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whatisreggieshortfor · 1 year

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Almost Didn’t Make It

Jack tells a story at their wedding.

Jack x MC

@csmicletters @justtuesdays

“I’m sure some of you aren’t surprised to see us here,” Jack grinned at the crowd, glancing briefly at his bride with eyes overflowing with love and affection, “but maybe you should be. Cause there was almost a time this wasn’t going to happen. I forget to take things seriously sometimes- well, all the time really. It can land me in trouble. But one such time, it may have been the best reflex I ever had, because it helped me hold onto the best thing that ever happened to me- Bet.” Elizabeth’s eyes widened, a startled laugh springing from her throat as she realized exactly what story he was preparing to tell. She could remember the day so vividly, she’d been having the worst week at work and decided to have a girls night with Mara and Alina. Alina was more than willing to open bottle after bottle of wine, hosting the girls at the home she shared with Logan, but Jack had kept texting. Here, at their wedding reception, seemed like an odd time to bring it up- at least if you were a stranger to Jack and Bet it seemed like an odd time. The ones that knew this story however, Bet could see them trying to stifle their laughter as her groom continued, “And don’t worry, my dream, I cleared this story with The Voice and a lawyer- because it didn’t happen, we never violated the agreement from the show.” She breathed a sigh of relief as he grinned at her before turning back to his audience, “But you see, it’s generally a good time when your partner decides they want to get wine drunk with friends on a Friday night. But if you’re like me- and I’m sure some of you are thanking the heavens right now that your partner isn’t- but if you’re like me, you like to check in and be generally annoying.”

“Love, I don’t think you’re annoying.” Bet protested, but they were both laughing.

“Sometimes you do, my sweet, and that’s okay! Because sometimes, like a month after we finished Couple Up together, I do things like this…” Jack hit a button on a remote she wasn’t aware he had, and she cackled in her seat as a screen lit up and showed the word vomit of repeated texts she had been getting that night. Bet couldn’t help but laugh, even as she cringed, because every time Jack clicked the button a new text from that night appeared and she was flooded with memories.

Alina had opened a bottle of some kind of fancy wine neither Bet nor Mara had ever heard the name of before, Bet let out a laugh, “You know, if you had told me when we met that the three of us would be getting together to gossip and vent over wine, I’d have tried to have you committed.”

Alina laughed, long and loud, while Mara hid a smirk behind her glass. It hadn’t been a secret that Bet and Mara agreed with Lizzie that Alina seemed like a gold digger- but they had all seen the transformation take place, Bet especially as she played peacemaker. But now the blonde just nodded with a smile, “Believe me, I know what you mean. Logan ruined me.” Mara snorted into her glass as Alina continued, “Now what’s been going on at work? Your text said something about the label pressuring you?”

Bet groaned, “Yes! You’ve met the guys by now- they want us to replace Jamie as the guitarist for the album!”

Mara made a face, “Why’d they sign you if they didn’t like the whole band?”

Alina waved her off, explaining the show had provided a substantial amount of press on Bet’s talent, before she paused, “Everyone turned their phones off, right? I hate when girls night gets interrupted.”

Bet shrugged, “I had to change my number after the show- only Jack and the guys have my new number so far, but I told them all to leave me alone if it wasn’t an emergency. The band is too afraid I’ll fight them- or that I’ll sic Mara on them.”

“I don’t do that type of work any more.” Mara protested, before seeming to rethink the statement, “But I would be willing to make exceptions for you guys so I take your point.”

Alina huffed, “You haven’t actually explained what’s going on with the label! Why has the whole week been so bad?”

Bet rolled her eyes, but there was a lot more fondness than there had been when they first met, “It’s been literally the whole week. I’ve had to talk Jamie out of quitting every damn day- and that’s on top of arguing with the agent they assigned us that if they boot Jamie, then they lose us, too. I don’t even want the deal anymore at this point! Like I started this band with Jamie, we wouldn’t be the same band if-“ Bet’s phone chimes and she scowled as she pulled it out, “It’s Jack.” Mara and Alina suppressed grins, expecting to see the same lovesick smile they’d been seeing on video calls whenever Bet mentioned him, but instead she slammed her phone on the table. “God, I asked him so many times to leave me alone tonight. He keeps trying to give me his life coach advice- like just let me make these decisions on my own!” The phone dinged three more times in rapid fire before she finally unlocked it.

The Avatar:

My wishing star

Did you feed Henry?

I know you think it’s a dumb name for a fish

But it’s not a reason to let him starve

I just don’t wanna over feed him if you already did

I know you’re busy with the girls

(Hi Mara, Hi Alina!)

Just please tell me if I need to feed him

Eh, an extra helping of food one day won’t hurt

Bet It All:

I’m breaking up with you.

Alina and Mara stared wide eyed as she slammed her phone down, not expecting an onslaught of texts to bring her to that point so quickly.

But Jack wasn’t done.

The Avatar:

No.

