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131: Redoing my Life, Disneyland pt.2
🕑 Added 2024-10-29 06:41:23 +0000 UTCDaniel watched as Cam came to a halt near him, panting heavily. "Oh, thank God she stopped," Cam wheezed, placing his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. Mitchell, equally winded, finally caught up and straightened, looking completely taken aback when he recognized Daniel.
"Daniel? What are you doing here?" Mitchell asked, his surprise evident.
Daniel smiled, his arm still around Margot. "Just enjoying a day off. Figured it was time to check out Disneyland," he replied, glancing at Lily, who was now hiding behind Mitchell’s leg, peeking out shyly.
Mitchell took a moment to catch his breath before his eyes shifted to Margot, his expression brightening with recognition. "Oh, hi, Margot!" he greeted politely, giving a small wave.
Margot’s smile was cordial, but there was an awkward undertone. "Mitchell, Cam," she greeted back.
Daniel looked at her, confused, his eyebrows furrowing. He noticed the unease between them; he knew Margot had briefly met Mitchell and Cam during the party he had at his apartment. He glanced between Mitchell, Margot, and then Cam, who stood there looking sheepish.
"Okay, what's up? I feel like I'm missing something," Daniel said.
Mitchell looked embarrassed, searching for words, while Cam gave an awkward smile, clearly reluctant to explain.
[Mitchell and Cam Commentary]
"Margot is nice," Mitchell began, nodding thoughtfully. "Really nice. She’s a sweetheart."
"Yes, a total sweetheart," Cam added quickly, agreeing with him. "And she and Daniel look good together—a very cute couple." He paused, his expression shifting to one of apprehension. "Something happened a few months ago..."
[Cut to Margot opening the door to Mitchell's office, looking for the meeting room at Infinite Worlds Publishing.]
Inside, Cam and Mitchell were in a compromising position. As the door swung open, Cam let out a startled squeal, his eyes widening as he stumbled backward.
"Oh my God! I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry!" Margot blurted out, turning away immediately. Her face flushed red as she quickly backed out of the room, closing the door behind her in a rush.
Mitchell stood there, his face as red as his hair, eyes wide. He buried his face in his hands. "That’s it. I’m fired," he mumbled in despair.
[Commentary Resumes]
"Like I said, Margot is... sooo nice," Mitchell continued, smiling nervously at the memory. "She didn’t tell anyone, and she acted like it never happened afterward, which was, honestly, really kind of her."
Cam nodded quickly in agreement, his eyes wide. "Yes, yes, very gracious. She's definitely one of the good ones."
[End Commentary]
Back in the present, Daniel looked between them, confusion clear on his face. "Alright, are you guys going to tell me?" he asked, crossing his arms.
Margot quickly stepped in, her voice smooth and reassuring, trying to deflect. "Oh, it's nothing—you had to be there..."
"Or maybe not," Cam added.
"Oh, definitely not," Mitchell said.
Daniel looked between them, the confusion on his face starting to ease. "Whatever," he said, dismissing it.
"Oh, Danny, something came up..." Mitchell began, slipping into the familiar cadence of professional speak as he started discussing a legal matter with Daniel’s new production company. Cam immediately rolled his eyes, waving his hands at both of them in exasperation.
"Oh no, no, no! We are not doing work talk at Disneyland!" he said, glaring playfully at Mitchell before turning to Margot. "Can you believe these two?"
Margot smiled, nodding in agreement. Her eyes met Daniel’s with a knowing look. "You’re right. No work stuff today."
Cam, ever the dramatist, crossed his arms and gave Daniel a stern look. "You’ve been working my poor Mitchell way too much lately."
Daniel chuckled, shaking his head apologetically. "Sorry, Cam. But starting a production company is hectic work."
"So, is it just you three here today?" Daniel asked.
Mitchell shook his head. "No, actually, the entire family is here."
Daniel paused for a moment, curiosity getting the better of him. "Ah, so Haley is here too?" he asked, trying to sound casual. He hadn't seen Haley in person since they broke up—just exchanged some texts and had a few polite phone conversations, but nothing face-to-face.
