Watching Brad

[gsdx]

I found one place in the story that is weird....

Is that supposed to be Jeremy?

Yes, it is. Good catch. Thanks.

(I need a proofreader with a score card to keep track of things like this. )

By the way, I'll probably be posting the next chapter later on today.

 

[gsdx]

WATCHING BRAD
Part 158​

I knew it was Justin coming home even before I called out to him. It couldn't have been anyone else, really.

At that time of the night, at the weekend, Lindsay would most certainly be out at her favourite pub with her friend, roommate, and colleague, Christy, undoubtedly chatting up all the boys who thought English-style pubs were more fun than Canadian-style bars. Since she'd moved out of the house following her graduation from college, she usually only dropped by for occasional visits or when she needed money or food or new brakes for her car. I didn't mind. That's what fathers are for - just to be there in case we're needed.

Jeremy wasn't at home, either. He was in Ottawa at a Home and Garden show with his Dad. Brad was manning the kiosk there, promoting the new branch of Baie Dankie Landscaping which had recently opened for business in the Capital City and Jeremy had gone to help him as he usually did. Justin wasn't interested in landscaping, but Jeremy took after his father and, at seventeen, was just as good a landscaper as Brad. Of course, a lot of Baie Dankie's success was owed to Brad's determination and hard work, but it was really Nathan who took it from a small enterprise with offices on the third floor over a downtown bakeshop to a thriving business with all its own buildings, equipment, greenhouses, warehouses, and nurseries. With five branches in Ontario, plans were in the works to open the business to franchising.

I was proud of my entire family and couldn't have been more proud of them. I did miss Brad, though. The bed always felt so empty when he went away on business.

"Justin?" I called out. "Is that you, Son?"

"Yeah, Dad," he shouted from the front door. "It's me."

"Don't forget to lock the door and set the alarm!"

"Already on it!" came his reply.

I heard the distant click of the lock and then the double, electronic ‘beep' which told me that the alarm system was now engaged. I listened for and heard the sounds of the hallway closet door opening and the double thuds as Justin toed off his sneakers and flipped them off his feet into the closet, and then the closing of the door.

"Don't forget the kitchen light!"

"Gee-sus, Murphy, Dad! Take a pill or something," he said lightheartedly. "I'm not a little kid anymore, ya know!?"

I smiled to myself in the darkness of my bedroom. "Yeah, I know, Justin. Sorry." I paused for a few moments, then said, "Hey, Justin!?"

"I know, Dad," came his reply. "Love you, too."

That, too, made me smile.

I was staring at the open door of my bedroom and saw the light from the kitchen go out and the hallway was filled only with the dim light from the nightlight plugged into the wall socket there. It wasn't necessary anymore, of course, but I kept it there nonetheless - a remnant from the past, I suppose. Soon enough I heard Justin's socked feet padding down the hall toward me and I reached over to flip on the bedside lamp. He poked his head through the doorway and I was greeted with that handsome smile and those sparkling blue eyes which could still melt my heart.

He tossed my car keys onto the dresser near the bedroom door. "Thanks for waiting up for me," he said through his grin.

"I wasn't waiting up," I lied.

"What was it this time? Somebody dialed a wrong number? Police siren? Barking dog?"

"If you must know, it was a car alarm one street over," I said, jabbing my thumb toward my bedroom window to indicate a non-specific direction. "Took the owner almost ten minutes to get out there to shut it off. I haven't had time to go back to sleep yet."

He gave me a smirk and a wink and I decided it was a good time to shift his attention away from me. "So, how was the movie?"

"I'll tell you in a minute. Right now, I've got to take a wicked leak." He turned away from the door and turned right back again. "Hey, Dad, any of that chicken left from supper?"

"Yes," I told him.

"Could you nuke up a piece or two for me? Thanks."

As he turned away again, I called after him. "What's wrong? Your arms broken that you can't heat it up yourself?"

"Bathroom," he called back. I didn't have to see his face to know that there would be a smug little smirk on it.

I slid out of my bed and into my bathrobe before heading out into the hall toward the kitchen. I paused by the door of the bathroom. It stood ajar and, through the opening, I could hear the noisy splash in the toilet bowl. Since Lindsay moved out, we were all a little less reserved and modest around each other. Bathroom doors were rarely closed for a simple piss.

"What pieces would you like, Son?"

"Umm. . ." he paused as he thought. "A breast and a leg."

"Okay."

"Make that two legs," he amended, and then, after a very short pause, "and maybe a couple of wings if there's any left."

I tilted my head down as I grinned widely and shook my head. My boys sure could eat. "Want me to whip up some mashed potatoes and gravy to go with ‘em?"

There was only a slight pause before his response came. My sarcasm had been totally wasted on him. "Nah. I had a barrel of popcorn at the theatre. The chicken will be enough, thanks."

I had never denied food to anyone in my family and I wasn't about to begin now. If Justin wanted the majority of a chicken for a midnight snack, then the majority of a chicken he would have.

I went to the kitchen, flipped on the light again, and set about getting the chicken pieces ready for reheating. I added a thigh for myself and popped the plate in the microwave before plugging in the electric kettle so I could make myself a cup of tea. Before I sat down, I poured a large glass of milk for Justin.

I was sitting at the kitchen table, waiting, when he came in. He'd stripped down to his briefs as he often did now that his sister wasn't living there anymore. He plopped his hands onto my thighs and leaned forward and gave me a solid kiss on the cheek.

"What was that for?" I asked when he leaned back and stared, smiling, at me.

"For waiting up for me," he said.

"I told you I wasn't waiting up for you."

"I know," he said softly, sincerely, "but thanks anyway, Dad. Makes me feel good that you still care enough."

I smiled back at him and winked. "It's my job, my Sonskyn."

He puckered his lips this time and I leaned forward a bit to give him a proper kiss. "Don't ever quit your job, Dad," he told me, but he already knew that I never would. He took his chair and his eyes moved to the top of my head. "I wish you'd quit colouring your hair," he said. "It looks stupid and it stinks."

"I don't like the grey," I told him.

