And a flicker of the future

 "I want to ask Phil," Boone looked a little sad, wondering if Phil remembered they were friends. He hardly saw him anymore since he became a Dad. Boone had to wonder if the same thing would happen with Rafe. "I need a best man, so will you do it?"

"I guess so," Rafe scratched the back of his head in thought. "But I'm sure Phil will do it."

"Maybe. I hope you both will." Boone felt another month before the wedding was like a lifetime away. and he felt a little out of it with all the things his mom told him should have been done already. "After all, Maddie asked Harley and Izzy to be her bridesmaids.

"Wow, what about Junie?" Rafe slurped on an iced tea in the back of the bakery, where Boone slaved over a hot oven in a sweat.

"Junie?" He winced.

"She is Maddie's cousin," Rafe looked at him as if he was forgetting something.

"I don't know, it's up to Maddie. I mean, this is something I want her to know. I want to be her family because her mom's not coming. Neither is her dad." It was upsetting to him. He thought back to all those months ago when she'd made a video to send to them about introducing their engagement, and she hadn't heard much of anything in response.

"How could they do that to her?" Rafe winced with a frown.

"I don't get it," Boone sighed. "She hasn't said anything, but I know it bothers her. It's like she feels forgotten." Boone practically had tears in his eyes, even if he was in a sweat.

"Well, she needs you. And it'll be a great wedding with your Mom," he shrugged. "I mean, adopted mom."

Boone nodded. "So how are things with  your real Mom?"

"She likes Maddie," Boone said. "We see her for Sunday supper. Are things better for Ruby?"

"I guess," Rafe sounded as if he wasn't sure. "She only works in the morning now, and I think she's being careful about what she eats. You know, no sugar, no bread. We eat a lot of vegetable stirfries, but you know, I got to have some beef, but I mainly cook chicken breasts for her. She's gotten on this nut kick. And no salt. I don't know how she does it." He finished off the iced tea. "Oh, yeah..and I finally got insurance. Imagine that?" He smiled as if it were a dream come true. "I got on at the airport. Sometimes, I have to help out with the baggage department, but mostly I just help with the airplanes. I know I still have classes, but I think the might have felt sorry for me."

"You probably got on because you were cute," Boone teased.

"Believe me, if they needed me to clean floors and carry out the trash, I'd do it." He told Boone insurance was that important to  him.