Author's Notes --------------
Well, folks, this is it. The end of an era! ;-) Just kidding. While it's most definitely NOT an era, it has been an experience. And, even if I never write again, I would never give up the pleasure that the story has brought me, or the friends.
I wanna throw a special shout out to Rachel, author of 'Escape'. As long-time readers may recall, she's the person who inspired me in a round-about way to do this. And, having said that, the similarities in certain aspects of our endings are strictly coincidental. We wrote these separately, then exchanged them with each other for editing and realized that we'd done one or two things the same. And, frankly, I wasn't up to a major rewrite just to correct a few things ;-)
I would go through and thank each and every person who e-mailed me over the last few months. But, if I did that, I'd probably get lynched for taking so long to get to the story. So, I'll cheat and simply say 'Thanks' to all those who've taken the time to share their thoughts and opinions since I first started posting the story back in January. Some have become friends (Go, ShannyGrl -- RED WINGS SUCK!! hehehehe), some have been just one-time passing acquaintances...and there's even one that I have dinner with once a week now that I've moved to O-town.
I've had a number of people ask "what's next?". Well, to be honest, I don't have a clue. I have an idea for another, non-Kevin story. I've also batted a few ideas around for a sequel to 'Forever'. But, I just don't have the motivation to get into it right now. Plus, with the sequel, I don't want the story to turn into a dinosaur, lumbering along just for the sake of existance and not for the fun that the whole thing started out being. Besides, everyone is complaining that I don't let Dylan and Kevin be happy for long enough, and the only ideas I have for a sequel will definitely cause unhappiness for the two guys. It's called drama, baby ;-)
Will we see each other again? Only time will tell. Until then, enjoy what life has to give you. It probably only comes around once before it's gone for good.
L8r, DJ
Disclaimer ----------
This story is fiction and completely in the mind of its author. The author makes no claims as to the sexuality or personality of any based-on-reality characters you may find here. It's fantasy, kids. Remember that.
Don't read this story if you're too young, or if it's illegal where you live. Frankly, you should consider finding a new place to live if it's illegal, cause it must be a damn boring place where you are now.
Enjoy!
And now...'Forever'...
Chapter 121
"Would you STOP doing that?!"
"I can't help it, dammit! This is SO not comfortable!"
"Well, try, for cryin' out loud!"
"Hey, I seem to recall you weren't exactly calm and cool when YOU were in my position."
"I wasn't nearly as bad as you are. Now, would you please RELAX?! It's only your wedding, man."
My brother stepped into my line of vision as he said this last bit of wisdom. He reached up and pulled my hands away from my bow tie, which is what I'd been fidgeting with for the last twenty minutes. That's also what he'd been bitching at me about moments before.
"Oh, yeah," I said, letting the sarcasm bleed into my voice. "ONLY my wedding!" I turned away from the mirror to look him in the eye.
"It's only like the most important day of my entire LIFE!" I exclaimed before turning back to the mirror to fiddle with my tie. Jeremy reached over and pulled my hands away again, forcing me to turn and look into his eyes.
"Dylan, it's gonna be ok. It's a beautiful day outside, the important people in your life are all here, and you're about to marry someone who happens to be nuts about you. Nothing's gonna go wrong."
I stared at my brother a moment, partly in thought over what he'd said, and partly just amazed that he'd said it. Jeremy wasn't normally one to talk like that, supportive and emotional. He was a lot like Dad in that respect. I turned away a moment later to pace the little tent.
He was right. It was a beautiful day. Actually, I'm not sure that we could have asked for a more perfect day to be doing this, given the location of our wedding.
I had always thought it would be beautiful to get married on the beach, right in the afternoon or early evening when the sun was starting to set into the water. Kevin and I had talked it over, and he'd agreed that it was a good idea. Neither of us was crazy about the idea of a church ceremony, anyway. This gave us a chance for something a little different than either of our families' traditions.
We'd taken a bit of a risk on having a ceremony outdoors, but the Florida weather was holding for us. There were a few clouds in the sky, but otherwise it was a beautiful January day. Howie and Nick had found this location for us, and they'd done a great job. If we timed things right, the sun would be dropping into the Gulf as we said our vows.
I took a second to glance out of the little tent that we were using as a dressing room. The seats we'd set up on the beach were in three sections instead of two. Kevin and I would each walk up an aisle, both escorting, or perhaps escorted by, our mothers.
The seats were filling in fast. Nick, Brian, AJ, and Howie were serving as ushers for us. Nick was still giving me a hard time about not choosing him as my best man. Both Kevin and I had gone with our brothers. Nick would be standing up with me, as would Lindsay. Kevin had Brian joining him, and someone who'd surprised me when he'd chosen her.
