The next day, Dylan was at his office going over plans for the new
resort with Eric when his secretary told him David Silver was on the line.
Dylan quickly picked up the phone, "David. Hi. How are you? It's been a
while."
"It has been a while," David said. "And I hate to be calling you with bad news."
"What is it?" Dylan asked concerned. "Is it Donna?"
"No, Donna's fine. It's Nat. He had another heart attack." David paused and took a breath, "Only, this time he didn't make it."
"Oh no," Dylan sat down in his chair, shocked. "When?"
"Last night. I thought you'd want to know."
"Yeah, I'm glad you called. How are his wife and son?"
"Um, pretty shaken up."
"Is there anything I can do?"
"I don't think there's much any of us can do."
"When's the funeral?" Dylan asked.
"Friday."
"Okay, I'll be there. Thanks for calling David."
"Sure."
Dylan hung up the phone and sat there in silence.
"Is everything okay, Dylan?" Eric asked concerned.
"A friend of mine died last night."
"I'm sorry. Were you two very close?"
"Once. He was my first business partner."
Eric looked at his brother-in-law sympathetically. "We can finish this up later. Why don't you call Cassie." He picked up the files and left Dylan's office. Dylan picked up the phone then set it back down, deciding he needed to see his wife instead. He drove over to the hospital and found her coming out of a patient's room.
Cassie took one look at his face and immediately became concerned. "Baby, what's wrong?" she asked pulling him into the staff lounge.
"Nat died last night. He had a heart attack."
"Oh Dylan," she said embracing him. "I am so sorry."
"The funeral's Friday. I want to go."
"Of course. I'll go with you."
"What about the baby?" he asked. He wanted her to go with him but he knew it was too soon to leave the baby.
"We'll take him with us. And mom too, to baby-sit."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," she assured him. "I'll make all the arrangements."
He hugged her tightly. "How did I ever live without you?"
The following day they flew into LAX, rented a car, and drove to the hotel. The hotel manager met them at the entrance, taking care of their luggage and giving them the keys to their personal suite. When they walked into the lobby, they were greeted by two familiar faces. "David! Donna!" Dylan said as he embraced his friends. "This is a surprise."
"We couldn't wait to see you," Donna told him.
Dylan put his arm around Cassie, "You remember Cassie."
"Of course," Donna said as she hugged her.
"It's good to see you both again," Cassie replied as David kissed her cheek. "I wish it were under better circumstances."
Everyone agreed. Dylan introduced the other woman, "This is my mother-in- law, Clara Michaels." They all nodded in greeting. "And this handsome guy," he said taking the baby from Clara, "is my son, Jack."
"Hi Jack," David said, shaking the baby's hand.
"He's so adorable," Donna crooned. "The pictures you sent don't do him justice."
"Why don't we all go upstairs where we can sit down and catch up?" Dylan suggested.
"Are you sure," Donna asked, looking at Cassie. "You just got in."
Cassie gave her a warm smile. "We'd love to have you come up with us. I know I met you last year and I've heard a lot about you, but I'd like to get to know you better."
"We'd like that too," Donna said as she and Cassie led the group to the elevator.
A little while later, as they were all seated in the suite, talking about everything that had happened over the last year, the baby started crying. Mrs. Michaels picked him up, "I think this little guy needs a nap."
"I can put him down, Mom," Cassie started.
"No. You sit here and talk with your friends," Mrs. Michaels insisted. "Grandma could use a nap too." She put the baby on her shoulder and kissed his forehead. "He feels a little warm."
"He's cutting teeth," Cassie said, getting up from the couch. "Let me find the Tylenol."
"It was nice meeting y'all," Mrs. Michaels told David and Donna.
"You too," Donna replied. "I'm sure we'll see you again before you leave."
Dylan watched Cassie follow her mother and the baby into one of the bedrooms. Then he noticed the look on Donna's face. "What?"
"I just can't get over you."
"What do you mean?" Dylan asked.
"You.you've turned into such a grown-up. You have a wife and baby. And a job. You've become so.responsible."
Dylan chuckled. "I guess it had to happen sometime."
"And you're happy," Donna said.
"I am," Dylan agreed.
"That's great," David said. "It's good to see you this way D." The two friends shared a meaningful look, thinking back on all they'd been through. "We should probably get going," David finally spoke, not wanting the moment to get too emotional.
They all stood up just as Cassie came out of the bedroom. "You're not leaving already are you?"
"We have too," Donna told her regretfully. "We told Joanie we'd be by this afternoon."
"Please tell her if there's anything I can do or anything she needs." Dylan began.
"We will," David assured him, shaking his hand.
