Dress

Now I Wake Up By Your Side

Joe slammed his laptop cover in total frustration. Executives had gotten word that Maren quit and took the liberty of emailing over some resumes for a new tour manager. Joe was home with baby Remo waiting for Bessy to get back from Milana's dance practice. As his son played on the floor, Joe flipped through some of them in case the worst happened and Maren didn't return. However he was growing frustrated with each passing minute. Q was still MIA as well and the weight of being manager less at the moment was starting to truly get to the usually laid back Joker. In addition to that he had two heartbroken friends that he didn't know what to do with.

"Honey!" He heard his wife call out as he opened the front door. "Can you help me?"

Joe got up from the couch and went to his wife's aid with the grocery bags. "Making your favorite for dinner, lasagna." Bessy Gatto smiled trying to somehow cheer her husband up.

"Thanks babe." Joe smiled sadly.

As they walked into the kitchen, two children fast on their heels asking for a snack, Bessy delivered what she hoped was good news, "Finally heard from Maren today."

"You did?!" Joe asked excitedly. "And?!"

"She says she's fine. She apologizes for disappearing but said she needed to get away from New York for a little while and clear her head. She's really embarrassed babe." Bessy said relying all the information she had gotten from her friend.

"Did she happen to say when she's coming back?" Joe asked.

"She wasn't entirely sure, my guess is at least a few days." Bessy answered as she peeled off a string cheese for the kids to share.

"Has she heard from Q?" Joe asked.

"She didn't say but I honestly doubt it." She said. "You know I love Q and I don't know exactly what he said to her but Maren sounded completely heartbroken. He's no saint either ya know!"

Joe held up his hand as a way of begging his wife to stop. He knew Q was out of line but he was his friend nonetheless and also a man that lives his life on the defense. Brian Quinn was a man that deep down didn't believe he deserved happiness and was forever waiting for a good thing to go south. "Whatever is going on between Maren and Q on a personal level isn't our business." Joe said.

"It is our business when it effects your career." Bessy said rolling her eyes then went back to putting away the groceries.
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Maren let out a relaxed sigh. She had arrived in Key West and already enjoyed a long amazing massage. When she called to book a room, she couldn't bring herself to stay at the same place she had with Brian. Instead she treated herself to a suite at the 24 North Hotel. A lot of people may had thought she was crazy for getting such an expensive room when she had just quit her job but her savings could handle it for the time being.

After her massage she decided to stay in the spa area and go out to their private pool for spa clients only. It was midday and a lot of people were out enjoying Key West so there was hardly anyone there. Maren ordered the largest strawberry daiquiri and dove into her new book she had picked up at the airport. When she opened the first page and realized the main character's name she closed the book immediately. Jason. Dropping it down next to her lounge chair she rolled her eyes. Even though she had to take some responsibility for what happened, she was still so anger that he went this far.

Those photos were something private that happened over 10 years ago. For the first year after her mom had died all Maren wanted to do was forget and have fun. That's when she met Jason and the two did a lot of partying. One night at a bar they met up with one of Jason's college buddies and unfortunately one thing led to another. She was drunk and high as a kite on ecstasy and it was a night that is still blurry to this day. However she was willing and at the time didn't oppose to the pictures being taken. But to actually give them to a tabloid was a new low, even for Jason.