CHAPTER ONE 
“Oh, wow.  That is, like, so big!” Bra exclaimed. “Let me look at it again!”
 Marron laughed and held out her hand. “I was so floored when he proposed.  We’ve been dating for four years now…”
 Bra dismissed that with a wave of her hand. “All in the past.  You’re getting married!  The first wedding!  It’s too perfect.  You’re the perfectest couple in the world.  You can ask Pan, if I didn’t say you guys were gonna get married someday.”
 “When did you say that?” Marron asked her.
 “I think I was five.”
 “That long ago?” Marron exclaimed.
 Bra shrugged. “Hey, I can’t help it if you guys were meant for each other.”
 Marron grinned at her. “Well, with that lead up, I was wondering if you would be my maid of honor.”
 Bra stared at her, then began shrieking.  When she finally contained herself, she smiled. “Yes, of course I would.  That would be perfectly lovely, thank you.”
 “Good.  Then it’s settled.”
 “Tell me about your wedding party.”
 “Okay.  You’re the maid of honor, Pan’s a bridesmaid, we’re having trouble with the ring bearer and flower girl, Tousan will give me away, and Goten’s the best man.”
 Bra blanched slightly. “Oh?” she asked weakly.
 Marron didn’t notice. “Yes.  Everything will be perfect.  It has to be.”
 “Okay, okay.  Um, when are you getting married?”
 “Three weeks,” Marron said happily.
 “That’s so great, Marron-chan.  I’m so happy for you.”
 “Thanks.  So, when are you going to get married?”
 Bra blushed deeply. “I’m only sixteen, Marron!”
 “I was only seventeen when Trunks and I started going out,” Marron pointed out.
 “Well, I’m not you, and the guy I like definitely is not Trunks.”
 “Ooh, ooh, dish!  Who’s the lucky guy?”
 Bra shook her head. “Uh-uh, no way.  Not getting any names out of me.  No way, no how.”
 “Oh, come on, Bra.  Tell me, tell me.  Please.”
 “No.  It’s a guy I have absolutely no chance with, so I’m not going to humiliate myself by telling anyone about him.”
 “Bra,” Marron whined.
 “Nope, nope, nope.”
 “I don’t believe you don’t have a chance with him.”
 “Well, you should.”
 “Maybe I would if I knew who he was.”
 Bra shook her head.
 “I think you’re being very unfair about this,” Marron pouted.
 “Yeah, well, life is hard.  So, what kind of flowers are you going to decorate the chapel with?”

***

 “Why does it have to be Goten?” Bra yelled into her pillow a few evenings later. “Why not…someone else?  Oh, sure, he’s Niichan’s best friend!  Like that’s such a qualifier for best man!  Argh!”
 “Bra-chan, are you all right?”
 Bra jerked up. “Oh, Kaasan,” she said weakly. “Oh, I’m fine.”
 “Are you sure?”
 “Uh-huh.”
 “Hmm.  All right.  Look, Goten’s downstairs.  He was supposed to meet Trunks somewhere, but Trunks is out with Marron doing something for the wedding, so would you please go entertain him?” Bulma asked.
 “Oh.  Uh, o—okay.  S—sure, Kaasan,” Bra stammered.
 “Are you sure you’re all right?  You look kind of pale.”
 “N—no, I’m fine.”
 “When did you pick up that stutter?”
 “I—I don’t know.”
 “Hmm.  Well, thank you.  He’s in the living room.” Bulma left.
 Bra ran to her mirror and grimaced.  She brushed her hair and put a headband in it and touched up her makeup.  Then, practicing a smile, she went downstairs.
 “Oh, hey, B-chan.  Didn’t know you were here,” he greeted her.
 She sat down. “Hi, Goten.  How are you?”
 “Good, good.  Hey, you look nice.”
 “Thanks.” She was genuinely surprised.
 “So, you’re the maid of honor, huh?”
 “Yup.  I was surprised when Marron asked me.”
 “No more surprised when I was when Trunks asked me.”
 “Why on Chikyuu were you surprised?  I mean, Trunks is your best friend.”
 “Yeah, but can you picture me in a wedding?  As something other than a groom, that is.”
 Bra shrugged. “I never really thought about it.  But I bet you’ll look handsome in a tux.”
 “Oh, that’s right.”
 “You haven’t gotten a tux yet?” Bra exclaimed.
 “I was kind of hoping Marron would take care of that for me.”
 Bra sighed and stood up. “Come on.  Let’s go shopping for you.”
 “Oh, I can’t ask you to do that.”
 She tugged on his hand. “Okay, then, don’t.  We’ll just go.”
 “Well…”
 “Come on, Goten.  Trunks and Marron are going to have a perfect wedding, and if shopping with you is the sacrifice I have to make, I will.”
 Goten allowed her to pull him up. “Oh, all right.  Let’s go.”
 Bra smiled sweetly. “Thank you, Goten.”
 Goten sighed.
 


 
 
 [BACK] [NEXT]