Kari would be standing with Kevin, fresh from having her son in December on schedule. Preston Scott Rutherford had come screaming into the world on the ninth of December, hale, hearty, and with a shock of red hair on him that could light up a room. Kari had asked Kevin to be Preston's Godfather, an honor that he'd gladly accepted, of course. Kevin, in turn, had asked her to stand beside him today.
I had to admit to a little trepidation around Kari. She and I hadn't spoken since before Kevin had come out months before. I knew that Kevin had talked on the phone with her occasionally, checking up on her pregnancy, and I was happy they were still friends after everything that happened. But, every time I looked at her, I had flashbacks to the photographs that were taken of the two of them during their engagement. Excited. Hugging. Kissing.
I found myself staring at the tent on the other side of the chairs. I knew Kevin was in there, probably pacing and getting lectured by Jerald just like I was by Jeremy. Kevin would hate the waiting almost as much as I did. Neither of us was necessarily known for our patience. I caught myself smiling and shaking my head, thinking of how frustrated my man would be at the lack of control he had at this moment.
We'd been separated nearly a week. Kevin'd had to do some travelling, so I'd returned to Orlando to get the house ready for our guests. Plus, we wanted some time apart, some anticipation to make the wedding night that much more special.
I shifted my eyes to the crowd that was gathering. I only recognized a handful of the faces from my own personal experience. Kris was the only family member that I'd even invited apart from Jeremy and Mom. I had no real desire to see any of my family, and I knew they wouldn't really understand, anyway. I saved us all the trouble.
I'd met a few members of Kevin's family, but frankly couldn't remember much besides their faces. We'd only just met in the last few days before the wedding, and my mind was totally somewhere else most of that time.
Once we'd announced our plans to get married to the guys, they'd basically taken over as much of the stuff as we were willing to let them have. Nick and Howie had scoured the coast of Florida, looking for the perfect place to hold the ceremony. AJ and Brian had been working out the music, both for the ceremony and for the reception later.
I chuckled a little to myself as I caught sight of one of Nick's "innovative" ideas for the wedding. The wedding party was barefoot. It looked a little silly, but we were on a beach. Besides, it was so much more comfortable not to have to wear dress shoes. I figured I'd need every ounce of comfort to get through the day without passing out.
I noticed that a number of the guests were also without shoes. I took another minute to look at everyone gathering to see if I could recognize anyone. There were a small handful of celebrity faces, the most notable of which were Justin and JC from `NSync. I tried to see the other three from that group, but my angle on the crowd didn't allow me a good enough view.
I sighed and turned my gaze towards the water. I could just make out the edge of the Gulf from where my tent was positioned. I stared at the blue of the ocean, drifting back over the last months, remembering all that had brought us, finally, to the events today.
The last few weeks had been stressful. The album had come out to huge sales, as expected. The guys hadn't quite made it to `NSync's record, something I'm sure JC and Justin would tease Nick about incessantly later. I'd learned that they loved to tease him.
I'd busied myself with the final arrangements for the wedding, although there weren't really that many left. The wedding was fairly small, and without the church and other `formal' accoutrements, arranging things was fairly easy. Having the help from the other BSB, when they had time, also played a part in the ease of preparation.
Kevin and the guys had been promoting up a storm the last month. Judging from the acclaim they were receiving, even some good from critics, boyband pop was far from dead. I know a lot of people who hated that fact, but it was still true.
"Are you ready for this, little brother?" Jeremy asked, bringing me back to the little tent on the beach. I turned to look at him.
"Yeah, J," I replied, my voice quiet but confident. "I really am."
"I'm really happy for you, Dylan," he said. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry I wasn't able to get Dad to accept you before..." I smiled a sad smile at him.
"Jeremy, it wasn't your fault," I said. "Hell, I don't even consider it Dad's fault. It's just how he was raised. I'd like to think he'd have come around eventually. And, if not, I'd still have you and Kris."
"Yeah, I know," he sighed.
"You did your best, bro. Just leave it at that," I said, reaching out a hand to squeeze his shoulder.
"Dylan," Nick's voice came from the entrance. I turned to face him. "It's about that time."
"Thanks, Nick," I said, giving him a smile. For some reason, I was suddenly calm, ready to face everything life wanted to throw my way. I turned to Jeremy. "Could you go get Mom and let her know to come back?"
"Sure, bro," Jeremy said, leaving me alone with Nick.
"You ready for all this, DJ?" Nick asked.
"Yeah, Nick," I said. "It feels like it's been a long time coming, but it's finally here." I paused to stare into his eyes. "Are you sure YOU'RE ready for this, Nicky?"
"I'm sure, Dylan," he said without a trace of pain or sorrow in his tone. "It's cool with me. I'm just glad you're happy, even if it is with someone else."
I gave him a hug, pulling his strong body against mine, drawing some of that strength into myself. He returned it with no sign of discomfort. I hoped this might be a sign that we were perhaps mending that rift that'd existed between us for the last three months.
