Renewing vows before new ones.
David surprised them all by speaking next. "Yes, that is correct gentlemen. It was a shock to me, but the best one ever. Tomorrow morning, you are all invited to a wedding; the marriage of Wes Montgomery and Thad Harwood…"
After David spoke, there were a few moments of absolute silence in the Senior Commons, and then everyone was speaking at once, voices raised in a complete cacophony of sound that no-one could possibly manage to comprehend. David rolled his eyes, trying not to laugh, until he saw Wes and Thad looking at each other, and then, almost as if it was synchronised, reach for their respective gavels and simultaneously bang them hard on the table. The stereo effect that produced cut throw the hubbub and the room instantly fell silent.
"Gentlemen, can we have a degree of decorum please! I know that this is something of a shock, and I will try and explain how it came about briefly," began Wes. "Basically, nearly a century ago, an administrator made an error and let the wrong man die. He then tried to make amends for this by giving permission for him to marry a woman he believed was another angel. This lead to a fudge which allowed an angelic male to marry a mortal female and honour a pledge he had made to marry her by the time she turned 30..."
"Just like a certain someone kept promising Thad," interjected Trent. Ignoring Wes' stare, he went on, "I am sorry to interrupt, but it is just the most wonderful and romantic thing ever…"
As a murmur of agreement went round the room, Nick added, "It also explains the short notice; why it has to be tomorrow. You always said if you turn thirty and are single, then I will marry you. This does kind of knock all previous Warbler weddings into the long grass, with the possible exception of the night that Kurt and Blaine got married…"
"Much as I hate to admit it Wessie, Nick does have a point," Thad piped up. "We really can't hope to beat Klaine…"
"Oh, I don't know, this is pretty special," said Sebastian. "This sort of romantic stuff is the kind of thing that would have made me want to puke a decade ago, but now I get it; two soulmates beating the odds and finally becoming one as a married couple. The only thing is that it is going to be so hard for you afterwards when you are still apart…"
"And I am guessing that there won't be a honeymoon for a very long time afterwards," said Mitch, who then found Wes staring at him with a frown as the others laughed at what he was implying.
"Yes, it will be a long time in coming, but then, don't they say that the best things are worth waiting for?" responded Thad, with a wink at his future husband which made Wes blush and David laugh.
"So will this be a Warbler only event, or are the others invited. I guess what I am asking is can we tell the New Directions guys what is going on?" asked Ethan, earning himself a smile from Wes for changing the subject so smoothly.
"Of course you can tell them," came his reply. "Mercedes, Elliott and the Carmichaels already know, and I will be breaking the news to my cousin Michelle in just a few minutes time. However, we do of course have to exclude anyone that cannot see angels from the event, with the exception of a handful of already selected people."
"Julia is working tomorrow, so I was already planning on just coming with Seth," said Skylar.
"Izzy is working too, and is in New York, so that is no problem for me," replied Flint.
"Flora can see angels of course, so I am off the hook," added Cameron.
"I want to be the one that tells Mike. He will be so pleased for you both," said Jeff, as Nick nodded in agreement.
"I guess I should be the one to let Satan know," said Sebastian with a smile. "I should of course point out that means telling Brittany, and she will get overexcited by the whole thing in all likelihood, and want to be a bridesmaid. And before any of you say it, yes, I am aware that there is no bride, and so will that sweet blonde, but she will nonetheless wish to be one."
"I am sure that we can find her a bouquet of flowers and let her be one," replied Wes. "Let us never forget that if it wasn't for her ability to see angels when we lost Kurt and Blaine, none of would be able to see and all of this would not even be taking place…"
By the time that they all assembled again under the dome, adjacent to the grand staircase, where the vow renewal was to take place, everyone of the Warblers had been assigned someone to tell, and most had already done so. Wes had barely finished the long hug that Michelle had given him on hearing that her birdie was getting married than there came a frantic knocking on the door of the Senior Commons, which was then flung open and Wes found himself engulfed by an excited Brittany, who peppered him with kisses. He almost feared he would need help getting her off again, but as quickly as she had arrived, she left, no doubt hunting for Thad to do the same to him….
