Charlie stood over the cold granite stone, a small prayer on his lips. He bent down, tracing the numbers with his fingers, the numbers not far enough apart. Nineteen years. Only a boy. And still the boy that Charlie accredited with saving the relationship with the man that he was now married to. Charlie stood and pressed his hand to the top of the gravestone, hoisting himself up as memories flashed through his mind.
Crewing on the lake with Neil, the sun warm overhead as the wind ran its silky fingers through his hair, huge smiles on both of their faces. Both boys reaching unison, stroking together as the bands of sweat began to grow across their sweatshirts. Neil's laughter echoing across the lake, stirring up a flock of geese as their boat cut swiftly through the water.
Seeing Knox bent over the small fire in the cave, his hair hanging limply in front of his face, his eyes watering from too much steam and too many tears as they tried to start their last fire after Neil's death, the only fire he had tried to start before Todd took over.
Watching Todd's smile change from shy and unsure to confident and radiant as his relationship with Monique grew. Seeing him become so much more outspoken and loving and funny, becoming as bright as he was, if not brighter than he was, when Neil was alive.
Cradling Knox in his arms as both of them read the letter for the hundredth time, their eyes scanning the words again, as if desperate to change them, to change what happened. Stroking Knox's hair as he promised that he would never leave him again, no matter what it cost him. Hearing Knox whisper the same vow as their lips met over the letter which had broken both of their hearts yet again.
Walking home from the funeral, hand in hand with the man he loved, not caring who saw.
Graduation, hearing Knox's valedictorian speech, and giving thanks to whoever was out there for getting him safely through the last four years and blessing him with a man he loved. Getting the chance to say goodbye to Todd and Neil at the memorial held for them during graduation, and finally knowing that everyone's soul could be at peace.
Seeing Knox's eyes glow with happiness and Charlie rose from one knee and slipped a small gold ring over his finger, his lips meeting Knox's as their champagne stood beside them, waiting to be drunk in celebration.
Seeing how proud Knox was, and feeling his own sense of pride in his heart as the two walked away from the county courthouse, their marriage certificate signed, and knowing that they had the honor of being the only married couple in the state of Massachusetts, and only on a technicality. They had only been married because there was nothing in the law that said they couldn't be. They both knew that would change, though they had been promised that their certificate would be legal no matter what happened in the future.
Watching Knox's face light up with a light they hadn't see before as Knox took their newly adopted baby in to his arms, glancing down in to the radiant face of their bouncing baby boy. "N.T. Overstreet-Dalton," Knox whispered, deciding on a name.
"N.T?"
"Neil Todd."
He nodded, knowing that Neil and Todd would both have been so proud of them.
Watching N.T walk away, a backpack over his shoulders, the crest of the new Wellton Co-Ed Preparatory School emblazoned on his right lapel. Knowing that his son was bound for more memories than he would know what to do with, just as Charlie had.
Seeing N.T. come home raving about his new English teacher senior year, Mrs. Monique Anderson, who was the prettiest, smartest English teacher he ever had. And feeling his ears perk and his heart soar when N.T. began to talk about the Dead Poet's Society, a club he and his friends had started when his teacher mentioned it in class one day. "It's so much fun, Dad. If only you knew. I mean, I bet you and Pop never had something like this when you were at Wellton's."
"If only you know, N.T. If only you knew."