"Dylan?" Mom said as she came in. Nick and I separated as I turned to her.
"Hi, Mom," I said.
"You ready for this?" she asked. I rolled my eyes.
"He's probably ready for people to stop asking if he's ready," Jeremy said from behind her. We all chuckled.
Nick and Jeremy left then. Kevin and I were the only ones who were walking down the aisle. Everyone else would meet up with us at the front.
"Dylan, I'm so proud of you," she said. "I wasn't sure I'd ever see this day."
"Mom," I began, but she waved me quiet.
"Not just because of the gay thing. I was just never sure you'd find the right person. You're a very open person when it comes to making friends, but you really are hard to get truly close to. I worried for a long time about you finding that someone who could crack through your shell. I know I may not have shown it when I first learned that someone would be Kevin, but, I'm truly happy, for your sake," she said the last with a smile.
"I'm not sure what to say, Mom," I said. "I just know that he's the one, and I can't imagine my life passing by without him in it. He's become that important."
"I understand, Dylan," she spoke softly. "Believe it or not, your father held the same place for me." Her eyes clouded over, so I reached out to hug her close.
"I'm sorry he isn't here to see this, Dylan," she said, some tears sliding down her cheeks and onto my jacket. "I know he had a hard time with you being gay, but I also know that, in the end, he'd just want you to be happy. As happy as the two of us were."
"I know, Mom," I said. "As much as we fought through my life, I can look back now and realize that he did it for me, because, in his own way, he wanted me to be happy in life. And," I hesitated. "And even if he didn't understand about me being gay, I'd like to think you're right about the fact he'd be happy that I was happy."
"I promise you, Dylan, he'd be very happy that you've found someone to love," she whispered.
We pulled ourselves together then. We waited quietly for the cue that the service was about to begin. It came a few short minutes later as Brian's voice lifted over the background rhythm of the waves sliding into the beach.
I had asked Brian to perform `The Wedding Song'. That was one tradition that I'd held on to from previous family weddings. I'd always thought it was a beautiful piece of music, and Brian's gorgeous voice only made it sweeter.
I stepped out into the warm afternoon. A light breeze was blowing in off of the Gulf, adding a cooling touch to the Florida sunshine. I appreciated it in my tuxedo jacket. I held out a hand to Mom, and we made our way towards the aisle.
I looked across to see Kevin come out of his tent. And the world slowed to a crawl. I could literally see him in slow motion. His arm opening the tent. Him stepping out, looking breath-taking in his tux. I felt the rest of the world fade out around me as our eyes met across the beach.
And then he smiled at me. And my heart jumped so hard I thought it might literally burst. And I smiled back to him as our mother's prodded both of us to continue the trip down the aisle. The trip to our future.
Chapter 122
"Friends," our celebrant began. "We are gathered here in this beautiful place, on this beautiful day, to celebrate the joining of two of our own, Kevin and Dylan, in a partnership of love and life."
"You have all been asked to bear witness today as Kevin and Dylan give their promises to each other and start out on their journey of a life together."
Kevin and I glanced at each other as she began the service. I noticed how she wasn't saying a lot about marriage, or about the religious aspects of today's event. We'd both requested that she keep things more simple, and she'd agreed. I squeezed his strong hand in mine as I turned back to listen.
"Since the dawn of time, man has formed bonds with his fellow man. Some of those bonds are simply the ties of two who have a mutual need. A farmer, helping another farmer to sow his field."
"Others, though, are much deeper. They are ties of deep love and affection, ties which bind two men together in much the way that a man and a woman can be bound. They are the ties that are held by Kevin and Dylan."
"Kevin and Dylan have each written their own vows, which they will share with one another today," she said. "Dylan, would you like to begin?"
I gave her a shy smile and nodded, suddenly nervous at having to `perform' in front of an audience. I turned to Kevin, taking his two hands in my two hands. One look at those emerald green eyes, and no one else was there. The world once again faded away as I made my promises to Kevin.
"It's been just over a year, now, since that first night you came to visit me in the hospital. And yet, I can't remember a time when you weren't there with me, walking the paths that life placed before me...before us. My life before you was solitary, empty in many ways. You've filled voids in me that I never knew existed. And I can't imagine a day in my life without you. And so, I make you these promises."
"I will stand by you during times of crisis. I will give you room to grow as you feel the need. I will look forward to sitting on our front porch and yelling at the `young whippersnappers' in the neighborhood when we're old and gray." That drew a smile from him, and a chuckle from our audience.
"Most importantly, I promise to believe in our love, and to never doubt it, you, or me again, as I have in the past." I lifted both hands to his cheeks. "I won't run away again," I said softly so only he could hear.
"I will love you forever, Kevin Scott Richardson. And I will stay by your side for as long as we both live."