Michelle meanwhile had been left in fits of giggles, and it was only when she stopped that Wes was able to explain all about the concept of 'dream state'. That news earned him another hug from his cousin. "This is just everything that you ever dreamed of happening, Birdie. You are getting to marry the boy you always loved, and I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am for you right now."
As Michelle began to plot just how she would get Ollie to the right place for the whole process to begin, Wes left her and headed to the renewal venue, and was immediately accosted by Mike and Tina. "When Jeff told me, I didn't quite believe him, even when Nick was nodding in agreement, but the way that your face is glowing right now is the proof positive that it is all true. I really want to be hugging you right now, but given that the Harpers are over there and watching, I can't. It would look weird." Wes had to concur, particularly as Rabbi Hirsch, who had kept her promise to perform the ceremony, was being escorted into the room by Principal Lefevre. Then there were the 3 young children that were sitting with their grandparents to consider. It was bad enough that their mother had no idea they were even attending their uncle's wedding, let alone having to deal with the possible fallout from Mike hugging air…
When Beats entered the room, he was more than a little surprised to see his nephews and niece - and a little concerned too. His sister's outburst just prior to Thanksgiving had been a horrible experience for him, and he doubted if he would ever be able to forgive her for the cruel words that she had used to describe his adopted son. He did not particularly want to start a new war of words by having her children at the ceremony. His father saw the look on his face, and came over to where he was standing, and spoke.
"I know what you are thinking right now son, and I admit that I had my fair share of doubts about the wisdom of this too, but your mother was quite insistent. The kids are all pretty savvy, and they all know that they will not mention what they are doing today to their mom. Your sister is out of town for a few days, so this was an easy way of taking care of them; it appears she has met a new man, and she informed your mother and I that we were babysitting. I almost told her that we couldn't because of today, but I wasn't given the chance. Turns out that was for the best in many ways."
"Well, it is nice to see them, but I just pray that it doesn't all end up backfiring," replied Beats. Mr Harper nodded, and headed over to speak to Elliott, who had just entered at the other side of the room. That allowed Flint to come over and stand next to his best friend.
"Don't look so worried, I am sure that everything is going to work out just fine. On the bright side, your mother has excellent taste in hats; nobody is going to laugh or stare at that!"
"True, but that doesn't mean that I won't kick my best man in the shin if I feel that it is warranted," replied Beats, recalling what Flint had done to him on the latter's wedding day.
"I would totally understand if you felt that it was justified; as a precaution, I have shin guards on underneath my suit, just in case…" Beats looked at Flint, then laughed out loud before hugging him. Then he headed over to his mother and the children.
The ceremony, when it came, was a simple one; very similar to the original one in New York, but substantially longer. Flint and Elliott's brother Josh actually felt a sense of purpose this time, both with a role to play. Dante did not cry this time, nor did the smiling Lachlan at his side. After all, this ceremony was one based entirely on love, and celebrating it; it was not a means to circumvent the authorities, and ensure that the former could stay with the two men he saw as his dads, his mentors, his saviours if he was entirely honest. Meeting them had turned his life round in a 180 in so little time, and now he was a high achieving high school student with a long term boyfriend….
It was also fair to say that if someone had told Dante that he would end up with a preppy guy like Lachlan back then he would never have believed them, but they had just gelled from the moment that they met; although he didn't believe in all that soulmate stuff per se, well, maybe there was something in it… In fact, now that he was actually in the building, Dante was beginning to wonder if there was something a little bit strange and special about Dalton Academy that rubbed off on its former students. He could feel some kind of presence in the rooms that were otherwise empty; strange draughts, and the feeling that he was being watched and whispered about by someone or something…
He did not want to embarrass himself by saying something about it in front of his dads, but Lachlan had noticed there was something up, and so he had told him, expecting to be laughed at. Instead, his boyfriend had agreed that there was something going on here. "Maybe it is ghosts, or even angels," Lachlan had said without shame. "After all, your dads do talk about the friends they have lost as angels, not ghosts; it might be them that we are feeling the presence of…" Dante had looked at him, and had almost laughed, until he realised that actually that would explain everything very nicely.