"Old guys are supposed to have grey hair. Besides, Dad loves it." With a wink, he added, "Gives him major wood, you know."

"Justin!!"

My son just laughed. "Gee-sus, Murphy, Dad! Chill, would ya? I think it's great that you can still turn Dad on like that. You can't tell me you haven't noticed the way he stretches his jeans when he sees you with grey hair. I'm surprised he doesn't blow out the zipper. He thinks the grey is seriously sexy, and so do I."

"Well, I don't."

Justin leaned forward and placed his hand on my arm. His face turned suddenly serious. "You have to trust me on this one, Dad. Brad loves you, but he loves you a whole lot more when you let your hair go grey. He likes you being natural. Maybe you don't see it, but we do."

"But I'm too young to have grey hair," I said.

"And you're too old to be so stupid," Justin said softly as he gave my arm a gentle squeeze. "Your grey hair turns Dad on and Jer and I like it better than that artificial crap you slop all over your head. Let it go natural."

Despite his bluntness, Justin made a strong argument. The rise in Brad's libido when the grey peeked through hadn't escaped me, but vanity always reared its ugly head and I would soon find myself reaching for the bottle of artificial colour. I considered Justin's words for a few moments, then nodded my head slightly. "I'll think about it."

Behind him, the kettle began to whistle and Justin pushed away from the table and went to the stove to prepare my cup of tea for me. It gave me a few moments to admire my son. Except for the maturity and added masculinity in his face, Justin still looked like he did when he was five years old. His hair, like his twin brother's hair, had darkened somewhat since childhood, but it was still a beautiful, light, sandy blond colour much closer to Brad's hair colour than the colour of their youth. His eyebrows were thick and considerably darker than his hair now, contrasting starkly with his lightly-tanned skin and giving him an undeniably mysterious and alluring and (dare I say it?) sexy appearance. His arms, legs, chest, and stomach were covered with a dusting of fine, blond hairs which sparkled in the daylight like sunshine on freshly-fallen snow. Funnily enough, he rarely had to shave. His face appeared to be immune to the growth of the facial hair which plagued both of his fathers.

Also like his brother, gymnastics had turned Justin's body into a well-toned, well-honed power machine. They had managed to outgrow their Uncle David by the width of my thumb, but their short stature didn't hold them back from doing anything they put their minds to, and it was that short stature which made them prime candidates for gymnastics. With their low centres of gravity, they could fly across the floor and work the vaults and pommels like pros, and they were poetry in motion on the parallel and high bars.

Their bodies were solid and well-shaped from the years of gymnastics practice. They had muscles in places that I could only have dreamt of having when I was their age and I would have given anything to have had an ass which filled a pair of jeans like theirs did. They had incredible shoulder, arm, and leg muscles, and powerful chests which put Brad's still-magnificent chest to shame.

They weren't exhibitionistic where their bodies were concerned, though. Justin wasn't showing off by running around the house in his underwear. Rather, they were comfortable with being scantily clad after all those years of stripping down on the auditorium floors during competitions in order to change suits or to put on their sweats. When they've been seen in their underwear on community television, being seen in their underwear was nothing unusual in the de Villiers household. It was more unusual to see my grey hair.

Am I bragging? Sure I am. You'd brag, too, if you had those two boys as sons. I don't think I could ever be more proud of both of them.

As if he read my mind, Justin spoke over his shoulder as he readied my tea. "You and Dad coming to our meet in Kingston next week?"

"Have we ever missed one before?"

"Nope," he said as he tossed the spoon onto the counter and picked up the mug and carried it over to me.

"Thank you," I said. "You going to do your new floor routine?"

"No," he replied as he went to the microwave to retrieve the chicken. "Still having trouble with the second run landing. Keep screwing up the twist and landing on my left foot. I don't want to do it in competition until I've locked it down solid. But Jer's going to do his new vaults. You should see him go, Dad. He's magic on that thing. I wish I could fly like that."

"You do some pretty fancy flying yourself, Justin."

As Justin awaited the microwave, his gaze moved to a spot somewhere on one of the cupboard doors where, apparently, his thoughts could be seen more clearly. "Not like Jer, Dad. Oh, sure, I can whip his ass on the floor and the pony, but on the vault and the bars, my brother is pure magic in motion. That boy has wings." There was no jealousy in Justin's voice - no animosity or envy. There was only admiration and pride - the same pride and admiration which both Brad and I felt for both of our sons.

The microwave bell sounded and Justin's mind snapped to his task at hand. He pulled out the plate and brought it to the table before sitting in his usual chair diagonal to me. "So," he said as if none of the previous conversation had taken place, "the movie. Tony and I thought it sucked big time. Too mushy and kissy-kissy, but Andrea and Dee loved it. I think it was because Kyle What's-his-name spent most of the movie without a shirt on. You remember him, Dad. He was the young guy in the new Tarzan movie."

My eyebrows raised as I remembered the movie. "Oh, him," I said almost dreamily. "He was kind of cute."

Justin chuckled as he peeled off some chicken and popped it into his mouth. "Want me to take you to see it tomorrow? There's a matinée. You know, in case you're missing Dad too much, and I won't tell him you went." Even through his chews, his delightful, teasing smile broke through as he winked at me

I reached over and mussed with his hair and then I left my hand there, my thumb gently stroking his hair as I stared at him and the strangest feeling washed through me.

"You really miss him a lot, don't you?" Justin asked in quiet understanding. "I miss him, too. But, cheer up, Dad. He'll be home again tomorrow night. Until then, you've got me to keep you company."

I stared at my son for a few long moments, then my hand slid gently behind his head and I leaned him forward toward me so I could kiss the top of his head. "And I can't think of any company I'd rather have." He gave me that ‘Justin' smile and I breathed a heavy sigh. Finally, I withdrew my hand, leaned back in my chair, and picked up my chicken thigh. I decided it might be best to change the topic before I humiliated myself by grabbing him and holding on for dear life. "Sounds like you and Andrea are getting pretty serious. I hope you're playing it safe."

"We're not doing anything that needs us to be careful, Dad. We've talked about it a lot, but we both want to wait until we know each other more and get more serious with each other. We don't want it to just be for the sex. We want it to mean something to us. But, now that you mention it, Jer and I could use some more condoms."

