In the apartment, Zoey walked around Rachel, Angela and Mrs. Lawrence who were all working on Topanga as she took pictures on a polaroid came to remember such an important day.
"You're gonna be a beautiful bride, Topanga." Mrs. Lawrence said, brushing her daughter's hair.
Topanga smiled. "Thanks, Mum. I just want everything to be so perfect for Cory. I love him so much. This whole day is just full of love!"
"I hate him!" Shawn exclaimed as he burst into the apartment with a shopping bag in hand. "He's self-centered, whining, demanding, miserable little white boy."
Shawn placed the bag down on the kitchen counter. Zoey placed the polaroid camera down and walked over to her fiancée.
"What happened, honey?" Zoey asked, grasping Shawn's arm.
"Get the tuxedos, pumice my toes, tie the cans to the car! I'm his best man, not his hamster!" Shawn explained in frustration.
"But you got the tuxedos, right?" Topanga asked.
"You two deserve each other." Shawn grumbled. He walked over to the couch and sat down.
Zoey joined her fiancée and gently took his hand in hers. "Um, Shawnie, what is really bothering you?"
"Cory is really bothering me! I don't know what I ever saw in him." Shawn replied.
"Shawn..." Topanga began as she walked over to him and pet his hair with soothing motions.. "See, this is my wedding day and I would really appreciate it if there wasn't any tension."
"I don't care." Shawn retorted. "If somebody abuses me, I lash out."
"Nobody is abusing anybody!" Topanga said brightly, her hand wrapped around Shawn's throat and forced him to a standing position. "This is my wedding day. How dare you?"
Shawn let out a pained grunt when his back hit the door.
"Ah. Could somebody help me out here, please?" Shawn pleaded
"No, see, the best man cannot hate the groom. No, you're gonna ruin my wedding pictures." Topanga said as she hit Shawn's head against the door with each word.
Zoey jumped up from the couch and hurried over to her best friend. "Topanga, you're killing him."
"Dad! I'm comin Dad!" Shawn gasped out.
Angela rushed over and placed a hand on Topanga's shoulder. "Topanga, if he dies then the best man is Eric."
"Then we don't want him to die." Topanga realized.
"No, no we don't." Zoey agreed.
Topanga finally released Shawn and he sunk to the ground. "You okay? Okay. Good boy."
Zoey crouched down beside Shawn and watched her fiancée with genuine concern.
"They're both psycho." Shawn panted out.
"How can there be anything wrong between you and Cory? You love him more than I do!" Topanga insisted before she turned to her mother. "It's true, but I'm okay with it."
"Our entire friendship has always been about him." Shawn complained. "How does Cory feel? What is Cory thinking?"
"Come on, Shawnie." Zoey murmured, running her fingers through his hair. "What is this really about?"
"You know..." Shawn began as he stood up. "You think on his wedding day he'd realize how hard this is for me."
With that, Shawn left the apartment and Zoey wasted no time in running after him.
••••
Zoey had eased most of Shawn's concerns, nothing could truly make the anxious feelings disappear except for talking with his best friend.
Still, Cory seemed adamant about ignoring their need to discuss it. Shawn's emotion fire up again and announced that he was quitting being the best man. But as usual, Zoey's logical comfort nagged at him to show up to the wedding in spite of everything.
Eric somehow held the wedding at The Philadelphia Victorian Hotel - which was very expensive. No one said a thing.
The room was filled with people as the best men and bridesmaids walked down the aisle as the wedding was about to start. Thankfully, Topanga had decided against the horrid pink dresses and instead went with a deep maroon colour that complimented all of the girls nicely.
The Wedding March song started when Topanga walked down the aisle with her father beside her. Zoey couldn't help but smile as she watched the bride meet her soon-to-be husband at the altar.
When Topanga reached the alter, her father kissed her hand and placed it on Cory's. "Be good to each other."
Topanga smiled at Cory excitedly. "We've waited for this moment all our lives. What are you thinking?"
"I can't believe Shawn's not here." Cory replied truthfully.
"I love you too." Topanga responded.
Cory and Topanga held each other's hand tightly as they approached the Minister.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the wedding of Myra and Harold." The Minister announced.
Everyone looked at each other in confusion.
"Just keep goin'. Just keep goin'." Eric insisted.
"And now, a song from the mother of the groom, Mrs. Florence Peterman." The Minister informed.
Mrs. Matthews stood up from her spot and walked onto a small stage and began singing I Love You Truly.
Shawn then appeared as he hurried down the aisle to meet Cory. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. "Hey, you're gonna need these rings."
"Shawnie!" Cory exclaimed, taking the rings from him. "I knew you'd come."
"I wouldn't miss this, Cory." Shawn said earnestly.
"Look, I am so sorry for all the stuff that happened." Cory admitted.
"Well, you should be, but we'll talk about it after you get back from the honeymoon, okay?" Shawn insisted.
Cory narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean, I should be?"
"Cory, you've been being a jerk to me." Shawn told him plainly.
"That's because you're the one that forgot the tuxedos, and you're the one that didn't tie the tin cans. It's like you're trying to sabotage my wedding day!" Cory exclaimed.
"That's ridiculous! If I wanted to sabotage your wedding day. I'd do this." Shawn said, shoving his best friend.
Topanga hastily picked up the train of her dress and backed away with wide eyes.
Cory chuckled. "Boy, oh, boy. You, uh.... you do not wanna do that." He turned and crouched down. "Get him, Topanga!"
"You know what? I shouldn't have even come here! Have a wonderful life, jerk!" Shawn shouted, turning around and began walking away.
"You too, trailer trash!" Cory yelled.
Shawn turned to glare at the person that called his best friend, ignoring Eric's mocking laughter. He let out a loud yell. Cory and Shawn ran at each other angrily and grappled on the ground until Mr. Matthews, Mr. Lawrence and Jack pulled them apart.
