Wedding Bell Blues
Chapter 21
Brian stood up and moved to the microphone. Many in the audience were holding their breath about what he might say.
Brian cleared his throat. "I'm not quite sure why I was asked to speak today because many of you know my feelings about gay marriage." Brian looked at Justin who looked away. "But it might surprise you to know that those feelings have changed since my brother proposed to his one true love, Bobby. I haven't known John for all that long but I have come to love him … like a brother." Everyone chuckled. "I feel privileged to have John and Claire and Bobby in my life. I know that the feelings John and Bobby share are pure and good … not a concept that I'm particularly familiar with." More laughter. Justin looked at the floor. "But thanks to my partner who also is patient and kind, I am learning. But enough about me." Laughter. Justin looked up and smiled at Brian. "So, ladies and gentlemen, please raise a glass to the health and happiness of the newly hitched couple. To John and Big Red." Everyone laughed and clinked their glasses. Brian moved over to Justin and leaned down and kissed him.
"Thanks," Justin said with a smile.
"For what?"
"For not making fun."
"I wouldn't do that."
"There was a time you would have."
"That time's past."
Justin squeezed Brian's hand and beamed at him as Brian sat down in the chair next to his.
"Let's hear from one of the grooms next," Emmett stated. "Bobby."
Bobby Morrison moved to the mike. "I have given a lot of thought to what I want to say today. It became almost like preparing a legal brief." Chuckles. "Then I took a step back and realized that what I want to say is so simple. So here goes. I love John Anderson with all my being. He is the only one for me. I am so happy today to stand here with him and make our commitments to each other in front of my parents and my sister and her family, and John's family and all our friends. Many of you have been very supportive of this step we've taken today. I couldn't be happier. I would like to propose a toast to our wonderful parents, Claire, Dan and Emily." Everyone held up their glasses and the parents beamed. "And finally a toast to my partner and lover, John, the only man for me." There was a round of "Hear, hear!"
As Bobby sat down, Emmett stood and introduced the other groom. John came rather hesitantly to the microphone.
"I'm not nearly so eloquent as those who have already spoken, and I'm not used to speaking in public, but here goes." Chuckles. "I want to thank my mother, Claire, for her unfailing support of me all these years." Claire wiped her eyes and people applauded. "I am also very lucky to have my brother Brian here with his partner Justin. Not only did they act as out best men, but they have worked tirelessly to help erect the tent and clear the area for the dance floor. Brian even helped arrange the wildflowers down by the stream."
"Hey, don't give away all my secrets," Brian called out.
"Brian would have you believe that he's this hard nosed businessman, and he is. But he has a heart bigger than this farm. We've all seen it time and time again. I'm so happy you're here with us today, little bro'." Brian smiled and Justin squeezed his hand.
"I don't think Bobby knows this yet, but our wedding rings were designed by Justin, from an idea of mine, if I may take a little credit." Bobby looked down at his ring and spun it on his finger. "Brian had them made by a jeweler in Pittsburgh."
"Almost didn't happen," Brian whispered to Justin who smiled serenely.
"If you will slide your ring off, Bobby, you will see that it is engraved, just as mine is. Brian thought the engraving should say, "Put it back on." Everyone laughed and Brian smirked. "However, I prefer this, 'My heart is yours', and so that's what it says. To Bobby, the love of my life."
Everyone toasted once again as Bobby slid his ring back on, and then John and Bobby shared an intimate kiss.
"My, my, my, I'm getting all hot and bothered watching those two," Emmett cooed into the microphone. "The ladies will be around to refill your glasses and serve you some more hors d'oeuvres. If anyone would like to speak, please feel free to come up and introduce yourself and have your say. Dinner will be ready shortly."
Dan Morrison was the first to take to the microphone. He wished his son and his new husband every happiness, and ended by saying how proud he was of the two men. Bobby couldn't have been more pleased. Some associates from work spoke. Everyone was having a great time as the champagne continued to flow and food to be dished up.
At one point Brian got up and went to the table where Ted and Cynthia were sitting.
"Hey, Bri," Ted chuckled. "Going to start decorating the office with your floral arrangements?"
"Have you been waiting all this time to make that pathetic statement, Theodore?"
"He has," Cynthia laughed. She had had several glasses of champagne and was feeling no pain. "You and Justin look spectacular, and your brother ain't half bad either. Save a dance for me?"
"Certainly, Cynthia. Just make sure you're fit to run the office on Monday."
"Sure, Boss."
Brian walked over to Debbie's table.
"Michael's being an ass," Debbie greeted him.