Margot turned to Daniel, one eyebrow arching in surprise. "Oh, your ex is here?" she asked, her tone curious.
Cam, never one to miss an opportunity to tease, let out a chuckle. "Ohhh, awkward," he sing-songed.
Daniel sighed, waving his hand dismissively. "It’s not awkward," he said firmly, brushing off Cam’s teasing.
Margot seemed satisfied, and Daniel took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Alright, we should get going then—"
But before he could take another step, a familiar voice called out, "Daniel! Hey, Daniel!"
He turned around to see Phil and Luke approaching. Phil looked exhausted—his shirt slightly wrinkled and his hair tousled—while Luke bounded up, his face alight with excitement.
"Hey, Phil," Daniel greeted warmly. He lifted his hand for a high five as Luke approached. Luke eagerly slapped Daniel’s hand, his smile wide.
Phil smiled, though the weariness in his eyes was unmistakable. "Hey, D-Man! What are you doing here?" he asked, attempting to hide his exhaustion behind a grin.
"Same as you, Phil," Daniel replied with a grin. "Just enjoying a day at Disneyland."
Noticing the tiredness etched on Phil's face, Daniel gave him a concerned look. "You look like you’ve had a rough day, Phil. Everything alright?"
Phil sighed dramatically, wiping his forehead. "I’m fine, it's just... well, a bit disappointing, you know? We wanted to go on Space Mountain again, but the line was insane."
Luke, standing next to his dad, pouted and nodded. "Yeah, we didn't get to go again," he said, clearly disheartened.
"Hey, you know what? I have a premium pass. Why don't you guys come with us? I can get you to the front of the line," Daniel offered.
Luke's face instantly brightened, his eyes wide with excitement. "Really?! You can do that?"
"Yeah, of course," Daniel said, giving Luke a reassuring nod.
Phil looked momentarily taken aback, then managed a grateful smile. "Oh, good, that's great," he said, trying to muster enthusiasm despite his fatigue.
It was clear he needed a break.
"Oh, by the way, Phil, this is my girlfriend, Margot," Daniel added, introducing the two of them.
Margot smiled, extending her hand. "Nice to meet you, Phil."
Phil shook her hand warmly. "It's nice to put a face to the name. You made quite the impression on Luke."
Margot looked down at Luke, her smile softening. "Have you been behaving, Luke?"
Luke's cheeks flushed a bright shade of pink, and he looked down at his feet, mumbling a shy, "Hi, Margot."
"Alright, let's head to Space Mountain then," Daniel said.
Luke let out a triumphant cheer before darting off ahead of them, eager to reach the ride as quickly as possible. Daniel and Margot followed, their hands intertwined as they walked at a more leisurely pace, waving goodbye to Cam and Mitchell. Phil trailed behind them, moving considerably slower as he tried to catch his breath.
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After riding Space Mountain, Daniel talked to some of the Disneyland staff and handed Luke and Phil a few special passes so they could go on rides faster. Then he led Margot to New Orleans Square until they reached a door with a small, unassuming "33" plaque beside it.
"So this is the super-secret club you're part of?" Margot said.
"Well, it's not thaaat secret," Daniel replied as he led her toward the door.
To Daniel’s surprise, standing near the door were Jay, Gloria, and Manny. Gloria, for some inexplicable reason, was wearing large yellow shoes—perhaps part of a costume. Jay spotted Daniel first and gave a wave, followed by greetings from Gloria and Manny.
"Daniel, what a surprise!" Jay called out.
"Hey, Jay. Gloria, Manny," Daniel greeted them warmly. "Oh, and Jay, Manny, you remember my girlfriend Margot."
"How could I forget?" Jay said.
"Gloria, this is Margot... Margot, Gloria," Daniel introduced them.
"Ay, no wonder my Manny had a little crush on you," Gloria said, causing Manny to turn red.
"Mom, no," Manny protested.
"You should read the poems he wrote for—" Gloria began to say.
"Mom, stop," Manny interjected.
"Oh, you wrote poems for me?" Margot said, playing along.
