Beyond the end

Untouchable

Dylan's porsche slipped down the avenue of the Hilton. From the car radio spread the whistle of "Wind of Change" by Scorpions. Brandon had been at the front desk for a good half an hour, busy arranging his return to Washington by phone. From the glass door he saw the friend arrive and hurried to close the conversation.
"Sorry but Kelly was late. Sometimes she disappears, I think she needs time for her," Dylan told him.
"It doesn't matter," Brandon replied distractedly knowing she was spent her time with him
The evening had a pleasant atmosphere, McKay was wearing a shirt and a leather vest, strictly open. Brandon had opted for casual clothing, perhaps in honor of the old days: blue shirt and jacket on jeans. They smiled.
"You're cute," Brandon monkeyed him.
"Like you," Dylan replied and with his gaze he followed a beautiful woman returning to the hotel escorted by a bodyguard.
"VIP," he told Brandon, who got into the car by bypassing the door.
"Yeah," replied Dylan, "Then? Where are we going?"
"I booked from Spago."
"Still Italian food, but didn't you get tired?"
"I know you prefer Parisian cuisine, but I left my belly in Italy. Steve will joins us at the restaurant with David; he came home and had to wait for Janet to come back tonight not to leave Maddy alone."
"Ah, what good news; and how long have you been?"
"A few days agobut he's very happy."
"I believe it, children fill your life."
"Yeah, maybe one day I'll find out too" replied Brandon.
"No nostalgia Walsh, so don't bring up my life, my choices, my mistakes; I know, we could write books on it, but I don't want to worry about it, not right now."
"You're right man, tonight is our evening." They came from Spago and settled down at the table, where David and Steve had already taken their seat.
"But you didn't have to reach us?" Asked Brandon. "Yes, in fact I reached you."
"No, you anticipated us."
"What difference does it make? Come on sit down, I'm hungry!" He said sinking his head into the daily format menu of the Times. "I would start with a mixed raw tea, oysters and various molluscs, all sprinkled with a bottle of Krug."
"All very Italian," said ironically Dylan, who in the meantime had settled between Steve and David, while Brandon sat in front of him.
"How is going David?"
"Well, finally good. I had very hard months, the arrival of the little one in the house disrupted all balances, testing our serenity. Which in fact we lost, recovering it was not easy."
"How did you do it?" Asked Dylan curious.
"Again, it was Ethan who dictated our times; at one point he decided to sleep at night...and let us sleep. Donna became less angry and less stingy and I started to be more affectionate"
"Yeah, maybe you needed to be forgiven for something" Steve still hadn't taken his eyes off the menu, but he knew how to rage over the conversation.
"Maybe," David replied.
"Really?" Dylan was unaware of everything.
David raised his eyes and gave some kind of consent to the parties to tell.
"While you were in South America – told Brando– our radio speaker went on a pleasure hike to the Hilton with an old acquaintance."
"..And Valerie is not a woman used to being told no." Dylan stated.
"We all know that," sighed Steve, who had finally dropped the menu and was trying to get a waiter's attention.
"Could we forget this thing now?" David hurried to tell "here there are no saints and tonight is not my farewell dinner, I don't have to be the center of attention, right?"
"Right," said Brandon "But if you think I organized this reunion to confess blunt things or put me to the saloon anyway, did you take a nose; Steve, this champagne?"
"it's coming" smiled Steve.
Steve managed to intercept the maître and the boys ordered. The first bottle of Champagne arrived, followed by a narrow turn by a second; Dylan drank Perrier water.
"Always bubble is" had responded to the waiter's inquiring look. Brandon looked at him proudly. He had not been in the trap of addictions for a long time, despite the fact that his demons had never been completely tamed; often not even in part. The dinner took place in a jovial atmosphere, including memories from high school, university and post-college, tales of marital or couple life. The only one who had nothing to add in this regard was Brandon; and his thought could not help but go to the called off marriage. He wondered what his life would be like if he hadn't crossed Kelly a few minutes before the wedding; if he came out just before or a little later.
Dylan had realized that he was mentally navigating that past, which in fact had also changed his life. He was tempted to fill the glass with wine and leave those memories to oblivion, even for only one evening. But he managed to resist, he looked at Brandon raising his glass full of water.
"A penny for your thoughts, man," Brandon smiled, a little bitterly, and reciprocated the gesture; Steve and David's glasses followed.
"To our favorite reporter," Sanders said.
"Yeah, Brandon Walsh – McKay smiled – my best friend," that phrase also distractedly said stopped Brandon. He took his breath away. It was true that the wires never broke.
The glasses staggered.
"And now a little surprise for you" Steve took a frame by the side with guarding a special number of the Beat. A number about him. Written by Steve, Dylan and David.
Sanders had dusted off the old ones
Layouts. The colors. The freshness.
"Thank you man," he was not able to hold back that tangle that came from somewhere at the bottom of his heart and gave vent to the emotions imprisoned for too long; there, in the restaurant, in the midst of dozens of strangers, but also four friends who really loved him. It was David's turn, who got up and squeezed him hard.
"Good luck Bran, don't make us wait another thousand years."
"I'll try."
"A handshake is enough for you? Then I'll go away on a motorcycle."
"You rule the house by yourself, though."
"Yes, you can do it"; the two hugged each other tightly.
"You're a mom," Dylan laughed at him.
"Yes, a real mom" and he laughed, they both laughed, they laughed all four. Not because of the joke, but because they were happy. They wouldn't see each other tomorrow, maybe they wouldn't have for a long time, but it didn't matter. Time stopped, gave way to them and celebrated a surfer, a freshman "voice" of the school, a sports journalist and a boy; raised, changed, but remained true to themselves and their friendship. Imperfect, but true, real. Of those that fill your soul. And that, wherever you are, they make you realize that you will never be alone.
Dylan accompanied Brandon back to the hotel.
"I'm leaving tomorrow D not Monday," he revealed to him.
"Really?"
"Yes. I take a few things and I'm leaving," he looked at him, "I don't like goodbyes."
Dylan didn't say anything. He understood. He was no different.
"I'll miss you Bran."
"If you don't take care of her I'll come back and you'll pay me for it." said Brandon referring about Kelly
Dylan nodded. He let him out of the car. He memorized its silhouette and memories.
When he was alone Dylan thought of Brenda. On the other side of the world.