Although it was only 5 minutes until the big moment, Thomas Wachowski was stopped from approaching the altar by his good friend and best man, Michael Watson.
"Hey, hey, slow down, man." he told the groom-to-be as he attempted to adjust Tom's already fine bow-tie. "You got your vows ready?" Michael asked him, to which his buddy responded with "Uh, check?"
"Your phone on silent?"
"Check."
"You make sure i didn't accidentally buy you dress pants too big?"
"Check. Listen, Mike-"
"Alrighty then, i officially consider you ready."
Michael didn't know his hand was still on Tom's tie, but luckily he was stopped by the groom's hand. "I was ready, Mike. You don't need to check up on me like some kind of TSA agent for weddings." he told the best man.
"Sorry, Tom. I just needed to make sure your tie was on right. Oh, hold on, i think it might be crook-" Michael was reaching for the tie, but his hand was slapped away by Tom, who told him "I'm good. Your job is to stand by me during this whole thing and consume half of the food being served, okay?"
With that, Michael backed away from his about-to-be-hitched friend, who turned around to face the door leading to the main church room. But Tom didn't open it just yet. He took a very deep breath, almost seeming nervous. I mean, who wouldn't be, right? Yet something told the small group of people inside with him that this wasn't the usual jitters (which was, in reality, exactly the case).
"You okay, Tommy?"
That voice belonged to one of Tom's other best friends and Michael's co-best man, David King.
"Yeah… Guys, do you think i'm doing the right thing? Marrying her?" Tom asked the group, which also consisted of his police station co-worker, Wade.
"Of course you are, bro!" Michael said. "Maddie is one of the best women i know. *chuckles* And you all thought my dating advice didn't work, come on!"
"Plus, you gotta admit she's smokin' hot." David said, always the womanizer.
"Well, thanks, Dave." Tom responded. "I'm sure she'll take that as a compliment."
"Listen, Tom," Wade started. "You've got absolutely nothing to worry about. This is your wedding! Go, have some fun, tie the knot with the girl you love, and if things don't work out, you'll always see other people."
"Okay, okay, Wade," Michael said. "you really need to work on your pep talks. Now come on, you're gonna be late!" he lightly grabbed onto Tom's shoulders, guiding him out the door and onto the altar, where the others soon followed. And just in time, too- the bride had just entered the room, wearing a gorgeous white dress, walking alongside her father, who soon departed to his seat in the audience as the couple got close together.
Meanwhile, Michael and David stood next to each other, striking up a quiet conversation as the priest began his statements. "Hey, Mike, even though i don't seem like it, i just want you to know i'm proud of you helping Tom through the whole, you know, pre-wedding process." David said.
"You don't need to tell me that, dude." Michael grumbled. "While we're at it, how about we get married too, David?"
"Relax, i'm just being nice. You know us men gotta stick together."
"Fair point, David. Fair point. *sigh* Look at those two. Our white knight and his dark-skinned beauty. Doesn't this remind you of your wedding?"
"Not really, Mike. I don't remember much, but i remember me almost fumbling up my vows, fighting with my father, and Meghan accidentally tipping over the cake. But at least they're happy."
Back at the wedding, the "I do"s were ready to be made. "Do you, Thomas Michael Wachowski, take Maddie to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do, of course."
"And do you, Madison, take Thomas to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do."
"Okay, you may now kiss the bride."
And the two kissed. Probably the best kiss they've ever had. A kiss so great it almost made Wade cry.
"God, i can't wait for your wedding." David told Michael.
"Yeah… with the way things between me and Kerry are right now, i think we might reach that point soon."
As Tom and Maddie walked off in celebration, Maddie's sister Rachel grabbed the groom by the wrist. "Tom, i swear to God, if you do anything to hurt Maddie, you will be met with a swift and painful dose of regret."
"Point taken, Rach." Tom responded.
During the reception that occurred after, Michael decided to make a toast. After clinking his spoon to his wine glass, halting the chit-chat amongst the crowd, he stood up and began the speech he'd been practicing for about two weeks.
"Uh, my name's Michael Watson, i work over at the bank. Me and Tom go way back, like back in elementary school. And yes, i know David was with us at that time, too, but he's not important." the crowd, even David, chuckled. "To me i've always felt like his first wife. Not because we were in love, obviously. But because we've had our ups and downs together. We've always had fun, thanks in part to my dad investing on a NES. But we were also there for each other when one of us was down on our luck. And we still are. So of course i had to assist him for this special occasion, and when me and Kerry end up in the same boat, i hope Tom will do the same."
"To Michael!" David said, holding up his glass. The other guests soon followed, all saying the same thing.
"Thanks, guys. And to Tom, and the hope that no coming singular day will be just as eventful as this one! Because now, with her by your side, it'll be every day."
That aged well.
…
5 years later
BEEP*
BEEP*
BEEP*
Somehow, the blaring and constant sound of the Wachowskis' digital alarm clock hadn't woken them from their slumber. Luckily, they had an always-active alien hedgehog living with them to fix that.
"Guys? Guys! Come on, you gotta get up! That thing's been beeping for ten seconds and you know i have yet to understand how it works! Wake up and turn it off, please!"
"Mmh… just a few more minutes, Sonic…" Tom grumbled, then suddenly raised the upper half of his body up. "Sonic?" he said, the aforementioned hedgehog having run down to the couple's bedroom after hearing the clock from his room in the attic.
"What? You don't remember the friendly neighborhood blue hedgehog you abducted and later became friends with? If i didn't know any better, i'd say you'd need to call in sick today!" Sonic responded as Maddie began to wake up as well. "Anyways, get moving! You're gonna be late!"
"Oh shoot!" Maddie exclaimed. "You're right!" She and Tom ran out of bed and attempted to get themselves ready as fast as they could.
