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“Clipboard Buck” was one of those endearing quirks you learn to love in a partner. Tommy marveled at how the item seemed to help Evan organize and hyper-focus his thoughts in a way that didn’t include research holes. Then, he learned about “Pre-Clipboard Buck.” Either way, the hard-pressed piece of composite wood was a tool for his partner, and he promised himself to learn to be tolerant of its presence in their lives. Except for this very moment.
“So, big items are the who, the where, and the when. Most websites say to start with the date, but I’ve seen some things that say to start with a guest list. That way you know how big the venue needs to be.”
Tommy nods.
“Then the minutia. Flowers, attire, food, decor.” Evan drags his pen down the page and Tommy finds he wants to toss the whole thing out the window. “Who will be what in the bridal party…”
Tommy snickers, “Ev… there’s no bride to be had.”
“You know what I meant.” Tommy rolls his eyes, which was not the right answer. “Listen, you were the one complaining we haven’t started talking about it.”
“Evan.”
“And I practically had to force the subject. So, if you suddenly don’t like how I’m doing it…”
“Baby!” Tommy moves around the island to wrap up his high strung man. “Baby, I’m not saying all the clipboarding is a bad thing.” Evan turns his head, trying not to show he’s losing the will to fight. “Just too… structured. This should be fun and off the cuff. Whatever comes to our minds. Tickles our fancy.”
Evan sighs in defeat. “Fine. Where do you want to start then?”
Tommy kisses Evan’s forehead, takes the clipboard, and removes the list. He takes it over to their fridge and tacks it front and center. “Here. This is how we start. As ideas come up, we can talk about it. Cross things off as decisions are made.”
“So…. ‘Fridge-Buck’ instead of ‘Clipboard-Buck’?” Evan stands next to him, arms crossed, trying to get used to the new organizational tool.
“Exactly. A shared, joint venture in clipboarding. Ok?”
Evan nods. “Ok.”
~~~~~
I.
“Dunno Buck, Karen and I had a small service in our backyard. Flowers came from the garden, guests were literally the 118 and Karen’s family. I think our renewal ceremony was bigger.”
“But you didn’t even look elsewhere?” Buck has different brochures on the crew table and he’s hovering over them.
“Honestly, we couldn’t afford to.” Hen pats him on the back.
“What’s happening up here?” Chim comes around with Eddie in tow.
“Trying to pick a venue.” It sounds so defeated the way he says it, like it's a chore.
“Huh,” Chim moves the stacks around, messing up his carefully laid out “No”, “yes”, “maybe” piles. “Well, Jee-yun will be disappointed. Not one castle or zoo.”
“Oh, to be a child.” Eddie waxes, “Christopher suggested a cruise.” The entire team turns to look at him incredulously. “What! He said it was technically how you two met.”
“Good luck getting Athena back on a boat.” Hen laughs.
“Tell him ‘thanks, but no thanks.’ Hey, how ‘bout you Eds? What kind of wedding did you have?” Buck asks and watches his friend flinch. He wonders if that wound will ever heal.
“Literal shotgun at the courthouse. Shannon’s dad frowned through the whole thing. My mother cried, but not happy tears looking back on it. Pretty sure she was hoping for the whole Catholic affair.”
“Fuck me!” Buck drags a hand down his face, “I didn’t even think about something religious!”
“Buck,” Bobby appears from his office after eavesdropping on the whole conversation, “I’m pretty certain Tommy’s not a religious guy.”
“Yeah I know, but…”
The tones go and everyone’s thoughts shift to the call. Buck appreciates the white noise of the engine as they move across town. He takes the time to breathe and settle. When they finally arrive on scene, he thinks someone is playing a joke on him.
“Oh thank God you are here!” The little old man in a suit greets them.
“What seems to be the problem Mister…” Bobby starts.
“Rabbi. Rabbi Shmulek. Please hurry! I told him not to but he did it anyway!” The Rabbi turns to lead them into Temple Kol-Ami.
“Hen, dispatch mentioned multiple injuries, grab supplies and meet us in there.” Bobby confidently follows.
Buck follows, internally feeling so out of place. “Is this supposed to be a sign? Are you laughing at me God?!”
Once inside the ballroom, Buck and Eddie are on crowd control. They push back people of various ages, all decked out and fancy. In the middle of the dance floor, the bride lays among her poofy dress, crying through the pain; her groom working to calm her down. Beyond the pair is another gentleman laying prostrate, clutching his back, a chair haphazardly tossed aside.
