BROTHERS, THAT'S WHO WE ARE

Chapter Twenty-Three: Wade

A FEW DAYS have passed and Mom's slowly getting better. His wound looks a lot better than it was before. But today is the day I've been dreading for. Today is the day my big brother is finally leaving me. Today is the day of his wedding.
Mom and Peter went out shopping while I stayed and helped prepare with Matt. Uncle Harrison is gathering suits for me, him, and Matt. Chris is coming too, now that he knows I'm okay. I sit in the bench where Mom, Harrison, and I will be sitting. I'm alone on the bench...that is until Matt sits next to me.
"You okay?" Matt asks me.
I look away from him, crossing my arms. "I'm fine."
"What is it about me don't you like?" Matt asks.
"You taking my brother away from me," I snap, "that's what."
"Wade-"
"I got us our suits!" we hear Harrison say as he walks down the sandy isle on the beach.
"That's great, Dad," I say, a bit rudely.
He hands one to me and Matt. We take it and I get changed in the car first. The wedding doesn't begin until in an hour and a half from now. Mom and Peter should be on their way back.
I get out of the car, all dressed, and walked back down and sit in my seat. Matt goes next and Harrison waits his turn patiently. I look back where Peter and Matt would be standing. I can see Peter smiling as he says his vows to Matt. I can see him sliding the ring on Matt's finger. I can see him repeating what the priest will be saying. Yet through all this, I'm smiling too. Smiling that my brother is smiling. Because it's the first time I've seen him smile ever since Dad's death. I may look calm on the outside, but I'm raging on the inside. I frown, though, when I see Peter say "I do" and the priest announcing them as husband and wife and Matt grabbing Peter's waist and kissing him.
In my imagination, though, I can see Mom crying...no...brawling like a baby. I look down and shake my head, trying to erase the imagination. I gulp. Only an hour and a half. Only an hour and a half.
I can do this, I say to myself. We can let him go. We can do this!
"Wade? Why're you crying? The wedding hasn't even started!" I hear a voice say, laughing too.
I look up and see Chris in his tux, sliding down the bench and sitting next to me. I wipe my eyes and sniff. I don't remember when I begin crying.
"My imagination," I say honestly, looking away from him.
"I'm glad you're safe, though," Chris says, "I've been worried ever since I found out."
I nod. "Glad you care about me."
"I do care about you, Wade! You mean the whole world to me! You're like a little brother I never had!" Chris says, grabbing my chin to meet his eyes. "I love you, Wade Ryan Reynolds. And I'll do anything to keep you safe."
I can see that there's hope in his eyes. He's hoping I feel the same. And I do. I smile slightly and sniff.
"You really do know how to make me feel better, don't you?" I say, smiling.
Chris smiles and laughs, "Well, you are my best friend."
I smile too. But maybe...just maybe this wedding isn't so bad after all.