I almost choked on my chicken. "More!? I just gave you a new box last weekend!"

"Well, with Jer going away for the weekend, we kinda used them all up."

Oh, to have hormones like that again. After I recovered from the shock, I said, "I've got another box in the bedroom. I just hope you're not taking advantage of your brother, Justin."

"It's Jer who uses most of them, Dad," he said. "Not me."

That stunned me into silence and I sat back in my chair and stared at him for a very long moment. "Really?" I asked finally.

Justin shrugged. "I'm not really into. . . well. . . you know. . . doing it to him, but Jer enjoys it, and I don't mind it, so. . . . It's no big deal. If I was into it as much as he is, he'd let me. But don't worry, Dad. We take care of each other equally. Neither of us is taking advantage of the other." And then he began to chuckle loudly.

His laugh was contagious and I began to smile again and to chortle lightly. "What?" I said.

"I was just thinking about the time you walked in on us the first time and caught us going at it. Scared the living crap out of us and we thought you were going to have a heart attack, but all you did was to wait for us to get dressed, then sat us down and taught us how to be safe."

"And then I had your Dad put a lock on your bedroom door the very next day," I winked.

"Both of you were just so cool about it."

I shrugged one shoulder. "We were expecting it so it wasn't really a big surprise. As long as you're happy and safe, that's what's important to us. And if and when you and Andrea ever get around to it, I hope you play it safe with her, too."

"I will, Dad," he replied honestly. "I promise."

Justin and I shared a silent moment then and my thoughts took me into a place in my mind where I had always been afraid to go. I rolled up my courage into a ball and tossed it out to him: "Did you and Jeremy ever regret us adopting you?"

It was Justin's turn to sit back in his chair. "Shit, Dad! What in hell kind of a stupid question is that?" he asked with a stunned look crossing his handsome, young face.

"Watch your language, young man!"

"I'm seventeen, Dad," he replied quickly as his body tensed and his face turned hard. "Stop treating me like a little kid. Now, why in hell would Jer and I ever regret you and Dad being our fathers?"

Justin was right. For all intents and purposes, he and Jeremy were men now and I had to begin treating them as such. I decided to let the language issue slide, especially since it seemed so appropriate at the time considering the question I had asked. Instead, I said, "Well, it couldn't have been easy for the two of you, having two fathers and living in a gay household. I should imagine you took all sorts of teasing and ribbing about it."

Justin sat there thinking for a few moments and began to relax once again, staring down at the table and nodding his head slightly as he chewed. "It bothered Jer more than it did me." He looked up at me. "I didn't like it at first, but then I realized that a lot of the guys who teased us didn't even have a father, and those who did were usually ignored by them. Me and Jer were. . ."

"Jer and I," I corrected.

"Sorry. Jer and I were really lucky not only to have two fathers, but both of you loved us so much and you weren't afraid to say so or show it. We couldn't have asked for better fathers if we'd gone out and picked you out ourselves and we wouldn't have traded you in for anyone. But let me ask you the same question. Did you ever regret adopting us?"

I smiled gently. "Except for the time you put mashed potatoes in my shoes when you were seven years old and when you set fire to the bedroom curtains when you were nine, no. I've never regretted adopting you, and I wouldn't ever trade a single moment of your lives with me and Brad."

"Shouldn't that be ‘Brad and I'?" he winked as he corrected me.

"No," I replied with a broad smile. "Now shut up and eat."

Justin slept with me that night. I had objected at first, reminding him that he was too old and too big to be sleeping with his ‘Daddy', but he insisted. "Sometimes a son just needs to be held by his father, Dad. I hope I never get too old for you to love me," he told me and climbed into bed with me. "Besides," he continued, "You're probably missing Brad and I know I'm missing Jer. At least we can be here for each other." He lay beside me for a short time, nestled in the crook of my arm, before he maneuvered himself around and took up the same position atop me as he had always done when he was a little boy, straddling my hips and falling asleep with his cheek pressed against my shoulder and his warm breath blowing against my neck.

I wrapped my arms around him and gave him the most loving hug I could.

"Daddy," my young son said in a strained, almost breathless voice, "you're hurting me."

My eyes jerked open and I was awake immediately. I looked down at Justin, now suddenly five years old again. He'd lifted his head from my chest and his sleepy eyes were barely open, but his brow was crinkled with discomfort. I relaxed my grip on him and rubbed his back in gentle, soothing circles as he turned his head to the side and laid his cheek upon my chest once more. "I'm sorry, my Sonskyn," I whispered quietly as I kissed the top of his head. "Are you okay now?"

His head nodded ever-so-slightly against me, and then he was asleep again. I remained awake this time, gently loving Justin and missing Jeremy and Brad very, very much.

* * * * *

I'm not certain why I can remember so much of that dream whilst the last few hours leading up to the wedding ceremony remain such a blur in my mind. Perhaps it was because the dream was so real to me and left me with a very happy feeling.

Those final hours were, I suppose, more like a dream than the actual dream I'd had. They were nothing short of ‘organized chaos', and Nathan was the conductor of the orchestra. Somehow he got us all through the dinner hour and then spent the rest of the evening flitting back and forth between our house and the Hayes household making certain that all the T's were crossed and all the I's were dotted.

I thought about Connie and the peril she posed, but only for a brief moment. The twins didn't give me much time to be concerned about anything, really. Their excitement grew with each passing second and, when it finally came time for them to go to bed, it was a chore getting them there. In the end, it took them falling asleep in my arms almost two hours past their bedtimes as I sat with them on the sofa before they would stay in bed alone when I put them there.

I followed them to bed an hour later. I had anticipated that I would lie there awake all night, but the boys settled themselves on me after I'd climbed into bed and I pulled the sheet over us and settled in for a long, sleepless night. It didn't happen. My mind shut down from utter exhaustion and I was asleep almost immediately.