“It’s ruined! It’s all gone to shit! How could you do this to me! I told them he shouldn’t have helped!” The bride’s mascara pours down her face.
“Rabbi,” Chim starts to assess the gentleman while Hen tries to get the bride to calm down. “Can you tell us what happened here?”
“What happened? It was the Hora! There was a simmon tov, a mazel tov, then BOOM!” Rabbi Shmulek informs them.
“We were being lifted in the chairs,” the groom elaborates, “Uncle Marty threw his back out and sent Cassie to the floor.”
“I told him not to.” The Rabbi woefully adds.
“Well, miss…” Hen starts.
“Missus. Mrs. Wisenhotter.” The bride insists as Chim and Hen share a look, Mrs. Wisenhotter yelps and tries to guard her ankle when Hen touches it.
“I’d say you may have broken your ankle.” Hen starts the prep to get the bride transported. “You can sit in back while Uncle Marty takes the backboard”
“What about me?” The groom asks.
“You can follow in your car.” Bobby informs him. “Alright, everyone, sorry but it looks like the celebration is over.” and everyone moans.
Eddie is getting into the engine as Hen and Chim drive off in the ambulance. “I’ll tell you one thing, Buck,” he stops to put a reprimanding finger in Buck’s face, “I’m definitely not lifting you or Tommy’s heavy ass in a chair.”
~~~~
II.
Tommy is miserable. His nose is shifting between stuffed like concrete and running like a faucet. His eyes feel like sand, and he swears he itches all over. He trudges to the fridge, trying not to be too loud, and grabs a water bottle. He’s coming off the shift from hell and knows Evan is already asleep.
He downs the water and barely makes out their “Wedding to-do” list. “Religious?” written in Evan’s handwriting, then crossed out with a large, “NO” in his own.
Under the “extra” heading, Tommy can see “flowers.” He drags his feet to the junk drawer, grabs a pen, and attacks the entry. “NONE!”
When he finally sniffles into the bathroom, Evan meets him at the door to their room. “What happened, Hun?” he rubs at his eyes, adorably. Although it just makes his own scream more.
“Fire at flow’r depo’.” He holds a finger out and nearly loses his brains sneezing. “‘Parently, ‘lergic, to som’fin.”
Evan smiles, laughing at his pain. He shuffles into the room and fishes out the Benadryl. After watching Tommy take it, he kisses him sweetly, then crawls back into bed.
~~~~~
III.
Today, they decided to use their time off to tackle a joint wedding decision. How they only have twenty people so far, is feeling pathetic. “Oh!” Tommy snaps at him, “Bart! And whoever his plus one maybe.” Buck adds the enigmatic uncle to their list.
“Hey Tommy?” Buck wants to bite his tongue, but his brain won’t let him. “Most of these guests are my family or the 118. You don’t wanna add anyone?”
“Donato, my Cap, Foot. Don’t need anyone else.”
Buck watches Tommy close up. “No one from the army days, or the old 118 crew? I know Gerrard brought the worst in everyone, but you still hung out with them.”
“That… was not a great time for me Evan.” Tommy’s walls go all the way up. “Pretty sure no one from my troop would appreciate an invitation. If they know about me at all.”
“Hun…”
“And the only person I ‘hung out’ with was the biggest meathead ever. God, I can only imagine what Sal would think of all this!”
Buck puts his hands up in surrender. “Have you tried reaching out?” Tommy scoffs. “I’m just saying. The way you talk about your 118 crew, besides Gerrard,” he caveats before Tommy can correct him. “Sounds like Sal was to you, as Eddie is to me. And I bet things have changed after all this time.”
Tommy’s jaw is tight and Buck can see it working. “Fuck Evan.” and he watches as the man walks off.
****
The conversation burned in his brain. Evan avoided him and gave him space for the rest of their time off. Then started with small acts of apology. A packed lunch for his shift; heart emojis randomly through the day; favorite beer in the fridge for after shift. It’s these little things that are keeping his ass in the booth as he waits. He owes it to his future husband and past self. It’s time to stop being afraid.
“Holy shit.” The thick Brooklyn accent makes his anxiety spike, “You got old, Kinard.” Tommy turns and finds Sal Deluca has not aged a day since he left the 118.
“Well, fuck me. I wish I could say the same about you!” The handshake is firm, and being pulled in for the “bro-est” of hugs takes him by surprise.