We stayed there for several minutes, just staring into one another's eyes. There were tears in his eyes, and I knew he could see tears in mine. I slid my hands back down to take his as he started to speak.
"I fell in love with you the first night we met, you know. And I nearly lost you not long after that. Fortunately for me," and his eyes shifted behind me to Nick, "a good friend got me to wake up and realize what I was about to lose." He shifted his gaze back to me.
"We've been through some turbulent times, and I expect that life has even more surprises in store for us down the road. But, I know that we'll get through anything and everything, as long as you're by my side. And so, I make you these promises."
"I will put you first above everyone and everything in my life. I will remind you every day just how much I love you. I will look forward to sitting on the porch with you, as well, but I promise I will never use the word `whippersnapper'." I smiled at him as the crowd chuckled once again. His face grew serious.
"And, I make you this promise most of all. I will never go to bed angry with you, and I will never walk out on you again," he said, speaking softly and only for me. He did as I'd done, then, lifting his hands to cup my cheeks.
"I love you, Dylan Jacob Weston, with all of my heart and all of my soul. Nothing in my life can compare to you, and nothing in my life will ever mean as much as you do. And I will love you forever," he vowed.
Again, we stood there for several minutes, gazing into one another's eyes. We both got lost in the spirit of the other, the bonding between us drowning out all other things around. The celebrant softly touching our shoulders finally brought us back.
"Kevin and Dylan have each made promises to the other. As family and friends, it is our duty now to ensure that these promises are kept. As witnesses to this union, we are all a part of it, and it is up to all of us to help these two to live up to the promise of this joining."
She turned to Jerald and Jeremy, then.
"Do you gentlemen have the rings?" They both made an exaggerated show of checking their pockets, but eventually came up with a ring in each of their left hands. The celebrant took them and held them up for the audience to see.
"A ring has long been exchanged as a symbol of marriage, of partnership. That is because a ring has no beginning, and it has no end. It is one continuous circle, much as these two men are now becoming one single soul walking the paths of life." She held out her hand with the two rings.
"Dylan," she said to me. "Please take your ring and place it on Kevin's finger."
I reached out and took the ring from her outstretched hand. It was a simple ring, a mixture of gold and silver in an intricate carved pattern. No diamonds, and no other jewels. I turned to Kevin and slipped the ring on his finger. I spoke up without any prompt.
"Kevin," I said, "I give you this ring as a token of my love for you. I hope it will always remind you of me when we can't be together, and I hope you will keep it close to you always."
Kevin reached out and took the other ring from her hand. My ring matched his, even down to the pattern carved in the metal. We'd chosen identical rings as a visual symbol of unity.
"Dylan," he said, "I give you this ring as a token of my love for you. I hope it will always remind you of me when we can't be together, and I hope you will keep it close to you always," he repeated my same vow. The celebrant took our two hands and joined them together as she spoke to the crowd behind us.
"Friends, family, I would like to present to you Kevin and Dylan. May their union be a joyous and happy one, and may they only continue to grow in their love for one another."
Everyone cheered. Mom and Ann cried. Jerald, Jeremy, and all the people up front congratulated us. Or they tried to, anyway. We weren't really paying attention to them. After all, there was one tradition that we really couldn't throw out. And, as everyone around us celebrated, we carried out that tradition.
We kissed.
Chapter 123
The sun had set.
Dinner was over.
The party was about to begin.
We'd elected to have the reception outside, as well. Brian had arranged to have a large pavilion of sorts set up so we could have a dance floor off of the sand. As much as I was coming to love the beach, it was a little tough to dance on it.
I was pretty much lost in the magic of the evening. I know I talked to some people, and I know people talked to me. But, if anyone ever asked what we'd talked about, I'd have to admit to not having a single clue. The only thing I was focused on the entire evening was Kevin.
We never separated after the ceremony. We held hands the entire time, even through the light dinner that was served. Actually, I'm sure we probably had a few people snickering because we fed each other dinner. It was sappy. It was cheesy. And the silly gesture made me incredibly happy.
We did the obligatory kiss when people tapped on their glasses. I wasn't even sure that people in the east would know of that tradition. But, AJ took care of that question within five minutes of all of us sitting down to dinner. It felt so good to kiss him in public and share our love with these family and friends.
The caterers cleared away the tables when everyone was finished. The band began setting up at one end of the pavilion. I hadn't even known we were getting a band. AJ and Brian had insisted on planning the music, and they hadn't given up any of their plans to me.
Kevin and I mingled, talking with our friends. I was a little surprised at how friendly and easy Kevin was with the guests from NSync. I'd only invited them because they were on the same label as BSB and thought it would be good to have some work' acquaintances there. Since I had a tough time liking most of the management people, the other entertainers got picked as guests instead.
But, given the easy conversation between Kevin and them, they got along very well. Kevin and JC, particularly, got into a heavy discussion of music. I would've left them to talk alone, but Kevin refused to let go of my hand. I really didn't mind at all.