Saturday morning was a continuation of the chaos from the night before. Somehow, we managed to get everyone showered and bathed and dressed. Of course, Nathan was there once more, zipping back and forth from house to house again, making certain everyone had exactly what they needed and checking off items from his list at every turn. The man was a miracle worker and I'm not at all sure we would have made it through as effortlessly as we did without his efforts.

With only a few short hours to get everyone ready, we somehow managed it without many mishaps. Jeremy was particularly distraught at one point when his left shoe was misplaced and he cried for almost twenty minutes as we tore their bedroom upside down trying to find it, and then Mom thought to look in his toy box and there it was.

By twelve o'clock noon, we were all ready and trying desperately not to melt in the outrageous heat and humidity of that July day and Nathan had checked off every item on his lengthy list of ‘things to be done'. By twelve-thirty, we were all loaded into our cars and vans and on our way to the church in Toronto.

Once there, Nathan took over and put his organizational skills to work. Somehow, he managed to keep the groups separated so that Brad and I didn't get so much as a peek at each other and, by two o'clock in the afternoon, I was standing in the narthex at the doorway leading into the nave with my little group. From inside came the sounds of Peter's electric piano as he played (at my request) a glorious and delightfully haunting rendition of Schumann's Traumerei. I knew the time was drawing near. That was the last tune which would be played before the ceremony was to begin.

Nathan stood beside us, giving last-minute instructions and advice and reminders to everyone as I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Very soon, I would be getting married again, and I would be marrying a man who I adored. The rehearsal flashed quickly through my mind and I thought briefly of everything I had to do and what I had to say. I was satisfied that I was as prepared as I could possibly be. Anything untoward which might occur was now beyond my control and we would deal with it if and when the occasion arose.

I felt a reassuring hand on my left forearm and I looked in that direction and smiled. The smile I received in return seemed to tell me that everything was going to be okay. I put my right hand over the hand on my arm and pressed into it, finding a strength and warmth there which I knew I would need in the coming minutes.

I glanced around at everyone surrounding me, looking at and listening to the muted and whispered excitement. Anxiety and excitement levels were high and gaining strength with each moment which slipped by. Inside the church nave, the hushed and muffled voices of all the guests rumbled gently beneath Peter's exquisite music. Inside my chest, I could feel my heart pounding. I hadn't even been that excited when I was married the first time. I could only imagine what Brad was going through.

The final strains of Traumerei reached my ears and I knew the moment had come. I looked at Nathan and gave him a slight nod.

"Okay, everyone," he said in a loud, calm whisper. "This is it. Is everyone ready?" There were nods of affirmation all around and I sucked in one final deep breath and let is slip silently past my lips.

And then the music began and Nathan said quietly, "Okay, everyone. Here we go."

Peter's music and Brook's magnificent voice filled the nave. The wedding had begun.

To Be Continued​

 

[BlueD]

A new chapter! Woot! It's an exciting and wonderful chapter... I love it and awaiting for the next chapter on the wedding hoping that it would go well...
Thank you Neil ...

-Blue Dragon

 

[sshaffer15]

I'm already in tears with anticipation. Thank you for another wonderful chapter, Neil. I am also glad to hear you are doing so well. Take care.

Steve

 

[Just4fun2]

Hi Neil! What a beautiful dream Ted had. You make this story seem so real. Thanks again Neil for this story. I am glad your doing better, keep up the good work.

Chris

 

[sheep]

The dream was beautiful.

 

[kcm17480]

That is a really great dream and so real like. Now the wedding, can't wait to see ow that turns out. Beautiful chapter.

 

[gsdx]

That is a really great dream and so real like. Now the wedding, can't wait to see ow that turns out. Beautiful chapter.

The wedding will be posted next week. I'm nearing the end of the chapter now. Just a few more pages to write, I should imagine.

 

[White Eagle]

Bravo!! I love his dreams.
Waiting with anti...............cipation.

 

[Kyanimal]

I am at a loss for the proper words!

Keep smilin'!!
Chaz

 

[gsdx]

WATCHING BRAD
Part 159​

"I see trees of green. . . red roses too.
I see them bloom. . . for me and for you
And I think to myself. . . what a wonderful world.

"I see skies of blue. . . and clouds of white,
The bright blessed day. . . the dark sacred night
And I think to myself. . . what a wonderful world."

Brook's deep, melodic, and enchanting voice filled the church nave as we began our short trek down the aisle toward the low podium where the officiate awaited us. Bill stood to the Vicar's right (my left as I looked at them) and Warren was rising to his feet in front of his wheelchair opposite Bill. Both Warren and Bill were dressed in matching charcoal grey suits with a white carnation boutonnière. Our friends and family were also on their feet in the pews, turned to face us and to follow us with their eyes and their smiles as we marched slowly down the aisle.

Lindsay led our small procession looking every bit the princess she was. She had selected the dress and the colour herself (with the help of her grandmothers and Terry, of course). The dress was a full-length gown - more like a prom dress, really - of the palest, iridescent pink which shimmered and swam and danced in the lights as she made her way down the aisle. A double, white orchid corsage was pinned to her left shoulder strap. Her white shoes sounded lightly on the carpet with each step she took and peeked out occasionally from beneath the hem. She walked with her shoulders pulled back and her head held high and looked more mature than I had ever seen her look. She was most certainly enjoying her ‘moment' in the spotlight. Terry had done her make-up that morning and it was extremely subtle and complimentary except, perhaps, for the sparkling silver sprinkles in her hair which twinkled like a million snowflakes in the afternoon sun. Even without the make-up, though, I'm certain her face would have been glowing and probably reflecting the multi-coloured nosegay she held in front of her.

Justin followed closely behind Lindsay, dressed in a cornflower-blue tuxedo jacket with tails and matching pants. His shirt and gloves were white, but his little bow tie and cummerbund matched his jacket. His shoes were black and very, very shiny. He looked so damned cute! He carried a white, satin pillow trimmed in gold fringe in front of him and. Attached to the exact centre of the pillow was a gold ring - fake, of course, and only for show. The real one was in Warren's pocket.