All of those thoughts would be set aside as the ceremony began though, the room brought to attention by the rapping of a gavel, much to everyone's amusement. The Warblers amongst them had sung, with the exception of Beats and Flint, a song about love and happiness. Then Rabbi Hirsch had conducted the ceremony, her words so familiar to most of them, given that virtually all of those in their age group had said them now. Mitch had turned to look at Gideon in the next seat, and wondered when they would share those words with each other and their family and friends. He was, of course, assuming that the younger man would want to…
Nearby, Thad realised that he would be uttering very similar words himself the following day, words he had never believed he would say to the man he loved, at least in this world. He glanced at Michelle, sitting by his side, and she smiled at him, and then grinned as she felt a kick in her stomach as her child made their presence known…
Beats and Elliott had decided against writing their own vows; they both knew what they were pledging in this ceremony, and today was not about that, but about giving the day they needed to Beats' parents, and the Carmichaels. Still, they both felt a warm and comfortable glow as they were once again told that they were now husbands, and the kiss that they then shared was on the correct side of epic to satisfy the gathering. Even so, both were aware that it would pale into insignificance when it was compared to the one they could expect tomorrow…
The reception after the vow renewal was a happy affair. There was a buffet, organised by the kitchen staff at Dalton, as was the norm, but the centrepiece was a three tier cake, iced to perfection, that had been baked by Nick the day after he and Jeff returned from England; a traditional fruit cake of the kind that Nick knew Beats secretly liked the most. He saw the cake as a wedding gift, and it was joined by others that had been purchased by friends and family alike. None of them were expensive, but all of them came from the heart. Jeff had made a photograph of the little family of Beats, Elliott and Dante he had seen posted on Facebook at Christmas into a drawing as detailed and as accurate as any he had ever done for a start. Then there were an assortment of small items for their shared home; kitchen gadgets that Elliott craved, and the decorative yet practical things that Beats liked. However, the gift they cherished most was the small yet intricate model that Seth had made for them; knowing how hard such things were for him now, they appreciated all the effort that he had made to finish it.
Once everyone had eaten, it was time for speeches. Josh went first, giving a heartfelt speech about family, about how his brother had supported him in the hardest of times, how Beats had been there when it mattered the most, and how their marriage was just the icing on an already well made cake. Then came Flint's turn, and he veered to the comic side, but still found time to mention his best friend's generous nature, and hinted at the great lengths he was prepared to go to if it meant he could support those he loved; he took great care not to be too specific, but still got a big laugh with the words "It is hard looking at the two of us now to imagine that we were once Preppy Boys, but I don't think that is something that ever truly leaves you…"
Thad ended up making his excuses and leaving the celebrations early, as he wanted to get a good night's sleep on his last as a single man. It was also the last day of his twenties as well as being his last as a bachelor, at least, as far as his close circle of friends were aware in the latter case. As far as the majority of the world was concerned, he would still be single. A part of him found that whole thing annoying, as he wanted to be able to shout out from the rooftops that he was Thad Montgomery, Wes' husband. It would give him so much pleasure if he could tell the boys when they returned from the holiday that he was now Mr Montgomery, as he had never felt the need or indeed desire to hyphenate his name…
He was of course to be denied that most simple of pleasures. He guessed that when at last the time came when he joined Wes in the angelic realms, he could request to be known as Thad Montgomery then, and maybe he could have that request put down in writing at the ceremony tomorrow. He had briefly considered asking the other boys, as he still saw his age cohort of friends, to call him that when they were together, then he realised that eventually someone outside the group would hear, and think he was just a little crazy…
"Sitting all alone on your last night of freedom?" came a voice which startled Thad out of his thoughts. He looked up to see Sebastian had entered the room with a smile on his face. "David was going to come up, but Mercedes called just as he was about to and he had to head off. He promises to be back good and early in the morning though. You know, if this had been a decade ago, I would have insisted that this night required copious quantities of alcohol, drunken singing, and maybe even getting Beats and Flint to strut their stripper stuff for you…"
"Thank God that it isn't a decade ago!" exclaimed Thad, which made Sebastian chuckle.
