eyes closed to not lose my train of thought.

I continued. "At first I thought you were just the witty friend and trying to suck up to me because you want to prove you're not attracted to him, but you're totally jealous. Jealous his attention is somewhere else. Sweetie, he only met you by default and if I were there— which you're right, I wasn't, I'll give you that— you two would've never said more than one word to each other. What I don't appreciate is the way I invited you today because I felt bad that he wanted to leave you behind, and you're trying to come at me like we're in competition?" I cracked up again at the thought of ever competing for a spot on his life. Please.

"He already said it himself but let me make this very clear: you're just his friend, I'm his everything," I said, just inches from her face at this point.

I sat back and grinned at Cleo who, for once, had nothing to say. "I'm glad we had this talk."

A minute passed before I heard the sound of her voice again. "Respectfully, that only made you hotter."

And just when I thought she lost her spunk.

I rolled my eyes but started to crack a smile, seeing Cleo stare at me in the rear view mirror.

"I do respect you. Both of you. I'll lay off, it's just that Chris was the first person to actually get to know me for me in a while. I want to see him happy. And I kinda had my doubts that you weren't as perfect as he said you were."

"Mhm. And now?"

"Now, I see you are everything he said you were. And more," Cleo said, rolling her eyes playfully. "I like you, Babygirl, you're not just a Barbie, there's some sass in there."

I waited, rolling my wrist for her to say the magic words.

Cleo shook me by the shoulders and yelled in my ear, "I'm sorry!"

I laughed, prying her fingers from my sweater.

"It's okay, Cleo. I like you, too."

"Did I make you uncomfortable, with the hitting on you and stuff?" She cringed.

I cracked a small laugh. "Did you enjoy the show last night?"

Cleo with the back of her hand to her forehead, dramatically fell across the seat with an, "ahh."

"Did I?! I came four times, too." She made me laugh. The fact that she said "too" meant she really was listening.

It's just Cleo, I mentally reminded myself. I've had that exact sentiment in my head at least four other times in the day already.

Chris returned and stared us both down, his head turning between us like he was watching a tennis match.

"Everything good?" He wondered, eyeing me for the truth.

"Yeah." I squeaked.

He looked to Cleo in the back.

"Yeah!" She exclaimed happily. "Now drive, ugly."