"Hey man, not cool. I thought we were bros," Daniel said.
"It's not true... I mean..." Manny stammered.
Gloria looked at Jay. "We need to go, Jay. Remember, we have to meet the rest of the family at the restaurant."
Daniel smiled. "I won’t keep you waiting then."
Jay glanced at the door—marked discreetly with a '33'. "Wait a second... Are you going in there?" he asked, pointing at the Club 33 door.
Daniel grinned. "Yeah. I recently became a member."
Jay's expression shifted to one of admiration mixed with a hint of jealousy. "How the hell did you manage that?" he asked, shaking his head. "I've wanted to get into that place ever since I first heard about it."
Daniel laughed. "Tom Hanks kind of nominated me. It wasn’t too difficult after that."
"Ah, it's so easy for you celebrity types," Jay said with a playful tone, though clearly envious.
"Hey, you’re a successful man, Jay. I could probably nominate you too if you'd like."
Jay’s eyes lit up with interest. "Really? You’d do that?"
"Absolutely," Daniel said with a smile. "Why don’t you come in with us now? We were just heading in for lunch. I can introduce you to a few people inside."
Jay’s face broke into a wide grin. "Oh, absolutely."
Gloria, overhearing, gave Jay a pointed look. "What about lunch?" she asked, sounding somewhat exasperated.
Daniel quickly added, "It’ll just be a quick introduction, Gloria. He’ll join you soon."
Jay nodded eagerly. "Yeah, Gloria. I won’t be long, I promise. I just need to see the inside."
Manny's curiosity got the better of him. "Can I come too?" he asked hopefully.
Gloria shook her head. "No, Manny. We’re going to meet everyone else." She shot Jay a glance. "Enjoy your fancy place, Jay."
Daniel nodded to Gloria and Manny as they walked off. "Bye, Gloria. Bye, Manny."
"I want those poems!" Margot called after them, making Manny blush even more.
Daniel, Margot, and Jay turned toward the entrance to Club 33. As they approached, the host—a distinguished man in his fifties, impeccably dressed—recognized Daniel immediately.
"Mr. Adler, welcome. And I see you’ve brought guests."
"Thank you," Daniel replied with a smile. "This is my girlfriend, Margot." He gestured to her. The man gave a courteous nod in her direction. "A pleasure, miss."
"And this," Daniel added, "is Mr. Jay Pritchett, a prospective member."
The host gave Jay a polite nod. "Of course, Mr. Pritchett. Please follow me, and I’ll see that you’re introduced around."
Jay looked both surprised and thrilled.
They walked inside.
"Oh my God, is that Alan Arkin?" Jay said, spotting the actor sitting on a couch.
"Yes, it is, sir," the host replied, then turned to Daniel. "Will you be nominating Mr. Pritchett, then?"
Daniel nodded.
Jay then followed the host into the club, while Daniel and Margot headed toward the dining area to have lunch.
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Haley POV
Haley, Alex, Claire, and Ethan met up again with Cam and Mitchell, who were standing near a concession stand. Cam was holding onto Lily's hand as she tried to dash off, her youthful energy making it a challenge for him to keep her under control.
"Hey, guys!" Cam called out cheerfully, tugging Lily back toward him.
Mitchell leaned in close to Claire, lowering his voice as he eyed Alex and Ethan. "So... it didn't work out, huh?" he asked, his tone laced with a knowing hint.
Claire sighed, clearly annoyed. "No," she replied flatly, a hint of irritation in her eyes.
Cam's eyes brightened as if suddenly remembering something. "Oh, oh! Guess who we ran into today!" he exclaimed, his voice brimming with excitement.
"Who?" Claire asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Daniel," Cam said, his smile widening. The mention of his name instantly caught Haley, Alex, and Ethan's attention.
"Daniel?" Haley repeated, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"Yes! We saw him on Main Street," Cam continued, oblivious to the shift in Haley's mood. "He was there with his girlfriend—you know, the one I told you about," he added, turning to Claire.
Mitchell quickly nudged Cam gently, trying to get him to stop. "Okay, that's enough, Cam," Mitchell said, giving him a warning look.
