Milestones: Commitment

Michelle and Brian had been living in the spare bedroom of Matt and Val's hoe for a little over two weeks. Michelle had taken on more hours at the coffee shop, where she had reclaimed her job, in order to get more money toward not only the wedding, but in finding a new apartment and buying new furniture. She and Brian had already gone to pick up new clothes, dropping a few hundred dollars each for a new wardrobe.

But in the wake of everyone's busy schedules, all plans on the wedding had halted. Michelle was a bit upset but really knew that there was no avoiding the fact that they couldn't afford a wedding, not even a cheap one. Upon hearing the news, Jimmy had suggested they run off and elope in Las Vegas, but the idea didn't run very smoothly with Brian and Michelle. She wanted the whole huge deal, and Brian was okay with that. They'd just have to wait until he came back from the next tour.

Walking into the empty house, Michelle dropped her purse down on the table quickly, hearing the phone in the living room ringing shrilly. Hurrying, she was able to answer before the machine picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's mom," came the reply.

"Hi. Were you calling for me, or Val? Cuz she's not here..." Michelle said, sitting down on the couch.

"I was hoping it was you," Denise said with a chuckle. "I tried your cell, but you weren't answering."

"Yeah, I left it home to charge all day. So what'd you need?"

"I just wanted to know how the wedding plans were holding up..." Debbie said, and Michelle sighed.

"We're...not having the wedding this summer," she said, completely forgetting that her mother hadn't been informed. "We're severely short on cash. And we have to find a new place to live, new furniture, and appliances.... We've already spent a lot just replacing one of Brian's guitars and buying clothes..."

"Honey, that's what wedding presents are for..." Debbie said with a chuckle. "Just put all the things you need on the list, and you're bound to get about half. It doesn't completely solve the problem, but it's a start, and a little is as good as any."

"I know, and that's a great idea, mom," Michelle said, turning the TV on, muting it as she flipped through channels, "but there's still the fact that we have to pay for the actual wedding. The ceremony and reception locations, the tux and dress, the rings...we haven't even looked at rings!...the catering, the decorations, the open bar, the limo.... It's gonna be too much for us right now."

"I never told you what your father and I were giving you and Brian as a wedding gift, did I?" Debbie asked, and Michelle cocked a brow when she could hear the grin in her mother's voice.

"...No?"

"I always told myself when you girls were young that I'd help pay for your weddings, and I have every intention of following through with that. I won't pay for all of it, but I will front you money for what you can't pay, and when things for you and Brian aren't so financially tight, you can pay me back."

Michelle's eyes were wide.

"Are...are you serious?" she asked, jaw slack, and Debbie laughed lightly.

"Yes, I'm serious. You and Brian wanted to get married before he goes on tour, and we're gonna make sure that happens," Debbie said. "Which means we really need to get together and start with the planning, young lady."

Michelle rolled her eyes as she heard the faux-stern tone in her mother's voice. "We will mom. Just...thank you. So much. You really don't know how much this means to us. I can't wait to tell Brian," she gushed.

"Alright, well I'll let you go, and maybe later tonight we'll get together, with your sister if she wants, and start?" Debbie asked, and Michelle quickly replied in the affirmative before they exchanged goodbyes. Hanging up, Michelle was ecstatic. She couldn't wait until Brian came home. Until then, she'd get started with some of the planning herself.

The door to the house opened and Brian, Val, and Matt all entered at the same time, coming in from the studio. It was nearly dinner time, and they were all starving.

Michelle had heard the door and jumped up from her place at Matt's laptop, where she was scoping out possible locations for the ceremony and reception, and searching for various bridal shops in the area. Brian's eyes were wide with surprise when she launched herself at him.

"Brian, the wedding is back on for June, before you go," she said happily before leaning up to kiss him.

"Wait, how?" Val asked, excited yet shocked to hear the announcement all the same.

"Yeah...how?" Brian repeated once his lips were free, Michelle taking a step back to look up into his confused eyes. "I thought we decided that we'd just wit another year?"

"We don't have to. My mom called earlier and my parents' present to us is helping to pay for the wedding, and letting us pay them back for whatever else we can't pay up front."

"Really?" Brian asked, brows raised. "Cuz my parents said they'd help pay for some of it as well..."

"Dude, so it's on again?" Val asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet, and Michelle nodded with a wide grin.

"I've already thought of a few things. We've decided that we want the colors to be purple and white, except for the tuxedos, which will be black. So that's covered. And Val...if you accept, I want you to be my maid of honor."

"If I accept? Are you nuts? There's no question about it!" Val said as she pulled her twin into a hug.

"And I've decided on Brianna, my friend from college, and Sarah to be bridesmaids. So we're gonna have to do some dress hunting soon." Turning to Brian, Michelle continued. "And obviously, you pick whoever you want for grooms men..."

Brian nodded, and then pulled Michelle closer to him, his hands moving to the small of her back as he placed his forehead against hers.

"We'll leave you two to yourselves now," Val said, taking Matt's hand as she led him into the other room.

"Oh, Val?" Michelle called out, seeing her sister poke her head back in the room. "I'm heading to mom's place tonight to start working on details for the wedding, if you want to come with."

"Alright," Val said with a nod before ducking out of the room again.

"So it's really gonna happen, before tour?" Brian asked, his voice quiet as he looked into his fiancée's bright hazel eyes.

"Yes, it's really going to happen. And I can't wait to marry you..." Michelle answered, pressing a light kiss to Brian's lips.

"I think...after everything that's happened...that our love can pull us through anything," Brian mumbled, causing Michelle to smile before he kissed her once more.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Michelle, Val, and Debbie were seated around the dining table at the latter's home, working their way through plans and ideas for the wedding. And surprisingly, in only a few hours, they'd made a lot of progress.

Debbie's husband, Nick, frequented the Sunny Valley Country Club in Huntington Beach to play golf on the immaculate course there, and Michelle knew full well how it was set up. Inside one of the buildings was a ballroom, which was large enough to be perfect for the reception. And out the back entrance of the ballroom was a small courtyard with a raised fountain area, a stone path leading to it that was nothing short of perfect for the actual wedding ceremony. Michelle could picture it all in her head already, and knew it was going to be amazing.

"So your father called the country club to see if the week in mid-June that you picked was free, and it is, so tomorrow you should call them t book the space before someone else does," Debbie said, jotting down the number for Michelle and handing it to her as her daughter nodded. "When are you going to search for a dress? I'd really like you come with you guys."

Looking over at Val, Michelle shrugged. "We're thinking next week, on Friday? That way my friend Brianna can get there to look for a bridesmaid dress with Val and Sarah."

"Alright, I'll leave that day open," Debbie answered, standing from the table. "I think we've got enough done tonight. After the dresses we should probably get to work on cakes and flowers..."

"Alright. Thank you again, mom, I really appreciate the help you're giving here. And Brian's parents are doing the same for their gift to us, so you won't have to pay as much. But this is all really appreciated," Michelle said as she hugged her mother. "I love you."

"Love you too," Debbie answered, hugging Val as well, and the twins left, heading back to the car with arms around each other.

"So, how excited are you?" Val giggled.

"I'm so excited, I could pee," Michelle answered, and the sisters laughed as they got in the car and drove home.