‘Daniel will you stop fiddling. You look fine.’

Daniel brushed another piece of imaginary lint off of his suit.

‘And if you brush just one more speck of dust off of that tux I swear you will walk down the aisle with a black eye.’

Dan looked at his brother weakly. ‘Just nerves I guess.’

‘Well that’s understandable. Another ten minutes and you’ll be a married man.’

Daniel’s stomach lurched.

‘I need the bathroom.’ He stated blankly.

‘Okay but don’t be too long. You don’t want to keep your groom waiting.’

Dan barely made it into the stall before the contents of his stomach came up to greet him.

Shakily he went over to a sink and rinsed his mouth out, leaning his forehead against the smooth surface of the mirror.

‘Oh Dozer what am I going to do without you.’ He murmured, a lump coming unbidden to his throat.

‘Dan you still in there?’ Jon banged on the bathroom door. ‘Come on, it’s showtime.’

Straightening his bow tie and brushing one final speck of dust from his lapel, Daniel took a deep breath and opened the door.

‘I’m ready,’ he announced, ‘let’s go.’

The hotel function suite was filled with the sound of a string quartet as, from opposite, sides of the room, and each flanked by their best man, Darren and Daniel made their way towards each other.

When he was within ten feet of Dan, Darren turned and whispered something to his brother.

Daniel froze.

Leaning heavily on Peter for support Darren pulled himself up out of his wheelchair and then brushing his brother aside, slowly shuffled the final few feet.

Daniel reached him just as he lurched forward. Catching him under his arms he smiled. ‘Hey you.’

‘H…h…hey yourself.’ Darren replied as Daniel sat them both down on the love-seat that had been placed at the front of the gathering.

‘What was that in aid of?’

‘You really think I was going to go down the aisle to my own wedding in a wheelchair?’

‘No, not really, not you Doze.’

Darren’s hand found Daniel’s as the old friend of Darren’s family who was going to act as officiator stepped up in front of them.

‘Dear family and friends, we have gathered here today to see joined together in love Darren and Daniel.’

Daniel heard a sniff from behind him and knew that his Mum was off.

‘I, Darren Stanley H…Hayes, take y…you, Daniel Jones to be my life partner. To h…h…have and to hold.’ Darren took a quick breath. ‘To love and cherish, to support and comfort through the g..good times and the…and the bad. With all my heart, with all my soul, with all that I am, I give myself to you.’

Daniel looked deep into Darren’s clear blue eyes and saw no fear, no hesitation only a serene calmness and pure unadulterated love.

‘I, Daniel Jones, take you Darren Stanley Hayes to be my life partner. To have and to hold. To love and cherish, to support and comfort through the good times and the bad. With all my heart, with all my soul, with all that I am, I give myself to you.’

Jon and Pete brought forth the rings and handed them to the two men.

Darren’s hand trembled slightly as he took hold on Daniel’s left one.

‘Take this ring as a symbol of my l..l..l…of my love. May it remind you of my undying devotion to you, my never-ending thoughts of you and my un..un..unquenchable commitment to you.’

Gripping Darren’s hand, Daniel helped him slide it onto his finger, before reaching for his other hand to do the same.

‘Take this ring as a symbol of my love. May it remind you of my undying devotion to you, my never-ending thoughts of you and my unquenchable commitment to you.’

With tears in his eyes, Daniel slipped the ring onto Darren’s thumb.

‘In front of these people here assembled you have exchanged vows and rings. It is therefore my great privilege and honour to declare you Darren, and you Daniel, life partners. You may kiss your partner.’

Spontaneous applause broke out among their guests, but Daniel only saw Darren as tenderly he cupped his face and kissed him.

‘We did it Doze, we did it.’

The wedding breakfast was a simple yet lavish affair. They had decided that it would be best to have it served as a buffet then it wouldn’t seem out of place to be eating with your fingers.

Darren had deliberately come off of most of his drugs the week before, wanting his system to be clean of anything that might interfere with his later plans. As a result his appetite had picked up a bit, but his co-ordination grew progressively worse as the afternoon drew on.

By early evening he was flagging and asked Daniel to take him round so that he could start saying goodbye to their guests.

When they reached Daniel’s parents, his Mum just burst into tears and hugged both men tightly. ‘You take good care of my Danny now Darren you hear.’

Darren smiled. ‘I..I..want to thank you, thank you for giving me your son, and for acc..accepting me as yours.’

Mrs Jones kissed him gently on the forehead. ‘Take care Darren.’

Daniel’s father and brothers were just as emotional and for a while they just all stood there tears streaming down their faces.

‘Give us a call when you get back from honeymoon.’ Were Dan’s mum’s final words as Darren motioned for Daniel to wheel him over to his own parents.

Daniel laid a loving hand on Darren’s shoulder. This was going to be the tough one.

‘Want some time alone with them?’ he asked.

Darren shook his head , no.

‘Honey, we are so proud of you.’ Darren’s mum knelt down in front of her son, clasping both his hands in hers. ‘Look my baby is a married man.’

Darren rolled his eyes. ‘Mum.’

‘Oh sweetheart.’ Mrs Hayes kissed her son’s hands and then hugged Daniel. ‘Look after him for me Daniel.’

‘I intend to don’t you worry.’

‘Nice one man.’ Darren’s brother clapped Daniel on the back. ‘Don’t let him boss you around too much.’

Daniel laughed. ‘No chance of that. I’m the one in the driving seat.’ And he lifted his hands off of the handles of the wheelchair in indication.

‘Mum, Dad, Pete, Tracy,’ Darren spoke up, summing up from somewhere one final burst of energy, one final burst of courage, ‘I want you to know that I love you all very much and that I will always love you no matter what happens.’

Once more a complete family was reduced to tears and with one last look at them Darren made Daniel wheel him into the corridor.

Bending down Daniel softly stroked his cheek.

‘I’m tired Danny, so very tired, do you mind if we don’t go to the cabin? I just want to go home.’

Unable to hold back his own tears any longer, Daniel kissed Darren’s left thumb, his tears falling onto the ring there.

‘Whatever you want baby, whatever you want.’

‘Take me home Dan, it’s time.'