“Eh, what can I say?”
“Ah. Now it will get awkward.” Tommy can feel his smile fall, “So, uh sit! Let’s catch up.”
It comes as a complete surprise how quickly they fall back into it; each sharing stories about great saves or tragic losses. Sal was floored to discover he left the 118 for air support, so Tommy waxed poetic about flying.
“Wow Kindard, sounds like you found your place.” Sal says with weighted emotion.
“Yeah, uh… you too.”
They fall into an awkward silence. Tommy’s brain wars between calling it a day and getting to the point of why they are actually here after close to 10 years of silence.
“Listen,” Sal haunches forward, hands around his coffee mug, “I don’t know why you asked me here, but I do know I have to apologize.”
“What?” Tommy’s eyebrows practically fly off his face.
“I was a royal dick. And not just to you, but everyone. Just took me a while to see it.”
“Well, Gerrard didn’t lend a hand to make things better.” Tommy offers and Sal winces.
“Still, not an excuse. I, uh, had to learn that the hard way.”
Tommy catches Sal, really looks at him and his body language. “Oh.” the light switches on, “Sal, is this supposed to be…”
“Yeah, amends.” He sips his coffee. “Been eight years, but just… couldn’t find the right time to call.”
“Oh wow man, good for you.” Tommy feels self conscious about his beer now. “And, uh. I hear you and accept your apology, or amends, or whatever.”
Sal relaxes and smiles. “Now that that is out of the way, I see you’re getting hitched!” He points to Tommy’s ring. “Finally found someone to hook ya, huh?”
Tommy swallows, “Yeah. About that, Sal.”
****
Buck comes through the door, anxious to hear how things went between Sal and Tommy. He won’t push, though; that’s what got them here in the first place. But, he is secretly patting himself on the back. He’s pretty sure nothing went wrong. Afterall, ten plus years is more than enough time for a person to change. “Well, except for Gerrard. Old coot.” he thinks. Buck puts his things down on the counter and turns to pull something for dinner. He smiles. Next to their to-do list, is their small guest list. In blue pen, written in Tommy’s handwriting, is a new entry.
“Sal Deluca and family”
He’ll save his gloating for later.
~~~~
IV.
“Shut your mouth, Kinard. Enjoy the baby, enjoy Howie and Maddie, Jee-yun, Evan. Especially Evan. God, that man looks amazing with Kevin.” He stares into their dining room, watching as his fiance deftly handles his nephew, giving Maddie a reprieve. Everyone is over for dinner, and that includes Margaret and Philip. It’s finally time to send them back home. Unfortunately, that meant being the bigger person and offering to feed them one more time. Philip immediately took his whiskey neat and separated himself from the situation, and Margaret hasn’t stopped making backhanded comments about everyone’s ability to take care of the new baby. Evan explained why everyone might be on edge tonight, before they got there. But, he doesn’t see anything that warrants the comments. And, although unfortunate the first time around, at least they’ll know the warning signs now. Philip darkens the doorway and pulls Tommy’s attention.
“Needed to get away for a moment?” He implies an understanding about Tommy hiding out in the kitchen.
“You can say that.” Tommy sasses.
Philip smiles, maybe a little embarrassed, and downs the last of his drink. “Fridge safe?” He indicates the door dispenser.
“No reason not to be.” Tommy is giving up on faking it. If his future in-laws don’t like him for it, fuck them. Someone needs to stop tip-toeing around them.
“Ah!” Philip taps on their fridge, “See you got planning started. Still no word on a date?”
“Not yet. Hasn’t been a priority.” Tommy squirms.
“I don’t know how you do it.” His glass finally filled, Tommy gives Philip a questioning look. “In my day, grooms had little to no say. Margaret and her mother planned the whole thing. All I had to do was show up.” Tommy grips his fists on the kitchen island. “Saw ‘attire’ as undecided on your list there. Figured you’d wear your army dress uniform. That’s an honor I never got; flat feet.”
“Sure, right.” Tommy thinks, smiling smugly.
“But man did my father look snazzy in his.”
Tommy stands up, puts his best bitch face on, and squares up. “No Philip, I will not wear my army dress uniform. It may be hard for you to grasp, but the US Army did not take kindly to me and mine. Yes, I appreciate all it did and every opportunity bestowed to me. But do not mistake me when I say, it was a prison. I will not besmirch our ‘happy day’ with those memories.” He’s out the door before anyone can muster a response.
