Page 104 of All That Glitters

The guard watched the display with a look of profound disbelief. He turned to Bob.

“They’re not planning on reproducing, are they?” he asked, his voice full of genuine concern for the future of the human race.

Bob just laughed.

The sun shone down on a small, picturesque church, its white steeple towering against a perfect blue sky. A crowd of friendsand family gathered on the church steps, a chaotic, motley, and wonderful mix of people from every chapter of their lives. They cheered and tossed rice as Tony and Debbie ran down the steps and ducked into a sleek black limousine waiting at the curb. A hand-painted sign, clearly the work of Rif Raf Produkshuns, was taped to the back, the words ‘JUST MARRIED’ scrawled in garish, happy letters.

Everyone was there. Debbie’s parents stood beside Veronica, who was dabbing her eyes with a tissue. Nearby, Eli was talking with Morgan Fisher, who was laughing heartily. Jeff and Matt were there, posing for selfies with Carrie. And in the front row, as a testament to the strange and wonderful path that had led them here, stood the entire Rif Raf crew. Craig, Roy, Carl, and the rest of the boys were decked out in ill-fitting suits, their hair slicked back, looking respectable in a way that was almost, but not quite, convincing. At their feet, Elvis the dog sat patiently, a bow tie wrapped around his neck.

As the limo began to pull away, Matt pocketed the camera he’d been using to take selfies with Carrie, and nudged Jeff, a smug, knowing grin on his face. Jeff just frowned, with a look of annoyed defeat on his face. With a weary sigh, he reached into his pocket, pulled out his wallet, and handed Matt another twenty-dollar bill. He had lost yet another bet.

Inside the limousine, the noise and celebration of the outside world faded away. It was just the two of them, finally alone. Tony looked at Debbie, his wife, and felt a sense of peace so profound it almost brought him to tears. She wore a simple, beautiful white dress, her hair done up with little flowers, and she had never looked more like herself.

“I love you,” he whispered, the words no longer stuck in his throat.

“I know,” she whispered back, a teasing glint in her eye. She leaned in, her hand tangling in his hair, and her lips met his.

And in that kiss was everything. The fifteen years of friendship, the shared jokes, the water balloons and broken windows. The disastrous dates and the premiere party. The glitter and the gold. The airport chase and the jail cells. It was a kiss that tasted of warm summers and childhood memories, of heartfelt apologies and second chances. It was messy, and chaotic, and imperfect.

It was real. And it was gold.