Wedding plans.
There was a stunned silence all around the table as they considered what Skylar had just said. In the end it was Colin that did the math, and declared out loud, "You are intending to get married in 54 days time? That is pretty short notice… Why so soon? Is there something about Julia that you need to tell us all?"
"Something about… Certainly not!" exclaimed Skylar. "It may be seen as very old fashioned these days, but we have not got to that stage in our relationship as yet. However, neither of us want to live back with family in Ohio, or have to rent two separate places, as her grandparents would wish, so a quick marriage is the best solution. We don't want anything too fancy; not for us all of the expense of a day that would rival that of royalty."
"On the other hand you don't want the kind of wedding that Beats had either - 5 minutes flat in a registry office," added Edward. Suddenly though, he paled. "Wait, that is graduation weekend at Dalton - aren't Beats and Elliott renewing their wedding vows that day?"
"That was my first thought when the date was mentioned, but I had an excuse to call Elliott - the fact I will be leaving the Spotlight - and I mentioned it casually to him. It was when they had originally planned, but they had to change the date to accommodate Mr and Mrs Harper. He has a work conference that day that he cannot get out of. They are now planning too renew their vows on the first Saturday in July, which means that Nick and Jeff will be home, and it also happens to coincide with Thad's 30th birthday. He doesn't want any fuss from what I have heard, but the fact that there will be a wedding of sorts gives us all a reason to be at Dalton, and it will not be too hard to organise a surprise party to celebrate a milestone for the Head Warbler."
"That is true," said Colin, "but of course your date choice does mean one thing - Nick and Jeff will miss your wedding."
"Yes, and it is sad, but it cannot be helped; they will understand why I need to get married so quickly. After all, they know all about keeping family happy to be happy yourself. It won't be the same, having a Warbler wedding without them there, but I am still sure they will be pleased for me and Julia."
"Everyone will be," said Edward, and around the table five heads nodded. Then, with much talk about all the things that would need to be organised, they settled down to eat their dessert.
After dinner, Skylar headed up to his room to make a few phone calls; his parents and Thad were amongst those, as whereas Julia had told her family, he had not had a chance, and he was just glad that her parents would keep quiet until told it was safe to talk. Luke and Duncan headed up as well to study for their finals, and after a few minutes, Edward did too. Colin however lingered, ostensibly to stack the dishwasher; the moment that his husband headed out of the room, he went to his main purpose instead. He went back to the table and sat down next to Seth, then said, "That was a big shock to all of us, but for you it must have been a massive one. What I cannot fathom is that neither Skylar or Edward noticed your total silence all the way through the rest of the meal. You just nodded where appropriate, staring at your peach cobbler…"
Seth looked up, his face sad, and said, "I am pleased for him; I really, really am. I want, no need for him to be happy, and he will be with Julia. He will have his dream job as well as a wife… I just thought that I might get a little more warning is all. I never imagine that it would be this fast…" Seth's words faltered and he sniffed…
Colin quickly put his arm around him, and said, "If it comes down to it, and for some reason you haven't got a good safe place to live in on your own by August, then I will stay here with you until you have sorted things. Edward and I have discussed all the possibilities and whereas he has to go, the pharmacy side is not so urgent. The current pharmacist, the dentist's wife, is quite okay with waiting just a little bit longer to retire if need be."
"I appreciate the thought, I really do," replied Seth, "but I refuse to split up Edwin, even on a temporary basis."
"You wouldn't; Edward could commute to the new surgery, as it is only 90 minutes away on the slowest train, and a lot less on an express."
Seth smiled at Colin with gratitude, and said, "Things should be okay; the builders are coming in a couple of days to start work on the end house to make me a new place; a home of my own."
