"No, Luke," Mike said with a slight smile. "You're the best man, you have to wear a tux." Mike straightened his tie and looked in the mirror. He turned back around to Luke, who sat in the chair, looking depressed. "How do I look?"
"Like a blue and white penguin. I can't believe Kate made you buy that thing, let alone wear it!" Luke started laughing.
"Hey, Kate did not make me buy it."
"What, you picked it out yourself?"
"Ah, shut-up, penguin boy!" Mike teased, slapping Luke on the shoulder.
Ben came out of the dressing room in his grey tuxedo. "Well?" he asked expectantly, spinning around for Mike and Luke to see.
"Well, what?" Mike asked with a smirk.
"Ha ha ha. Who do i get to walk down the isle, anyway, Mike?"
"You remember Sasha Serocsky?"
Ben's face brightened. "Yeah!"
"Good, just checking," Luke slapped Mike a high five. "I'm kidding, Ben. Do you remember Julie Costello?"
"Yeah," Ben said glumly, figuring he was being teased again.
"Good, cuz you're walking her down the isle."
"All right!" Ben exclaimed. He left the room grinning.
"Hey, Mike, are you sure Ben doesn't wanna be the Best Man? I'd rather look like a grey penguin than a black and white one." Luke said.
"Yes, Luke. I'm positive. Ben doesn't want to be the best man. You begged him and he still said no, remember?"
"Yeah, i was hoping he'd change his mind."
Jason came into the room. "Are you ready, Luke? They've started the marches."
"Yikes!" Luke exclaimed, jumping out of his seat and preparing to walk down the isle. He stood waiting for Carol. When Carol finally arrived, he offered his arm, and she took it with a smile. They walked down the isle, arm in arm. Luke saw camera flashes, and the little blinking lights of recorders. He smiled and stopped at the end, releasing Carol's arm. They took their different sies and watches as Mike and Kate came down the isle.
Kate smiled happily as she walked next to Mike. Her dress was white, and it hubg off her shoulders slightly. The top was lacey, and it had a long, flowing train in back.
Mike grinned, despite his blue and white tuxedo. He was getting married. They recited their vows, and had their kiss. They stood in line waiting to be hugged be each and every person that was in attendance. Carol came up and hugged Kate. She moved on to Mike ans stood in front of him for a moment. "Ah, what the heck?" She threw her arms artound him and hugged him.
Luke stood by, grinning, after he had gone through the line. Maggie looked at him and set her hand on his shoulder. "This is something i thought would never happen."
"Yeah, Mike's finally married," Ben said with a smile.
"No, Mike and Carol hugged!" Luke laughed. A Maitre'De' waled up to him with a phone on a tray.
"Are you Mr. Luke Brower?" the man asked.
"Yeah, i am," Luke said, looking strangely at the phone.
"There's a phone call for you." He offered the phone to Luke, who picked it up.
"Hello?" There was a long pause. Luke's bottom lip trembled. "All right, thank you," he said, hanging up the phone. He looked at Maggie.
"Luke, who was that?"
"LA county hospital. My Dad's been hurt."
"Oh, no..."
"A piece of ceiling fell on him during an Earth quake. Mrs. Seaver, i have to go to him." Luke's blue eyes pleaded with Maggie.
"Of course." She called Jason and explained. He took
Luke to the airport immediatel.
The doorbell rang and Chrissy's little face brightened. "He's home, he's home!" she shouted. She pushed away from the table, knocking her chair over and running as fast as her five-year-old legs could carry her. "Ben, Luke's home!" she arrived at the ddor and opened it, grinning. "Welcome home-" she started. Her words cut off as she realised it wasn't Luke standing on the front porch.
Ben came running down the stairs, taking them two at a time. "Hiya, Luke!" he said with a grin. His gerin faded as he eyed the strange guest.
"Are your parents home, Kids?" The blue uniformed Police Officer asked. His hansome young face twisted into a sad frown. Mike came running into the room and leapt over the end table.
"Luke!" he looked at the officer. "Wait a minute, you're not Luke," he said, sounding very confused. He glanced at Ben and Chrissy, but they were silent.
"Are your parents home, son?" the grim-faced officer asked, directing his gaze at Mike.
"No, I'm as close as you're going to get. Is there something i can help you with, officer?" Mike replied.
"Are you Jason or Michael Seaver?"
"I'm Michael Seaver, is there a problem?"
"I'm afraid i have some bad news, Mr. Seaver, and i'm not sure you want the children to hear it, either." The officer glanced at Ben and Chrissy.
