A wedding changes everything

Nat got out of bed and went into the room where his keyboard was kept. He sat down on the guest bed and began to play. Nat didn't know what to do he had really screwed things up he heard his dad crying in the living room. He had only seen his father cry once and that was when that maid that had been staying with them had moved out.

Nat sighed he had always thought that music would fix everything. Now that he actually tried it with something other than Rosalina it was hard. Every note he played didn't sound strong enough. He closed his eyes and spoke into the evening sky "mom I really screwed up. Dad really loved this woman and I went out with out telling him so she thought that I ran away from home. How do I fix this? Dad is really heart broken you always knew the right note to play to show your feelings please teach me how to do that."

Nat opened his eyes when he heard a voice say "Nat what's going on? What are you doing up? You ok?"

Nat turned and saw his father standing in the doorway. Nat said "I was just asking mom for advice. I really messed up big time dad. Rosalina called and she was scared. I didn't think I just knew that I had to go to her. I'm really sorry I didn't think that sneaking out would ruin everything."

Mr. Wolf said "Miss Kelly called tonight. She's moving back in first thing in the morning. She heard you playing and could tell that you were sad. That was when she knew that it wasn't her fault and agreed to come back. You have your mother's gift to use music to show feelings. I was wondering when you'd actually use it. Things are finally turning around for our family. I'm not mad at you for wanting to help Rosalina. I'm upset that you snuck out. I was worried sick about you Nat you're my son and I was afraid I'd lost you."

Nat yawned and said "dad I love you to. I should really get some sleep. Miss Kelly is a very special person I'd be glad to call mom."

Meanwhile Alex heard Nat and his father talking and got up to find out what was going on. He went over to the guest room door and listened he heard Nat say that he would call Miss Kelly mom and burst into tears. Then he heard his dad exit the room and ran into the bedroom. He threw himself on to Nat's bed and cried himself to sleep."

Nat came into the room and climbed into bed. He didn't even realize that Alex was in the bed. He just lied down and fell asleep. In the middle of the night Mr. Wolf shook Nat gently. Nat yawned and asked "dad what's wrong? Is everything ok?"

Mr. Wolf shook his head no and sadly said "Rosalina past away last night. Her father just called and asked if you wanted to see her before they took her away. I'm sorry so sorry Nat."

Nat took a deep shuttering breath and said "I shouldn't have left her. I thought something was wrong. She sounded like she was barley alive when I called her. Do you think she knew I loved her?"

Mr. Wolf said "I don't think I know she did. Right before she died the radio played girl of my dreams. The nurse said she died with a smile on her face. She wasn't in any pain at the end Nat. Her father was with her and he held her hand the whole time. You did all you could have done for her. You did more then any doctor could've done you sat with her and helped end her pain. It's ok to cry Nat I know you miss her."

Nat moaned and put his face in his hands. His body shook with sobs but he refuse to let his father hug him. He didn't want to accept the fact that Rosalina was dead. Alex sat up and asked "dad what's wrong with Nat?"

Mr. Wolf told Alex to get back into his own bed and he'd explain everything in the morning. Nat said "dad I'll tell him. Al Rosalina past away last night she wasn't in any pain though."

Alex hugged Nat and asked "you ok Nat? I know you must be really hurt."

Nat said sadly "I'm ok little bro. I know that she's in a better place. I'll always miss her but I'll always know that I'll see her again."

Alex asked "how are we going to tell the guys? I don't think I can Nat."

Mr. Wolf said "Nat do you want me to take you to see Rosalina before the doctors remove her body from the room? No Alex you can't go see her they won't let you in the room. Plus Nat needs sometime alone to say goodbye to the girl of his dreams."

Nat sobbed and said "dad I would like to see her. I can't tell the guys though this is just like loosing mom all over again."

Mr. Wolf said "Nat I know this is hard. Pull yourself together please you're the band leader it's your responsibility to tell the guys."

Alex lied back down in bed after giving Nat another hug. Nat smiled a small smile and said "dad could we get flowers for Rosalina's parents? I want them to know how sorry I am."

