Keep Me As An Apple of Your Eye - 36. January 5 - Twelfth Night

Sunday, January 5

Twelfth Night

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me

twelve drummer’s drumming.

from “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” The twelve drummers represent the

twelve points of The Apostle’s Creed.

The boys arrived at the house in Windsor Farms early that morning. It had been a long night and they were tired. Todd was glad that school was starting because that meant they wouldn’t be making the trip back between Richmond and Williamsburg quite so often. He loved his parents but this Christmas break had been filled with enough drama to fill the calendar for several years.

Todd chuckled when he walked into the kitchen. His mother was still in her dressing gown. She had lined up cereal boxes on the counter. She no longer had to be the perfect hostess; it was only family so she got to be mother. Marjorie thought of Erick and Eron as her children and she didn’t have to put on her public face. Erick and Todd grabbed her and planted kisses on both cheeks.

Todd filled his cereal bowl with Special K. He looked over and Erick was filling his bowl with Cream of Wheat.

“No, please tell me it isn’t that nasty stuff he calls breakfast food.”

Marjorie laughed and said that Eron had already filled his bowl with the same.

They went into the breakfast room where they found their father and the brothers. There were grunts of greeting. Tayloe grinned with his mouth full of a Krispy Kreme donut. It looked disgusting. Todd laughed and told Tayloe that he looked like a five year old.

“He acts like that also.” Robert smiled as he said that.

Robert was reading the Richmond Times Dispatch at the breakfast table. That was a key indicator it was a family breakfast.

“Good golly. I don’t believe this.”

“What dad?”

“There is an obituary for Arden Fairfax.”

Everyone caught their collective breaths.

“Let me read this to you.” It was a beautiful, thoughtful, praise filled accounting of Arden’s short life. Robert choked up and couldn’t continue. He handed the paper to Todd who scanned the obituary and continued reading.

“A Service of Life was held on January 2 at the Fairfax Family Cemetery at Cameron Farm in Westmoreland County. The service was led by Todd and Tayloe Reynolds of Williamsburg and Richmond, respectively. The Jewish Prayer for the Dead was sung by brothers Erick and Eron Emmanuelson, partners of Todd and Tayloe Reynolds. Memorial donations may be made to the Jenner-Ward Family Foundation which provides assistance to gay youth.”

Everyone stopped and looked at Todd.

“What can I say? Senator Fairfax called and asked Erick and me to visit the farm. Mrs. Fairfax and the Senator were trying to write an obituary and needed assistance. We spent the better part of a day with them. I told more stories of Arden and helped them understand the truly remarkable person he was. Mrs. Fairfax did all of the writing while we talked. I didn’t know she had a graduate degree in English. It was Mrs. Fairfax who said she wanted donations to be made to a group that assisted gay youth. The Senator scowled and she only had to look at him before he changed his demeanor. He agreed but asked if it needed to be included in the obituary. She was adamant. She is one amazing woman. Mom, she would like to come visit with you. She needs a friend. It is not easy being the wife of his excellency.”

Robert suggested they all stay at home that morning instead of going to church.

“Oh, thank God.” Erick then let out a sigh of relief which elicited laughs from everyone.

“This Jewish boy can only take so much of your Christmas celebrating.”

At that point Tayloe jumped up and said they needed to sing “The Twelve Days of Christmas” one last time. He assigned different days to different people. Of course, he got to sing the chorus of five gold rings. He was quite dramatic in his singing. Eron struggled with the twelve verses.

“What does twelve drummer’s drumming mean?”

Marjorie had the answer.

“It means life everlasting. I don’t know exactly how the drumming gets translated into life everlasting but that is religion isn’t it. Sometimes it just doesn’t make sense.”

They settled down in the den, the boys taking either end of the sofa as they fell asleep. The fire slowly died in the fireplace, Robert was reading a book and Marjorie was doing her needlepoint. All was well with their world.

After lunch, Eron and Tayloe drove to Byrd Field to pick up the Emmanuelsons. They had flown in for an important meeting. Erick was jokingly referring to it as the Yalta Conference, Part Two. They would be planning their commitment ceremony the next day. It was also the first day of school and Todd had bent Erick’s arm to let a graduate assistant cover his classes. Todd had contacted his professors and explained the situation and they offered congratulations but one professor wasn’t happy that a prized student was going to miss the first day of his last semester at school. The professor told Todd that everyone had to make tough choices in life and missing the first day of class was not a good way to start the semester. Todd thought about tough choices having to be made and he decided that he chose love everlasting with Erick.

Suggested Music:

“The Twelve Days of Christmas”

Performers: Straight No Chaser

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kYEK-pxs_A