Bet It All:

No? What do you mean no?

The Avatar:

I mean no 🤪

Bet It All:

You can’t just say no.

How does it feel to be single now?

The Avatar:

I wouldn’t know 😚

Mara took the phone from Bet’s hand before she could reply again, “Bet, you know we care about you, even if neither of us is particularly great at showing it. We aren’t going to let you do something you’ll regret. What else is going on?”

Bet’s lip wobbled, tears leaking out, “I’m scared. Am I making the wrong choice? Jamie is a one of a kind guitarist, we’ve been friends since we were little, but am I throwing away my chance at making it to keep her with the band? Jack says I’m doing the right thing, that we’ll figure it out, but it’s not like either of us have a stable career. I don’t want to let him down.”

Jack clicked all the way through to the last message before addressing the crowd again, “As you can gather, we didn’t break up that night. Maybe that was mostly thanks to Mara and Alina, but I like to think I played a part in it. I refused to accept it, partially because it would hurt, but because I didn’t think it was what she actually wanted. And later that night, once the girls were properly toasted on three or four bottles of wine, I got this video from Logan. Alina, I’m sorry, because Bet may murder your fiancé since she’s never seen this before.”

“Be more worried about her murdering you for showing it!” Lizzie called out from the crowd.

Jack gave them the big, carefree smile that made Bet fall for him to begin with, “She’d never, so pipe down second best Elizabeth.” A mock gasp of indignation came from her spot next to Owen as the video played.

Logan was on screen first, pressing a finger to his lips like he was on a call instead of recording, before he quietly turned the camera over to show the three of them lounging comfortably on the couch. The audience could see the moment Mara caught sight of him, but they could also see his finger touch his lips again on the edge of the screen before she turned back to Bet, “What were you saying?”

“I’m saying he’s perfect!”

“Oh god,” Bet put her face in her hands, laughing as the onscreen version of herself flipped across the others girls’ laps.

“Perfect?” Alina scoffed drunkenly, “Perfect is overrated.”

“No, no. I mean he’s- he’s really perfect. Those stupid texts I got mad about? That’s his way of letting me know he’s thinking about me because he knows I was upset. He can’t cook nearly as well as I can, but when I come home late from the studio I know there’s going to be a dish of whatever he made for me waiting in the fridge, usually he’s already heating it up because he stayed up until I got home.” Bet sighed, her eyes blinking slowly at the grins the girls directed her way, “I caught one of those twenty four hour stomach bugs the week after we left the Mansion, right? He made me chicken soup. He helped me wash my hair. Even though he made jokes, he stayed with me through the whole thing. I really don’t think I could ever do better.”

The clip cut off, and Jack was still standing right beside her, grinning like he’d really won the lottery, “The video continues to Alina waxing poetry about Logan, and he is welcome to using that for his wedding, but today isn’t about him,” he winked at Logan, sitting in his place as a groomsmen, to let everyone in the joke, “Everyone in this wedding party played a part in our journey to get here. There’s Bet’s band mates, they encouraged her to sign up for the show. My best woman, Mara, was a confidant for Bet from the first day, and I know it worked both ways. The man of honor, Samir, was the first friend Bet made, being the one to wake her up and make sure she was okay. Logan was with Bet most of the mansion, out of a friendship formed more than romantic obligation, and he kept her safe on Passion Island. Alina let Bet talk to her, comfort her, get through to her, no matter how terribly their friendship started. Not to mention-“

“Me!”

Bet’s jaw dropped, “The Voice? Is that you?”

“Observant as ever, Bet! I had to be present for a wedding born from my favorite Love Seekers!”

Jack grinned at her, “Surprise, baby!”

“The Voice is crashing my wedding.” Bet shook her head with a smile, “I expect nothing less.”

“Hey, I was invited!”

“This is like the reunion party all over again, but without Gaby’s terrible lying skills.”

“Hey, that was on the fly!” Said woman called from her table with the other Love Mansion guests, and Caleb, that didn’t make the wedding party choices.

“Like I was saying,” Jack continued, “Everyone played a part in us making it here. Mara, Samir, Logan, Alina, The Voice. This day wouldn’t have happened without them. And so I thank you all, for helping me get the greatest thing I’ve ever had. The woman who taught me that life is about more than just living in the moment, but still finds reasons for us to take a day trip to the next town just to spend the day trying little mom and pop shops.”

Bet dabbed at the tears springing in her eyes, Samir taking over when she started smearing her make up, “God, how am I supposed to make a speech now?”

“By one upping me like you do with everything else about you, love.” Jack winked, pressing a kiss to her cheek, “I love you, Bet.”

“I love you, too, Jack. What was your wiki page said? ‘This precious boy is a boundless well of optimism and excitement’?” He nodded with that same smile, “I think it might’ve undersold you.”

Masterlist

#couple up love show story #couple up #couple up!#Couple up! Jack #couple up! Jack x mc

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