So, I talked to Justin while Kevin talked with JC. I'd never had an opportunity to meet Justin, yet. And, since he was probably my favorite of the `NSync crowd, I enjoyed getting a chance to know him a little bit.
Actually, I think Kevin got a little jealous at how much fun Justin and I had. We were talking and laughing, easily slipping into a casual discussion of life on the road, as well as some of the funnier `Kevin moments' I had stored up in my head. When we started giggling like school kids, I happened to glance at Kevin.
He was giving me a strange look. Not angry or upset or anything. Just strange. I had an idea it was a little bit of the jealousy thing, so I slid my arm from his hand around his waist and pulled us closer together. I leaned in and gave him a quick kiss, and he broke into a smile. That erased the look, and we both turned back to our respective conversation partners.
"Ladies and gents, can I have your attention, please?" AJ's voice interrupted our group discussion. Kevin and I shifted so we could see the stage.
"Dylan asked Brian and I to coordinate the music for tonight," he began. "And, we were more than happy to take care of that for him and Kevin."
"We decided to go the live band route because we figured we could do a few performances of our own to fill in the evening," he said. There were scattered cheers around the crowd. "Hey, you know me. Always jump at any chance to get up on stage, right?"
That brought a loud round of laughs from the group. AJ was right. Most of us did know of his penchant for wanting to perform.
"Well, we'd like to start the evening off with the first dance by the happy couple. So, Kevin and Dylan, get your butts up here," he said.
The crowd split in front of us, and Kevin led me out onto the center of the dance floor. We stood there, holding hands and watching AJ up on stage. His eyes met ours as he continued.
"There's a song that's had some very special meaning to these two more than one time over this last year. I think it's particularly appropriate on this, the first night of their long life together. And, we're going to perform it for our friends, Kevin and Dylan." He turned his attention to the crowd.
"Brian? Nick? Howie? You guys wanna join me?" The rest of Backstreet came up to the stage, then, and each took a microphone.
"We also managed to arrange what we HOPE is a pleasant surprise for the happy couple," Brian said as the guys arranged themselves on stools. I noticed that there was a space between AJ and Howie, right in the center of the group.
"It took a little work, but we managed to arrange to have the woman who originally performed this song fly down to join us tonight. We've had the pleasure of working with her several times in the past. She's a woman of amazing talent, and now she's taken time out from her hectic schedule to fly down here and help us give this gift to our friends. Ms. Shania Twain."
Brian lifted a hand, pointing behind us. I heard the crowd shifting, and there she was. I don't know how I'd missed seeing her before now. She was stunning in a gold and silver sequined gown. I could feel tears building up in my eyes as I realized what the guys had done for us.
"I want you all to know," Shania began as she took her mic on stage and stood between Howie and AJ, just in front of them. "I want you all to know how much I admire these two. The courage they've shown in taking this step today is amazing. And I'm thrilled that I was asked to help them start their celebration tonight." I saw her gaze shift to us.
"When I was told that this was your song, I was pretty surprised. And pretty happy. It's always been one of my favorites, and I'm glad that it'll be part of your life," she said, speaking through the mic, but speaking only to us.
The guitar began, then. The familiar acoustic sound drifted through the tent and out into the night air. Kevin gently pulled me into his arms as we slowly began to dance. As the intro wrapped up, Shania began to sing.
The song, of course, was `From This Moment'. Kevin and the guys had sung it to me that night back in Houston after our first big fight. And, though we'd never really played it for an occasion, AJ was right. There were a lot of moments from this last year for which this song was perfect.
The guys alternated verses with Shania, all joining in on the chorus. It was beautiful, and I couldn't stop the tears from sliding down my cheeks. I rested my head on Kevin's shoulder as we danced, and he did the same with me.
"I love you, Kevin," I whispered into his neck.
"I love you, too, Dylan," he replied back.
And we danced.
"Thank you so much," I said to Shania when she came to introduce herself after the song was done.
"It was my pleasure, Dylan," she replied, flashing me that stellar smile of hers.
"We really appreciate you coming down," Kevin spoke up. "I know how hard it can be to arrange stuff like this."
"Yeah, true," she said. "But, for me, it's stuff like this that makes all the rest of it worth the work. Being able to do special things like this for friends and family is what I love most about what I do."
"I definitely get that," Kevin said.
We talked for a few more minutes. She told us that she was going to do another song or two later tonight, but that she'd have to call it a night by midnight or so. She was getting up early in the morning to fly back to rejoin her tour. We thanked her again before she moved off to mingle further.
AJ and the guys stayed on stage and performed a few more songs. They didn't sound quite the same without Kevin there to fill in the bass line, but they did alright.