"Well, just know that the two of us will not go anywhere until you are in and settled. Now, what say you and I go and watch some trashy TV and gorge ourselves on cookies to cheer ourselves up?" Seth nodded, unable to decline the offer his friend had just made…
It was how Skylar found them an hour later. He opened his mouth to criticise them, but a look of disapproval from Colin silenced him. He wondered what he had done to deserve it for a moment, and then it hit him. He was leaving in a little over 7 weeks, but he wasn't just leaving a house in New York… As he took the seat on the sofa on Seth's other side, Colin stood up and announced that he had best go and study his drug reference notes…
The moment he had headed out of the lounge, closing the door behind him, Skylar spoke. "I should have spoken to you about all of this, in private, before I told anyone else apart from Julia. It was just that I was so happy, and…"
"It's okay. I mean, I have been the one that has been pushing you to get your finger out and marry her, and now you are. A little more time would have been nice, because there is a heck of a lot to plan. I mean, I am assuming that I still have the role of best man?"
"Of course!"
"So I have a bachelor party to sort out, and a speech to write, and we need to get a ring, unless you have already chosen one. Then it would be helpful if you could tell me where the ceremony is actually going to be…"
"Oh, that is easy; Julia mentioned it, and she was right…"
"So Dalton? Oh that is good. Mrs Carmichael will be able to help us…"
"Us?" asked Skylar. "Seth, I definitely want you to be my groomsman, my best man, but I will be letting other people take on the responsibility of organising everything. It is such a short amount of time, and even if we did have the help of Mrs Carmichael, it is far too much for amateurs like us to handle. Julia and I have discussed it, and we will be hiring a wedding planner to sort out all of the big stuff."
"Why would you do that? They are hideously expensive, and I guarantee that all most of them do is make a lot of phone calls, which I would be perfectly capable of doing with the assistance of the redoubtable Mrs Carmichael…" began Seth, and then it dawned on him. "Oh. This isn't about the short length of time to your wedding ceremony at all, is it. It is all about how you think that given my condition, I would not be able to carry out such a task. I am not an invalid, Skylar. My brain still works; I can still send e-mails and make phone calls."
"I am aware of that, but I have done my homework here; one of the biggest triggers for attacks for people with your condition is overwork and stress. You are a perfectionist, and rightly so in the circumstances, but that means that if things start to go wrong, then you will get stressed, which could make you unwell, and I am not willing to risk my big day causing that."
"Well, I am also reliably informed that being best man is very stressful, so maybe I had better sit that out too," retorted Seth. "Maybe you should ask Edward if he would do it instead! I can just sit quietly at the back where I won't cause any trouble."
Skylar look horrified at the prospect, and instantly replied, "That is the last thing that I would want! I need you to be there at my side on my wedding day, but the last thing I want is to make you ill."
"I understand that, but you have to understand that I need to be part of all the processes from day one, or I will feel that I have let you down. It is stupid, I know, but it is how I feel. There isn't all that much that needs done really when you think about it. The rings are easy; the other groomsmen and the ushers will be Warblers…"
"Plus Luke and Duncan."
"So there is no worry about suits for them all, in the main. Dress Warbler uniform for the ushers; groomsmen in suits, although I am guessing not too many of them…"
"Our four housemates."
"Which means I just need to organise a day for all of us to go to Brooks Brothers together; if what Drew says is true, they are the place to go. Mrs Carmichael can sort out the buttonholes and the flowers, and as for accommodation, well most of the guys will be happy to spend the night in their old dorm rooms, or with family, or even at Thad's place."
Skylar shook his head, then said, "When you put it like that, you are right, it isn't all that much."
"Exactly, so instead of paying someone through the nose to do it all, let me. Honestly, it would mean the world to me if you would allow me to do it."
"Fine, but on the proviso that if I think you are getting stressed, or your health is suffering, then you will allow someone else to take over."
"I can live with that," said Seth happily. "All I want is for you and Julia to have a memorable day; one that you will remember for the rest of your lives. Now, about the bachelor party…"
"I am not sure that I actually want one."
"We combine that with your leaving party, thus saving a lot of organisation. Maybe Julia could have her leaving party at the same time; take over the Spotlight for the night?"