Mr. Wolf said "I already called in an order for white roses and babies breathe. That was Rosalina's favorite type of flower."

Nat grabbed his coat and went out to the car. His father drove him to the hospital where Rosalina was. Nat ran into the room Rosalina was in. He saw her father kneeling on the floor crying. Nat stood back he didn't want to inter fear with a father saying goodbye.

Rosalina's father stood up and motioned for Nat to come closer. Nat sighed and he took Rosalina's hand it was cold but she looked peaceful and happy. Nat let a couple of tears slide on to Rosalina's blanket. His heart ached but he knew that he had to stay strong. He took a deep breath and said "Rosie I know you can't hear me but you mean the world to me. I'm going to say something that I haven't said before I don't know what I would have done if I never met you. I love you so much Rosie. I guess this is goodbye please wait for me banana. I don't care how many angels in heaven want you. I'll always be your strawberry no matter what."

Then a doctor came in to remove Rosalina and said "I'm sorry for your loss. Rosalina died when she heard one of your songs. She seemed happy and relaxed."

Nat moved away from the bed and let the doctor move her out of the room. Mr. Wolf came into the room and said "Nat we should go home ok. You were very brave Nat. She could hear you. When you die for a while part of your sprit stays for a few minutes. She heard everything you said ok."

Nat said "dad I really need a hug. I wish mom was still here."

Mr. Wolf said "that's why Miss Kelly is moving in. She is going to be a motherly like figure. She should be waiting at the house for us. I don't you to hold rehearsal tonight out of respect for Rosalina."

Nat nodded he really didn't feel like singing anyway. He sighed and asked "dad can I still play something for her just with the keyboard?"

Mr. Wolf said "Nat Miss Kelly and I are going to postpone our wedding so you can go to the funeral and wake."

Nat sighed and put his head in his hands. Mr. Wolf spoke gently and said "Nat I want you to calm down. The band is going to need you to be strong. You should call Cooper first just in case the others start asking him questions. Then you should call Jesse her and Rosalina have known each other forever. Make sure you let them know the time of the wake tomorrow. Rosalina's father said it was a two in the afternoon. It's alright for you to play one of your old songs that you wrote for her. In fact her dad asked if the band would play at her funeral. It's up to you Nat but I think that Rosalina would like that."

Nat screamed "dad would you shut your mouth! I just need to be alone right now! I'll tell the guys when I can talk with out crying about it."

Mr. Wolf parked the car in the driveway. Then he let Nat out and gave him a hug. Nat went upstairs and found Miss Kelly sitting on Alex's bed with him in her lap. Nat was too upset to acknowledge her. Miss Kelly sighed and wrapped her arms around Alex. Nat flopped on his bed and thought about how things should have been and used to be.

Nat sat up a while later and found that he'd been covered with a blanket. He was surprised to see Miss Kelly sitting in his mother's rocking chair beside his bed. She spoke gently and said something that Nat hadn't heard in a long time. Miss Kelly said "good morning my handsome little star."

Nat opened his eyes and said "mom is that you?"

Miss Kelly said "Nat sweetie it's Miss. Kelly. I was worried about you. Alex told me about Rosalina. You fell asleep and were shaking I covered you up with a quilt that your mother made and then sat down so if you wanted to talk you could. You look like you could use a hug."

Nat leaned into Miss Kelly's safe warm arms. The tears that he'd been holding back all day came out at once. Miss Kelly rubbed his back and whispered "it's ok Nat, its ok baby."

When Nat stopped crying he looked at Miss Kelly and said "softly thank you. I haven't had anyone help me like this since I don't even remember when. Dad tries but he's not the best at stuff like this. He wants me to tell the guys but I can't do it. If I tell them then I'll have to admit that she's – gone and – is never coming – back. Her dad wants me to play at the funeral in two days but I can't. At least I don't think I can do it right now."

Miss Kelly didn't say a word. All she did was pull Nat closer. Then she pointed to a picture of the band and said "think a little deeper. I'll be downstairs if you need to talk to me."