****
Buck finds Tommy in the garage, leaning against the truck. When he startles, Buck puts his hands out in surrender, “Only me.”
“Fuck.” Tommy’s posture relaxes, “Why does everyone think their opinions matter for our wedding?” Buck just shrugs and settles next to his partner. Tommy sighs, “I should apologize.” Buck doesn’t respond. “Shouldn’t I?”
“Well Hun, that’s up to you. I won’t force you to.” He bumps their shoulders together, “You left before it got real good.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yup. My dad came back in and said, quote, ‘You think I suggested he wear a dress or something.’” Tommy nearly chokes on his shock. “Don’t worry. I told him that’s what I was planning on wearing.” He smiles, really proud of his comeback, and nearly melts when Tommy relaxes more and smiles. “Listen, you can wear board shorts and a henley for all I care. Just be happy and comfy.”
“Have you thought about it at all?” Tommy slips an arm around his shoulders and plants a kiss at his temple.
“Yes, actually. My LAFD dress uniform.” Tommy stiffens a little bit, “If that’s alright by you.”
“Um…” Tommy seems to be having an emotional moment. “I think that is perfect. Besides, I liked seeing you in them at that award ceremony. We were still so new, I didn’t know how to say anything that wouldn't scare you off.” Buck wiggles his eyebrows and Tommy shoves at him.
“You? Other than not your army uniform. Maybe your LAFD uni? Truth be told, I spent that whole afternoon trying to figure out how to be all sexy and suave to get you out of it.”
Tommy’s eyebrows go up and Buck feels his face heating up. Something about this man, after all this time, still makes him squirm. “Really now?” the arm around his shoulders drops and Tommy’s large hand grabs a handful of his ass.
“Hey now, dirty old man! Family is still here.” He pulls away, but doesn’t go far. Buck tilts his face up, initiating kisses from his man.
“Suit and tie.” Tommy says in the space between them when they separate. “Probably blue to match you. I don’t want to be ‘Tommy the army man,’ or ‘Tommy the firefighter.’ I just want to be me, getting married to the man of only my wildest dreams.”
“Sap.” Buck kisses his man again. “Come on. Let’s get back in there and kick everyone out. Thinking of you in a suit and tie is giving me… ideas.”
~~~~
V.
“Alright.” Eddie settles on the couch between them. “Let the great name debate, being!”
“Seriously!” Buck’s chorus clashes with Tommy’s “Now?”
“Guys, you don’t even have it on your ‘to-do’ list.” Eddie swigs his beer. Buck is really starting to hate the Clipboard Fridge. “Personally,” Eddie continues and Buck can see Tommy tense up. “I would go for broke. Hyphenate. ‘Buckley-Kinard’ has a strong presence about it.”
“Why not ‘Kinard-Buckley’?” Tommy doesn’t say it as snidely as Buck thought he would. Eddie whispers both options to himself, as he weighs the options. “Come on! Age before beauty, Diaz!”
Buck lets his breath go. The last time someone had an opinion about their impending nuptials, Buck heard about it for a long time. But, something in his soul reminds him, “This is Eddie. He loves you, and only wants what’s best for you and Tommy.” His two men are having a discussion about hypothetical situations and positions of surnames. But, listening to both hyphenates doesn’t ping joy in Buck’s heart.
“Why not start fresh?” Eddie suggests next. “Make something up. Like Athena’s cousin’s daughter’s… whatever.”
Beer tickles Buck’s nose as he snorts remembering that unfortunate name rearrangement. “Dear god!” he snickers, “We could be Mr. and Mr. Kinuckley.”
“Or Bucknard?” Eddie supplies.
“Or how about…” Tommy pretends to visualize it in front of them, “Kinky.” The three of them devolve into laughter that will hurt their sides later.
“I dunno, Kinard.” Eddie tries to say through tears, “I think that’s a bit too on the nose.”
When they settle, Buck thinks that will be the end of the discussion. Tommy clearing his throat feels ominous. “I don’t mind Buckley.” Buck leans forward to give Tommy his full attention. “You have family. Would be nice to keep the name going. Besides,” Tommy fidgets with the bottle, “Kinards aren’t all that great.”
Now the mood shifts. Buck wants to scream “Buckleys aren’t any better!” But, he knows Tommy’s history. He understands where he is coming from. He reaches behind Eddie to touch his man’s shoulder, reassuring him they are good. He notices Eddie do the same with an elbow to Tommy’s side.