"He doesn't care that we're not gonna be friends anymore!" Shawn shouted as he struggled against against Mr. Lawrence and Jack's hold on him.
"Why do you keep sayin' that?!" Cory demanded just as loud. "Why do you keep bringing that up?!"
"Because you won't talk about it!" Shawn told him.
"I don't wanna talk about it!" Cory whined. "Why do you think I've been sending you everywhere."
"We have to talk about it!" Shawn insisted.
"I don't want to!" Cory cried.
"We have to!" Shawn shouted.
"Now?" Cory whimpered as his voice became pinched.
When it became clear that they weren't going to attach each other, Mr. Matthews, Mr. Lawrence and Jack released them.
"Cory, after you get married, things are gonna be different, and I don't have a lot of friends, you know?" Shawn said sadly and sat down on the step.
Cory sighed and sat beside him. "Shawnie, I... I don't what's gonna happen. What do you want me to do?"
"Do you really like her?" Shawn wondered.
Cory smiled widely and nodded his head. "Yeah, I really do."
"You sure?" Shawn asked.
Topanga then crouched down behind them. "Shawn, I really think I've been very tolerant here."
"Okay." Shawn conceded. "Marry her."
"You're giving me your blessing?" Cory asked.
"Yeah, well... we gotta grow up sometime." Shawn replied.
Cory looked up at Zoey. "What about you, Zo? Do I have your blessing?"
"You've always had my blessing." Zoey responded with a smile.
The wedding resumed shortly after that.
"I wasn't sure this day would ever come, but you were. I wasn't sure that love could survive everything that we put it through, but you were. You were always strong and always sure. And now I know that I want you to stand beside me for the rest of my life. That's what I'm sure of." Topanga addressed both Shawn and Cory.
Cory turned to face Shawn. "I have to talk to her now, okay?"
"Go ahead." Shawn agreed, and moved off to stand next to Jack and Eric.
"Um... Ever since I was young, I never really understood anything about the world, and I never understood anything that happened in my life. The only thing that ever made sense to me was you and how I felt about you. That's all I've ever know and that's enough. That's enough for me for the rest of my life, Topanga.." Cory addressed to his fiancée.
As Cory spoke, Shawn's attention drifted to where the bridesmaid were standing on Topanga's side. His heart sped up in his chest as he found that Zoey was already looking at him with an expression so soft and full of love that it made his face warm.
Shawn couldn't help but think of the future. In a couple months if would be him at the altar waiting for Zoey to walk down the aisle. He'd always believed that Zoey Hunter was the best name for her and he still maintained that thought, even after all these years.
"Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, to cherish and adore, from this da forward, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?" The Minster asked.
"I do." Topanga asked.
The Minister turned to Cory. "Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, to cherish and adore, from this day forward, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"
"I do." Cory replied.
"Then by the power vested in me by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bridge." The Minster announced. Topanga wasted no time as she kissed Cory. "Ladies and gentlemen, family and friends, I present to you, for the first time ever, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Peterman."
"It's okay!" Eric called over the sound of the audience's uncertain clapping.
••••
The wedding flowed into the reception party smoothly. The crowd spread around the room while Cory and Topanga were greeted again by the friends they'd just embraced. There was time to talk now... to laugh.
"I'd like to propose a toast." Shawn announced as he stood above everyone on a chair. "This is for Harold and Myra." He turned to Cory's older brother in confusion. "What's up with that, Eric?"
"Nothin'." Eric answered suspiciously . "Just talk fast, alright?"
"Well, there is something I'd like to say. I may not be the best man, but I am one of the best friends. Cory, Zoey and I have been best friends all our lives. And, um, this wedding's been kind of hard for me because I know, no matter how much we avoid talking about it, Cory and I aren't gonna be best friends forever. Things are changing between us. Things have always been changing. We've had to deal with life and death. And Feeny. But not matter what we faced, we always faced it together. So, then, how can we possibly be upset with each other on his wedding day? Well, it's because deep down, I think Cory and I know that we're not gonna be best friends anymore. And that's the way it should be. So this is to Topanga, Cory's wide and new best friend. Take care of him, okay?" Shawn said.
"I will." Topanga promised, clearly touched by his words.
"And when he makes you nuts, call me or Zoey." Shawn finished teasingly.
"I will." Topanga repeated as she hugged him.
Zoey stood up on the chair and raised her glass. "I would like to say something as well. They say good things happen to good people. Well, today is one of those days and Cory and Topanga are two of those people. From those who haven't had the pleasure of meeting me, I am Zoey and I have the privilege of knowing both the bride and the groom for more than decade. I've known Cory since forever and I was the only girl lucky enough to be your best friend. Although, I held the spot of 'only girl' in high regards, I am glad that I gave it away to someone like you, Topanga. You added a new dimension to the friendship I had already made. Cory and Topanga, I know things are going to be different now between all of us, but if you need someone, you know where to find me."
Cory gave her an amused, fond look and Zoey stepped down from the chair to hug both him and Topanga.
Shawn raised his glass. "To Cory and Topanga."
"Cory and Topanga!" Everyone toasted.
Eric stepped between the newlyweds. "And now, I would like to give my gift to my litter brother and new sister in law."
"Eric, this wedding was more than enough." Topanga said.
"Yeah, it was, wasn't? But I do have one more thing up my sleeve. I hold in my hand and a key." Eric said as he lifted the key to show them. "A key to the honeymoon suite of the Philadelphia Victrola Hotel. So that after this...."
Cory snatched the key out of Eric's hand. "Bye!"
Zoey laughed as she watched Cory running off with Topanga's hand held tightly in his.
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PUBLISHED: March 5, 2019
WORDS: 2308