[Haley Commentary]
"Daniel did mention he had a new girlfriend," Haley said, her voice sounding as casual as she could make it. She glanced aside briefly before continuing, "I may have checked her out—you know, snooped around on the internet a little." She gave a small, self-conscious shrug.
"She's... she's pretty, sure," Haley admitted, her tone neutral. "But I'm pretty sure she's only with Daniel to advance her acting career or whatever." She paused again, her expression faltering just a bit.
Alex, sitting beside her, raised an eyebrow. "Wow. What happened to 'I'm over him'?"
Haley turned to her sister, her eyes narrowing. "Shut up," she snapped.
[End Commentary]
Ethan's face lit up at the mention of Daniel, his excitement clear. "Oh, wow! I'd love to see him. Maybe even get a photo with him!" he said eagerly.
Alex smiled, glancing at Ethan. "Yeah, I'm sure he'd take one with you," she said, then locked eyes with her sister. "Who knows? Maybe we'll run into him again."
Haley remained silent, her lips pressed into a thin line. She watched the two of them, her mind swirling with emotions she wasn't ready to confront.
They soon met up with Phil and Luke, who were making their way to the restaurant where they all agreed to meet. Phil looked frazzled, his hair slightly disheveled, and he was walking a bit unsteadily.
Claire's brow furrowed as she approached her husband. "Phil, are you alright?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.
Luke, on the other hand, looked absolutely thrilled, bouncing with energy. "We went on so many rides!" he exclaimed, not noticing his dad's state.
Alex blinked in surprise. "Already? Aren't the lines supposed to take forever?"
Luke nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, but we met Daniel! We went together, and he had a premium pass, so we got to skip all the lines!"
Phil nodded, still catching his breath. "Daniel... he has a premium pass. Instant front-of-the-line access," he said, exhaustion clear in his voice.
"It was so cool!" Luke added, his excitement uncontainable.
Ethan smiled, clearly impressed. "That was really nice of him."
Alex crossed her arms, nodding knowingly. "Sounds like Daniel, alright."
"Oh, Margot was there too. She promised to teach me skating," Luke said.
[Haley Commentary]
"Am I the only one who hasn't met this... Margot?" Haley said, putting extra emphasis on Margot's name. "I mean, what kind of name is Margot?"
"At this point, everyone in my family has met her. Grandpa, Manny, and Luke met her when they went to Miami. Alex is apparently friends with her..."
She let out a small, irritated laugh. "And why does my entire family seem to know more about my ex-boyfriend's life than I do?" she added, her voice a mix of disbelief and annoyance.
[End Commentary]
Haley quickly decided to steer the conversation away from Daniel. Forcing a smile, she tried to keep her voice light. "Hey, let's just go get lunch. I'm starving," she said, looking around at everyone.
The group nodded in agreement and made their way into the restaurant where they were supposed to meet up. As they arrived, they found Gloria and Manny already seated at a large table.
Claire immediately noticed Jay's absence. "Where's Dad?" she asked.
Gloria glanced up, her expression nonchalant. "He went with Daniel. They went to join some secret club or something."
Haley's eyebrows shot up. "So you met him too?" she asked, her voice tinged with annoyance.
Manny nodded.
"What secret club?" Phil asked, clearly curious.
Manny shrugged. "Daniel said he could get Grandpa into a secret Disney club, so they went there."
"Wait... Club 33?" Phil said, his voice filled with awe. "I thought that was, like, a legend!"
Haley sat and listened. It seemed today was ‘talk about Daniel and his new pretty girlfriend’ day.
[Haley Commentary]
"Why am I even getting so bothered about this?" she said, almost as if trying to convince herself. "We broke up like a year ago. I shouldn't care."
Alex, sitting beside her, gave her a look.
Haley paused, glancing at Alex before looking ahead, her shoulders slumping slightly. She let out a small, resigned sigh. "Okay, fine," she muttered, as if coming to a realization. "I might not be over it."
[End Commentary]
After a moment, Jay joined the family at the restaurant, looking more than a little pleased with himself as he sat down.