“Fine. We’ll table it for now.” Eddie gives them an out, reading the room. “Now, let’s watch this fight!”
****
“There he iz!” Evan’s tongue slurs as Tommy barges into his hospital room. “See Peg, told ya’ he’d come.”
The nurse diligently writing vitals down, smiles. “Don’t worry Tommy, he’ll be fine in an hour. Just something to take the edge off.”
“Thanks Maggie.” Tommy unzips the flight suit and ties it around his waist. “Baby, you know she hates being called that.” He’s trying to hide his nerves behind sass; something he promised to try to stop doing. “What happened, Ev?”
“Woo… it was a doozy!” Evan’s head lolls and it just puts him more on edge. “Building fell down. So I went to help. I lifted the concrete, Tommy! Got the woman out!”
“Good job, Baby. But, why are you here ?” Tommy runs his hand through Evan’s hair.
“I pushed too hard, felt a pop,” he over emphasizes, “and a whole lotta pain.”
Tommy winces.
“Possible pectoral tear.” Maggie finishes for Evan. “Gonna take him for an MRI soon.”
The reality of it all slams into Evan, the giddiness is instantly replaced with overcompensating fear. “Doc said might need surgery. I don’t wanna, Tom. They’ll put me on extended leave again. I don’t want that, don’t want them to take my job.”
“Ok, ok, I hear you sweetheart. Let’s get your scans first and go from there.”
“I’ll go check if they are ready for him,” Maggie smiles and leaves them alone.
“I’m sorry.” The fear is now shifting to guilt. “Promised not to hurt myself again. I suck.”
Tommy chuckles, “You don’t suck, Evan Buckley. And you’ve had a pretty good run up to now.”
Evan scrunches his nose. “I don’t like it.”
“Well sweetheart, it comes with the job. You know that.”
“Oh! Not that!” Evan waves that line of thinking off. “Buckley. Don’t want it anymore.”
A lump builds in Tommy’s throat. “Evan, you are hurt and on some good drugs. I don’t think now is the right time.”
“I like Kinard.” Evan plows on smiling, “I know the ones before you weren’t good. But,” Evan’s blue eyes, so open and honest, bore into him, “we are good. I wanna make it good for you. Bring your name joy again.”
“Fuck me.” His fiance’s drug-addled confession pulls at his heart. “Yeah? This isn’t the drugs talking?”
“Well… they helped. Been tryin’ to find the right words.” Evan picks at a pill on the blanket and winces. “I want baby Kinards, so… yeah.”
Tommy tries not to laugh at Evan’s brutal honesty. “You don’t have to take my name to have that, you know.”
“Pfft. I know. But… I wanna make babies with you.”
Tommy smiles fondly, taking in how one amazing man can take all his darkness and blow it to smithereens. “Ok. We’ll do that then.”
“Good.” Tommy watches as something shifts again in Evan’s demeanor. “Can we now?”
“Can we what?”
“Make babies.” A very serious look comes over his face and Tommy just loses his composure. “Wut! Why are you laughing?!”
“Oh… I cannot wait to tell you about all this later.”
~~~~
Plus one
“So it’s coming together?” Hen asks as they ride back to the station. “Still no when though?”
Buck groans and tips his head back. “We have the who, the what we want, but those last two are just not falling into place.”
“Is it cost?” Chimney rudely asks.
“No! Well… a little? It’s a small party so that makes finding someplace decently priced, though.”
“Hmm… Well, there’s always your backyard.”
“Nah. It’s not what we want. Too…” He looks sheepishly at Hen.
“Hey, I take no offense. What worked for me and Karen, doesn’t mean it works for you and Tommy. You want the full white wedding experience, I say go for it.”
“Blue.” Buck smiles, “It’ll be a blue wedding.”
“There’s always City Hall.” Bobby sneaks a look over his shoulder. “Can still be what you want and how you want it there, and then come back to the station house. Pretty sure Simpson owes me a favor or two; can ask to be pulled from rotation.”
Buck won’t voice it, but they already bounced that idea around. They felt it wasn’t them, oddly impersonal. And Tommy nixed the 118 for the same reason he nixed the army uniform. “Too many memories for such a happy occasion.”
“What are ya’ll looking for?” Chim smacks his gum. “Small, sure; but, fancy? Or rustic? Popular? Kitchy?”
