One Heart

Nathalie's POV

“So Natnat.” Brent had been calling me this ever since his third or so beer, so I guess he had accepted me. The alcohol must have helped, especially when he apologised after his fourth for calling me a bitch (which I didn't know about). “How can you afford a place like this? I mean-” He waved around, accidentally spilling some of his beer on both the carpet and himself, but was oblivious to both. “-look at it!”

“Brent, keep a hold of yourself,” Brian Sr. warned his oldest son, “and stop dripping beer everywhere.” He sighed and turned to me. “Sorry. He gets like this after a few.”

“It's fine,” I reassured, then looking at Brent to answer his question. “My parents left me this house.”

“And how did they manage to afford this place? You're not like a Drugs Baroness or something are you?”

“No, of course not,” I chuckled. “Close though.”

“That's what I said,” Brian added. “Might as well be a Baroness with the power you have over things.”

“It's not like I bother with it.”

Brent remained confused. “So your job is...?”

Brian decided to answer for me. “In reality, my dear wife does not have to lift her little finger in work. However she is technically the owner of one of the largest musical labels in the business. Remember Joel and Benji? The video Shads and I did with them?”

McKenna frowned. “Good Charlotte?”

“That's the one. They are signed to Nathalie's label.”

“Hey, you can't go around calling it my label,” I interjected. “I don't even run it. Alex does that for me.”

“Well, whatever pays the bills,” Brian Sr. said. “Much more fun however if you get money without having to work for it.”

“I thought you liked your job on tour?” Brian asked. “You said being the Guitar Guy is the best decision you ever made.”

“Hang on,” I interrupted. “You'rethe Guitar Guy? The same Guitar Guy who goes around with Jeff Dunham, the puppet guy?”

He smiled. “That's me.”

“I think I just got brownie points for marrying into a cool family.”

Everyone laughed at that and the conversation soon changed to my own family, Rae and how I lived in Phoenix along with a multitude of other topics concerning my life. I guess it was just Brian's family's way- well, I guess my family now- of making up for lost time. While the rest of group added details wherever they could (mostly embarrassing things they knew about the time I had spent with them) the person who knew the most about me didn't contribute anything, just staring quietly down at their glass. I frowned, looking at my best friend in concern. She was only ever this glum when Zacky wasn't around, but as much as I would like to reassure her that he was coming back I couldn't.

Not yet anyway.

I felt a vibrating in my pocket and looked briefly down at the caller ID before getting up, saying, “I'll be back in a minute,” before I left for the silence in the kitchen. As soon as I got there I flipped my cell open and demanded, “Where the hell are you?” I glanced down the hall before closing the door behind me, lowering my voice just in case anyone could overhear. “I didn't think it would take this long to buy a ring!”

It had seemed after Brent’s speech about marriage Zacky had decided to do something about it. I had caught him outside after I left Brian Sr’s house, dropping him down the jewellery shop to his request thinking he would be able to pick one on his own and get a cab back. Oh, how I was wrong.

“It's not my fault I don't know what to get her! Do you know how many rings are in this place?”

I glanced at the clock. “Shouldn't the shop be closing soon?” He didn't answer. “Zacky? Hello?”

“Oh fuck! What am I going to do?” He sounded frantic. “Nat, what do I do?”

“Erm...” I looked around for inspiration, before finally settling on the pair of keys on the side. “Look, I'll be there in like five minutes.”

“Thanks Nat, you're a lifesaver.”

“Well, just remember this moment when I finally want a favour.”

Flipping my cell shut I exchanged it for the keys on the side, putting on my long coat over my night clothes and slipping into a pair of my old converse on the side before peeking into the front room where I had left everyone. “Sorry guys, just need to nip quickly to the shops. Won't be long.”

I hadn't even managed to get a few steps out the door before Brian appeared behind me, frowning. “Where are you going Nat?”

“To the shops, like I said.”

“Yeah right.” He folded his arms across his chest. “Where are you really going?”

“Erm...”

“I'm not leaving until you tell me.”

