Beyond the end

The day

Kelly woke up slowly. She took a few minutes to look at the light filtering from the window. With her head still on the pillow, she gave herself time to look at her wedding dress hanging from the closet. An important dress, sleeveless and with the bodice worked and retropped on the organza layers of the skirt. An indefinite amount of layers. It was exactly how she had always dreamed of it. This time Donna had really surpassed herself. She had put together Kelly's ideas, Brenda's imagination, her ability and experience. As she looked at the dress Kelly's smile grew. The day had come. Sammy and Grace were with grandparents Walsh. They would have thought of preparing them and bringing them in the afternoon. To tell the truth every time they were in town the Walshs wanted to spend as much time as possible with their grandchildren. They worked on everything. Kelly had feared the day they had told the truth about Sammy. They had always given her great confidence. They had treated her like a daughter even when she deserved it the least. And instead Cindy hugged her tightly, said "what is done is done" and so did Jim.
Kelly got up and touched the expertly hanging veil, she had dreamed that morning so many times, but she had never imagined it so bright, she took her time while slowly looking at the space and tranquility of the bedroom.
She heard someone at the door, Erin, Clare, Brenda, Donna and Andrea entered slowly and with a smile.
"Are you awake?"
"Yes girls come in"
They were all in their pajamas.
"Are you ready to have breakfast and get ready?" Brenda asked.
"I've ever been more than ready," Kelly replied and this made the girls sigh with happiness.
"Are you sure? No second thoughts at the last minute?" Donna asked amused.
"No" shook her head Kelly "I don't make such a mistake anymore"
"Then," Donna intervened, "we are ready to have breakfast."
Andrea pushed into a cart full of good things.
"Peach, eggs, toast, orange juice and cereals, croissants, coffee, jam, nuts, ricotta, yogurt, milk, apple pie," Brenda listed.
Kelly smiled "do we all have breakfast together?"
"Certainly" Brenda smiled. The girls sat next to each other, intimate and smiling, with the wedding dress a few meters from the sun's rays illuminated.
Brandon had slept in his apartment which was now Steve's. When he woke up he found breakfast ready and Steve and David joking as waiters.
"Mr. Walsh, we are at your service.."
Brandon laughed by running a hand in his hair.
"Are we ready for the big day?" David asked laughing.
"We are ready."
"Well," Steve replied.
They rings at the door.
The three looked at each other confused.
"Maybe it's My parents ," Brandon said, "they weren't sure whether to pass here, with the kids, or go to Walsh's house first."
David went to open and found Dylan in front.
He was surprised and as was Steve and above all Brandon.
"I brought the tux," Dylan said, tinkering with the suit in tow, "I wanted to know if I could still be your best man"
Brandon opened in a smile and hugged him "of course".
Dylan was welcomed in the middle of the group. Just smiles and emotion.
"Have you eaten yet?" Steve asked him.
Dylan smiled "no".
They sat on the island of cooking and began to joke about the average of their functioning marriages. Two separations and the marriage of Dylan and Brenda standing.
"Yes, but you don't count the marriage par excellence, Jim and Cindy," Brandon said while sipping coffee.
"Those don't fight," Dylan exclaimed.
Brandon smiled at him and squeezed his arm "I'm glad you're here and I'm sure Kelly will be too" he smiled "Was it Brenda who made you change your mind?"
"In part," Dylan replied, "and partly your father."
"Jim?"
"In person," Dylan smiled, "he told me that I would regret my whole life that I had not been your best man and that I was only punishing myself, Sammy and you, and you had done nothing to deserve it and that we are a family, and the family faces things, it does not separate."
"What about Kelly?"
Dylan smiled "I forgave, I don't like what happened but I understood, and that's why I'm here."
"Okay," Brandon replied with a smile.
"But don't text her to tell her I'm here. Brenda doesn't know either."
"Wow," Steve said, "and then one says marriages are boring."
Kelly looked at herself reflected in the bathroom mirror. She was wearing a T-shirt and sweatpants.
"Kelly?" A voice caught her attention from the outside.
"I'm here," Kelly replied.
Brenda opened the door slightly and stuck her head.
"Hey, are you okay?" Brenda asked.
"Yes," Kelly nodded.
"What are you doing here?" Brenda seemed worried.
"Nothing. I am breathless because this day has come. I'm like in an enchanted world. It seems to me that now I have to wake up and find myself alone. Somewhere."
Brenda smiled and sat next to her.
"Why?"
"Because I don't deserve it," Kelly replied.
"What? Who said you don't deserve it?"
Kelly nodded without speaking and Brenda hugged her tight "don't be hard on yourself, you deserve happiness. Was the desperate pursuit of happiness that took you here, with all the mistakes, and with all the courage."
Kelly smiled in tears and left her head in Brenda's arms.
"Oh Bren.." she said.
"Courage" the friend stroked her on the arm "you will be a wonderful bride. I already know"
Kel wiped her tears with the sleeve "in all this go and come I didn't even ask you how you are" sigh Kelly.