Justin had an idea about what was going to happen that day, but I don't think he really expected an audience to be there watching him. The grin on his face stretched from ear to ear as his head whipped from side to side, beaming proudly at the family and friends who had gathered there in the church to witness the wedding. Some he recognized and waved to. Others he did not know yet. He turned around several times to look up at me in wide-eyed amazement before turning back to his audience and sucking up all the attention and adoration he could manage to absorb.

I glanced to my left and was met with Mom's smiling face as she walked beside me, her right arm genteelly linked into my left arm. She looked so beautiful dressed in her lemon chiffon, floor-length gown and with her hair all done up as it was. She wore my Gran's favourite broach over her left breast and a yellow rose corsage on her left wrist. Gran, who still lived in England, was too frail to travel and couldn't attend, but she'd sent the broach for my Mom to wear. I knew that piece of jewelry well, so it was almost like she was there with us. She would be getting a copy of the video, of course. I'd see to that personally.

As for myself, I wore coal-black pants with a crisp seam running down the front of each leg. My tuxedo jacket was snow white with long tails at the back. The vest and hand-tied bow tie were periwinkle. A single pink rose boutonnière was pinned to my left lapel. My shirt was white with stiff collars and cuffs and my shoes were just as black and shiny as Justin's shoes.

Brook sang and Lindsay led us to the dais where she took her place to Warren's left and helped to guide Justin around her until he was standing in front of my best friend and my Best Man. I guided Mom to her place beside Lindsay, then moved to stand between Warren and the minister. Warren calmly slipped his arm into mine and leaned against me for support.

"Are you okay?" I whispered in concern as he grabbed my arm tightly.

"Just a bit wobbly in the knees, Teddy," he whispered back. "Nerves. I'll be fine." He looked at Bill and gave him a reassuring smile. I, apparently, was more concerned than either of the two.

I took a deep breath, then turned my attention back down the aisle toward the doorway through which we had entered only moments earlier. Barry, selected by me to be an usher, stood to the right of the door, dwarfing Mark in both height and breadth who stood at the other side. Barry looked decidedly official and undeniably handsome, but Mark appeared unexpectedly relaxed and obviously delighted to have been selected by Brad to be a part of the proceedings. His smile was just as wide as Justin's had been.

I had seen vast changes in Mark since he'd begun working for me. I'd watched him grow and gain confidence in himself and, under Brad's patient and caring tutelage, he was discovering that he could do much more than most people even considered allowing him to try to do. With Nathan's help and with Brad's encouragement and, under Barry's watchful eye, Mark proudly and diligently tended his duties as an usher, and he tended to them extremely well.

Terry appeared in the doorway between our two ushers as Brook continued his wonderful singing. The second procession was about to begin.

"The colors of the rainbow. . . so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces. . . of people going by.
I see friends shaking hands. . . saying how do you do.
They're really saying. . . I love you."

Terry was dressed identically to Lindsay and her hairstyle was identical to Lindsay's as well, cut into short bangs at the front and permed into loose, wavy curls at the sides and back. Except for her hair being black instead of blonde, she looked like a grown-up Lindsay, and, as with Lindsay, Terry's make-up was very subtle and flattering. Some women had to work very had at being pretty. Terry wasn't one of them. Like Audrey Hepburn or Ingrid Bergman, most of the work was already done.

Jeremy tagged along behind Terry, an exact replica of his brother who had preceded him down the aisle. Unlike Justin, though, Jeremy seemed overwhelmed by the whole experience and looked as though he were about to burst into tears, but a look behind him and a gentle smile from Brad assured Jeremy that his soon-to-be second father was there with him and he settled into his role in the ceremony.

As for Brad, my eyes locked on him and stayed there. I barely even noticed his mother, who was wearing a very pale celadon green dress and walking along beside her son and holding onto his arm. Like me, Brad was dressed in black pants and shoes, white shirt and tuxedo jacket, and the periwinkle vest and bow tie which all looked so much better on him than it did on me.

His huge, chipped-tooth grin ploughed into me like a linebacker at scrimmage and knocked me back onto my heels. Even from that distance, I could see his piercing green eyes. They captured my gaze and held onto it. I remember sucking a deep breath of air into my lungs as much to keep myself from fainting as it was to keep myself from crying. As beautiful as Brad is, I could never have imagined him looking any more beautiful than he looked at that moment. . . and so very different. His long hair was gone, trimmed neatly away to a point where his lovely waves were no-longer in evidence. Lighter highlights had been added to his hair and I could see them even from where I stood, shimmering and dancing in the lights from the photographer's flash. It was something of a shock at first but, by the time Brad had taken only a few steps, the shock faded away and his stunning beauty was left behind. His boyish looks were gone, but were replaced with an undeniable masculinity and maturity.

There were a lot of people in that church with me, and our photographer and his assistants were flitting about and doing their duties but, at that moment, there was only one person that I could see and my eyes followed him with every single step as he drew closer and closer to me.

"I hear babies cry. . . I watch them grow.
They'll learn much more. . . than I'll ever know
And I think to myself. . . what a wonderful world.
Yes, I think to myself. . . what a wonderful world.
Oh, yeah. . ."

When Brook's voice faded away into silence, Brad was standing in front of me. His wide grin was gone now, replaced by an elated and anxious and ready smile. He blinked away the moisture in his eyes as I sucked in another deep breath. Had I been paying closer attention, I might have seen Jeremy standing in front of Bill and Terry and Bernice standing opposite my daughter and my mother, but Brad was still the only person I could see.

The Reverend began to speak. The magical moment had finally arrived and, suddenly, I had to share Brad with everyone else. The Vicar's voice was suitable to the occasion and rather appropriate to the older, grandfatherly man he was. He reminded me of Jack Lemmon in his later years. His was a powerful voice and could easily be heard by those at the back of the church, but it was soft and mellow at the same time and captured and held everyone's attention.

"It is, indeed, a wonderful world," he began, "when we can all gather here as family and friends to share in the confirmation of the love between these two young gentlemen and to be a part of the joining of their lives and their love together. Only a few short years ago, this would not have been possible. Our friends here would have had to share their lives and their love in silence and to be forever apart in the eyes of the church and the government. Today, they do not have to hide themselves behind closed doors. They can walk freely in the world knowing that they are equally a part of it instead of viewing it through closed curtains. It has been a very long and a very difficult mountain to climb, but it has also been a mountain well worth climbing, and I am extremely pleased that I am still alive and able to stand here today and officiate over this ceremony which will join these two fine young men together in God's name.