“...fine.” I pulled him outside and closed the door behind us, just as an extra precaution. “Zacky needs help choosing Chloe's engagement ring, and I'm going to go see if I can help.” I looked pleadingly up at him. “You can't tell her, okay? He wants it to be special.”

“That little fucker...” Brian grinned. “You tell that bastard to hurry up and get his ass back here.” He pecked me on the cheek. “You included.”

–

“What about that one?” Zacky pointed at the glass at a simple gold band with a single diamond in the middle. He then moved to a different style involving one large stone with two either side, then to a white gold band version. He was hopeless. “Or this?” The store manager and myself exchanged weary looks; they had been willing to keep the shop open for us even though it was past the closing time but it was pretty much only because they didn’t think he would take much longer once I got here. Of course an hour later and still no progress had been made. “Nat, what one do you think she’ll like?”

Leaning my back against the counter to try and ease the growing headache I now had, I merely shrugged. “She’s your girlfriend.”

“But she’s yourbest friend!”

“And you want her best friend to pick out the ring that her boyfriend is going to propose to her with?” I snorted. “I’m sure Brian didn’t get you to pick out his ring.”

“No, but he did ask Chloe about what you liked!” He moaned. “Come on Nat, help me out?”

“Well why keep trying to go for something complicated? Why not go for a simple, classy ring?” I said, pushing off from the counter so that I could peer into it at all the different rings. Oddly enough, as soon as I looked, I knew exactly what ring Chloe would love. “Look at that one; simple, but with its own little hidden twists.”

The ring I pointed to consisted of two circular bands, moulded together at the back and front to create the illusion they were crossed at both the back and front. A heart shaped diamond sparkled beautifully at the front where the bands met, accompanied with miniature stones lining the four thin lines forming the cross. It was definitely Chloe; something simple, yet different.

What Zacky did next freaked the hell out of me. “Nat you’re the best!” He yelled, crushing me in a hug as he jumped up and down, releasing me only to point at the ring and announce, “I’ll take that one!”

The shop manager looked thrilled at this- most likely because after we had left they could finally go home. Zacky shared their enthusiasm as he almost skipped out of the door, pulling me along with him and forcing me into some weird swinging dance on the sidewalk. If I hadn’t have conveniently danced with him to my car I don’t think he ever would have stopped. Of course I am happy for him, but not when I was starting to feel my cold creeping back again thanks to the headache.

--

“Yes!” Chloe screamed, diving off the couch to wrap her arms around him, sending them both off-balance and onto the floor.

Brent was the first to congratulate the happy couple, receiving a kiss on the cheek from Chloe because of it. I guessed that was because if he hadn’t have pushed Zacky at dinner then he probably never would have decided on this spontaneous proposal. We of course toasted the engagement with a fresh round of drinks but I quietly slipped out after, retreating back into the kitchen so I could try and ease the throbbing pain I had over my left temple. I had just managed to swallow a couple of Tylenol when Chloe giggled her way into the kitchen only to stop when she saw me.

“Are you alright?” She asked as she took the seat opposite mine at the bar.

“Yeah,” I replied, waving it off, “it is just a headache.”

“Well... if you’re sure.” She sounded uncertain but this was soon lost as she began to play with the new ring around her finger, a small smile appearing.

“Finally getting hitched, eh?”

“Yeah,” she breathed, almost as if she couldn’t believe it even though she had cold, metal proof. She looked up at me. “Nat?”

“Yes?”

Chloe smiled. “Do you think you could return the favour and be my maid of honour?”

“Really?” It was probably stupid to say that I was surprised since we had decided since we were little that these roles in the weddings would go to each other, but it still shocked me. “You want... me?”

“Of course,” she said. Reaching across the bar she took my hand. “I wouldn’t want to get married unless you were there to help me, each step of the way.” She chuckled to herself before adding, “And to stop me from making an ass of myself in front of a whole room of people.”

I laughed in reply. “You know keeping you from making an ass of yourself is like a superhero feat, right?”

She nodded. “But luckily for me, my best friend has the heart of a hero.”