Close but no Cigar: The story of Tony & Vic

It’s been a long ride, said Tony to Vic, while getting of the train. Vic was getting married tomorrow and Tony was his best man. He had come to be a part of the festivities.

Vic was one of Tony’s best friends. They joined the same company on the same day, the first job for both of them. That had been five years ago. Since then, they had been an inseparable team. They were a team. The star marketing team of ABXY Inc. They were so good, that they could sell ice to an Eskimo. Their colleagues joked that if one of them was a girl, they would be a married couple. What they didn’t know, is that that was very close to the truth. Close, but no cigar.

“Close but no cigar” said Tony. “What?” Vic asked.

“Nothing”, said Tony. “Just thinking about something”.

“Anything I should know?” asked Vic. Tony just shrugged it off.

There is a lot you need to know. But I can’t tell you. Ever. It’s too late now anyway. Oh! You look so handsome today. God, I wish I could kiss you. Just once.

They reached Vic’s house in a after a few moments of silence. Ahhhh! There was so much to say but nothing was said.

Don’t-ask-where was a small town. A charming, small town. With one post office, and one movie theatre. And one hotel. Which was completely booked for the guests of the wedding. Completely booked for the first time in history.

The preparations for the wedding were in full swing. After all, the sone of the house was getting married. The only son of the house. The only brother of three sisters. The whole town was invited. This was don’t-ask-where’s biggest wedding. It would also be its grandest. Or Vic’s dad thought so.

Everybody was excited to meet Tony. After all, he was the groom’s best friend. The next most important person at the wedding. All the girls were excited to meet the rich guy from the-big-city. They all wanted to seduce the groom’s best friend.

Someone would be seduced, alright.

After an hour of introductions, food and flirting, Vic took Tony to his room. Since there were so many guests, and there was a shortage of rooms, Tony would be shacking up with Vic until the wedding night. Then he would either be given another room in the house, or the hotel.

“I’m so tired”, said Tony while he threw his bags on the table near the window and went to lie down on the bed, throwing his shoes in one corner. “Hope you don’t mind, Vic”, said Tony with a huge grin. “You’ll never learn, asshole” said Vic with another huge grin. Tony blew him a mock-kiss.

Oh!! How I wish I could kiss you. I would die a happy man.

After all, they were a team. Close but no cigar.

So while Tony was catching up on his sleep, Vic was helping with the wedding preparations. He woke up Tony in the evening. “Get Up, sleepy head. You have a function to attend. Duties to perform. Get you ass out of bed.”

Tony woke up and went to take a shower while Vic was shaving his beard off.

Oh!! I wish I could take you right here, right now.

Close but no cigar.

So they got ready and headed outside. The singing and dancing had already started. You could hear the music all over don’t-ask-where.

The party went on into the wee hours of the morning. Like a valley girl would say, Tony and Vic were like sooooooo wasted. Vic’s cousins helped them into their room. The crashed onto the bed.

Before going to sleep, one of them kissed the other.

Close but no cigar.

So the day of thee wedding was there. The biggest wedding don’t-ask-where had ever seen. People were so busy preparing for the wedding, no one thought to wake up the groom and his drunk best friend.

Finally, they woke up in the afternoon. Someone remembered the kiss.

Close but no cigar.

They were to start getting ready in a few hours. After three cups of coffee and two aspirins, the headache was subsiding.

“Good luck man. Hope you have a good, happy married life.” Said Tony to Vic after they reached the venue of the wedding. The don’t-ask-where hotel. The only hotel in don’t-ask-where town.

I wish I was marrying you. Close but no cigar.

Vic was taken to the decked up beautiful stage by the bride’s brothers. After all, he was the guest of honor. Tony was mobbed by the legion of girls from both sides. He was after all, the most eligible bachelor in town at that moment. After all, he was the rich guy from the-big-city. Soon, the bride came and the ceremonies were held. Then the whole wedding party descended upon the dining hall for dinner.

After dinner, it was time for the last ceremony.

Tony watched as Vic, the love of his life, was getting married to someone else. He could barely hold back his tears. He would be out of here after the ceremony. He couldn’t stand to watch Vic start his new life. A life he would not be part of anymore. His heart was broken. He needed to go somewhere to repair it. He had resigned from the company. He would be out of Vic’s life forever. Vic didn’t know yet. How could he tell him? I’m leaving because I love you, I can’t stand to see you. How could he? Vic was straight. Tony had applied to the company in New York and had been accepted. He would be visiting his parents for the next week, and then going staright to New York. He would be out of Vic’s life forever. After the ceremony was over he went over to Vic to say goodbye. He told him that the office had called and something had come up and he was needed there tomorrow. Vic was sad that he had to leave so soon, but he understood.

Goodbye Vic, said Tony to himself.

We will always have that Kiss, thought Tony.

Vic watched as Tony walked away. He watched as he saw the love of his life leave as he started a new phase of his life with someone else. A girl he did not love. A girl he didn’t want to marry. Vic could barely hold back his tears. But how could he have told Tony. He is so straight. Vic had resigned his job. He hadn’t told Tony yet. He would let Tony find out on his own. He couldn’t stand being next to Tony and not be able to kiss him, to feel his body next to his. Alas, that would not be. He had applied to that company in New York and had been accepted. He would join after his honeymoon.

Goodbye, Tony, Vic said to himself.

We will always have that Kiss, thought Vic.

They were a team. The best damn team. If one of them was a girl, they would have been married. Close, but no cigar.