"I'm fine. Since Blanca is with us my life is even brighter if it were ever possible"
"What about the treatments?"
"I should take the test these days .. but I don't have the courage"
Brenda got up to look in the mirror.
She felt serene.
"I'm six days late, but I can't take the test"
"Why?"
"Because it's painful to always find out a no and I wanted to keep hope today, I didn't want to be sad, and then since Blanca is there, it's easier for me."
"She is a wonderful little girl. Really beautiful.." Kelly took a few seconds "and I think Sammy has a crush on her"
Brenda laughed "I think so too."
"Do you want to do it here with me now?" Kelly asked.
"Kelly is your wedding day. We should think about getting dressed and getting ready not to do me a pregnancy test"
"I wish you would give me the honor of being here with you this time," Kelly replied.
Brenda looked at her.
"If you want," Kelly said.
"I'd be happy not to be alone," Brenda smiled, "but I still don't have one, I don't go around with tests in my bag."
Kelly got up, She opened one of the drawers, she took a pregnancy test still packed.
"Ah.. but apparently you do," laughed Brenda.
"If you want I'll go out, otherwise I'll stay here with you."
Brenda stared at the box a little.
"Stay here with me," she replied.
Brandon had begun to dress under Steve's watchful eyes.
"You're really cool," Steve laughed.
Brandon laughed behind him.
"You made it," Steve said, looking at his friend with friendly eyes.
"Well, it's almost there, last time it didn't go exactly as we had planned."
Steve got serious but Brandon didn't notice.
"This time it will be different," the friend said.
"Yes, it took years for me and Kelly to get to today," Brandon said, looking in the mirror, "it's almost unbelievable to get here."
"Brandon" tried to remember Steve "I can't help but think..." but the friend stopped him right away.
"Don't do it, don't think about that day, I stopped years ago"
"Bran.."
"Steve...," Brandon said.
"No, please let me finish," said Steve, "I can't pretend that the two of us didn't talk that day and I always had the weight that you and Kelly would get married."
Brandon buttoned his shirt then he sighed to Steve.
"I'll only tell you today and never again," Brandon replied, "it wasn't your fault. We weren't ready. We were only 22 years old. And maybe that's how it had to go for being here today, this day, to come true, for Sammy and Grace to be present. And I am grateful for that. Don't be sorry, be grateful."
"Bran.."
"Yes only grateful," Brandon reiterated with a smile "really. I am grateful that Kelly and I are back together. I am grateful for Grace and Sammy. I am grateful that today I am marrying with the greatest love I have known, the mother of my children. And last but not least, I'm grateful that everyone is here... especially you," Brandon replied.
Steve smiled.
"So.." said Steve interrupting any bad thought"if we're ready.. we can go"
"Yeah" sighed Brandon looking at himself one last time in the mirror.
Kelly was ready in her wedding dress. Blonde hair pulled up and stopped with precious highlights. The veil was made to be worn by a very exciting Jackie. Her hands were shaking when she placed the veil on Kelly's nape.
"I love you mom," she said, looking at her while she barely held back her tears.
At that moment Brenda came in.
"You are absolutely wonderful Kel. Really beautiful. My brother is lucky"
"No" she shook her head "I'm the lucky one."
Brenda smiled at her and so the other bridesmaids came to admire the bride.
Donna couldn't hold back her tears. "Ethan?" Kelly asked.
"It's with Felice," she smiled.
Kel had tenderness for her friend. The marriage to David was now heavily in crisis but the one she had in front of her was a different Donna. With a growing career. A son. Big shoulders. Life would give answers. It would also give them to Donna.
The bridesmaids were all wearing raspberry-colored clothes, Brenda had chosen to keep her hair straight and very black down, Donna, Andrea and Erin had preferred to lift them up. Clare had chosen a light pink dress for herself. She had chosen not to be a maid and had not regretted it, her father's mourning, the recent return to Beverly Hills, however she was happy to be there at the time. To be able to witness and be part of life at that moment.
"There's is someone who wants to see you before you go," Brenda said.
"Really?" Kelly asked.
"Yes," Brenda said, letting Dylan in.
At Dylan's sight they all went out from the room apart from Brenda.
Kelly understood the value of that presence. Dylan had come for her too. Those months of hatred and anger were over. And they were finished without saying a word.
"You're really wonderful," he said with surprised eyes, "really."
Kelly was in tears.
She couldn't move.
"Don't cry Kel that you ruin your makeup," Brenda told her.
"I'm glad you're here," Kelly could barely say.
"I couldn't be anywhere else or" he replied "my brother is getting married today and he chose you and you chose him, I really couldn't be anywhere else."
Brenda was happy for that unexpected and last-minute peace.
Dylan gave Brenda a kiss and whispered "I love you."
She also gave Kelly a kiss on the forehead "be happy take care of My brother, I Know you'll do" just said this to her and Kelly nodded in tears.
"Kel stop crying or we have to do it all over again," Brenda scolded her and she laughed in tears.
Then Dylan slipped away exactly as he had entered.