"Tell me about it," Brian replied.
"I think he needs a good smack upside the head."
"Go for it."
Debbie walked over to her son's table hoping to straighten him out so to speak.
"Brian," Carl said standing up. "I've been thinking about your offer."
"And…"
"I'd like to talk to you about salary and benefits."
"Way to go, Carl. Come see me as soon as I get back from my honey … my trip."
Carl looked questioningly at Brian but didn't pursue it. That was one of the things Brian liked about Carl. He knew when to keep his mouth shut.
Edna looked up at Brian. "Still holding that dance for me?" she asked.
"You're number one on my dance card," Brian chuckled.
"I'll settle for number two. Let Justin be number one."
"He's always number one," Brian said looking over at his partner who was talking to Cynthia and Ted.
"Just the way it should be," Edna grinned.
"That little asshole is going to put me in a fucking early grave," Debbie said as she plunked herself down in her chair. "There's no talking to him."
"Maybe I can do something," Brian said.
"Stay out of it, kiddo. He's being impossible."
"Remember what I used to do to him when he was impossible as a teenager?" Brian asked.
"You wouldn't."
"Just watch me."
"Brian…" Debbie started to protest and then decided to let things take their course.
Brian strode over to Michael's table. "Get up," he barked.
Michael glared at him and didn't move.
"We can do this in front of everybody or you can come with me."
Michael glanced warily around. Ben started to tell Brian to back off, but something told him to stay out of this. He was sick of Michael's behavior too.
"The barn," Brian ordered and Michael slowly stood. He looked at Ben for support but Ben shook his head.
Hunter grinned. "Can I watch?"
"No, behave yourself," Brian snapped as he walked to the barn with Michael reluctantly following him.
Once they were inside the barn, Brian backed Michael into a corner.
"When are you going to start acting like a grown man, Michael, instead of a pissy two year old?" Michael opened his mouth to deny that was how he was acting. Brian continued before he could say anything. "You have made me angry, your mother is hurt, Ben is pissed off with you, Hunter isn't sure you love him anymore, and your fucking self-righteous attitude is spoiling this wedding for people I care about. Now I want you to shape up or I'm going to hang you by your toes out the hayloft door."
Michael's eyes got very big. "You wouldn't," he sputtered.
"I did it once before. Remember what it felt to hang by your feet from that tree for two hours."
"Fuck!" Michael reacted.
"I don't want to do it Michael but I will. This has gone on long enough. I love you. I always will. I want you to be happy, but you're miserable and you're making everyone else miserable. What's it going to be?"
"I … I don't like being like this but I want Hunter to…"
"Stop right there. Hunter makes his own decisions, just like you do, like I do, like any adult does. Make a decision about yourself, and leave Hunter the fuck out of this."
"I … I," Michael could feel his resolve crumbling. "I want Hunter to be happy, and I'm sorry if I got in the way of that."
"There's my Michael," Brian smiled pulling the smaller man into a warm hug. "Let it go, Mikey. Be happy. Be happy for Bobby and John, be happy for Hunter, be happy for yourself."
"What the fuck do you know about happiness?" Michael asked as tears spilled onto the shoulder of Brian's Armani.
"I know a helluva lot more about it since I found John. I am happy, Mikey. You should be happy too."
"I want to," Michael croaked out.
"Then apologize to your mother and Hunter and everything will be fine."
"Okay, okay, I'll do that," Michael said backing away and wiping his eyes. "I guess I have been an ass lately."
"That's for fucking sure."
"I'll go apologize."
Brian watched Michael walk out of the barn. He was glad he hadn't had to follow through on his threat, but he would have done it. He looked up into the loft estimating how he could have hung Michael out the door by his feet. Brian heard the music start up and walked to the door of the barn. He could see Michael and Debbie hugging. Justin was suddenly at his side, their hands linked.
"I think this is my dance once the groom and groom have their moment in the spotlight," Justin whispered.
"Number one," Brian said in reply leaning down to kiss Justin's lips.
John and Bobby had danced together, then each had pulled their mother onto the dance floor. Brian and Justin joined them receiving a wink from John as he traded Claire for his new mother-in-law, Emily. At the end of the song Brian went to get Edna, and Justin asked his mother to dance. The DJ did a great job of getting everyone involved. Edna did her best Charleston with Brian showing him some excellent moves. Brian saw Michael and Hunter talking at their table. He gave Edna a big twirl as he sighed in relief. This was going to be a great night after all.