Kevin and I each shared a dance with our mothers, and then switched to dance with our new mothers-in-law. I enjoyed my dance with Ann, mainly because we hadn't had much chance to visit in months. We'd all been pretty busy.
When my dance with Ann ended, I saw Kevin making a beeline back to me. I smiled a little at his obvious impatience to be with me. My heart did a little leap at seeing how he wanted me. To my surprise, though, his brother Jerald stepped in between us.
"Jerald?" I wondered what he was up to.
"Look," he replied, his Southern accent more pronounced than his brother's. "If this were any other wedding, I'd get to dance with the bride. So, you and I are gonna dance."
"Jerald," Kevin began.
"Beat it, little brother. Your `bride' and I are gonna dance," he said, giving me a little smile as he grabbed my arm and pulled me into a dance.
"I love to tease him like that," Jerald spoke up once we were away from Kevin. I smiled.
"Yeah, I can see that," I replied. "But, isn't dancing with another man going a little far for a poor straight boy from Kentucky?" I joked.
"Who said I was straight?" he asked, looking into my eyes. There was a twinkle in his eyes that showed he was enjoying this. "Not every male raised in Kentucky comes out straight as an arrow. Some of us have been known to go both ways."
I nearly tripped over my own feet. I couldn't decide if I should laugh or pass out. I never would've pegged Jerald for anything but straight. He chuckled at the look on my face.
"Relax, Dylan," he said. "I only told you so you'd know I wasn't uncomfortable dancing with ya. I haven't said anything to the rest of the family because, up to this point, I've never really gotten involved with a guy like Kevin has. If I ever do, then I'll let `em know. Otherwise, they've all got enough worries."
I nodded. It was typical Richardson thinking. Responsible, thoughtful, putting family above their own individual needs. It seemed to be a family trait and not just limited to my Richardson.
We danced and talked through two dances. Jerald was a great guy, and I was happy to have him in my family, now. I could hardly wait to get him somewhere in private so I could hear some of his embarrassing `Kevin moments' from their shared past.
And, speaking of Kevin, he cut in after our second dance. Jerald teased him relentlessly about no self-control, but he didn't care. Jerald was pushed aside and Kevin stepped back in, refusing to let go of me as we slid back out onto the floor.
"Having fun, sweetie?" he asked me.
"Yeah, Kev. You?" I wondered. He stuck his lip out in a badly faked pout.
"Well, I was until you started dancing with my brother," he replied. "He's always stealing my dates."
"Yeah, I could see that happening," I said, playing along with him.
"Did you know he's a model?" Kev asked. I shook my head no. "Back in high school, I hated bringing dates home because the minute they saw him, the all wanted him instead of me."
"Really?" I asked. Kev nodded his head. I started to slide out of his arms, making like I was going to walk away.
"Hey, where d'ya think you're going?" he asked as he pulled me tighter to him.
"Well, I figured I'd go thank Jerald," I replied, staring mischievously into his eyes.
"Thank him for what?" he wondered.
"For making sure you stayed single long enough to find me," I said, breaking out into laughter as I rested my head on his shoulder. He chuckled with me and pulled me tighter against him.
"We'll both thank him," Kevin said softly. "Later."
Chapter 124
"Are you happy, sweetie?" Kevin asked me a short time later. I shifted away slightly so I could gaze into those beautiful green eyes of his.
"More than I can say, Kev," I replied softly. "You?"
"Happier than anyone has a right to be, D," he said. We stared a few more minutes before another voice interrupted.
"Hey, can we interrupt?" Lindsay asked. I turned to see her standing with Kari beside us.
"If you really HAVE to," Kevin said with an exaggerated sigh. He pulled away from me and moved to dance with Kari.
"Uh uh, loverboy," Lindsay interrupted him. "It's you and me." And she whisked him away before I could even say a thing, leaving me standing there with Kari.
"I don't bite, Dylan," she said to me. "Well, not that often, anyway." She smiled. I tried to smile, too, but I was still a little uncomfortable.
I offered her my arm, and we moved across the floor. We didn't say anything right away, just danced. I'm sure she could pick up on my discomfort.
"I'm really happy for you, Dylan," she began. "And more than a little jealous." I bristled a little at that.
"Yeah, Kevin's a great guy," I said. She shook her head.
"I'm not jealous of you, Dylan. I'm jealous of Kevin."
"What?" I asked, surprised. "Why? Kevin's the one you love, why would you be jealous of HIM?" She stopped dancing.
"Because, Dylan, your love for him is so obvious. You care about everything that happens to him. I wish I could find that, myself." She paused. "Let's go for a walk, okay?" She didn't wait for an answer before pulling me off of the dance floor and out of the pavilion to the beach.
"Dylan," she said once we'd hit the sand, "I know this might be hard for you to believe, but I don't love Kevin. Not like you mean, anyway."
"I'm not sure I follow, Kari," I replied. "I mean, you two were together a long time."