"Ben," Mike said, placing his hand on Ben's shoulder, "Why don't you take Chrissy upstairs for a minute." Ben picked up the frozen Chrissing and carried her silently up the stairs. He had a feeling about the conversation that would go on after he left.
Mike invited the officer into the house, which he accepted. He sat down in a chair and produced an old piece of leather resembling a wallet. "Mr,. Seaver," he began, handing Mike the wallet, "That wallet, as well as the one i have in my hand, were found at the scene of an accident." He gave the other wallet to Mike and paused while Mike examined them.
Mike opened one of them and glanced at the drivers licence. "George Brower," he whispered.
"And the other belonged to Luke Brower."
Mike stared at the officer, not fully comprehending the situation. "What? Were they stolen?"
The officer lowered his dark eyes sadly. "No, Mr. Seaver. The bodies these were found on were identified as the owners. The boys indicated to come to this house in case of an emergency."
Mike looked confused. He knew what the officer was saying, but he wouln't let himself believe a word of it.
The officer went on. "The accident," he paused, the words catching in his throat. Mike almost smiled at the lack of experience the young officer possessed in this situation. "The accident," he bagan again. He couldn't seem to find the words.
Mike finished the sentance for him. "The accident killed them both." His own voice caught slightly in his throat as he spoke those horrible words. The officer nodded his head slowly.
Mike gingerly ran his slim fingers over the wallet belonging to Luke. He gently set it on the table and led the officer to the door. "Thank you," he said, quickly shutting the door after the officer left. Mike returned to the couch and picked up the wallet. He touched it to his cheek; a tear fell from each of his blue eyes. He set down the wallet and called up the stairs for Ben.
Ben had been playing tea party with Chrissy when he heard Mike call for him. "Stay here, Chrissy," he told his younger sister. "I need to talk to Mike. I'll come back and get you in a few minutes." Standing up and setting down the plastic cup inhis hand, Ben walked out of the room and down the stairs.
"Ben," Mike said sadly, putting his hand on his fifteen-year-old brother's back and walking to the couch. "I think you's better sit down."
Ben looked at the wallets lying on the table, and his green eyes flashed fright and worry as he reached downand picked one up. He opened it and read aloud; "Luke James Brower, 15 Robinhood Lane, Williamson, Manhatten, 16 years old. In case of emergency, please contact Dr. Jason Seaver or Mr. Michael Seaver, 15 Robinhood Lane, Williamson, Manhatten." Ben's voice became softer as he read it over and over again. "How do we tell Chrissy that Luke is... Luke is..." Ben pounded the table with his fist.
Mike stood up quickly as Ben kicked the table in front of him, lifting it up with his foot and flipping it onto it's side. He started to punch the couch pillows when Mike grabbed him and held his arms. "Ben," he said calmly. That one little word made everything fall apart.
Ben leaned against Mike and hugged him tight. Mike hugged his brother back, neither one afraid to cry. Ben pulled away and looked at his older brother. "How do we tell Chrissy?"
"Tell me what?" Cam little Chrissy's voice from the staircase. "I got tired of waiting for Ben to get me, so i decided to just come." she smiled sweetly, her green eyes shining. "Tell me what?" she repeated.
Mike and Ben exchanged glances between themselves, Chrissy, and the wallets lying on the floor next to the overturned coffe table. Mike walked over to his sister and picked her up, hugging her tightly and crying softly. "Oh, Chrissy," he whispered.
"Oh, i'm sorry baby," Maggie said through her tears, loosening her grip. Jason put his arm around his wife's shoulders.
"And now, a prayer," said the Priest. Chrissy reached up and slipped her had into Ben's squeezing it. Ben squeezed her tiny hand back. When the Prayer was over, it was Mike's turn to say something about Luke. He blinked the on-coming tears away and stepped up to the podium.
"When i first saw Luke, sitting there in a classroom, proving his textbook wrong, i knew there was something special about him. And then he came into our home as a foster child. After less than a month he was a son... a brother... and a friend. Luke Brower brought our family closer together. He set an example for all of us, even me. He taught us things about life, things that we never would have known if we had never met him, even simple things. I know one time he taught our grandmother how to fix a leaky faucet. Luke Brower was truly a gift from God, as all children are. So treasure your children, because you never know when," his throat went dry and he tried to blink away hot tears, with no success. "Because you never know when you might lose them." He stepped down from the podium and walked back to his family. Carol put her arms around him and hugged him tightly. Mike hugged his sister back and stood with an arm around her shoulder while a woman spoke about George.