Best Man

I could paint a picture with a pen,
But a song will only scratch the skin.
And there are still places I haven't been,
Because I know what's in there, it's already in the air.

There's a storm on the way.
There's a storm on the way.
Alright.
There's a storm on the way.
Uh huh.
And it's coming no matter what I say.

Here I come, I come, I come, I come.



White rose petals laid scattered along the blue carpet that was a makeshift aisle between two sides lined with white chairs filled with family and friends as Tre Cool stood in front of them all, wearing a tasteful, white tuxedo and a boyish smile. Standing before him, with her side to the guests as well, was Giselle Woods, his fiancee, who looked beautiful in a delicately beautiful, white wedding gown.

With her curly brown hair pulled away from her face with silver butterfly clips and lightly decorated with baby's breath flowers, she held Tre's hands and returned his smile most lovingly as the 30-year-old psychiatrist briefly glanced at the sea of guests to her right, out the corner of her eye; all the while thinking about what her and Tre had been through in the last three and a half years together.

They began dating at the end of summer in 2008, much to Caroline's chagrin. Their relationship grew from being friends with benefits, to moving in with each other out of mutual attraction and developing love. There was Tre's confusion over how he felt about her and her sister, until he was finally able to put his love for Caroline to rest and focus solely on Giselle, only for him to be dumped by her; unaware that she was pregnant with his child.

She never told him and was confused about what it meant for her, for him...for them. And then, when she miscarried, it all became clear what she wanted, but either was too nervous as well as stubborn to mend their relationship right away. But that was until they 'kissed and made out' the day Mike and Caroline's first child together, their son Mikey, was born.

Their lives, their relationship had been put into perspective for the both of them, and they knew they could not waste another minute on the ifs, ands or buts.

In early 2010, Tre had proposed on the most cliche of all days: Valentine's. Without hesitation, Giselle said yes, and instead of starting to plan a wedding right away or have Giselle move back in with Tre, they decided to house hunt for a home they would call their own, since sharing with Claudia and Frankito would eventually become crowded and awkward.

Around Christmas that same year, Giselle suffered her second miscarriage, which terribly saddened her, but this time, Tre already knew she'd been pregnant, and was with her through it all. Then, less than two months later, on February 8th of 2011, Mike and Caroline welcomed their second child into the world; a daughter named Chloe Constance Pritchard.

And finally, the wedding plans began, wherein Giselle was so utterly excited about it all; only to be struck with personal tragedy again, when Giselle learned she was pregnant for a third time, only to miscarry yet again.

Three miscarriages in three years was hard to handle, but again, Tre was by her side, as well as Caroline, who had her hands full with three full time jobs: mother of two, wife and The Sinners' frontwoman/bassist.

However, despite accepting that she would most likely never be able to have children of her own, Giselle looked readily to the option of adoption.

Now, here they were saying their vows as Caroline stood behind her, as Matron of Honor, and Mike stood behind Tre, as Best Man.

They were the only two standing up, while Billie Joe and Adrienne sat in the second row of seats with their sons on either side of them and Mike and Caroline's children on their laps; trying to keep them calm and still during the ceremony. However, two-and-a-half-year-old Mikey kept calling out to his mommy while on his Uncle Billie's lap, which got one-year-old Chloe riled up and ornery on Aunt Adie's lap.

Then came the words everyone had been sitting through the simple ceremony for; the ceremony which was being held in the Stanford Ballroom in San Francisco's Renaissance Stanford Court Hotel.

"By the power vested in me, by the state of California, I pronounce you husband and wife," the justice of the peace stated to Tre and Giselle, as well as to the guests in attendance. Then, turning to Tre, added with a smirk, "Now kiss your bride like she owes you money!"

As everyone laughed and smiled, Tre grinned. "Gladly." Pulling Giselle, his wife, into his arms, he dipped her backwards and claimed her lips in one swift motion.



Hey hey hey!
There's truth in the thunder,
Love in the lightning,
The feeling is frightening
And isn't it exciting?
I'm something like stormy weather,
If I weren't we'd never,
Huddle together.

