Authors Note: I own nothing. No ownership rights to Beverly Hills 90210.

Chapter Thirty-Two

My father's voice rang in my ears, deflect deflect deflect.

"Kel I didn't know you were ever looking at my fingers that closely, well enough to make note of if I wear them or not." I lift my eyebrow in a questioning fashion indicating that it was a weird thing to observe on a guy that you were friends with. I know my look hit the spot when Kel goes a little red and takes note of the three other pairs of eyes in the room picking up on my subtle innuendo.

It was a fucking mean thing to do as I'm sure she was just noting a casual observation and wearing a ring on your left finger was unusual, but I'd embarrassed her enough in my response that she now couldn't continue to ask without creating more questions on how closely she was watching me. When she turned away to pass on best wishes from her Mum and Mel to my Mum, and see if they needed anything Bren looked at me. Her face was clear, that was mean but begrudgingly necessary. As she grabbed the coffee from my hands and shock her head at seeing that I had skulled one third of it, she whispered "Jack would be proud."

I nodded, then she passed me the juice which I groaned at, "stop complaining the vitamin c will help you get better. Do you want to try the burrito?"

"Yeah."

I made it through three bites before I had had my fill. By then Kel was back being relaxed and teasing Steve about Maths, well their teasing- half joking but occasionally bitter.

"Kelly, you know Rush he wants me to be a Keg man I need to get to CU but my legacy and SATs will only get me so far I need to maintain a good average this year."

My mother jumps in then, "Kelly what are your college plans?"

"I'm not that big into college, I'm like Dylan that way I don't see the need to stress over it."

My mother's eyes get marginally bigger at the comparison though she maintains her smile, "my son doesn't stress over much but then again he has always maintained a high GPA that has been boosted from what I'm sure is Brenda's study influence. With his community work and co-curricula's I'm sure he is not stressed, aware that he will have multiple options based on his own merits." My mother knew as much as I did Jack's building grant would give me access to College here in LA and if I threw her madden name about I'd have nearly every college in the country offering me a place. She also knew if I needed to use either of my parents to get in I wouldn't go. Her response to Kelly was clear, i may not be stressing but I was prepared.

Bren see's Kelly's uncomfortableness with the college discussion and jumps in. "Kelly is one of those lucky students Iris, she can maintain her place in the top forty percent of the grade without having to try, it's meant she doesn't stress over exams and stuff. It's something I'm personally very grateful for as if she hadn't been reading a magazine on our SAT prep back in sophomore year…"

Kelly looks at Bren then and gives her a grateful smile, I reach out and squeeze my wife's hand. The reminder of Kelly's part in having Bren now on an annual doctor check up and completing regular personal exams makes me feel bad for throwing her under the bus to detract from discussing my wedding ring.

My mother stands and for the first time throws her arm around Kelly, "Jack and I are very thankful for your influence on that Kelly. While it thankfully turned out to be normal it has meant our daughter now is on top of looking for signs."

Kelly beams under the praise, it hasn't passed by me that my mother hasn't warmed to my wife's best friend, from Kelly's response she felt it a little to. "It was nothing I think more girls our age should learn."

"I absolutely agree. Maybe that's something you and Brenda can try and implement at school." My mum looks at Bren, "Darling you loved organising the pigskin prom for charity, maybe you and Kelly could continue in your service endeavours and arrange an information session at school for the female students? Or maybe with the mother's as well?"

Bren smiles, "that's a great idea we could have a guess speaker maybe my Doctor, she is amazing and she could explain the signs and how to check."

Kelly practically jumps up and down, "we could make it a mother's and daughter's event, maybe a high tea. My Mum was saying how much she loved working with you all on the charity event on Saturday night, maybe this one could be a joint mother and daughter planning team?"

When Steve started complaining about his mum being left out because she doesn't have a daughter I began to tune out. My eyes gradually got heavy and I was back asleep in moments. It was the longest I had been awake for in days. I woke later on to my Dad reading a book by my bed, it took him less than four minutes to grumble about keeping my ring more hidden, and then praise my perfect deflection- his parenting skills were unique to say the least.

Bren came back on Tuesday morning and in the afternoon with Brandon. Wednesday it seemed that the Walsh house was calming down. Cindy had been thrilled to hear about Kelly and Bren's idea, she especially liked the idea that Bren wanted to include some special touches in the event to Sheila, like her favourite cakes and flowers. Brandon said his Dad was thrilled not only about the personal significance of the cause but also that Saturday had lead to some excellent connections and the beginnings of some business deals- the partners of his firm were thrilled. Another event so soon raising Cindy's profile in the Beverly Hills community would only help set their place on the social circuit something that he knew his partners would be pleased about.

