The beginning of everything else

Long Stem Roses

I catch my first glimpse of her as she gets ready to walk down the aisle. I knew she would look beautiful, she always does, but today she was so radiant that my heart was beating out of my chest. If I feel like this today seeing Elle, I can't imagine what my brother will think when Rachel appears through the door. Elle had stayed at Rachel's parent's house overnight, and I had been shipped off to my parent's to spend the night before the wedding with Lee. Everything was ready, every detail in place, I had the rings, Lee had written his vows and our tuxes were hanging on our old bedroom doors, waiting for the big day. We had eaten a meal with our parents, just the four of us for the first time in years after such a long time when one of us - mostly me - had been missing, or more recently with Elle or Rachel at mine and Lee's sides. 

Mom was brimming with happiness, and teary-eyed kept hugging Lee exclaiming "oh my little boy", whilst Dad was giving him marriage advice, which was a nice idea if not mortifying at times. After some time Lee and I had escaped to the games room whilst Mom gave Dad jobs to load things into the car, and I sat watching Lee played video games as we shared a couple of beers.

"Any nerves?" I ask him, I need to know the lay of the land. Elle had been her usual cute bossy self, informing me that I was personally responsible for Lee's sober and prompt attendance to the altar.

"Nah man", he tells me, and I have to admit he does look very relaxed, "I don't think it would be different either way, but spending those four years apart definitely put things into perspective"

"Yeah, I get that", I tell him, slightly sleepy from the combination of my full stomach, fatigue, and the beer, "I mean, I was never going to want to marry anyone else, it's always been Elle, even before I realized myself, but knowing what it's like to not be with her... I never want to be in that place again"

It's not until he pauses the game and turns his full-body, grinning, towards me that I realize exactly what I just said. Not that it's not true, of course it is, but Lee's loyalties are somewhat divided and I will kill him if this is the way she finds out.

"So you've thought about it?" he asks, as I roll my eyes, "in theory, or is there an actual plan?"

"We aren't having this conversation... and you aren't going to run off and tell Elle about this, you are not a participant in my proposal. You're not too old for a wedgie."

"I'm not scared, she'd kick your ass if you did" he grins

"It'd be worth it, besides, then me and Elle would get to make up" I wiggle my eyebrows, waiting for his inevitable outburst. 

"I really don't know what she sees in you" he jokes

"I could tell you, but you wouldn't like it" he makes this shit too easy.

"You're talking about when", he says, changing the subject and laughing at my questioning look, "you're talking about when you do, not if, when"

"I also said I'd kick your ass if you mention this to her"

"You know she'll call me first" he teases, and it's amazing what six years can do. Back then that would have been a good comeback. It used to drive me crazy thinking she would always put him first, but now we've worked out our intertwined relationships it doesn't even phase me, because I know she won't.

"Obviously, wouldn't have it any other way", I smile as I pull him in for a hug, messing up his hair at the same time much to his annoyance, "but back to you, I'm not going to have any issues getting you to the hotel in the morning?" and this time it's his turn to roll his eyes.

The following morning is a hive of activity with the wider Flynn family arriving, some from across the country and others from LA hotels if they made it in the night before. There are Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins, some of whom on my Dad's side, I haven't seen since the last family wedding a couple of years ago.