"No, I have to agree, the idea of watching the two of them do that now does seem a little off. We all get older, and have to be more responsible, but not, by any stretch of the imagination, dull. So instead I have come only with a message from your best man; get to bed, you are 30 tomorrow, and a groom to be! Oh, and about the latter, none of us could be more pleased than we are for the two of you…"
The next morning Thad woke early, something that his life as a housemaster at Dalton had instilled in him from day one. He clambered out of bed and headed to the kitchen to make himself a cup of coffee. Looking out of the window he saw that the sun was shining already from a clear blue sky, and he couldn't help but smile. Only a few days ago he had been dreading this morning, coming as it did with all of the memories of a promise that had been made, but could now never be kept. He realised now that after today, his birthday would also be his wedding anniversary, and he could celebrate both without arousing questions…
He checked the time, and realised that his brother would be on his flight, preparing to take off, over in New York. He was still not entirely sure of how the whole 'dream state' thing worked, and he felt a little guilty that he would have to spend the rest of his life lying to his brother about the day's events, pretending that they had never happened in front of him. It also meant that Michelle would have to lie to her husband too, but it was worth it for Ollie to be there at his side on the biggest day of his life, the day he married the man he had loved for more than a decade with all of his heart. It was just a shame that he was not still alive, so they could enjoy the pleasures of married life like any other couple…
Thad might have been the first person awake at Dalton that morning, but at his mother's home nearby, David had been awake much earlier, with a son and daughter to look after as their mom slept. He was just as nervous as Thad about the day ahead; he had an important part to play after all, taking on a role he had never expected to in this life anyway. He had always expected that some time in the distant future he would be there to watch as an angel as his two equally angelic best friends finally became the couple they deserved to be. He had never expected to see that day now, not in a billion years, certainly not on Thad's birthday at Dalton Academy….
His speech for the short time between the ceremony and party had been practiced, and more importantly, had been given a thumbs up by his wife, the only person that he had been able to talk to. He had not wished to share his words with any of his Warbler brethren, in case they demanded it be altered in any way, shape or form. It came from his heart after all, filled with his love for both of the men being united today as husbands. He did however feel a little sad about one thing. Thad would never be able to publicly wear the ring that Wes would slip on his finger in just a few hours time, and having it on a chain round his neck instead was a very poor substitute. There would be no outward sign to anyone outside their little group that Thad was no longer single; still, all those that mattered would know that he was married, and that the bond he shared with his husband was unbreakable. It was formed not just from a meeting of two hearts and minds, but of two realms. There was nothing anyone could do that would destroy their union.
Michelle was waiting at the airport in Columbus a little while later for her husband's flight to arrive. It was early, and she watched intently as the passengers began to exit through the gate. The flow was small given the hour, and it soon became a trickle then stopped altogether - with no sign of Ollie. That caused a cold shiver to run down her spine, as she imagined that her husband had somehow managed to miss the flight and not been able to contact her; that his last text that he was at the airport had been followed by some dreadful mishap. She was just about to seek out a member of staff when the door opened and her husband sheepishly walked out. He headed straight for her then spoke softly.
"I'm sorry, you must have been wondering where on earth I was; the truth is that it was a long night at work, and there was an accident, and we had a lot of folk in the department, and in the end, I was an hour late in getting away. As a result, I had hardly any time at home before I had to head to the airport. I think that as soon as I was in my seat, belt fastened, I dozed off, and stayed that way the whole trip. One of the cabin crew actually had to wake me up just now…"
"I'm so sorry for the long trip when you are obviously tired, but it is going to be worth it to see your brother's face now that you are here."
"I am very tired, but you are right, I would not want to be anywhere else right now, not on the day that my little brother reached the grand old age of 30. He has given me, no, both of us, so much, recently in particular of course, and he never asks for anything in return. My only hope now is that I can manage to stay awake during all the festivities!"