The following morning Dylan and Cassie pulled up outside the church. Dylan turned off the engine, but didn't make any move to get out of the car. Cassie looked over at her husband and caressed the back of his neck. "Are you okay?"
"I still can't believe it." Dylan shook his head. "I should have called him more, seen him more. I can't remember the last time I talked to him. We just traded the occasional e-mail. It wasn't."
"He knew you were busy. He was busy too. The e-mails may not seem like much, but at least they let someone know you're thinking about him."
Dylan took her hand and kissed her palm. "Thank you for coming here with me."
"I'm your wife. This is where I'm supposed to be."
Dylan leaned over and kissed her. "I love you wife."
"I love you husband," Cassie replied before kissing him again. "Are you ready to go in?"
Dylan took a deep breath and nodded his head. He got out of the car and went around to the passenger side to open Cassie's door. He held her hand tightly as they walked towards the church. They soon ran into Steve and Janet. Steve gave Dylan a hug and then kissed Cassie's cheek as Dylan did the same with Janet. "It's good to see you," Steve told Dylan.
"I just wish it were under different circumstances," Dylan replied solemnly. He was surprised when another hand slapped him on the back.
"Hey D," greeted a familiar voice.
Dylan turned around and smiled, "Brandon." He gave his old friend a warm hug. "How are you?"
"I'm okay," Brandon said nodding his head. "How about you?"
"I'm good." Dylan said as he put his arm around Cassie. "I want you to meet my wife, Cassie. Cass, this is the infamous Brandon Walsh."
Cassie gave Brandon a warm smile as she shook his hand, "It's nice to finally meet you."
"You too," Brandon said sincerely.
"When did you get in?" Dylan asked.
"Just a little while ago."
"We picked him up on our way here," Steve explained.
"We should probably get inside," Janet reminded the group. "They're going to be starting soon." They all began making their way into the sanctuary.
Inside the church, Kelly saw her old group of friends coming in. She immediately spotted Dylan and his wife. It was a little strange to see him - especially with another woman - but Kelly had no feelings of remorse or regret where Dylan was concerned.
Kelly's eyes then moved to the person sitting on Dylan's other side - Brandon Walsh. His eyes locked with Kelly and he offered her a smile. She returned the smile before turning back around in her seat. Brandon was definitely the big "what if" of Kelly's life. What if she had married him? Either time? What would her life be like if they were still together? Her thoughts ceased as Nat's brother rose to begin the service.
"It has been a while," David said. "And I hate to be calling you with bad news."
"What is it?" Dylan asked concerned. "Is it Donna?"
"No, Donna's fine. It's Nat. He had another heart attack." David paused and took a breath, "Only, this time he didn't make it."
"Oh no," Dylan sat down in his chair, shocked. "When?"
"Last night. I thought you'd want to know."
"Yeah, I'm glad you called. How are his wife and son?"
"Um, pretty shaken up."
"Is there anything I can do?"
"I don't think there's much any of us can do."
"When's the funeral?" Dylan asked.
"Friday."
"Okay, I'll be there. Thanks for calling David."
"Sure."
Dylan hung up the phone and sat there in silence.
"Is everything okay, Dylan?" Eric asked concerned.
"A friend of mine died last night."
"I'm sorry. Were you two very close?"
"Once. He was my first business partner."
Eric looked at his brother-in-law sympathetically. "We can finish this up later. Why don't you call Cassie." He picked up the files and left Dylan's office. Dylan picked up the phone then set it back down, deciding he needed to see his wife instead. He drove over to the hospital and found her coming out of a patient's room.
Cassie took one look at his face and immediately became concerned. "Baby, what's wrong?" she asked pulling him into the staff lounge.
"Nat died last night. He had a heart attack."
"Oh Dylan," she said embracing him. "I am so sorry."
"The funeral's Friday. I want to go."
"Of course. I'll go with you."
"What about the baby?" he asked. He wanted her to go with him but he knew it was too soon to leave the baby.
"We'll take him with us. And mom too, to baby-sit."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," she assured him. "I'll make all the arrangements."
He hugged her tightly. "How did I ever live without you?"
The following day they flew into LAX, rented a car, and drove to the hotel. The hotel manager met them at the entrance, taking care of their luggage and giving them the keys to their personal suite. When they walked into the lobby, they were greeted by two familiar faces. "David! Donna!" Dylan said as he embraced his friends. "This is a surprise."
"We couldn't wait to see you," Donna told him.
Dylan put his arm around Cassie, "You remember Cassie."
"Of course," Donna said as she hugged her.
"It's good to see you both again," Cassie replied as David kissed her cheek. "I wish it were under better circumstances."