"Emmett? Why so glum?" Claire asked the sullen looking party planner. "It's all going as planned. You've done an excellent job. John and Bobby couldn't be happier."
"Claire, look at this table." Emmett gestured to the neatly decorated but sparse table that held the wedding gifts. If I had known no one was going to buy them anything I would have used a smaller table. How can everyone be so stingy?"
"Oh, Emmett! The guests aren't being stingy. John and Bobby really don't need anything. The cottage is fully furnished and the kitchen fully stocked. Some of the guests felt funny showing up without any gift but John and Bobby made it clear to all who were invited that they preferred donations to their favorite charities in lieu of a gift. Many from Liberty Avenue made donations to the Vic Grassi home. So, cheer up, Emmett. This is just what they wanted."
Emmett took in all that Claire told him and smiled. "Well, in that case, I'll just arrange the gifts on that end of the table and we'll use this end for the cake. It will look so faaabulous!" Emmett gushed and Claire laughed.
"Making lemonade out of lemons, Emmett?"
"I did learn a thing or two in Hazlehurst," Emmett replied and then happily went about his business rearranging the table. Before Claire rejoined the guests, Emmett enquired about Claire's gift to the happy couple. "Claire, can I ask? What did you get them?"
"You can ask but you'll have to wait with all the rest to see it. Don't worry; I'm going to present it to them now. Come and join us." The two strolled to the main tent, Emmett, ever the host, claimed the microphone and made Claire's introduction. Catching Claire's signal, Brian and Justin brought out the specially wrapped gift.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, if I can get your attention. The mother of the groom, uh, that groom..." Emmett pointed to John and the guests chuckled, "would like to say a few words and present ah, um, a present!"
"Dear friends and family, I am so pleased and proud that you all have joined us here today. And I thank you all for your generous donations to the charities of our choice, so give yourselves a round of applause." The guests cheered and clapped.
"As the mother of a groom, I did want to give John and Bobby something special. But what does one give these two men who are so rich with life and love? So, with a lot of help from Justin, who, as most of you know will one day be a very famous artist, I am very happy to present John and Bobby with John and Bobby!"
Justin brought out a special easel and set it up near the podium. Brian carried the huge triptych and set it on the easel. Justin eased the triptych open for all the guests to see. A collective gasp was heard.
The middle portion of the painting was John and Bobby formally dressed, holding hands and gazing lovingly into each other's eyes. To the right was a portrait of John and Bobby in their "Gone With the Wind" outfits. John as ever the dashing Rhett and Bobby a flaming haired Scarlett. The third portrait was John and Bobby fast asleep, curled around each other, holding one another, naked with a sheet modestly draped upon them. Justin captured the well-muscled contours of John's long, lean body and Bobby's soft but firm, compact torso. The painting was magnificent. Even Claire, who had not seen the completed project, cried at its beauty. Brian drew Justin into his arms to give his beautiful artist a deep kiss.
Brian stepped back as John and Bobby as well as friends and family came up to admire the painting and sing the artist's praises. As Brian watched the admiring crowd, a small black cloud started forming above his head. His worst fears were not unfounded, Justin would have to leave him and go to New York to study and perfect his craft. Brian nervously fingered the object in his pocket. The music switched to something ridiculously romantic. Lovers young and old began to dance. Brian grabbed his partner and began to dance Justin around the dance floor. Emmett threw a switch and the tent lit up with thousands of twinkling lights. The lovers danced under the stars.
"So, I hear those two are taking their own honeymoon. Is that true, Ted?" Debbie asked loudly.
"I have it on good authority that I will be in charge of Kinnetik for the next two weeks." Ted replied, garnering an evil glare from Cynthia. "Uh, I mean in charge with Cynthia, of course." Cynthia snorted.
"Do you know where they're going?"
"No, the big guy wouldn't share."
"I bet they'll be in the stateroom next to John and Bobby. I hear they invented a new sport." Debbie's mouth was running over as Brian and Justin were dancing close by. Brian couldn't help but overhear as Justin was trying to calm the beast within his arms.
"What sport is that, Deb?" Carl couldn't help but ask.
"Synchronized fucking!" The Liberty Avenue crowd roared with laughter, all except for Carl who decided it wouldn't be wise to piss off his new boss.
"Isn't that putting the cart before the horse?"
"What is, Ted?"
"Brian and Justin going on a honeymoon before Brian makes an honest man of Justin."
Brian's so-called family cracked up again.
Brian stopped in his tracks, glared at Debbie and his 'friends' then stormed off toward the stream.
"Hey, kiddo, I thought I'd find you hiding here."