"Please join me now in a moment of prayer." Heads were bowed and eyes were closed. I know I bowed my head, but my eyes remained open and locked on Brad's gaze. I simply could not divert my eyes away from his. "Father in Heaven," the Reverend began, "we ask that you bless Theodore and Bradley and their families and friends on this most joyous day, and we ask that you give them the strength and the support they. . ."

The minister's voice continued on, but I stopped listening when I felt Warren's hand tugging urgently at my arm. I looked at him and knew immediately that he had something he needed to say to me. I bent my head down so that my ear was close to his lips. "Left of the door," he whispered. "Blue dress."

I glanced up and toward the back of the church. The woman's head was bowed and she had blonde hair - probably a wig - tinted eyeglasses, floppy earrings, and a lavender, wide-brimmed hat which matched her dress, but there was no mistaking that it was Connie. So. She had come. I had thought she might, but I had also hoped that she wouldn't. A shiver of apprehension crept up my spine and settled at the base of my neck. It was my turn to lean on my friend for support.

I straightened and caught Barry's attention, nodding slightly toward my ex-wife and mouthing the words, "blue dress". He looked at her, then back at me, and he nodded. He knew immediately what I was talking about. I could see his stance adjust ever-so-slightly. He made no other move, but he was ready to do so if necessary.

I could see the worry in Brad's face when I looked back at him - he'd noticed Connie as well - but I winked at him and smiled. Slowly his face relaxed and the smile returned to his face and the twinkle returned to his eyes.

As we stood there looking at each other, the minister's voice brought me back to the moment: ". . . as they begin their journey through life together. Most of all, O Lord, please watch over these children. Keep them safe from the perils and worries of the world. We ask this in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

"Amen," said the congregation in unison.

Bowed heads raised as the Vicar looked out toward the congregation and announced with a gentle smile, "You may be seated." As everyone sat down and made themselves comfortable, Barry and Mark approached, taking up a position in the aisle at the first row of pews and clasping their hands in front of themselves. Warren released his grasp on my arm and sat down in his wheelchair.

The Reverend glanced at the wedding party, a polite and calming smile on his face. His gaze fell briefly upon Justin and Jeremy. He lifted his head once again and began to speak. "When I see these young gentlemen here, I am reminded of a wedding over which I presided several years ago. There was a little boy who looked very much like you. . ." he said as he smiled at my sons, ". . . and he was in the wedding just like you. I remember watching him as he came down the aisle toward me. He would take a few steps and then he'd stop and turn to the congregation - first one side and then the other - and he would hold up his hands with his fingers bent into claws and he would make a loud, growling sound at the people and then he'd move along again. And so it went - step, step, roar, step, step, roar - all the way down the aisle and much to the audience's delight and amusement.

"As you can imagine, the congregation was near tears from laughing so hard at the little boy's performance, but the little boy was getting more and more distressed from all the people laughing him. By the time he reached me, he was near tears himself.

"I knelt down to comfort the boy and, when I asked him why he had been roaring at the people, he sniffled and said to me in a sad, little voice, ‘I was trying to be the Ring Bear.'"

Everyone burst into laughter. Even Justin and Jeremy began to laugh despite the fact that they probably had no idea why everyone else was laughing. Eventually, as the laughter died down, the minister continued:

"Marriage is a time-honoured ceremony celebrating and affirming the promise of eternal love between two people and it is not to be taken lightly. Therefore, if any person knows of a just and sufficient reason why these two people should not be joined in marriage, I ask that you speak now or forever remain silent."

My jaw tightened so hard that I feared I might crack a tooth as I waited for Connie's voice to put an immediate stop to the proceedings, but the objection never came. It was only a matter of a second or two, but it felt like a lifetime. I had been watching Brad, but he wasn't watching me. His eyes were, in fact, closed as he, too, held his breath and awaited the death knell.

Instead, the Reverend's voice was the only one to be heard as he spoke to me and Brad: "I now charge and require of both of you, in the presence of these witnesses, that if either of you are aware of any legal impediment to this marriage, you reveal it to me now."

Both Brad and I remained silent, of course.

"Who gives these gentlemen to each other?" The Vicar asked.

Mom and Bernice took a step forward and spoke in unison. "We do."

Barry and Mark came forward then. Barry offered his arm to Mom and Mark offered his to Bernice and they escorted our mothers to their places beside Dad and John Hayes before returning to their stations at the back of the nave.

Connie hadn't moved.

"It began with a new house," the Reverend said. "A new house, a truck full of antique furniture, a friend who failed to show up to help unload it, and an approaching thunderstorm. Theodore was in need and Bradley arrived to unselfishly offer his assistance. Fate conspired to bring these gentlemen together, but it was an instant bonding and friendship which kept them together and allowed them to discover within themselves a love they could never have imagined and to nurture it into what it is today.

"Before we begin the ceremony, I believe our two grooms have something they wish to say to each other. Bradley, I believe you would like to go first?"

Brad looked at the minister and said, "Yes," then turned to me again and held out his arms. I took his hands in mine and he clutched at them as if he were afraid I'd back down and try to escape. I found myself clutching at him for the same reasons.

Everyone waited in patient silence as Brad held my hands and stared into my eyes, and then his brow furrowed slightly and a pensive look came over his face. His eyes glazed over and his stare became somewhat blank. He was looking at me, but it was like he wasn't seeing me.

"Brad?" I said softly. "Are you okay?"

He shook his head slightly, returning to the present, and gave a nervous little laugh, and then he smiled at me. "I had a whole speech written out and memorized and now I can't remember a single word of it."

I smiled back at him and asked if he would like me to go first.