Everyone agreed. Dylan introduced the other woman, "This is my mother-in- law, Clara Michaels." They all nodded in greeting. "And this handsome guy," he said taking the baby from Clara, "is my son, Jack."
"Hi Jack," David said, shaking the baby's hand.
"He's so adorable," Donna crooned. "The pictures you sent don't do him justice."
"Why don't we all go upstairs where we can sit down and catch up?" Dylan suggested.
"Are you sure," Donna asked, looking at Cassie. "You just got in."
Cassie gave her a warm smile. "We'd love to have you come up with us. I know I met you last year and I've heard a lot about you, but I'd like to get to know you better."
"We'd like that too," Donna said as she and Cassie led the group to the elevator.
A little while later, as they were all seated in the suite, talking about everything that had happened over the last year, the baby started crying. Mrs. Michaels picked him up, "I think this little guy needs a nap."
"I can put him down, Mom," Cassie started.
"No. You sit here and talk with your friends," Mrs. Michaels insisted. "Grandma could use a nap too." She put the baby on her shoulder and kissed his forehead. "He feels a little warm."
"He's cutting teeth," Cassie said, getting up from the couch. "Let me find the Tylenol."
"It was nice meeting y'all," Mrs. Michaels told David and Donna.
"You too," Donna replied. "I'm sure we'll see you again before you leave."
Dylan watched Cassie follow her mother and the baby into one of the bedrooms. Then he noticed the look on Donna's face. "What?"
"I just can't get over you."
"What do you mean?" Dylan asked.
"You.you've turned into such a grown-up. You have a wife and baby. And a job. You've become so.responsible."
Dylan chuckled. "I guess it had to happen sometime."
"And you're happy," Donna said.
"I am," Dylan agreed.
"That's great," David said. "It's good to see you this way D." The two friends shared a meaningful look, thinking back on all they'd been through. "We should probably get going," David finally spoke, not wanting the moment to get too emotional.
They all stood up just as Cassie came out of the bedroom. "You're not leaving already are you?"
"We have too," Donna told her regretfully. "We told Joanie we'd be by this afternoon."
"Please tell her if there's anything I can do or anything she needs." Dylan began.
"We will," David assured him, shaking his hand.
The following morning Dylan and Cassie pulled up outside the church. Dylan turned off the engine, but didn't make any move to get out of the car. Cassie looked over at her husband and caressed the back of his neck. "Are you okay?"
"I still can't believe it." Dylan shook his head. "I should have called him more, seen him more. I can't remember the last time I talked to him. We just traded the occasional e-mail. It wasn't."
"He knew you were busy. He was busy too. The e-mails may not seem like much, but at least they let someone know you're thinking about him."
Dylan took her hand and kissed her palm. "Thank you for coming here with me."
"I'm your wife. This is where I'm supposed to be."
Dylan leaned over and kissed her. "I love you wife."
"I love you husband," Cassie replied before kissing him again. "Are you ready to go in?"
Dylan took a deep breath and nodded his head. He got out of the car and went around to the passenger side to open Cassie's door. He held her hand tightly as they walked towards the church. They soon ran into Steve and Janet. Steve gave Dylan a hug and then kissed Cassie's cheek as Dylan did the same with Janet. "It's good to see you," Steve told Dylan.
"I just wish it were under different circumstances," Dylan replied solemnly. He was surprised when another hand slapped him on the back.
"Hey D," greeted a familiar voice.
Dylan turned around and smiled, "Brandon." He gave his old friend a warm hug. "How are you?"
"I'm okay," Brandon said nodding his head. "How about you?"
"I'm good." Dylan said as he put his arm around Cassie. "I want you to meet my wife, Cassie. Cass, this is the infamous Brandon Walsh."
Cassie gave Brandon a warm smile as she shook his hand, "It's nice to finally meet you."
"You too," Brandon said sincerely.
"When did you get in?" Dylan asked.
"Just a little while ago."
"We picked him up on our way here," Steve explained.
"We should probably get inside," Janet reminded the group. "They're going to be starting soon." They all began making their way into the sanctuary.
Inside the church, Kelly saw her old group of friends coming in. She immediately spotted Dylan and his wife. It was a little strange to see him - especially with another woman - but Kelly had no feelings of remorse or regret where Dylan was concerned.
Kelly's eyes then moved to the person sitting on Dylan's other side - Brandon Walsh. His eyes locked with Kelly and he offered her a smile. She returned the smile before turning back around in her seat. Brandon was definitely the big "what if" of Kelly's life. What if she had married him? Either time? What would her life be like if they were still together? Her thoughts ceased as Nat's brother rose to begin the service.