Do I have to tell you,
That I'm also the sunlight,
That shines shortly after.
I just pray 'cause I have to.
On to another chapter.
I wish you lots of laughter.
Till the next time you see me
Just remember you need me.
I'm the storm coming.



Dressed in a light blue dress, made of chiffon and satin, Caroline wove in and out of tables set up in the Stanford Ballroom, chatting to this person and that while her son seemed to be running free and wild. She only knew this because she caught a glimpse of Mike scurrying over to the table where the cake was, shouting, "Mikey, no! I said 'stop!'"

Smiling and rolling her eyes, an almost 32-year-old Caroline found exactly what she was looking for, standing with the Justice of the Peace who had performed the wedding ceremony and who'd been invited to stay for the reception.

"There's the happy groom," Caroline greeted Tre, who gave her a soft smile. "How's your third marriage treating you so far?" she added with a teasing jab.

"It's a charm," he replied as the Justice excused himself. "How're the rugrats?" the 39-year-old drummer inquired.

"Last I saw, Adrienne still had Chloe, and Mike is currently chasing Mikey away from your lovely cake," Caroline replied, gesturing to her husband and son, just as they watched Mike scoop Mikey up and throw him over his shoulder; the toddler giggling happily.

Tre nodded. "It's good to see everything has fallen into place, isn't it? That this is finally how it's all supposed to be," he spoke.

Studying his face with some seriousness, but then breaking out into a grin. "So it's not weird calling me by my new last name anymore? Caroline Pritchard? Not Caroline Woods?"

Tre shrugged. "It used to be, but when you get to the nitty gritty, you were with Mike longer than we were together. Plus, you've technically known him longer. And, as Giselle pointed out to me a few years ago, you were never mine to begin with."

Leaning forward, Caroline threw her right arm around Tre's neck and pulled him close for a hug.

"But you have seen me naked."

Tre laughed and pulled back from the embrace. "Many a time."

Tilting her head to the side, Caroline's smile widened. "You're a good man, Tre."

Silent for a moment, he expressed a thoughtful look across his face before nodding at her appreciatively.



Here I come, I come, I come, I come.
Here I come, I come, I come, I come.

Run towards the hills to avoid the high flood.
I can do a dance that will make the sky cry blood.
Skills provoking
Seals will be broken open.
All that's left to do is try my love.



Staggering into their hotel suite very late that night, Mike and Caroline carried their children into the adjoining suite where they were placed in their beds and were thankfully out cold.

Exhausted -- both physically and mentally -- from the marriage of her sister to his best friend and her ex-boyfriend, Mike and Caroline closed the adjoining suite door and collapsed backwards onto their king-sized bed.

"God, I'm tired," Caroline grumbled, rolling onto her side and wrapping her body around Mike's as he let out a small laugh and turned her face to look at her.

"You looked beautiful today," he complimented. "I was so caught up in the ceremony and your beauty that I was tempted to take you away to Vegas again to renew our vows."

Slapping his chest playfully, Caroline lifted her head and rested her chin on his chest. "I love how dorky you are when we're alone. And...if we're ever gonna renew our vows, we should probably do it with our friends and family with us in person since we denied them that pleasure the first time around."

"True," he agreed. "So, our third anniversary is coming up. What should we do to celebrate this year?"

"How about we stay home and have Adie and Billie take the kids for the weekend. I mean, Adie jumps at any occasion to baby-sit Chloe as it is since they're daughterless."

"Also true." Nodding his head, Mike smirked. "It's a plan. Anniversary at home, kids not. And lots of sex all over the house."

Caroline stuck her tongue out a bit and grinned like the Cheshire Cat. "Me likey the way you thinky."

Grinning back as giddily as her, Mike snaked his arms around Caroline's body and pulled her up on top of him to lay as he kissed her. "Mike loves his Caroline."

"Caroline loves her Mike," she repeated.

Rubbing his nose against hers, he added, "My sexy Matron of Honor."

"My sexy Best Man."



I'm singing the cyclone.
I'm writing a raging sea.
Searching for a sign of the times.
It's insane to say it's me.
Listen to our lives.
The wind will whisper the way it is.
I'm going to heaven, what a lovely day it is

Don't ask why, just live and die.