"You won't believe what just happened!" Jay declared, leaning in with excitement.
"I am now under consideration for membership at one of the most exclusive clubs in the world—Club 33," he announced, unable to hide his smug expression.
"Oh, so Daniel managed to get you in?" Mitchell asked.
"Well... not yet, but I'm on the list now," Jay said. "As one of the leading men in the closet industry, I'm a shoo-in. Also, I'm sure the kid's nomination will help me out," he added confidently.
Haley could feel her frustration building, her family fawning over Daniel for what felt like the hundredth time that day. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore.
Without a word, she pushed her chair back and stood up abruptly, the legs scraping loudly against the floor. The others looked up in confusion as Haley stormed away from the table, heading outside.
"What's wrong with her?" Phil asked, his brow furrowed.
"Teenagers," Claire said, shrugging as if to brush it off. "She'll be fine."
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Haley leaned against the railing, her eyes downcast as she tried to gather her thoughts. The sight of the illuminated castle before her did little to lift her spirits; it couldn't erase the unsettling feelings that had followed her throughout the day.
"Hey," came a familiar voice from behind.
She glanced back to see Daniel standing there, his hands casually tucked into his pockets, a small smile playing on his lips. He took a step closer. "Everything alright?"
Haley let out a sigh, rolling her eyes, her shoulders still tense. "Of course it's you."
Daniel raised an eyebrow, feigning offense. "Whoa, what did I do to deserve a greeting like that?"
"Nothing. You did nothing," she replied flatly.
He moved closer, leaning on the railing beside her and mirroring her posture. Looking over, his brow furrowed with concern. "You sure you're alright?"
She hesitated for a moment before speaking quietly. "It's just... been a weird day. I've been feeling off about everything."
Daniel nodded, his eyes softening. "Yeah, we all have those kinds of days."
A long silence stretched between them before Haley suddenly turned to him, her voice unexpectedly direct. "Why did you break up with me?"
He looked taken aback, blinking in surprise. "I thought we talked about this when it happened," he said gently.
"Yeah, I know... but do you think we could've made it work if we tried harder?" she asked, her eyes searching his face.
Daniel sighed deeply, shaking his head. "No, Haley. I don't think we could have. We would've just ended up making it worse. We were in different places, and neither of us would have been happy."
She stared at him, and after a moment, nodded slowly. "Yeah, you're right. You're always right."
"Is there something else going on?" he asked softly.
Haley hesitated, then took a deep breath. "I just... after all this time, I've realized I'm not over you. I thought I was, but... I'm not."
He blinked, clearly not expecting that. Opening his mouth, then closing it, he searched for the right words. Finally, he spoke. "Haley, I... I'm surprised, but I understand. You know, it took me a while to move on too."
She swallowed, looking down at the ground.
"But I want you to know," Daniel continued, his voice firm, "you deserve all the happiness in the world. And sometimes, moving on is part of finding that happiness. I'm happy, and I want you to be happy too."
A long silence settled between them. Haley let out a deep breath and looked up at him, her eyes reflecting a mix of emotions. Finally, she nodded, as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
"Thank you," she said quietly. "I think I just needed to hear that. I've been trying to ignore it for so long."
He nodded, a gentle smile returning to his face. "We all need closure, Haley. I'm glad we talked about this."
They stood side by side, gazing at the castle in comfortable silence as a gentle breeze stirred around them. Suddenly, Daniel remembered something, a spark of excitement lighting up his eyes.
"Hey, by the way, remember when you asked me to look into some colleges to help you get into fashion?" he asked.
She nodded, curiosity flickering in her expression.
"I think I found a good one for you," he said. "I can send you the details if you're still interested."
Her eyes widened in surprise, a small smile tugging at her lips. "You remembered that?"
"Of course," Daniel replied with a grin.
Haley's smile grew warmer. "Alright. I'll look into it."
They shared a moment of quiet understanding before the soft sound of footsteps approached. Haley turned to see a beautiful blonde woman walking toward them.
"Hey," Margot said as she reached them, her gaze shifting curiously between Daniel and Haley.