Nat stared at the picture of the band that Miss. Kelly had pointed to. Alex and Cooper were right next to him on either side. Then he remembered that she'd been pointing to the left directly. He couldn't believe that Miss Kelly expected him to lean on Alex. There was a time when he would have without question but after he saw Miss Kelly holding him on her lap he saw that as grownup as Alex pretended to be he still was a child and he needed his older brother to be strong for him.

Meanwhile Alex was sitting on the couch with his dad and Miss Kelly. Alex asked a question that his dad knew would come eventually. Alex asked "dad Nat said that Rosalina went to a better place. Where is that better place and how do we get there? Is mom there to dad?"

Mr. Wolf said "Alex look at me. Rosalina went to heaven. Remember when you and Nat went to church with me? The teachers at Sunday school told you that after you died if you were a good person you went to a beautiful place where the sun always shined and no one ever hurts. Your mother is there Alex. She had the heart of an angel and would do anything for you kids. One day you'll see her again but it won't be anytime soon. Now why don't you go play?"

Alex said "it's hard to have fun when I won't be able to tease Nat about snuggling with Rosalina anymore. I don't even think that skating will cheer me up right now. Jesse isn't going to take it well and I don't know how to cheer her up. She's so much older than I am and I miss Juanita. I never admitted it before but I do."

Mr. Wolf said "I think we both know that you'll find Juanita at your favorite skate park. You have to fix things with her as a friend first before you can even think about dating her."

Miss Kelly gently added "be gentle when you end it with Jesse. She's a sweet girl and she's going to be really sad about Rosalina. Go have fun with your friends your dad and I will help Nat."

Alex said "I told Nat a long time ago I'd always have his back. I meant it when I said it to. Rosalina was my friend to. I'll miss her but I know that Nat is taking a harder hit then I ever will."

Mr. Wolf said "Alex go have fun with Juanita. Nat is alright he's just upset because Rosalina's father asked me to have him sing at the funeral and the wake. He also doesn't know how to tell the guys and still keep the band together."

Alex said "can I just go talk to him first? I think he really needs his brother right now."

Mr. Wolf said "Al come here I don't want you to get hurt. Nat is under pressure and he has to think about what song he's going to sing at the funeral in two days. Go have fun with Juanita. That's what Nat needs you to do and what Rosalina would want also."

Alex carefully snuck upstairs to his and Nat's room. Nat was sitting up staring at the picture of the band and crying. Alex climbed up on to his brother's bed and said "I'll tell the guys for you. You shouldn't have to tell them. Rosalina was your girlfriend. You have enough stress right now. I just want to help Nat please don't push me away."

Nat smiled for the first time in a long while and said "that would be very nice of you Alex. I'll be with you all the way."

Alex took his cell out and called Cooper first. Cooper answered the phone on the first ring like he always did. Cooper said "hey Alex what do you need kid?"

Alex sighed and Nat squeezed his hand tight. Alex sadly said "Rosalina past away last night. Don't hang up Coop Nat has some information for you about the wake."

Nat took the phone tears threatening to fall down his cheeks. He swallowed the lump in throat and said "hey Coop don't worry I'm ok. The funeral is in two days and the wake is tomorrow from two until midnight. I know I can't believe it either well I should call the rest of them. I'll see you tomorrow Cooper I know it happened so fast."

Nat hung up tears shined in his eyes and he said "Alex I can't call anybody else tonight. I thought we'd be together forever. Now I'm starting to think that forever means nothing. I used to think that we were young, stupid, and, invincible. Now Alex I'm not so sure this type of stuff isn't supposed to happen until we're old and lived our lives."

Alex sighed and said "Nat Rosalina is still with us. She wanted the band to stay together she knew that you loved her. She spent the last two years of her life happy because you two were finally a couple."

Nat said "thanks Alex I don't know what I'd do with out you."

Alex said "you'd be fine Nat I love you but give yourself credit. Don't say that you can't make it with out someone. You didn't think that you could survive without mom but you pulled through that. Dad said that we need to each pick out a picture of her and the band together to put up around the coffin during the funeral. Her dad wants it closed so that the press doesn't try to take pictures of her. Why would the press inter fear with this private moment?"

