Unexpected

Chapter 22

If I'd thought that my time after leaving Mustique and Alex was dark, it was nothing compared to the despair that followed him leaving the second time. I no longer had my all-important studying for the bar as a distraction, so all I did, all day, every day, was think about Alex and whether I'd made the biggest mistake of my life in letting him go again. Knowing that he loved me and that we still couldn't make it work was so much worse than the uncertainty I'd felt before about what our relationship had meant to him.

I told Maggie about Alex's offer and, while she took my side and said she understood my decision, I could tell that she was surprised that I had turned him down. Which of course made me question myself all the more, but ultimately, I knew I had done the right thing. Alex's behavior when it was clear that things weren't going his way had shown me a different side of him, one where he was a spoiled brat used to always getting his way and never having anyone challenge or push him. I didn't want to be with someone like that, regardless of how much I loved him.

When Maggie went to stay with Jack in Chicago for a week, I couldn't stand to be alone, so I moved back home with my parents. It turned out to be a genius idea, as even the most persistent press, who had reappeared after Alex's visit, left after a week -- apparently living in a town with no hotels, no entertainment besides the high school's weekly volleyball and football games, was extremely undesirable for people used to life in L.A. and New York.

Not that it mattered if the press were there or not. I didn't really ever leave the house. I laid around and watched old movies and pretty much became a permanent part of my parent's couch. They tried to get me to come out with them, to school activities they had to attend, but I couldn't stand the thought of having everyone looking at me and asking questions about Alex that I wasn't ready to answer.

My phone rang and I flipped it over, to see if I would even bother answering it. It was Maggie, so although I was tempted to just ignore, I answered, "Hello?"

"Jesus, you sound terrible. Well, get your stuff together because I've had enough of your wallowing. Our results should be out in a couple weeks at the latest. And we'll need to celebrate, or cry, but regardless, we'll want to be together for that. Don't make me drive there to get you. You know I'll do it."

I sighed. "You're right, I'll come back."

I hugged Maggie right after I walked in and noticed she was positively glowing.

"I have a present for you!" she said, and I could tell she was holding back laughter.

She pulled a magazine out from behind her back. On the cover was a picture of Alex and I in Mustique. The headline read "Is Charlotte Maxwell the Stupidest Person Alive? How She Blew It With Prince Alexander." Maggie and I died laughing -- it was exactly what I needed, something so ridiculous that it helped pull me out of my black mood somewhat. I was seriously considering getting it framed.

After we headed into the living room and collapsed onto the couch, I decided to let Maggie in on my newest realization. "Thinking we could make it in the real world is insane, we'd be like those couples on 'The Bachelor,'" she choked, "no, seriously hear me out. We're like those 'Bachelor' couples that fall in 'love,'" I used air quotes, "in this completely false environment and then they really think they're going to make it when they go back to their normal lives. Then they're absolutely SHOCKED when it doesn't work out. They were never going to survive because normal life isn't made up of fantasy dates and trips to exotic locales. It's just, like, work and dinner at Applebee's or some shit like that."

"Wow, I never knew you had such profound theories on 'The Bachelor.' You might have had a little too much time to yourself back at home," she teased. "One thing you guys have going for you is that neither of you were dating and/or sleeping with ten-plus other people the whole time, so you got that going for you, which is nice."

"Not when we were there, but God knows what he's up to now," I said, trying not to think about it. I shook my head. "You know your relationship was not so great when you can reasonably compare it to reality tv. Although I feel pathetic even calling it a relationship. I'm like one of those girls that go on one date with a guy then tell you a story about him later, calling him her 'ex-boyfriend.' I'm always like, 'that's just some guy you slept with, he was not your boyfriend.' That's who I've become. If I ever refer to Alex as my ex, feel free to punch me, seriously."

"Duly noted. But Charlie, he isn't some guy you slept with, it was more than that. Even I could see that as an outsider," Maggie said loyally. "You guys loved each other. That was real. And not to totally poke holes in your whole 'Bachelor' theory, but you do realize that your life with Alex would likely be fairly similar to what you described -- exotic locations and fantasy dates? I mean, it would be balls and charity events and princess shit. I mean, it would also be a lot of people chasing you around and no privacy but you'd have Alex so it could be worth it."

"This is so stupid to even talk about, it's a complete and total fantasy. I don't have Alex and I never will, especially after how everything went down last time. But even if we pretend for a moment that I DO have him, that he wanted me for more than a two week sex-a-thon and as a permanent stand-by date for all his important functions, I could never just be someone's wife, even if being someone's wife meant I was a princess. I've worked my ass off to get where I am and I'm supposed to just throw it away because the guy I fell in love with is a prince? Not going to happen."

"Not to be cruel, but I've heard all this before and Alex has heard all this before -- so who exactly are you trying to convince, Charlie? I think it's yourself. Is it working?"

"Ouch, point taken, Maggie. Let's change the subject, if you don't mind. How was Chicago, did you and Jack have a great time? More importantly, tell me about all the delicious things you ate, I love Chicago food!"

Maggie told me all about what they'd done and where they'd eaten. She had me laughing, as always, and it felt good to not be thinking about myself for once. She kept touching her face with her left hand, which seemed odd but I was so out of it that it took me five minutes to realize that there, on her third finger, was a fairly enormous diamond ring.

"Maggie, what the hell is that?!? Are you engaged?!?!" I asked, grabbing her hand to see the ring closer.

"Yes!! Jack proposed two nights ago, can you believe it? It was so sweet and so Jack -- he'd wanted to go out to this fancy restaurant but it was my last night there, so I just wanted to stay in. I begged him and begged him, so he finally agreed and we ordered a deep dish pizza. He was acting so strange and weird and insisted I stay put in his living room when he got the pizza from the delivery guy. When he came back in, he asked me to open the box and there, right in the middle of the greasy pizza cheese was this beautiful ring!! He got down on one knee and everything, it was just perfect."

I gave her a huge hug, crying with happiness at her good news. "Oh, he did good, that ring is just gorgeous and that's such a perfect engagement story."

"I guess he had this elaborate plan of asking me at the restaurant he'd wanted us to go to and I blew it by refusing to leave the house. But I really prefer the way it ended up happening, not that I told Jack that, I felt so bad about ruining all his hard work. I would have obviously said yes either way but at home, in our sweatpants -- that felt right."

"I'm so, so happy for you Maggie. Jack really is the best guy ever!"

"Thanks, I think so too. As we've been engaged for all of, like, five minutes, we're no where near setting a date or choosing a venue or anything like that, but there's one thing I know for sure -- would you be my maid of honor?"

"Oh my God, of course, thank you so much for asking me!" I was crying in earnest now, so touched that Maggie would want me to play such an important role in her big day.

"Well, get ready to live, because this place is going to become wedding central. Besides all the awesome magazines I picked up with pictures of you on them -- I showed you my favorite but there are some other gems out there, trust me -- I also grabbed every bridal magazine I could find in the airport! I'm counting on you to help me make this the best wedding in the history of ever! No pressure, though."