"Well, we did think that you might be exhausted, so Thad has arranged a bed for you at Dalton to catch up on some more sleep before the party begins properly; a nice, dark, quiet room in a sleepy corner of the school…"
"Now that does sound like heaven, and illustrates the point I just made so well. He is always putting the needs of other people first."
Thad was waiting for them at the door as they pulled up at Dalton, Michelle carefully parking Thad's car back in its allotted space. She waited in the car for a moment as Ollie climbed out of the car and walked over to embrace his younger brother. "Happy Birthday, little bro. Are you sure that you are actually 30, because you look far too young…"
"Oh I am, and there are days that I feel much, much older… Thank you so much for coming all of this way for the day; you really didn't need to," replied Thad.
"Nonsense. You are my brother, and I would have fought my way through blizzards, swamps and even the zombie apocalypse to be here today." Ollie was then forced to stop and yawn, which made Thad laugh.
"Why don't we get you inside, and I can show you to the room that we have set aside for you to get some sleep? We can wake you up just before the party starts so you will feel fresher?"
"If you don't mind, then yeah, lead on," replied Ollie with a smile…
Ten minutes later he was sound asleep, which let Thad and Michelle chat quietly in the corridor as they walked away. "Right, so his best man suit is hanging up in the closet; you will need to get him changed into it as soon as you wake him. After the ceremony, we bring him back here, get him undressed again and send him back to bed. We spirit the wedding suit away, to the safety of my apartment, and leave the suit that he has brought with him ready to put on," said Thad. "Hopefully, if we are careful, there will be nothing left to make him think that anything he has just witnessed was a reality; it will all just seem like a dream to him…"
Thad left his sister-in-law to head down to the auditorium to meet up with the others, and headed to his rooms to get ready for his wedding. Even now he half expected that at any moment he would wake up, possibly in a hospital bed, and discover that all of this had been one long and glorious dream, and that it was still June, with the vow renewal still to come. As he stepped into his little apartment, he was not in the least surprised to see David waiting for him, nor to find himself enveloped in his best friend's arms just a moment later. "Happy birthday for a start, old man," said David with a grin as he pulled away.
"It will be your turn to be 30 in less than weeks, so less of the old please," replied Thad.
"That is very true," admitted David. "However, for now our focus is on what can only be described as the wedding of the century. The one that everyone thought was impossible."
"Including me, even now… It just feels so right to finally be doing this. I am going to be married to the man that I have loved since the day I first set eyes upon him in just a couple of hours, and that is the best feeling. It beats every one of those Nationals wins with the Warblers hands down. I just wish that I could be Thad Montgomery to the world after today…"
"I know, but you will be eventually when this life is over, and you will be amongst all of your bird brothers, who are flocking here as we speak. Anyway, enough small talk; you'd best head to your bedroom. There is someone in there that you would be best to obey…"
"Obey?" said Thad, a hint of astonishment in his voice, before he headed to his bedroom to see who the heck it was thought they could command him; that was unlikely to happen unless it was Wes.
He had no sooner opened the door than he heard the words, "Finally! Right, so we do not have long, and I have a second groom to check over once again after I finish here. Come here and sit down so that I can work my magic and have you looking like perfection." Thad shook his head in amused disbelief, but headed over and took a seat in front of his dresser mirror. Kurt nodded, draped a towel round his shoulders, then studied him. "Okay, your hair is okay, but it could do with a minor trim and a little restyle. Then we shall move on to a proper shave and a quick manicure - and no protests, we want you to look your very best. As for clothes, well I notice that you had set out your black buckle strap shoes, and I wholeheartedly approve of that choice; you always had the best fashion sense out of the Warblers. Blaine is polishing them up right now, giving them that extra shine. Your shirt however… I brought you a new one to wear, with traditional double cuffs that need a cufflink to secure them, and an old fashioned wing collar. I have also seen to it that your suit was given another press, just to make it as sharp as possible.
Before Thad could say a word, Kurt had the scissors in his hand, and had begun to tidy up his hair. All in all, Thad realised David was right. There was no point in arguing, it was just best to sit back and do as Kurt wanted him to. In any case, he would ensure that he looked like a model when he stood next to Wes, waiting for the ceremony to begin…