“Home.” Buck says without thinking. “Not literally, but close. Someplace that says ‘Buck and Tommy, this is your life and your future.’”
“Alright.” Chim pulls his phone out. “I can work with that.”
****
“Are we there yet?” Tommy whines and Buck eyes him from the front seat.
“Thomas Kinard, you ask one more time and I will pull this car over!” Chim says jokingly from the driver seat.
“So that’s what it sounds like.” Tommy says back. Buck isn’t sure if he’s being serious or cheeky. “I hate not knowing where I’m going is all.”
“You really are a travel princess aren’t you?” Chim looks both ways before making the u-turn to parallel park at what Buck assumes is their destination. “Now, I want you to keep an open mind.”
Buck, Tommy, and Chimney unfold from the car and stand before a small, mission style building. Two stories, white stucco walls, the awning featuring the typical adobe tiles. Above the balcony on the wall, the sign reads “Engine House No. 18.” Gone is anything that is remotely related to fire fighting, housing, or the department. Where roll-up doors once were are now wide glass windows and doors, “ECF Arts Center,” in white lettering.
“Chim,” Buck feels the emotions bubbling up. “What is this?”
“A bit of home, but not literally?” Chim pats him on the shoulder and smiles. “Come on, lets look around inside.”
****
Tommy’s first thought when they entered the building was “Holy color!” What once was the apparatus floor is now a well lit art gallery. Sculpture and canvas, modern in styling, all throughout. The space to one side has rooms with art studios. His next thought was “What is this gonna cost us?”
“Howard?” A woman covered in paint greets them from over the second story balcony.
“Susan? Great! I have the grooms right here!” Howie says proudly. It reminds him just how amazing a person Howard Han can be. How underneath the surly sarcasm, is a truly altruistic friend.
Susan introduces herself and gives a little history about the engine house. She talks about the Exceptional Children’s Foundation, and how all the artwork they see has been done by special needs community members. There’s a warmth that builds from his toes as they move through the space.
“Do you host parties often?” He hears Evan ask.
“Weddings? No.” She chuckles. “The usual birthday party for a community member, sometimes budget meetings. But, Howard explained what you were looking for; who you were as people, firefighters, and community members; and the ECF thought, ‘Sure, why not!’” Susan’s smile is gorgeous. “We can provide tables and chairs. And Howard mentioned it was a small group, so we won’t charge too much. We still have the old engine house kitchen, obviously modernized. So all you would need to bring is the flowers and party.”
“Uh, no flowers.” Tommy mentions without further explanation. “Susan, I gotta say, what you do here is nothing short of amazing.”
“Thanks! I’ll let you explore the space. Come find me when you are ready to make a decision.”
Susan takes her leave and Evan smiles so big, eyes sparkling as they roam around the space. Tommy can see “Clipboard Buck,” slowly building a picture in his head. “This is it, Baby. Isn’t it?”
“Yes. Yes it is!” Evan hugs Howie like his life depends on it. “Thank you, so much Chim! We owe you big time!”
“Eh. Just add it to my tab.” He tries to play it off, but Tommy knows Howie is patting himself on the back.
“Tell me what’s in your head, love.”
Evan spends the next ten minutes laying out ceremony arrangements; places for them and whoever else is in the wedding party to get ready; hor d'oeuvres upstairs while the room gets switched over. “And we don’t even need much in decorations! The artwork is fantastic!” Tommy laughs and just loves his man even more. “I’m gonna go let Susan know. See when we can get it.” Evan kisses him, winks, and nods.
“It’s not a castle,” Howie jokes once they are alone, “But it will do.”
“Uh…” Tommy feels nervous now and knows he’s being foolish. “Howie, there’s one more thing Evan and I think you can help with.”
“Lay it on me Kinard! I’m up for another challenge!” Howard rubs his hands together.
“Would you… officiate?” Tommy winces and Howie’s face falls slack with shock.
“Me?” Shock scrunches into confusion, “That’s… That’s probably a better job for Cap.”
“No. It’s you.” Tommy takes him by the shoulders. “You are a big reason Evan and I found each other. No hurricane adventure, no wedding.”
“But…”
“I can go further back if you need me to. You don’t carry me out of that building, none of this is possible.” Howie opens his mouth to argue, “Say yes, Han.”
Eyes start to water, Howie takes a moment to pull himself together, “Yes. I will. Thank you.”
“No. Thank you, Chim. Thank you.”