"Margot," Daniel said, stepping back slightly. "This is Haley."
Haley offered a polite smile. "Nice to meet you."
Margot smiled warmly in return. "Nice to meet you too. I've heard a lot about you."
Haley raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh really? All good things, I hope," she said with a slightly teasing smile.
Margot glanced at Daniel, who looked mildly apprehensive, then smiled back at Haley. "Mostly good," she replied with a playful smirk.
The tension eased as they all laughed softly. Soon enough, Haley and Margot were chatting amicably. Daniel stood to the side, watching the two women engage in conversation—surprised and relieved that they were getting along so well.
"He really does that thing where he over-explains everything, doesn't he?" Haley said with a grin.
"Oh, you have no idea," Margot replied, rolling her eyes in mock exasperation. "Especially when he thinks he's being clever."
Daniel shook his head, letting out a resigned sigh. "I feel like this was a mistake," he muttered.
Both Margot and Haley laughed, their laughter mingling as they walked ahead. Daniel trailed behind them, a mix of concern and amusement on his face, but unable to hide his smile.
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Later that night, Daniel returned to his hotel suite carrying a bottle of wine, a bucket of ice, and some non-alcoholic drinks. As he closed the door behind him, the lock clicked softly into place. From deeper inside the suite, he heard Margot's voice.
"Daniel?" she called out.
"Yes, I got the wine for you!" he replied, making his way toward the bedroom.
As he stepped inside, he stopped dead in his tracks.
Standing in the middle of the room was Margot, dressed in an elaborate Cinderella costume. The sparkling blue gown fit her perfectly, shimmering under the soft lighting, and the delicate tiara atop her head made her glow even more. She looked as if she had stepped straight out of a fairy tale.
She gave him a shy smile. "So, I got the costume after all," she said teasingly, spreading her arms to let the skirts of the dress flow around her.
Daniel blinked, a grin spreading across his face as he took in the sight. "Hello, Princess. Are you in need of a prince?"
Margot blushed slightly, her smile widening. "Yes, I've been waiting for him," she replied, giving a playful curtsy.
Setting the ice bucket and drinks down on a nearby table, Daniel couldn't take his eyes off her. Without another word, he crossed the room swiftly, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her off her feet. Margot let out a surprised laugh as they both fell onto the bed, their laughter filling the room as they landed on the soft sheets.
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Extra
Daniel and Margot sat on the couch in their apartment, shifting uncomfortably as they looked at the camera set up in front of them.
Margot leaned closer to Daniel, her voice dropping to a whisper. "So, we just... talk to the camera?" she asked, her brows furrowed.
"I think so?" Daniel replied, sounding equally confused. He scratched his head and glanced around the room. Pointing a thumb at the camera, he added, "Uh, so... what exactly do you want us to do here?" He raised an eyebrow.
There was a muffled response from off-screen.
"You want us to talk about our day?" Daniel repeated, trying to clarify.
Margot's eyes widened. "Our day? Like... the whole thing?" She turned to face the camera, giving it a skeptical look. "Uh, okay. I woke up, made coffee, and watched Daniel spend twenty minutes arguing with the toaster."
"Hey!" Daniel interjected defensively. He turned to the camera with a serious expression. "In my defense, that toaster... you know what, fuck that toaster. Waste of money."
Margot stifled a giggle, then gestured toward the camera, her expression skeptical. "Wait, wait, wait. How did we get here? Like..." She looked around the room, her eyes narrowing. "How did they even get in here?"
Daniel blinked, clearly confused. "Yeah, good question."
"Do you guys, like, live here now? Are you hiding in the closet?" Margot asked, leaning forward as if trying to see behind the camera.
The camera shook slightly, as if the person behind it was nodding or shrugging.
"Alright, alright," Margot said, waving her hand dismissively. "We're done. This is getting weird."
Daniel looked at the camera. "You heard the lady. We're out."
Margot and Daniel exchanged a final confused look before getting up from the couch.
"I still don't get how they got in here..." Daniel muttered as they walked away.
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Chapter 132 by the end of the day.