Thursday afternoon I was released, I was still on antibiotics by mouth and was not allowed to return to school till Monday- needing my rest, but it meant I could finally be at home, sleep in my own bed, something I know my parents who had never left my side were also grateful for. Bren managed to pop past briefly on Thursday night on her way back from Kelly's, they had written up the proposal for the event for Mrs T while babysitting Erin. She said that for the first time this year she felt Kelly was getting excited about something, that Kelly had something of her own to focus on. I could tell Bren was worried about her best friend, worried that she was lost without a direction, it was why she felt she was deflecting so much pretending to be so indifferent to college and school.

My wife stayed for all of thirty minutes, and refused to let me spend that whole time kissing her- she was worried over my lung capacity. Friday I dropped in to school for lunch to pick up some more articles and homework, as well as just to surprise Bren. The gang all had lunch together and I could see what Bren had been talking about the night before Kelly was in full planning mode, chatting with Andrea about some pieces that could go in The Blaze the weeks leading up to the event. It was then that Andrea turned to Kelly and said she should consider this as a career.

Kelly scrunched her nose, "party planning?"

"No, I meant public relations, promotions. So many charities have PR people now, it's not just celebrities, they want to capitalise on free media coverage so their fundraising goes to the actual cause. What you are talking about here, media articles, interviews, that's how they do it."

"Really? You think I could?"

"Absolutely, when I was looking up journalism degrees I saw a few course's specialise in it now. They all are managed in the Communication department."

Brandon chimes in then, "Kel that means you and me would be in the same Department at College we may even have some courses together."

As Bren walked me to my car she was speaking a mile a minute. "Dylan did you see how excited Kelly got, even if she was pretending she wasn't? Oh this could be so good for her, and honestly it's kind of a perfect job for her. She loves throwing a party, feels comfortable to talk to anyone, loves socialising, knows everyone, and she may try and hide it but she loves to get involved. You should of seen her when Brandon was running for junior class President."

When I get to my car I push her against it and stop her from speaking with my lips, when I pull back I smile, "I'm glad for Kelly but enough. I'd rather talk about my wife and I." I kiss her again, "or not talk at all."

"Dylan anyone could see."

"Twelve day's, technically eleven because as soon as that clock turns midnight you can leave."

"You don't think that is pretty harsh?"

"Nope. I think being forced away from you for over six months now, if we include the end of last year, is harsh. I'm not willing to entertain this stupidity and wake up another morning alone for one second longer than I need to."

"I get that. But it's Brandon's birthday as well and I don't want to ruin it for him-"

"Okay… if you say I have to wait till the day after your birthday I'm not sure I'm capable-"

"No I was thinking let's tell them the night before. Have dinner share our news, by then it will be too late for them to stop it. It will put a cloud over the birthday but hopefully it would be better than just walking out in the middle of the night."

"Yeah we could do that. Our house?"

"I was thinking a restaurant, neutral turf-"

"And a place your father can't yell too much."

"That's the hope."

"My parents and Brandon as well?"

"Yeah let's make this a family one time declaration."

We had discussed what we were going to say, and what our stance was but we hadn't discussed the location and had never established a clear time before of when we would say it. I think we were both secretly hoping that we would all be in a better place by now. I wasn't naturally an optimistic person but I had hoped for Bren's, Brandon's and I guess my sake that Jim and Cindy would have loosened up a bit by now. If anything the opposite had occurred.

I saw Bren briefly on Saturday at The Pit, where I was having breakfast with my parents. Sunday before I went to AA I stopped in again for coffee, she was helping Steve study for Maths there. I knew he knew he had no chance and Bren would never step out like that but I'd be happier when he knew how off limits she was. I'd be happier when everyone knew she was mine and I was hers.

Monday was the longest I had been awake and on my feet in ten day's, by Chemistry I was dragging my feet in exhaustion. Bren took notes for the both of us so I could rest, I just sat there pretending to listen but really I was watching the light bounce off my wife's hair, it looked like silk chocolate in this light. It was the best and most interesting hour of my day, just watching her.

On Tuesday Kelly was waiting for me in the carpark when I arrived at school, it was unusual for her to be there. Rather than question it too closely as I still felt bad for my attitude in the hospital and hearing how worried Bren had been about her this year, I simply pretended her waiting for me was a normal occurrence. When Kelly asked if we could meet at The Pit after school as she wanted to talk to me privately my nonchalant attitude gave way to confusion.

"Kelly can't you say it now?" I scratch the back of head in discomfort I didn't like the look of us meeting privately after school especially with everyone assuming I was single, what happened if Cindy or Jim saw. It was too close to our announcement I didn't want any waves before then.

"No we don't have time as I have to see Mrs T before first period. Four o'clock?"

"Brandon-"

"I spoke to Nat this morning he's not working this afternoon, and the afternoon school crowd usually comes in at five after training and co-curricula's."

I could tell she had put thought this through and I owed her- I guess. "Okay fine, four o'clock."

"Thanks. I got to run."