Nat said "Alex we're famous nothing in our lives is ever private. There are kind people who work for the press like Miss. Kelly and the there're evil ones who only want to make money. It's very rare to find a reporter like Miss Kelly who sees us as people who think, breathe and, bleed."

Alex said "so when you die Nat reporters will try to get pictures of your dead body? I don't understand people sometimes. I think that death should be kept private even if you're famous or not."

Nat sighed and said "help me choose a song to sing at the funeral and wake tomorrow. No Alex I'm not singing crazy car, alien clones, or I could be! This is a serious matter Alex so those songs are inappropriate. Help me choose a soft sweet song that shows how much I love her."

Alex said "Nat that's not what I was going to suggest. What was that song called that you used to sing to her when ever she cried? That really shows how much you love her. I forget what it's called now but she really loved it."

Nat said "Alex you're a genius the song is called Rosalina. I don't think I can sing tomorrow though because even just thinking about her name hurts. I don't know if I can say it."

Alex said "at the wake dad says that you're singing with the band. You can sing the main part of it and the rest of us can sing her name. I'll stand right beside you on the left. Cooper will be on your right. If you feel upset at all grab both of our hands in yours and we'll get you through this Nat."

Nat hugged his little brother and for the first time since he went to bed the night before Nat felt like he was ok. He picked up the phone and called Tomas and told him everything. Tomas insisted on calling David and told Nat to be safe. Then Nat hung up with Tomas and called Qaasim and Jesse. Jesse was spending the night with Qaasim so Nat only had to make one more phone call. He gave Qaasim the information though because Jesse was sobbing so hard Nat couldn't understand her.

Alex said "Nat for the funeral when you have to sing alone what are you going to sing?"

Nat said "I was thinking about doing that song that I said would never see the light of day. Now that there's no danger of her holding on I think that would be perfect. I'll just need to use guitar and not keyboard. I hope her dad's ok with that Alex because that's all I got."

Alex said "Nat he'll love it. Stop stressing yourself out. Let's just get some sleep ok Nat."

Nat said "not until I'm sure that you know when to come in Alex. Here I'll start first Nat sang "You went to go and live your life but why did you have to go. You're my one and only love my never ending love."

Nat stopped singing and said "now you and the guys come in with her name twice. I'll give you thumbs up when it's your turn and then you pass it along to the guys. Then I come in again with Nat sang "you took my heart away. Now I miss you so. I'll never be the same. I'll miss you until I die. You are my love my only ending love."

Nat gave Alex the thumbs up sign and Alex sang "Rosalina"

Nat said "thank you little bro. I don't know what I would have done without you."

Alex said "what did I tell you earlier? Stop saying you can't live with out people. You can Nat you'd be fine with out me. Dad helps as best he can and here's something to look forward to dad and Miss. Kelly are getting married a few days before Christmas."

Nat said "I can't believe that Christmas is only three weeks away. Rosalina loved Christmas time. This is going to be the band's first Christmas tour without Rosalina. This is really going to be hard and I might have to go to the press with this. The fans are going to freak. I'm freaking out Alex what about the duet I always sing with her? What other girl can we get to sing her harmony? Jesse can't sing the part Alex. I won't have this tour ruined because of one song being messed up. As much as it's going to kill me to do will have to find a new base player. She has to have a voice that can hit the harmony in let it snow. I don't want to change anything in that song because Rosalina wrote it."

Alex sighed and sat down on the bed then he said "Nat we can always rewrite the harmony. The chances of us finding another girl with the exact same voice range as Rosalina are slim to none. Let's just get some sleep things always look brighter in the morning."

Nat sighed and mumbled "tomorrow I'm going to have to truly say goodbye to the girl of my dreams and watch the press try to swarm over her dead body. Tomorrow is going to be the worst day of my life."

Then Nat and Alex turned out the light and went to sleep. Only one of them truly understood how different this Christmas was going to be for better or for worse for the band and their family.