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"That's what father's are for, son."
* * *
Brandon tugged at his tie. "Are they here, yet?"
"Calm down, Bran. Seth just called, and they're on their way." Keith sank into one of the plush chairs
occupying the church dressing room. "If you don't start taking it easy, I have Mom's permission to give
you a sedative."
"Yeah? Well, you weren't exactly calm and cool on your own wedding day." Brandon pulled on his black
tux jacket. "As I recall, you were a nervous wreck."
"There's a difference between being nervous and being a complete mental case."
"I know, but I can't help it." He ran his fingers through his tousled hair. "I've almost lost him so many
times, Keith. I can't believe he's finally going to belong to me."
Keith came to his feet and patted his brother on the back. "He's belonged to you since the day you met
him, Bran. Do you really think a ceremony is going to make him any more yours?"
Before Brandon could answer, Wayne stuck his head in the door. "It's time to start seating the guests,
Keith."
With one final pat on the back for Brandon, Keith left. A few minutes later, the door opened again and
Dean Nash came in, laughing when he saw the shape his son was in.
"Damn, Brandon. I thought I was a mess on my wedding day, but I don't hold a candle to you." He
fished a comb out of his pocket. "Do something about your hair. Looks like you've been running your
fingers through it."
Brandon did his best to tame his hair, griping as he did so. "Tell me again why I asked you to be my best
man?"
Dean moved in front of Brandon and straightened his tie. "Because you've got good sense. Your brothers
make decent ushers, by the way. They've gotten most of the guests taken care of. Now we're just waiting
on you."
"Does that mean Nate's here?"
"Yep. Got here about ten minutes ago. He's in the other dressing room. We're ready to get to it." Dean
started for the door, but Brandon stayed him with a hand on his arm.
"Daddy?"
"Yes, Brandon?"
"Thank you. For everything."
Dean drew him into a bone crushing hug. "You're welcome, son." He pulled back and chucked Brandon
under the chin. "Enough mushy stuff. Nate's waiting."
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* * *
There were times in Nate's life that he prayed he'd forget, episodes he sent to the fringes of his memory
so he wouldn't go crazy from the pain. The site of his mother's coffin as it was lowered into the ground.
The sobbing of his brother at her funeral, and the icy coldness of his newly-released father as Leda
Morris was laid to a twisted sort of rest. He hoped to forget the site of Mike in a wheelchair, being
arraigned on two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder, and he also hoped to erase the
slight satisfaction he felt knowing that at least a certain amount of punishment had been dealt to Mike
when the crash had severed his spinal cord, leaving his body powerless from the waist down. He and Dr.
Carson had spent long hours discussing the normality of his feelings, and Nate was finally beginning to
rebuild the shattered security he'd momentarily lost.
As much as Nate had to put behind him, there was so much more to commit to memory, to hold to his
heart so he could savor each wonderful episode, over and over. The feel of Brandon's arms as he
scooped him up at the scene of the accident, the warmth he felt as the Nash family crowded around him
at the hospital that night. The love of his brother as they cried out the misery together, both trying to make
room for all the happiness to come. All of those memories would serve him well to block out the anguish
of the past. Now, here he was, standing in the church two months later, ready to put Nathan Morris to
rest and begin life as Nathan Nash, a new man.
The door to the dressing room creaked open and Seth slipped in. "We're almost ready, Nate. The music
has started."
"Gotcha." He stood up and gave Seth a wicked grin. "You're looking pretty studly in that tux, brother."
Seth laughed. "Imagine Brandon's surprise when he sees I'm not wearing that puffy pink dress he ordered
for me."
"Yeah, well, no one ever said Brandon didn't have a sick sense of humor." Nate tugged at his bow tie.
"Have you got the ring?"
"Yes and no."
"What do you mean 'yes and no'? Seth, this has to be perfect. I--"
Seth came over to where Nate stood and put his hands on his shoulders. "Calm down, Nathan. I know
how important this is to you. Do you really think I'd do anything to screw it up?"
Nate took a deep, calming breath. "No, of course not. I just need everything to go right today. Sorry,
Seth but I'm a nervous wreck."
"So what else is new?" He punched Nate lightly on the arm. "Lucky for you, to have such an
understanding brother."
Nate rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. You still haven't told me what you meant by 'yes and no.'"
Seth's eyes softened. "I do have a ring, but it isn't the one you bought for Brandon at the jewelry store. I
thought maybe you'd like Brandon to have this one instead." He pulled a worn velvet bag from his pocket
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