Sonic watched as the two brushed their teeth, got themselves dressed, took showers (remembering not to take a peek while doing the last two), and finally, fed themselves a quick and tasty breakfast. "Maybe you should start practicing getting ready faster." he told them right as they finished said breakfast. "I mean, look at me- i got ready for the day in less than 2 seconds right after i woke you two up, giving me less time to stress about it! Unlike you guys, of course."
"Well, Sonic, if only i was gifted with super-speed from the day i was born." joked Tom. "Hey," Sonic responded. "what can i say? We're all built different."
"See you later, little guy. Be good, alright?" Maddie said right as the Wachowskis left for their respective jobs. After saying that, she rubbed her hand on top of the space-hog's head, the same way one would pet their, well, pet for a few seconds before leaving for the day. But something about that rub- that short, gentle but not too gentle stroke- felt so loving and invigorating, that Sonic didn't feel like a pet. He felt almost like… part of a family?
But as soon as the front door shut, he put that thought to rest, and focused on wondering what to do first on his long list of fun things to do while alone in the house.
…
"But sir, i'm not sure that's a good ide- you sure? I'm the best worker you've got… well, i can't argue with that. Talk to you later, boss."
David King hung up his phone and sat on the couch, head hanging down low. His unusually depressive state was quickly noticed by his 12-year-old daughter, Natalie. She sat down next to her father. "What's wrong, Dad?" she said.
"Oh, nothing, sweetie." David responded. "It's just my boss demanded i take a few days off, since he thinks i work too much." Natalie raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that a good thing?" she asked.
"Natalie, i am this close to getting enough for next month's rent. It's due in pretty much a week, so i cannot afford taking even a single day off, let alone 3!"
"Dad, it's fine. We'll work something out, like always."
"And besides," David continued. "my job is very important and i hate missing it."
"You work as a pizza delivery man."
Natalie was right on that front- David was just a simple delivery guy. Has been for a couple years. He used to work alongside Michael at the local bank, but after he and Meghan divorced, the manager noticed a huge slump in his performance, and politely let him go, at the same time Michael was being promoted to his boss's position, a coincidence both men are haunted by. Luckily, David's unemployment didn't last for very long, as a Pizza Hut was just opening in Green Hills around that time. He thought to himself, Why not? I know my way around this town and i can drive like a pro. It wouldn't hurt to make a living delivering pizzas, right?
And he was right. Very right.
It was practically refreshing for David to deal with a more laid-back job than the hustle and bustle of the bank, plus since it was a small town he didn't have to take too many orders, so he rapidly grew to love it. Which was part of the reason why he wasn't a fan of having a break.
Even then, you would never assume David even had that job in the first place by looking at him. He was quite a dashing man: straight brown hair in a wavy position not too long but not too short, a clean shaven face with a head shape and jaw just as chiseled as his slim body. While he wasn't bodybuilder strong, David was certainly able to lift a handful of pounds with ease. These traits, naturally, helped him gain the attraction of many women, which he fortunately passed on to stay loyal to his now-former wife.
She, however, did not have that same mentality.
"I provide tasty nourishment to starving people all over town. That's contributing to society, right?" David said.
"Whatever." Natalie responded. "Just focus on the positive: you've got some days to yourself. You can either spend them with me or go out and have some fun! Live a life of adventure while it lasts! Then you can go back to your cozy little job knowing you were able to fit in some excitement along the way."
"On one hand, you're starting to sound like your mother," said David. "but on the other, i guess you're right." David got up from the couch and walked towards the front door, putting on his shoes nearby. "But first, i gotta go grab breakfast. I'll be right back, Natalie. I can trust you'll be safe home alone for a few minutes?"
Natalie simply nodded, and with that, David was out the door.
…
Michael Watson was sort of a different person from David. He was more level-headed than both he and Tom, and sometimes saw things from a logical perspective, unlike David's do-first-think-later mentality. Which made sense- Michael has been working at Green Hills' local bank for years now, to the point where he earned himself the position of management, which was pretty much akin to owning the place.
In terms of looks, Michael wasn't that different from his lowly pizza delivery man buddy. He had somewhat similar facial features, but his chin was less defined and rounder, and he wore facial hair both on top of his lip and all around his chin and the overall bottom part of his head. Michael was not by all means fat, but while he was about as slim as David, his body was much weaker, his arms especially, due to never having much time to fully exercise.
Nonetheless, at least he was able to keep his wife.
Kerry Watson snuck up behind Michael while he rubbed some hand sanitizer on both his palms, and quickly placed her hands on his shoulder and said "Boo!", startling her husband. After screaming a little and turning behind him, Michael responded with "Oh, well good morning to you too."
"Oh, come on, now, Michael!" Kerry said. "You gotta admit that's a little funny."
"Only a teensy bit." Michael said, holding up his finger and thumb close together for greater emphasis. "And aren't you supposed to be at work already?" Kerry worked as a doctor, so it was pretty unusual for her to not be up and out earlier.
"Oh, they had Eva take over the morning shifts. I don't start till 12." Kerry responded. "Besides, i've wanted to wish you luck on your workplace endeavors properly today, instead of a quick 'oh, i'm going to work, see you later, love ya, bye' while you're still asleep."
"Understandable." Michael said. "Thanks for that. I love you."
"Love you too, Mike. Now come on, you don't want to be late."
"You got that right." Michael made sure his clothing for today was to his preferred adjustments and got his shoes on, ready for another potentially harrowing day at the bank. Well, almost ready.
He grabbed for the space on the table near the front door where the couple's keys reside. Both of their car keys were there, but one just-as-important item was missing. Michael's hand stopped right on top of the table when he made the realization.
"What's wrong?" Kerry asked.