"Now that actually sounds like a good plan, and better still, all the stress of organising it would fall on to Michelle, or more likely, Elliott or Dani. Yeah, I could certainly approve of that…"
Seth headed up for bed that night feeling much happier than he had done only a few hours before. He did not exactly skip up the stairs, but neither did they seem as insurmountable as they did on other nights. As he reached the first floor landing, he saw Colin coming down from the room he shared with Edward on the floor above. "I take it that you and Skylar had a proper talk? You do look a lot happier now."
"We did, and there might have been a bit of raised voice on my part, which I will not apologise for. I know where he was coming from, and I am grateful that he cares so much about me, but I think I made him realise that he has to let me be normal; he has to allow me to be Warbler Baxter, not his friend Seth with MND. I might even have suggested that he should chose another best man if he wasn't going to allow me to do my job fully."
"Well, if you do need help, don't be afraid to ask me. I am here for you too; the bird brotherhood is strong, and there is never any shame in requesting help."
"I promise that I will, Colin; you guys are my family, and I love you all." Colin smiled and waited as Seth headed into his room. He made a mental note to be a little more mindful of Seth's condition from now on.
Inside his room, Seth sat down on his bed, and his eyes strayed at once to the photos on the nightstand. Skylar's smile lit up the photo of the two of them at Nick and Jeff's wedding; it was not so long ago, but it felt like it was in another world. He had been well then, with no clue as to how quickly his world would fall apart. He had a feeling that Skylar would be the last Warbler that he saw marry for the first time… As if on cue, a small spasm hit just at that moment, causing his hand to tremble like a leaf. He sighed, thinking that all he had to do now was get through the next 8 weeks or so without another big attack. He was hopeful, given how well he had been doing lately, but he also knew that life could be so very cruel at times….
On Wednesday morning the builders arrived on the street and started on their work at once. Only Mike and Seth had known when they would arrive, so it was a surprise for the others as they headed to work to see the workmen, and to hear the noises from within the end house that signified that work had begun. Jeff's plans were smart in that he was not having the staircase that linked the two floors of the lower house removed, just closed in with a floor across the top and a panel placed around the lower part. It would make it easier to convert the two small apartments back into one house if needed at some point in the future. The main work would be in the widening of the passageways in the lower floor, by removing walls altogether, or at least setting them back; it would allow someone that was confined to a chair to get around easily, with the specifications based on those that had been used in the conversion of Artie's apartment years earlier. The plumbing would also have to be altered to accommodate the new wet room and kitchen, and the wiring upgraded, as the amount of electrics that would be in use was far more intense.
Fortunately, the structure of the old houses was such that very little noise carried through the walls into the house next door, much to the relief of Roderick, who on seeing the workmen had wondered if he would be better taking Simon back to his place in Murray Hill with him so that they could have a quieter day. The work starting was a sign to all of them that Seth was not going to improve, or heal; that his current good health was just a lucky break before the deterioration of his body began once more. It also showed that a significant change was coming at the big house, and they all speculated as to who might move in once the current six housemates moved on. The Warblers all knew that there had been a few of Thad's young charges that had come to the city to study but who had until now lived elsewhere. There was no reason why Jeff would not ask the Head Warbler for an idea of who might wish to live in the street in the West Village to avoid having a large empty house.
In that house now however there was no time for such speculations; there were projects that needed to be finished and finals to study for, even if they knew that in some cases it was merely a formality. Skylar's tutors had already awarded him a grade for his work, which meant he was going to graduate at the top of his class. Colin was filling in for a pharmacist at a CVS near the campus, albeit with an assessor watching his every move; she had told him at the end of his first shift that he had passed, as he was accurate in his dispensing, professional at all times, and sympathetic to the needs of the customers.
For Seth, being alone in the house for most of the day meant that he could get on with the most important part of the best man's role; the speech. He had thought at first that such a task would be relatively easy, just telling everyone what a wonderful person Skylar was, but then it dawned on him that task would not be simple at all. If he told them all how and when he had first met his friend, he would be obliged to bring up all of the bad things that had happened to them… he somehow imagined that talking about how they had bonded during nights spent locked in a cupboard together as a madman prowled the corridors of Dalton would put a bit of a dampener on the day…
Then there was the need for anecdotes and humour, and even jokes. He knew some tales from Skylar's youth and had a lot of examples of his good side with Julia too, and could keep the speech so clean that even a strict nun would approve it, unlike some best man's speeches. However, getting the actual words down on paper was much harder than it looked. His first three drafts ended up in the trash can after less than ten minutes each. He was determined that his speech had to do his friend's good nature justice. Part of him considered heading next door to ask Roderick to write something for him, based on his notes, but that would just be cowardice. He began his fourth draft, but had not got much further than the initial greetings when he felt a draught, and he turned round to see Wes standing behind him.