"That's just it," she interrupted me. "We weren't together. Not really. Kevin and I...we were...we were comfortable. We were both exactly what the other needed at the time. We would never have lasted as a couple, even if Kevin hadn't found his identity eventually." She stopped walking and turned to look at me.
"I loved Kevin, but not a passionate love like the two of you share. It's a love of a sister to a brother, or of two very true and dear friends. But," she squeezed my hand for emphasis, "that's all it is and all it ever was." I paused before saying anything.
"Why are you telling me this?" I wondered quietly.
"Because, Dylan. I can see the look in your eyes every time you see us together. I see the hurt, I see the...the defenses you lift up when you see me. I don't know if Kevin does," she said.
"He does," I replied. "If someone who barely knows me can see it, then I guarantee you that Kevin does, too. He doesn't miss a whole lot when it comes to me and what I'm thinking or feeling." She nodded.
"The reason I told you this is that...that I'd like for us to be friends. I'd like for you to be comfortable with me, because I'd like to be part of Kevin's life again. Preston doesn't have a father, and possibly never will. I'd like for you and Kevin to be there for him, as surrogate uncles or big brothers," she said. I sighed.
"And I know Kevin would love the same thing," I said. "He's great with kids, and I'd bet he probably wouldn't mind having a few of his own."
"And that might be tough for you two for a while," Kari said. "With what your lives are like, kids aren't really a great idea."
I didn't say anything. She'd already stated the obvious. I shifted away slightly and turned to look out over the Gulf. There was a breeze blowing in, just enough to add a chill to the night air. I watched the moon reflecting off of the waves as I came to a decision.
"Of course, Kari," I said. "I'll do my best. And you and Preston will always be welcome in our lives."
"Thanks, Dylan," she said, leaning in to give me a hug. I hesitated a few seconds before I put my arms around her and returned the embrace.
"Ladies and gents, can I have your attention, please?" AJ spoke from his spot on the stage.
Everyone in the room quieted down. The night was nearing an end. Most everyone was still there, although a few of the younger children that had come were asleep on a mother or father's lap. We all turned our attention to AJ.
"One of the grooms has asked to say a few words here before we wrap this party up for the night," AJ said. I knew it wasn't me, so it had to be..."Kevin?"
I turned to see him making his way up on stage. He stepped up and walked over to AJ. AJ started to hand him the mic, but he waved it aside for a second to lean over and whisper in his ear. AJ got a silly grin on his face, then nodded as Kevin finally took the mic from him.
"Evenin', y'all," he said. "Hope everyone's having some fun tonight." There was scattered applause around the tent.
"Good," he said. "I wanted to take a minute to say `thanks' to everyone for coming here today. Dylan and I both appreciate your love and support, and the fact that y'all came to help us start out on this new adventure of ours." Everyone applauded politely for a few minutes.
"And, speaking of adventures, I wanted to use this opportunity to announce a new adventure that I've decided to embark on. I wanted to let you, my closest friends and family, know this before it went public later." He hesitated. I wasn't sure what he was talking about, as the two of us hadn't really discussed any kind of new `adventure'.
"I will be leaving the Backstreet Boys once this next tour is over," he finally spoke.
The silence was palpable. You could've heard a pin drop a hundred miles away. I don't think any of us were prepared to hear that. Least of all me.
"I know this will be quite a surprise to most of you," he said.
`No shit,' I thought to myself, still gazing up at him with my jaw hanging open. He smiled a little at my expression.
"But, I just feel that it's time to move on and try new things. I've already discussed this with the rest of the guys, and they understand and support it." I could see the rest of the guys gathering near the stage and nodding their heads.
"Today, I vowed to share my life with someone that I love very much," he said, looking straight at me again. I blushed, but smiled back at him. "And I want us to build a life TOGETHER, not just base it on what we've done in the past. Where that life will take us, I can't really say. But, I do know that it's time for a change. It's time for something new."
The room burst into applause, led by the rest of the guys. I slowly pushed my way to the front of the crowd, standing right in front of Kevin where he talked. He leaned down to give me a kiss, but I stopped him just before our lips met.
"Kevin," I whispered, gazing into his eyes. "Are you sure? I mean...are you sure?"
"Never more sure, sweetie," Kevin whispered back. "It's time to move on. Backstreet's been around nearly ten years already. It's time for something new."
"For all of us," Nick said as the guys crowded near us. I didn't look around, just studied Kevin a moment before giving a small nod. Kevin leaned in and gave me a soft kiss.
I felt a hand on my arm, pulling me back. I turned and saw AJ with that silly grin on his face again. I just groaned and let him lead me backwards away from Kevin. I felt a chair shoved into my legs, forcing me to sit down.
I looked around and realized that everyone had been cleared from the dance floor. AJ and the rest of the guys moved away as well, leaving me sitting alone in the middle of the dance floor with Kevin on the stage facing me. He looked over my head and talked to the crowd some more.
