Brandon Walsh Goes Back to the Hills

Chapter 2: Before Brenda Died

Chapter 2:

Before Brenda Died:

Before Brenda died I was a naive kid who was doing his best to prove that he was a man. I was trying to make my straight A's in grade school and college count for something. Parents a year ago, had gone off to Hong Kong and I now owned the family house. I felt like a man, I was paying bills, going to work, and I wanted to top it all off by marrying my then girlfriend Kelly Taylor.

'This is Brenda Walsh, sorry I missed your call if you could please leave your name and number at the beep and I will be sure to get back to you.'

In other words, she would never get back to him. That was the fifth and last time he called his sister in an attempt to get her on a plane for his wedding. He pressed the red button before it could even sound the beep frustrated that his twin wasn't going to be there. Knowing his sister, she probably didn't care.

"Brenda not picking up?" Steve came in. The top of Brandon's head was against the wall. His friend could sense the frustration, his hands were on his hips as he wobbled in one spot.

The soon to be groom chuckled not wanting to fully give away how miserable he was. "It went to voicemail. I guess those directors in England are really keeping her busy."

"Well it doesn't matter, she should be here, helping Kelly and Donna throw together this... this... funeral of man."

Brandon laughed, Steve always knew how to make him laugh. "Is that what the guys are calling the happiest day of my life? Well, in that case, I can't wait for your funeral brother."

"Never, I will be sowing my wild oats well into my fifties."

"Is that so?"

"Oh yeah, Steve Sanders wouldn't be Steve Sanders married."

They sat on the bed in the master bedroom where Mr. and Mrs. Walsh once stayed.

"Remember how this all began." Steve reminisced. "Sophomores in high school, and in the first week this cornball from Minnesota had more of a rep than I did." Brandon grinned. "And that's when I knew I had to be his friend."

"Yeah... rumors floating around about me sleeping with the hottest girl in school, but you see I never slept with her all we did was make out, got over the PA system and admitted it."

"Oh, I remember I was there Mr. Noble. Every jock thought that you were a complete idiot. Any man with sense would have just went along with it."

"Yep, that idiot was me."

"Yes, when you first came I had just broken up with your soon to be wife, ain't that something."

"It's crazy how life ends up."

"Crazy, but listen, you take care of Kelly or I will kill you."

"Yes sir." Brandon saluted.

"Have you heard from Dylan and Andrea yet?"

Brandon sighed in disappointment. "I ask them and all I got were excuses. I mean I know Dylan is still mourning the death of Antonia, but I was his best man at his wedding the least he could do is attend mine. And Andrea, I was about to give her away, if her father didn't show up last minute I would have done it. It would be devastating if she doesn't show up. I'm starting to believe that they don't take my marriage seriously."

Steve rubbed his friend's back seeing that this was gnawing at him. "Hopefully that's not the case. Our lives have changed so much since graduation I just hope our friendship won't fizzle away because we don't technically agree with who the other is marrying."

"Is David down stairs?" Brandon quickly switched the subject.

"Yeah Silver is here. What about him? You know him and Donna will be there."

"Yes, and with that being said I believe that you two are supposed to be planning my bachelor party."

Steve got up to leave. "Please Bro you know with me as your best man you will have the time of your life."

"I'm scared." Brandon snickered as he saw his friend of eight years run down the steps. When he was gone, he returned to his taunting thoughts. Was his not attending friends skipping his most important day on purpose?

"You're right you know, no one takes this wedding seriously. It's either that or they just don't want you two to get married you know because of obvious reasons."

"Well isn't it the wind beneath my wings Valerie Malone."

She flashed a girlie smile as she stood in the doorway of his room. The last thing Brandon needed was her words of encouragement.

"You know that I would never lie to you."

She moseyed on in with that expression of mischief that she wore so naturally. Picking up one of Kelly's perfume bottles on the dresser she sprayed a bit on her wrist, smelt it and gagged. Once she fully entered Brandon realized that there was no way that he was going to get her to leave.

"So, I'm sure that you have evidence to prove your accusations?"

"Well, not lots, but I know that you cheated on her." A baffled Brandon looked at her with confusion. "Don't ask me how I know, I just do."

"That's none of your business Val and if you're looking to use that against me Kelly already knows. We're past it."

He was beyond upset. Why would she bring that up? He had just wiped his conscience of the incident.

"Calm down Brandon you're a guy, cheating is natural. Beautiful girl walks by and you sleep with her. All it means is that I was right. You're not in love with Kelly."

"Excuse me! For your information, I am madly in love with Kelly and you have no right to tell me otherwise."

"In fact, I do. How long have we known each other? Since we were six? I don't say these things to spite you. I say them because you're special to me and I don't want you to make a mistake that you'll later regret. Listen... "She sat him down on the bed to cool off. "I know this is weird taking marital advice from the campus slut-"

"You're not a slut."

"Listen, just because you get married doesn't mean that all the problems that you once had just go away. Things might feel better at first but then they will come up again and when it does it's not going to be so easy to get out. You cheated on her Brandon and history shows that you will do it again."

Her sincerity scared him, he knew that she wasn't telling him this to stir up drama, she deeply cared. Now the question was should he consider what she was saying and call off the wedding. The news reporter he slept with was just a one-night stand. Most likely he would never see her again. Was his relationship with Kelly on the rocks because of one little mistake?

"I know it's hard for you to understand this, but I love Kelly."

"No, you don't." She quickly responded. "You love her because you think that you're supposed to."