"No," he said with another small shake of his head and his bright, chipped-tooth smile. "I know what I want to say. I just forgot how I wanted to say it." The audience broke out in amused laughter, then fell silent again as Brad's face once again turned serious. He took a deep breath and then he began to speak. "I liked you from the moment I met you, Ted, but I remember the very moment I began to fall in love with you as if it happened yesterday. We came here to Toronto and you took me to the CN Tower and you wanted us to go up there. I'm terrified of heights and I think you realized it and said we didn't have to go up, but I was too afraid of looking like a chicken to you, so I went with you. I regretted it as soon as those glass doors closed and the elevator started going up. I remember watching the ground getting farther and farther away from me and I thought I was going to faint or, even worse, toss my cookies all over the place."

Brad grimaced slightly in memory and heaved a deep breath. "But then you grabbed hold of my hand and you made me look into your eyes and concentrate on you. I don't know what it was, but something happened that made everything around me disappear. I felt so safe with you. I felt so good. No-one had ever made me feel that way before except Mom and Dad, and I decided right then and there that I would like to spend the rest of my life with you. And that's the moment I started to fall in love with you.

"I've grown so much and learnt so much since I met you, Ted. You've shown me what real love can be like, and I've met so many people who love me just because I'm me. And, to top it all off, you've given me this incredible family. That's all I've ever wanted. . . a loving family. What more could I ever ask for?"

Brad's voice dropped to a near whisper and his emotions filled each and every word. As he spoke, a huge lump grew in my throat and lodged itself there. "You're everything to me, Ted. You. . . the kids. . . your whole family. . . all our friends. When I'm away from you, there's a big, empty space inside of me and I hate it, but it makes me so happy when I‘m with you again and you fill it back up. If I had to live without you, then I wouldn't want to live at all."

Brad paused for a moment to suck in a deep, jagged breath as he blinked away the soft tears from his eyes. "I love you so much, Ted," he said finally. "I just hope you know how much."

From the gallery, I heard few sniffles and a few people politely and discretely blowing their noses. I paid no attention to them. Instead, I worked desperately to swallow that lump which had lodged in my throat. I already knew how much Brad loved me. I loved him just as much. I could see him fighting back the tears and I fought my own battle. I think we both might have lost that fight had we not been interrupted by a tiny hand tugging at Brad's pant leg. With one more hard blink, Brad looked down at the little boy standing beside him.

"Are you my Daddy yet?" Jeremy asked in a loud whisper which, I'm certain, could be heard all the way to the back of the nave. Polite titters and snickers came from the audience.

"Not yet, Jeremy," Brad whispered back with a smile. "Soon."

"Well, hurry up!" Jeremy replied in the same loud whisper. "I have to go pee!"

The titters and snickers turned into hearty, uproarious laughter. Brad and I were quickly caught up in the mirth and even the Vicar was drawn in and joined us. Jeremy looked around, slowly realizing that he was the centre of attention, and the brightest, happiest smile slowly crossed his face.

I released Brad's hands and squatted down so I could talk to Jeremy as Brad knelt down on one knee beside him. "Can you wait a few minutes?" I asked.

Still smiling, Jeremy shook his head back and forth.

"I'll take him," Brad said.

I turned toward Justin and asked if he had to go, too, but he shook his head ‘no'. That surprised me. When one of them had to go pee, so did the other.

As I stood up straight, Brad was handing Jeremy's pillow to Bill, then he held out his hand for Jeremy to take in his own. The Reverend put his hand on Brad's shoulder and said quietly, "You can use the washroom in the offices." He pointed to a door to the left of the alter behind Brad. "Through that door and then the second door on the left."

"Thank you," Brad replied, then he told me, "Be right back."

I watched them as they turned away and Brad led Jeremy toward the door, then through it. There was pride in his step and he seemed to be walking a bit taller. It was still strange not seeing all that blond, wavy hair on the back of his head, but I was getting used to it not being there and was beginning to like the new look. A new look, I suppose, for a new beginning.

As the Vicar began regaling the congregation with a few anecdotes to help pass the time, I knelt down beside Warren's chair and Justin stepped between my legs and backed himself against me. "Are you doing okay, my Sonskyn?"

Justin nodded his head against my chest, but said, "I'm hot, Daddy."

"I know, Son. We all are, but we'll be going to the hotel soon and it's a lot cooler there. Can you wait just a little while longer?"

Again he nodded his head against my chest and I hugged him to me and kissed his hair. As I held Justin, I glanced up at Lindsay. She was staring out into the gallery in the general direction of the back door. I quickly looked past her and toward Connie. I have to admit that Connie was being conspicuously inconspicuous. It was as if she were hiding herself in plain view which, of course, is what I suddenly realized she was doing - and she was succeeding admirably. She was doing nothing whatsoever to garner my daughter's attention. Warren leaned into me and whispered softly into my ear, "I've been watching them, Teddy. I'm pretty sure Lindsay hasn't seen her. If she has, she hasn't recognized her."

I looked at Warren. "You're certain?"

"I don't think she's here to make trouble, Teddy," he said sincerely. "I think she just wanted to see you and Lindsay again before she goes away." Warren was well-aware of Connie's intentions to move out west.

"I hope you're right, Warren."

"She's had plenty of time to make trouble for you, Teddy, if that's what she's here for. But I'm pretty sure that's not in her plans."

I was concerned and watchful only for another half-minute or so. It all came to an abrupt end when the side door opened and Jeremy stepped through, anxiously pulling Brad along behind him and announcing happily and proudly that he was "all done, Daddy!" Everyone tried to stifle their laughter and were succeeding to some extent until Jeremy further announced that "Brad had to go pee, too!"

We all lost it then and Brad's face turned the most delightful shade of pink which almost precisely matched Lindsay's and Terry's dresses. I must say, though, that his cheeks complimented the periwinkle bow tie quite nicely.

Brad was still blushing by the time we were ready to carry on with the wedding. Jeremy was holding his ring pillow once more and was standing in front of Bill. Justin had returned to his spot in front of Warren and I was standing in front of Brad and holding his hands in mine. He gripped my hands tightly, but quickly relaxed himself. I watched his chest swelling and filling his jacket as he sucked in a huge breath of air into his lungs and slowly let it out.

"Theodore," the Vicar said softly and casually, "I believe it is your turn."

I nodded and began to speak.