"Awe, Maw, can't a guy have a smoke in peace around here."
"Honey, nothing's ever peaceful when it involves you. So why are you hiding? Have we been teasing you too much?"
"I'm tough, I can take it."
"You certainly are Brian and you've taken a lot from us over the years and without complaint."
"Comes from being the strong silent type."
"Yes it does. Honey, you can't hide it from me. I saw what you did during the ceremony. You've made a declaration to that boy; are you going to see it through and marry him?"
"Deb, you know I don't believe in Gay marriage."
"That's a crock of shit if ever I saw one. If you really believed that, you wouldn't have helped Lindsay and Mel get their wedding together or given that cake to Michael and Ben and you certainly wouldn't have done all you did to help John and Bobby. What's the real reason and don't try to bullshit me, I see right through you, kiddo."
"Yeah, you always did. I'm scared Debbie. Scared I'll fail, hurt him again like I always do. I don't know how he puts up with my shit. I'm cruel, nasty and he's a slob, you know I like things neat. Nothing's neat with him but I can't live without him. Plus you know his work is selling like condoms during a Pride parade, he's going to have to leave and go to New York soon. That's where the center of the art world is as Lindsay enjoys reminding me. How can I put a ring on his finger when he's going to have to leave me? Besides, he's so young. If I do this now, it will be for life. When I'm seventy he'll still be young and beautiful, he'll hate being saddled with an old fart. He'd never leave me. I, I can't do that to him."
"Bullshit! That boy will love you when you're eighty and deaf as a doornail. Brian, New York is an hour away by plane. It won't be easy but you will work it out, you always do. Maybe you're not ready for a ring and saying the words out loud but you are ready to make a commitment, just do it."
"Now you're sounding like a Nike commercial."
"If the sneaker fits. Brian, tell him how you feel. He loves you and more importantly you love him. Tell him."
"I do have something I wanted to give him but I wasn't sure."
"Can I see it, you have it with you?"
"Yeah, look."
"Oh Brian, it's beautiful. When did you get it?"
"In Mexico, Taxco, just before we came home. I bought a lot of jewelry."
"I remember; I still wear my necklace."
"But it's not a ring."
"True, but a bracelet like this from the man he loves will symbolize your commitment to him. He'll recognize that. Give it to him now. You'll see I'm right."
"Aw Maw, you're always right."
"Fuck yeah, and it's about time you knew it too. I'll give you a few minutes to get your head together then send him here. It's fitting you should tell him here, at this rock by this stream. It's where it all began."
"Yeah. I love you, Maw."
"Love you too, kiddo. And I'm very proud of you. You did good, Brian. Now, don't you turn into a chicken shit nelly assed queen. He'll be here soon."
"Yes, ma'am."
"That's my boy."
!!!!!
"Bri, Debbie told me to get my ass down to the stream and fast. You okay?"
"I'm having a ball, Sunshine. Sit with me for a while. It's so peaceful here."
"I know. This rock, this stream, this whole place. It's like a whole new world opened up for us when we found that book and the Andersons."
"You opened up that world for me, Justin. Without you, none of this would have happened. Shit, I sound like Emmett. But it's true. Ever since the night we met, my whole life has changed."
"For the better I hope."
"Definitely for the better. Justin, during the ceremony, the words…I meant them. I don't want anyone else but you in my bed, in my life."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm not sure. We, you, have a lot to do over the next few years. You'll be graduating soon and you know as well as I know you'll have to go to New York and mingle with the artsy types. I won't stop you, kick your bubble butt out the door if you don't do it. And I'm not going to put a ring on your finger until you've done what you need to do."
"Brian..."
"Shh, let me get this out. I got this in Taxco."
"God, Brian, it's beautiful!"
"Not as beautiful as you. Nothing is as beautiful as you. Would you wear it for me? Each link is a circle, connected like we're connected. They're strong together like we're strong together. I've never felt this way about anything, anyone in my whole life. I can't live without you. Wear it for me. It symbolizes my commitment to you and when we're ready I'm going to get a ring that looks just like this and put it on your finger."
"Brian."
"Just say yes, Sunshine."
"Yes, oh God , yes! YES! YES! YES!"
"You make me cry and I'll be forced to spank you."
"I love you, Brian and I'll never leave you."
"Just when you go to New York."
"And I'll never take this off."
"I...I love you Justin. You brought the sunshine into my life. I never want to live without it again."
"Never Brian."
"And I guess I'll never get the last word in our relationship."
"Nope."
"Fuck."
"Yeah."
Fin