193 - Star Songs

193 - Star Songs
Under this moonlit sky, I vow to love you endlessly. – Josephine Wall

Clarence stood at the altar in front of the dark curtain with twinkling lights on it. He had known Reese since their high school years. He was thrilled when his friend finally found someone that gave him a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Something other than his businesses and the gyms.

Reese had surrounded himself with his extended family and close friends. He built a life taking care of others. Helping strangers make their dreams come true. Making his little corner of the world a little bit better than it had been.

Quietly he funded food banks and shelters. Supported the FAC and their programs. Gave out loans and grants to help people start their own businesses or to expand. Funded a scholarship in memory of his ex-wife’s late husband. Worked closely with an audiologist that was helping his daughter’s half-brother to get hearing aids to those who couldn’t afford them.

Owen Aaron Reese was a man who gave a lot to others. Those he loved received anything and everything that he could give. This was evident with the transformation of his nightclub.

Constellations had shut down for a month so that the club could be revamped specifically for this night. The planets and their moons had been cleaned and repainted. A new stained-glass sun sat in the center of the large orrery.

With a chuckle, he remembered when Orrery was the word of the day on his calendar and he texted Reese to ask when he would ever use that word. Reese replied back with a video of the solar system currently above Clarence and gave today’s date and a simple suggestion.

Maybe when you marry Helen and me? It will be under this orrery

Before he had enthusiastically agreed, Clarence had replied with a simple one-word response.

Smartass

After his brief interaction with Victoria, he had wondered what she had meant by “Just wait.” He did not have long to wait to see everything as the lights dimmed and the ‘stars’ began to twinkle. The wall and ceiling above the planets flicked to life as the screens began to show live feed from various satellites and telescopes. The mirrored wall between the wall of screens and the screened ceiling was angled perfectly to reflect the opposite screens creating a solid view.

The sound system kicked on, and Ella Fitzgerald began to sing about paper moons. Clarence smiled as people around him seemed to notice all the stars and the music theme. Was there nothing that Reese had not thought of?

As a waiter walked across the floor, the tiles lit up with cosmic stars. Several people oohed and awed as they also saw the interactive floor come to life. Just when he thought that it had reached its peak, the twelve constellations of the VIP rooms lit up. Eleven of them were illuminated with silver lights, Virgo was gold.

With the tables nearly filled, he saw a door under the Virgo constellation open and two young teenaged boys walked out. Clarence recognized them as the two boys that Neo took in last night. It could not be said that Neo and Jolene took them in last night. Jolene did not know anything about them until this morning.

Last night he had asked Neo if he had planned to beg for forgiveness from his wife. Neo had simply laughed at the older man and motioned to his father-in-law. Reese had been patiently showing the boys how to hold the bowling ball.

“You see that man? He could probably make me disappear if I left two boys in the situation that they were in. My wife would probably help him. But his wife?” shaking his head, he gave a low whistle. “That sweet and adorably innocent woman would grind me up, throw me on the grill and serve me as Neo burgers to the search party that she organized to look for my missing ass.”

“No, you’re wrong. Your wife would help her mother serve you to the search party.” Clarence had told him and Neo agreed. “On a completely unrelated topic, I prefer mustard on my burgers.”

“I’ll be sure to let them know.”

A moment after they were seated at the table with Gina, Neo made his way down the aisle to the altar. Clarence held his hand out to the younger man, and he gripped it in a firm shake.

“I guess Neo burgers are not on the menu tonight?”

“Not tonight,” Neo confirmed as the song changed to Nat King Cole and Hoagy Carmichal singing Stardust.

“Glad to hear it,” Clarence said as Neo moved to stand where Victoria had marked his spot.

Cooper joined them and Clarence shook his hand before he also took his spot. Ty was next followed by Waylon. JD and Jaxon were the last two to take their spots. They stood there for a moment as they waited for the next song to start.

The first notes of Coldplay’s A Sky Full of Stars filled the large room and the door opened again. Reese walked out in his full tux with tails, and he smiled as he saw his creation in full bloom around him. Shaking his hand as Clarence had done with all the others, he pulled his friend in for a hug.

“This is fucking amazing, Reese.”

“I wanted to give my woman the stars and everything under them.”

“You succeeded, my friend. You succeeded.”

Reese stood between his friend and his family and faced the gathered crowd. The lights dimmed even further as the screens above them also went dark. Even the lights of the orrery dimmed and the sun barely glowed.

OneRepublic began Counting Stars and the door opened and a figure in a dress with twinkling lights under the skirt began to make her way down the aisle. Helen’s coworker, Tina, who’s engagement celebration caused Reese and Helen to meet under the Virgo constellation was the first of Helen’s bridesmaids. Clarence kissed her cheek and then motioned to where she should go stand.

Pinki was next with her patent pending pink hair seeming to glow under all the imitation twinkling lights. Clarence kissed her cheek and she tugged at his bright red beard. Gigi followed her and got a kiss on her cheek before moving to her spot.

Clarence kissed Sam’s cheek and she went to sit at the table with brothers and Gina. As soon as she sat down, he heard Gina order the teen to take off her shoes and put her feet up in the empty chair. She complied, and Neo appeared to relax where he stood.

Florence + The Machine began to play Cosmic Love as Dean made her way down the aisle. She and Clarence shared a smile, and he had to cough into his hand to hide his laughter. When he kissed her cheek, she gave him a hug.

“This wedding should be fairly straightforward,” she whispered to him.

He gave a light chuckle, “Not with your family.”

Laughing, she went to stand in her spot, she blew a kiss to her men.