"When I bought our house, the only thing I wanted to do was to make a home for my daughter when she came to stay with me at weekends. I certainly wasn't expecting to fall in love, and I most certainly wasn't expecting to fall in love with another man. But it happened, and I'm sure no-one was more surprised than I was. I can't think of any single moment which could count as the moment in which I fell in love with you, though, Brad. You just kind of snuck up on me and worked your magic and, before I knew it, I was falling in love with you and completely unable to do anything about it. You have a way of working your way into people's hearts, Brad. Even when you're not trying, you make people like you.

"There is such an innocence about you, Brad. . . a naïveté and a sense of discovery and wonder that we usually only see in a child, but there is also a maturity and a humility in you that is impossible to deny. There is a wisdom and a strength and a determination rarely seen in people with many more years and much more experience than your own. And there is so much love. It flows out of you so freely and it flows to everyone around you. You are, indeed, the most amazing man I have ever met in my entire life.

"I honestly don't believe that I deserve you, Brad. I feel, as I've always felt, that you could be so much happier with someone else. But I'm so glad that you feel otherwise because I simply can't imagine myself being happier with anyone else but you. I once thought that I enjoyed a full and happy life before I met you, but you showed me just how empty and sad it really was. You taught me things about myself that I never knew and you showed me what I had been missing my entire life. You taught me that it is okay to love you."

I paused, but only long enough to release Brad's hand and to raise my thumb to his face and to gently wipe away a single tear which was rolling down his cheek before grasping his hand in mine once again.

"I cherish the day you walked into my life, Brad," I continued, "and I'm grateful that you decided to stick around for the rest of it. I love you so very much."

As we continued holding hands, Warren rose to his feet once more and took his place beside me and casually looped his right hand beneath my left arm and grasped it for support. The Reverend arranged the papers in his hands and said, "Marriage is, by its very nature, a state of giving rather than taking, of offering rather than receiving. Marriage requires the giving of one's self to support the marriage and the home in which it may flourish. It is into this state of marriage that Theodore and Bradley wish to unite, and they shall do so with the exchanging of their vows to each other. They have written your own wedding vows and we shall exchange them now. Theodore, would you please repeat after me: I, Francis Theodore de Villiers. . ."

"I, Francis Theodore de Villiers. . . promise you, Bradley, these things. . . . I will laugh with you in times of joy. . . and comfort you in times of sorrow. . . . I will share in your dreams. . . and support you as you strive to achieve your goals. . . . I will listen to you with compassion and understanding. . . and I will speak to you with encouragement. . . . I will help you when you need it. . . and step aside when you don't. . . . I will remain faithful to you for better or worse. . . in times of sickness and health. . . . You are my best friend. . . and I will love and respect you always."

"Bradley," continued the Vicar as he moved another sheet of paper to the top, "would you please repeat after me: I, Bradley Nelson Hayes. . ."

"I, Bradley Nelson Hayes. . . join my life with yours. . . . Wherever you go, I will go. . . . Whatever you face, I will face. . . . For good or ill. . . in happiness or sadness. . . come riches or poverty. . . Because of you, I laugh, I smile. . . I dare to dream again. . . . I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you. . . caring for you, nurturing you. . . being there for you in all life has for us. . . and I vow to be true and faithful. . . for as long as we both shall live."

With a nod from the minister, both Bill and Warren turned Justin and Jeremy to face us and to hold their satin pillows at chest height, then retrieved the rings from their pockets and set them atop their respective pillows beside the fake rings. The Vicar continued:

"Inasmuch as you have made this declaration of your vows to one another, and have set these rings before me, I now ask that these rings be used and regarded as a seal and a confirmation and
acceptance of the vows you have made. A circle is the symbol of the sun and the earth and the universe. It is the symbol of wholeness and perfection, and of peace and love. It is worn on the third finger because of an ancient Greek belief that a vein from that finger goes directly to the heart. Theodore, please place the ring on Bradley's third finger and repeat after me: I give you this ring. . ."

I picked up the ring from Justin's pillow and placed it on Brad's quivering, nervous finger and repeated, "I give you this ring. . . as a symbol of our love. . . . With it I wed you. . . and give you my body. . . my soul and my heart."

The Reverend continued. "These rings mark the beginning of your long journey together. Wear them proudly, for they are symbols which speak of the love that you have for each other. Bradley, please place the ring on Theodore's third finger and repeat after me: I give you this ring. . ."

Brad retrieved the ring from Jeremy's pillow and slid it only my finger as he repeated the Vicar's words: "I give you this ring. . . as a symbol of our love. . . . With it I wed you. . . and give you my body. . . my soul and my heart."

"And now," the Minister said finally, "forasmuch as you, Theodore, and you, Bradley, have consented in legal wedlock, and have declared your solemn intention in this company and before these witnesses, and in my presence, and have exchanged these rings as the pledge of your vows to each other, by the authority vested in me by the Province of Ontario, I now pronounce you. . ."

To Be Continued​

For the time being, I will do my best to upload a new chapter every Friday. If, for some reason, an update is not possible, I will make a post in this thread on that Friday to let you know.

Thank you, and take care.
Neil

 

[hungbuzz]

will the bitch bugger up this joyful event? can Barry take her out? bloody clif hangers


Mikko

 

[ronboy]

I so love weddings! This was a great one Neil!

 

[chris0626]

Fantastic!!!!

 

[justdoitinnj]

Something tells me that THIS wedding isn't over ...........yet.

 

[tommy296]

Neil,

Thanks for another GREAT chapter in another GREAT story!

 

[BlueD]

OMG, please God, please let their wedding went well
It's another great chapter, Neil.

Take Care,

-Blue Dragon

 

[Kyanimal]

Neil ... BEAUTIFUL!! Above and Beyond! And, now, Fridays have one more very good reason to be my Favorite day of the week!! Yeah! ... Can't wait for MORE!! THANK YOU!!!

Keep smilin'!!
Chaz

 

[dlf0001]

Incredible.

 

[upyrkilt469]

Neil, that was one of the best chapters yet. Thank you for one great read. Am looking forward to next week. Vic