"I was once told by a certain new husband of mine," he began, giving me a pointed look, "that I was a pretty lousy boyfriend."
Everyone gasped in mock horror. I had to sit and think back because I had no idea what he was talking about. He decided to elaborate for everyone.
"It seems that my then-boyfriend, one Dylan Weston," he gave me another look, "thought it was pretty terrible that I, this guy who made music for a living, had never sung to him solo before."
I groaned and covered my eyes, shaking my head before looking back at him again. He was just smiling at me and even gave me a wink.
"So, I decided that tonight would probably be as good a night as any to make up for that deficit in my character." Everyone around us chuckled, and I just blushed in embarrassment. As if him not singing to me was really all that much of a deficit. He got a little more serious then.
"It took me a while to come up with a song that felt right to me. Not to mention a song that I could actually sing! But, with a little help from my musically inclined friends, I managed to find one that I could work with."
"This song came out around the same time that Dylan and I first met last year. It's a beautiful love song, and I thought it kind of fit the moment tonight," he said. He turned his gaze to me again.
"Dylan, I love you, and this is for you," he practically whispered as the music began.
I recognized the song, but it took me a while to figure out from where. Once I figured it out, the tears started welling up in my eyes before he even began the first verse.
Maybe it's intuition
Some things you just don't question
Like in your eyes
I see my future in an instant
And there it goes
I think I've found my best friend
I know that it might sound more than
A little crazy but I believe
I knew I loved you before I met you
I think I dreamed you into life
I knew I loved you before I met you
I have been waiting all my life
There's just no rhyme or reason
Only a sense of completion
And in your eyes
I see the missing pieces
I'm searching for
I think I found my way home
I know that it might sound more than
A little crazy but I believe
I knew I loved you before I met you
I think I dreamed you into life
I knew I loved you before I met you
I have been waiting all my life
A thousand angels dance around you
I am complete now that I found you
I knew I loved you before I met you
I think I dreamed you into life
I knew I loved you before I met you
I have been waiting all my life
When his voice faded out, the tears were flowing freely down my face. I stood from my chair and walked towards him. He stepped down from the stage and met me, taking me in his arms.
"Kev, that was beautiful," I whispered against his neck.
"Thanks, D," he replied, "I'm glad you liked it."
"I loved it, Kevin," I said, kissing his neck before shifting back to look in his eyes. "And I love you."
"I love you, too, D," he said as he brought his hands to my face to wipe away the tears. "Forever."
Chapter 125 - Epilogue...and Farewell
The sun is just starting to set as I put pen to paper on this final chapter. Kevin's swimming with Jamal, I think. Ilea is busy belowdeck coming up with something for our supper. And I...well, I'm laying on the front of the boat deck, listening to the waves lap against the side and shedding a few tears.
It's taken me most of my free time over the last two months to pen all of this out. Normally, I'm not one to write about experiences in my life, but for some reason, I wanted this last year to be documented. I wanted people to know what we've gone through together, and what we've meant to each other.
1999 had probably been the worst year of my entire life. The year 2000, for all of its Millennium hype, hoopla, and glamour, had started out pretty quietly. But, it had ended in a way I'd never dreamed possible. And now, I'm Dylan Richardson.
Yeah, I'm taking Kevin's name. I don't really like doing the hyphenated thing that a lot of gay couples use. Weston-Richardson or Richardson-Weston is just too much. Plus, my name reminds me too much of the past, of my father, and of things I just want to move on from. So, I'm filing to have my name legally changed when we get back.
Kevin and I are on our honeymoon right now. We have to return in two more days so Kevin can get into rehearsals with the guys on what is now being dubbed `The Farewell Tour'.
The Backstreet Boys have decided to call it quits while they are still on top. Kevin's decision to leave just gave the other guys a good excuse to move on to their own new adventures.
Brian wants to get settled into his life with Leighanne. Who knows? He may even pursue that ministry position he's talked about in the past. Nick and AJ are both planning on pursuing solo careers, trying to see where that will take them. And Howie...well, Howie's got a few ideas of his own, at least one of which involves large amounts of real estate in Orlando.
I haven't heard any reactions to the news. Kevin and I left town before the others were making the announcement. Actually, I think they were supposed to do it today on MTV. Friday will be soon enough to find out.
And thus we find ourselves at the end of our story...Kev's and mine, that is. Or, perhaps, it's simply the end of a chapter in our lives. The story continues, as all stories do. Somewhere. Some time.
I hope that, if anyone should ever read this story, they get some enjoyment from it, and perhaps a lesson here and there. It's rare that life ends in a happily ever after', but, sometimes you can pick a moment in time when that happily ever after' has just begun. And maybe, just maybe, the happiness will TRULY be...forever.
FIN