As Mark gathered his wits he couldn't help but think he deserves this. Since he met Sheri, he's made choices against his wife and family he never thought he'd make.
Mark laughs while catching his breath. "You're right. I'm out of line. I self-destruct when too many things don't go my way. You know that…"
"I know. And you know I've never been one to take it. None of your boys would. That's why we boys, cause we'll beat your ass for it." Anthony says in a matter of fact tone.
"Except for Cordell!"
"Except for Cordell! And he's the cop!" Anthony adds with a chuckle and Mark joins in.
The men calm down and head inside. Edna prepares Anthony a feast as Mark filled him in on everything that happened over brunch.
"Monica can be overzealous in her attempts to see things through I can admit, but for Isa to act like this project was just child's play was insulting. Like, wtf she thinks goes into running a state... And I'm sure she was just defending Sheri because she was overwhelmed by the proposition but you don't come at the Governor and his wife in that manner in front of diplomats." Mark said incredulously still not believing how unprofessional this defense attorney was.
"She does seem to speak her mind without thought..." Anthony admitted.
"Well for a defense attorney she's emotional... You probably should tell her not to come to any more political meetings if she doesn't know how to hold her tongue." Mark did his best to not bad mouth Jill since Anthony gets all sensitive. He couldn't believe how sprung Anthony was over her, not that he had room to judge but he didn't expect this from Anthony.
Anthony then revealed that he actually has no way of getting in touch with Jill, And how they bickered about each other's professions.
"She just ran off... She probably had it in her mind to leave the moment she found out what I did for a living... Anyways, I checked to see if she took anything while I was sleeping but the only thing that was missing was a bottle of water."
"How would you kno- never mind." Mark replied remembering Anthony has a serious case of OCD.
The conclusion the men came to was, never hook up with smart hoes, their impressions is long lasting.
"Well," Mark said "you don't necessarily have to see Isa again, me on the other hand, have to do a couple more run-ins with Sheri."
"Just have Sheri invite Isa so we can suffer together." Anthony said jokingly but hoping Mark would. He desperately wanted another night with her. He was tired of the random hookups. Yes, that's what Isa was at first but in their short time together Isa's energy kept him on his toes and wanting more without being too much. He was attracted to how comfortable she was in her own skin and how she enjoyed his touch. She ultimately was someone he wouldn't mind having around from time to time. Or even all the time. Whatever it was about her, he had it bad.
Mark sensing Anthony's mood said "Man come on, don't worry about it. What would a prosecutor do with a defense attorney anyways? I mean, I may not know Isa well but I know she's calculated enough to not jump into something that wouldn't work... In other words, it's not you it's your profession."
"How do you seem to have all this confidence in who she is? You can't stand her." Anthony quizzed.
"Oh, I don't! I just know she's quick to call out anything that's problematic. Hence why we don't get along, at all." Mark says putting his hands up.
"You believe she thinks you're problematic?" Anthony chuckles.
"When it comes to Sheri... yes. Which is why I can't stand her... She gets in my way..." Mark shrugs.
Anthony has to laugh at this. "Bruh! You are problematic!" One thing Anthony can admire about Mark is that he knows how to read a room.
"I never said I wasn't... But maybe you can make peace with her rejection knowing that about her..." Mark wasn't sure if this advice on Jill aka Isa was 100% accurate. What he did know is he didn't want Anthony agonizing over her. His friend was not the type to take any woman seriously. In fact, the last time Anthony was caught up with anyone was with his ex-wife Lydia, but that was more out of convenience for his daughter and him wanting her to grow up with a good example of family more than anything else. In Marks's opinion, Anthony just has a bit of an infatuation.
"Ugh! Yeah, I can accept that..." Anthony says, sighing heavily, not used to rejection at all.
Mark pats his shoulder and says, "I won't tell the bro's if you don't..."
"Unfortunately, Jake saw everything from the footage in the museum before he deleted it... At least the beginning of this crazy ride, and I'm sure he's gonna want the rest of the details..." Anthony says laughing when he remembers what Jake said he saw Mark doing to Sheri in the museum.
"Dang! Did he tell you?!" Mark said sliding his hand down his face.
"Sure did! And you know he told Cordell!" Anthony said laughing. "Bruh, you're crazy!!!"
Mark laughs in embarrassment. "Well we have to get our story straight when they ask for more."
"Nothing but a quick hook up and toss out." Anthony says conceding. No point in hurting their egos any further by revealing how these women disarmed them.
***
Anthony and Mark we're best bros with Jake Whitaker and Cordell Anderson. Mark and Cordell were childhood best friends but lost contact when they went to different high schools. In high school, Mark met Anthony and they've been best friend's ever since, even when they attended different universities. That's when Anthony met Cordell. Both attended the same University and had an interest in law, ended up taking a couple of courses together and hit it off as friends. Their connection became stronger when they realized they both knew Mark and would laugh at the stories they shared with the time they had with him.
The two decided to call him one Saturday morning.
Mark unintentionally burps into the phone as he answers and slurs "Ant. Nice to finally hear from you."
Having had Mark on speaker Anthony and Cordell look at each other wide eyed and start laughing.
"Ew ninja, you over there sounding like trash!" Anthony starts clowning.
"He probably looks like it too!" Cordell chimes in.
"I know I look better than you! Whoever you are!" Mark slurs into the phone.
Before the men could respond to their belligerent friend they hear a bit of a ruckus.
"Hello?..." Anthony calls.
"My bad I fell. Pants around my ankles..." Mark slurs.
"Are you drunk?" Anthony chuckles.
Instead of responding to Anthony's question Mark calls out, "Girl! Girl! You can leave now. We're done now..."
"This man's a fool." Cordell says laughing, not a bit surprised and his long lost friend's antics.
"She won't get up... what do I do?..." Mark said rubbing his head as a migraine makes it's appearance.
"Uhhh. Check if she's still breathing." Anthony says, starting to get worried.
Mark puts the phone to the girl's face so they hear the beastly sounds coming out of her.
"Wtf is that?" Anthony asks.
"She keeps making this noise. It's so loud I just want her to leav-" Mark can hardly get words out before he belches again and projectile vomits on the girl's back.
"Is he vomiting?" Cordell questions hearing a straining gag and wet noises. The men make a face of disgust. 🥴
"Ahhh! WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU?! YOU FILTHY MOTHERF*****!" A women yells.
The men are too committed with the ordeal to hang up, so they continued to listen.
"It was an accident..." Mark slurs. "Good! Just get out!.... Put down my sheets!"
After more ruckus and shouts from the girl, everything is silent.
"Hellooo?..." Anthony calls again.
"Oh... Hey Ant. What's good?." Mark says feelings a bit better now that he threw up.
"Ninja is YOU good?" Anthony ask as Cordell laughs in the background.
"Man, I just threw up on this girl's back... I have no idea... Who she is... Did you need something?"
"Just wanted to ask if you remember a kid named Cordell... But I think you need to get your life together." Anthony says chuckling as Cordell shakes his head.
"Yeah... This chick really just stole my blanket... You know a kid named Cordell stold my Power Ranger blanket one time." Mark says, trying to recall the incident in his drunken haze.
"You mean I took it back after you stoled it!" Cordell corrected.
"That's not how I remember it..."
"You don't remember anything you do bad!" Cordell yells.
"YOU DON'T KNOW ME! Who is this?!"
"CORDELL!"
"Cordell?... CORDELL!!!" Mark says in surprise.
"Yeah ninja, nice to hear from you too!"
The three men became tight-knit after that.
Jake's arrival to the group came much later.