"I sympathise with you entirely at this moment," the angel said. "It is not an easy task; you have to deliver a recap of his life in a speech that needs to be of the correct brevity, and also make reference to the bride's beauty and all round perfection. At least when I was writing for Nick and Jeff, I knew them both very well…"
"I know Julia fairly well, so it won't be all that hard; she is a very nice person, and she and Skylar just fit together perfectly," replied Seth.
"I will not disagree with you there; they will be embarking on a long and most happy life together. You, on the other hand, are about to lose the closest thing to a brother that you have ever had."
"I know Wes, but it isn't as if he could have stayed with me forever anyway, nor would I have wanted him to; but in all honesty, it is going to hurt not seeing him around every day."
"I know exactly how that feels, trust me… So, as to why I am here, having written a speech or two of this type before, I thought that you might appreciate me lending you a hand…"
"That would be marvellous, Wes," said Seth with a grin.
"Excellent," replied Wes, taking a seat by Seth. "Right, so show me what you have." As he did so, Seth's smile grew wider, glad that he had an angelic ghostwriter to assist him in his task…
By then, Skylar had sent a message to Nick and Jeff on the other side of the Atlantic to break the news to them. They were sad that they would miss the wedding, but Jeff also now felt vindicated in his decision to start the building works on the house at the end of the street. He now faced a terrible task though; finding a new group of young former Dalton men to occupy the house next to their own. Thad would have a number of suggestions for him of course, of that he was certain. There were already a few former Warblers in the city for college that might suit; a couple that had arrived as freshmen last year, who would be looking to leave the dorms after a year there, and there were even a few of this years seniors that would be coming that might appreciate not being in a dorm, instead sharing a house with other young men they already knew and shared pastimes and values with; the values that those already on the street shared.
He was going to miss all of the current residents though; his cousin Luke had proved to be a lot like him in temperament as well as looks, but the city did not really suit him after a life living in the country. Duncan too preferred quiet nights to city lights. Edward and Colin had made the decision to leave as they wanted a good quality of life together, and to be their own bosses; the kind of jobs they could have obtained in the city would have been well enough paid, but they would have been in the thrall of the firm they joined. In the Hudson Valley they would be free to do as they wished, with a nice home to boot, but still within easy reach of the city. The same could also be said for Skylar, who would be able to design his own unique and architecturally appealing buildings in a smaller city, whereas in New York he would have been expected to confirm to the stereotypical glass and steel…
Nick headed home from the office that evening determined that he would finally sit down with his husband and tell him about the letter he had received from his boss; the one that had been lurking in his briefcase all weekend. It had been the best plan to keep it from him when he was already stressed by the prospect of visiting the Queen, but the unveiling was over and could no longer be used as an excuse. Jeff's drawing had been universally well received, both by the critics and the popular press. One of the newspapers, The Guardian, had even run a complete profile of him, with Nick mentioned as well, but fortunately where they lived was not disclosed. Google searches of Sterling-Duval had peaked on Monday afternoon. That was also when the chatter at the school gate had peaked, and Jeff had been left blushing as he was hugged and kissed by several of the parents as Wes watched in shock. Miss Frobisher had smiled, told him he was a genius and had left it at that; given that Jeff was already the colour of a London bus, that was just as well…
Nick could of course have taken the easy way out with the letter; declined politely and said nothing to Jeff of its existence. However, they had both promised that they would not have any secrets in their marriage, and Nick was a man of his word. He arrived home after a longer than usual tube journey to a house that smelt of dinner; he had prepared a filling for a chicken, ham and leek pie the night before, leaving Jeff to make the pastry, something that he excelled at for savoury dishes. As he headed down the stairs, Jeff was just removing the finished pie from the oven, a dish of boiled potatoes and another of carrots already on the table. Nick kissed his husband, then went to wash his hands before sitting at the table with his family, listening intently as his son talked about his day…
