The Bad Guys in All About Millicent

Engagement Party

As she looked out the apartment window, Millicent thought about what Marmalade had said. Maybe he was right about how not everyone married for love, but when Piranha proposed, he seemed very much in love with her. Maybe she could pretend to be in love with him so no one's feelings could get hurt, but what do people who are in love do? Unfortunately, she couldn't ask Gabi anymore emotional questions, so she'd have to figure it out herself.

Millicent's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Gabi's phone ringing. She picked it up and saw that someone named Diane was calling her, then noticed a picture of Gabi and the fox on a shelf. Figuring the two of them were supposed to be close, she answered the phone with an awkward smile on her face.

“What up, girlfriend?" she greeted cheerfully.

“Hey, Gabi," Diane said, sounding confused. “So... I heard the good news yesterday."

“What good news?"

“Your engagement?" Diane answered.

“Oh. Oh!" Millicent gasped in realization. “Uh, sorry. I meant to tell you, but... I guess in the excitement, I clean forgot."

“Okay, it's cool," Diane said, still a little hurt. “Listen, there's something else you should know about. I just got a call from the chief. Marmalade's escaped from prison."

“Oh. Yeah, that's... not good."

“I know, especially after everything he did to you," Diane added. Millicent blinked in confusion. “It's also possible he's the one behind all of these murders. So, I'd suggest locking your doors."

“Sure, thanks for the tip," she said quietly. Millicent hoped that no one would find out she was the one who killed those people, or Marmalade would never get his revenge.

“So, see you at the party tomorrow?"

“What party?" Millicent asked. “Oh! The engagement party. Of course, I'll see you and... the others."

Diane was confused. Gabi never acted so absent-minded before.

“Well, you should probably get some sleep," Diane said. “Goodnight, Gabi."

“Goodnight... Diane," Millicent replied, hanging up the phone before settling down in bed.

At the party, Millicent looked around at the other guests. On the plus side, almost everyone there was someone she had already met or seen before.

“Wow, fancy!" Quentin said as he licked a pink and white push pop with pieces of fruit inside. “Say, is this limoncello?"

“Um, maybe," Millicent replied nervously. She didn't recognize this snake.

“Oh, sorry, we haven't met yet," Quentin realized. “I'm Quentin Snake, Mr. Snake's son."

“Oh, well, I'm Milli– I mean, Gabriela," Millicent quickly corrected herself. “Gabriela Angelfish... -Santiago."

“Pleased to meet you, Gabi," Quentin said, shaking her fin with his tail. “Over there is my wife Allison talking to the governor and over there are my kids playing with Shark and Piranha."

“Aw, they're adorable," Millicent cooed.

“For snakes, yeah, they are," Quentin agreed.

“What do you mean?"

“Well, very few people consider snakes to be cute," Quentin explained. “Growing up in an orphanage, no one wanted to take me home with them, and none of the other kids wanted to play with me. To them, I was just a scary monster."

“That must've been hard," Millicent said sympathetically.

“It was," he admitted. “So... how did you and Piranha meet?"

“Well, we, uh..." Millicent stammered before realizing she didn't know. “I have to use the bathroom. Be right back!"

“Um, okay," Quentin replied as she ran off. Once Millicent was certain she was alone, she locked the door so no one else could go in.

“Gabriela," she said, “if you can hear me, I need to know how you met Mr. Piranha, please."

“If you must know..." Gabi sighed. “We first met two years ago, when I was still living with the Professor. I didn't trust him, at first, because he was a criminal, but he's the best thing that ever happened to me. Because of him, I feel like I could be more than just a pretty little angelfish. Like I don't... Like I don't have to be perfect all the time. He makes me feel... free."

“Wow," Millicent gasped. “You must be grateful to have him."

“Yeah... I am."

“Hey, open up!" Millicent heard Webs shout. “It's an emergency!"

“Be right out!" she replied. “Gotta go, Gabriela."

With that, Millicent unlocked the door and found the orange tarantula right on the other side.

“Were you talking to someone?" Webs asked.

“How could I? No one else was in here," Millicent pointed out.

“Yeah, you're right," Webs agreed as they switched places. “Hey, Gabi? After the wedding, do you and Piranha plan on living somewhere else?"

“I... don't... know," Millicent admitted. “Why, does that bother you?"

“Oh, no," Webs lied. “You should just be happy. That's all that matters. If my friends are happy, I'm happy."

“Okay, good talk," Millicent said, closing the door.

Sorry this took so long. I'll update as soon as I can.

Until next time. 🌈