+ + +

An hour and a half has passed and it's time. Peter's back in the changing room (aka, just straightening things up, not actually changing cause Peter's already changed) with Mom and Harrison, getting ready to walk down the isle.
I sit by Chris with my cousin Dominic on my lap. Chris cooes over him as I play with him while we're waiting. Dominic his baby laugh as Chris makes a silly face. Uncle Harry and Corban smile as they watch us. Then, it begins.
I hand over Dominic to Uncle Harry and we all stand up as Peter walks down the sandy isle with his arms looped through Harrison and Mom's. He's smiling. Matt's smiling too. Peter and I make eye contact for just a split second, and only for a second does he stop and waits for me to let him go.
I bite my lip. I have to. I just know I have to but I can't. I can't. I have to though. He'll still visit me...right? Just like he promised?
I sigh, realizing this is his big day and he would want me to let him go. Let him live his life accordingly. Let him be with his soon-to be-husband. I gulp and met Peter's eye and nod.
Peter smiles back, his white teeth showing, and nods again. He, Mom, and Harrison continue their walk down the isle. I sigh again and let out a shaky breath, and Chris places his hand on my shoulder, leaning into my ear, saying, "You did it. I'm proud of you, Wade! You let him go!"
"Thanks..." I whisper back. "That was the most hardest things I've ever done..."
"I know. But it'll get better! I promise you!"
I smile back at him. "I know."
"We are gathered here today for the marriage of Peter Robert Reynolds and Matthew Michael Murdock," the priest says once Peter stands in front of Matt, holding his hands, and Mom and Harrison went back to their seats.
I look over at Mom. He's trying so hard not to cry but can't help it but let a few tears slip. Harrison wraps an arm around my mother and pulls him to his side close to him, comforting him.
"May one of you two say your vows?" the priest asks, looking between Peter and Matt, waiting to see who would go first.
"I will," Peter says.
He takes a long, deep breath and slowly exhaled it out. He grips Matt's hands tighter and smiles at him. Then, he begins.
"Matt, I...I never knew this would happen! I mean...ever since elementary really, I've always had a crush on you. But it's when I was in middle school did I really realize it. I...I never figured I would be dating you or become your wife or be the mother of our children...that is...if we have any. But this is a once in a life time! This was my dream back in middle school and now here I am! After everything we went through with Advent, I...I don't know really. But after my father died...I...you were always there for me. You seemed nicer than before and you stood up to me when no one else could. I promise, Matt, I'll support you and our children no matter what the cost is." Peter smiles widely as tears slip down his cheeks. "I love you, Matthew Michael Murdock and I can't wait to be your wife."
Everyone turned their eyes on Matt's. It was his turn now.
"Peter, I knew you were the one when I first laid my eyes on you. You...you were just so beautiful to not look at. I don't know how many times you've heard this, but you look almost a lot like your mother. I was a coward to open up. I was afraid I would loose my reputation if I told the friends I was hanging out with that I was in love with you. I...you mean the world to me, Peter, and if something happened to you...if I lost you...then I'd don't know what to do. I'd probably drank my a$$ off with the beers we got."
Peter laughs at this but Matt continues anyway.
"I love you, Peter Robert Reynolds. I'd do anything to protect you and our children." Matt looks at my parents and me. "That's a promise. I swear to God, I will. I won't let anything hurt your son or your brother, Wade, or your grandchildren. I promise."
Matt turns back to Peter, who's still smiling and says, "I love you, Peter Robert Reynolds. So so much."
"I love you, too," Peter says.
"Wonderful vows you two," the priest finally says. "May we have the rings please?"
That's my cue. I stand with the little pillow that holds Peter's and Matt's rings and walk down the isle, ignoring the audience's eyes watching me walking down. I hand them the pillow and Peter takes Matt's and Matt takes Peter's.
Before I turn to leave, I growl to Matt, "Hurt my brother, and I'll kill you. That clear?"
Matt nods, a little shocked, but nods. Peter gives me a warning look and head back to my seat.
"You didn't threaten him, did you?" Mom whispers to me.
I shrug, ignoring him. He rolls his eyes and turns back to face the front.
"Matt?" the priest says.
Matt looks at the priest. "Yes, sir?"
"I want you to repeat after me," the priests says and Matt nods, gripping the ring tightly. "I, Matthew Michael Murdock."
"I, Matthew Michael Murdock," Matt repeats.
"Take you, Peter Robert Reynolds," the priest says.
"Take you, Peter Robert Reynolds."
"To be my lawfully wedded wife."
"To be my lawfully wedded wife."
"Through sickness and health."
"Through sickness and health."
"Til death do we part."
"Til death do we part."
Matt finishes and slides the silver, diamond ring on Peter's ring finger. Peter admirers the ring for a couple of minutes before it's his turn to repeat what the priest says.
Mom sniffs and I look up at him. He's crying for sure and I try to cheer him up but nothing worked. So, I just let my mother cry.
"Peter?" the priest says to Peter.
"Yes, sir?" Peter says.
"I want you to repeat the exact same things I just said to Matt, okay?"
Peter nods and smiles wider than before.
"I, Peter Robert Reynolds," the priest begins.
"I, Peter Robert Reynolds," Peter repeats.
"Take you, Matthew Michael Murdock."
"Take you, Matthew Michael Murdock."
"To be my lawfully wedded husband."
"To be my lawfully wedded husband."
"Through sickness and health."
"Through sickness and health."
"Til death do we part."
"Til death do we part."
Peter slowly slides the ring onto Matt's ring finger and look back up at Matt.
The priest turns to Matt and says, "Do you, Matthew Michael Murdock, take Peter Robert Reynolds to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do," Matt says, smiling.
The priest then turns to Peter and says, "Do you, Peter Robert Reynolds, take Matthew Michael Murdock to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
Peter smiles and nods, "I do."
The priest also smiles and says, "By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you, husband and wife."
Everyone cheers even though they haven't kissed yet. Mom just sobs. And me? I just smile. I realized that I can let things go. I can let my brother go. I just did! This wedding helped me realize that. Peter's happy. And that's all I want from my brother is for him to be safe and happy. And if him marrying Matt is what will do the job, then so be it. At the corner of my eye, I see Quinn and Adikius in the corner. They're smiling as they watch the two and Quinn meets my eye. He nods, mouthing how sorry he was for the other day of attacking my mother. I mouth "it's okay" back.
The priest turns to Matt and says, smiling, "Are you ready, Matt?"
"OH HECK YEAH!" Matt shouts, smiling his head off.
The priest and Peter chuckle while everyone else, including me, laughs.
"Well, with that said," the priest says, "you may now kiss the bride."
Matt smiles and grabs Peter by the waist, kissing his lips firmly. They kissed for what seems like eternity but it was only for a minute.
Mom cries endlessly and it's over. The wedding's over.
Chris stands up and grabs my arm and drags me down behind Harrison's car as the others party and danced.
"Chris? What's going on?" I ask him.
He sighs heavily and says, "Wade...there's something I've been meaning to tell you..."
I look at him suspiciously, waiting.
"I...I love you, Wade Ryan Reynolds. More than best friends love."
I smile a crooked smile and say, "I love you too."
"So...with that said...will you um...go out with me?"
I smile widely and jump on him. He yelps in surprise but we stare at each other for a minute, smiling. I lean down close to his personal space. He smiles, knowing what I'm about to do. I lean down to where my nose is touching his and my forehead is touching his and...I kiss him.
This wedding has taught me a lot of things. It changed me. It taught me what family really means. It taught me what love really means. It taught me that I can live my dreams and make them come true. Peter showed me that. He did. It taught me that we can let things go no matter how meaningful they may seem. It may be hard, but you can. You can do and if you believe in yourself you can. It was hard for me but I did it because I know it's what Peter would want me to do. So I did it. I let him go. He's happy. He's with a man who he loves and that man he's with loves him back.
Because...out of all things, Peter and I, we're brothers. No matter how far apart we may be, we're brothers. Peter taught me that as well. We're brothers, that's who we are.

END OF BOOK TWO