The meal completed and the dishes washed, it was time to settle down as a family for an hour or so; that night they watched a nature documentary together on television. It was one created by the legendary David Attenborough, and it speared nothing in its telling. Wes was mature beyond his years in his understanding of life and death, and how the food chain worked, but he still shed a few tears nonetheless when an animal died. Then it was time for him to go to bed, his fathers now leaving him alone to take his bath, more or less; they remained within earshot, but they no longer sat with him as he washed. Clean, Wes headed into bed, where Nick was waiting to read him his bedtime story; they were reading A A Milne, and the adventures of Winnie the Pooh, although exciting enough, helped the boy drift off to sleep…
After carefully marking the page, Nick headed down the stair again, to find his husband in the kitchen making a pot of tea; having lived in England for long enough, their urge for coffee had diminished. Nick fetched cake, and with two slices cut and the tea poured, he knew it was time. He cleared his throat, and that immediately brought him a look from Jeff. "Hmm, that is not a good sound, Nicky. What have I done?"
"Nothing my love," came his reply. "If anyone has done something wrong then it is me. I received a letter at work on Friday, and I haven't spoken with you about it, which I should have done. I only stayed silent as I did not wish to add to your stress."
Jeff's eyebrows were raised, as he said quietly, "They haven't sacked you or something like that?"
"Oh, no, the exact opposite in fact. They have offered me a promotion, but with a catch. The new position they want me for is based here, in London."
"Here… Well, that is wonderful news Nicky. If anyone deserves a promotion it is you, given how hard you always work. I am so proud to be your husband," replied Jeff, after a moment's pause. His words had however been delivered in a subdued tone, as in his mind he was thinking that this was the opposite of wonderful. Yes, it was fun in London, and he had his family, and a new friend in very high circles, but it wasn't his home. The house that they were sitting in was beautiful, but it wasn't their own, and there was no guarantee that they would be able to extend the lease. He missed all of their other friends, especially their bird brothers, and hated missing all of the events that bonded them together. They would miss graduation day and Skylar's wedding, and that just seemed so very, very wrong. Then there was Caleb, who by now had to be seeing his Uncle Mike as his owner, not him. However, if it was what Nick needed to do to make himself a career, then he would suck it up…
"It is nice to have been asked, but I think that I am going to turn it down. I brought you here, away from everything, for a year at the most, and that is when we will go back home. I miss my office with the view, I miss the subway, I miss our house and our friends - and I miss our cat…." said Nick, having given Jeff a moment or two before speaking again.
Jeff tried not to look pleased, and responded, "None of that matters if what we are doing is for the good of your career. Caleb is happy with Mike and Tina, and we are slowly building a new circle of friends."
Nick shook his head, and said, "Nice try Jeffie. We both know it would never be the same, that this will never be home. I know you remember; you are desperate to get home, back to everyone and your sunlit studio in our townhouse. I would not stay here if it was my only choice; work is important, but family is much more important. I will be very polite, but we will be going back home in the middle of June; that is why I have not taken any of my vacation time…"
"Wait, we are going back earlier than you said?"
"Yes; I decided a while ago that we needed to get back in time to see Thad turn 30, and thanks to their change of dates, we can be at the ceremony when Beats and Elliott renew their vows. Of course, David turns 30 not longer after Thad, let us not forget…"
Jeff smiled, and replied, "It will be our turn to be 30 years old soon enough, Nicky. Age is creeping up on all of us."
"Fortunately, we still have the best years of our lives to come, of that much I am certain," his husband replied. "So when I decline their offer, I can also tell them when I intend to head back, and we can make our plans solid; book flights, and decide what needs to be shipped home in advance. Then we can let the others know; I have a funny feeling everyone will be glad to see Niff back home…"
