And A Child is Born - 4. RIng Those Wedding Bells

The drive to Washington on Thursday afternoon was not easy. There was too much traffic for the caravan of cars heading north on I-95 to travel together. Matan and Yonatan were in the Jeep. Zeke and Ayal were following them and then Tim, who had Jeremiah and Bobby with him. Black was leading in the Tahoe. Black insisted on the Tahoe in case anyone needed a quick exit. Green was somewhere behind them. Pink and Yellow were already in the district, getting everything organized. Martine and Geneviève were traveling up on Friday, as were Lester and David. Pate and Timmy were due to arrive on Saturday at mid-day. The wedding party was staying at the Hay-Adams Hotel. Matan and Yonatan were staying at the Marriot in Dupont Circle. Neither of them had been to the gay neighborhood before and decided it was an excellent place to party. Matan’s parents were staying at the Hay-Adams Hotel with Abraham and Rachel and the wedding party.

Herbert and Judy had found out about Yonatan’s secret mission trip to Paris, and to say they were unhappy would be an understatement. No matter how much Yonatan tried to explain his actions, his in-laws felt slighted. Especially when they found out Yonatan had spent the night in Brussels instead of with them, now they were staying in a different hotel. Payback would be tough, but Yonatan knew he had the summer to make up for his transgressions.

The group had gathered for lunch at the Raleigh Tavern in Williamsburg the night before they left for Washington. For Yonatan and Matan, this would be the last semblance of reasonableness until they arrived in Brussels. Classes had ended, and they only had exams to take before closing up the house and traveling to Europe for the summer. Exams for Matan were a snap, and he spent time finishing a project at Colonial Williamsburg before being gone for three months. Yonatan struggled but succeeded in getting an “A” in every class. He said he would need a week of sleep to recover from all of the studying.

Todd had convinced his professors to let him take his exams early; only one professor proved to be a problem. It was the same professor who had caused him a problem at the beginning of the semester. At Erick’s suggestion, Todd had made an appointment with the department chairman. Todd laid out the challenge of an exam in the middle of his honeymoon and that he was the only professor who was uncooperative. The Chairman questioned why Todd would plan a honeymoon before the graduation ceremony. Todd had to explain that he was marrying his boyfriend and that his brother was being joined together with his partner’s brother, and they were trying to meet the calendars of several families. It took a couple of times to explain the relationships before the Chairman understood. He then had a look of wonder on his face.

“I will take care of this, Todd. Dr. Copeland is known to be one of our most difficult professors, not only academically but also personality-wise. Why did you sign up for his class?”

“Because he is the best. I wanted to be challenged academically. I have just been accepted into a medical preparatory program as a condition of being starting medical school next year. I want to go into medical research.”

The Chairman brightened at the news.

“I am glad to know you were accepted. I hadn’t heard.”

“Only my family knows. I wanted to wait until we returned from the honeymoon before I let anyone else know because it means I will be in Atlanta for a year. Erick and I know it will be difficult being apart, but I have talked to folks at the Medical School in Norfolk and have an acceptance based on the successful completion of my year in the preparation course.”

“What area of research?”

“Contraception. The Jones Institute is a leader in the world of IVF, which fascinates me. But they also have the CONRAD program, which does worldwide research in contraception. This area of work aligns with my concerns about population control in places where there are food and housing insecurities. I hope to be on the faculty in the Ob-Gyn department and see patients, but primarily I want to focus on my research.

The Chairman smiled.

“You have always been a star student in our department. I think that your good professor might be somewhat jealous. Is there any other reason why he might be upset?”

“I hate to even say this, but I wonder if he is anti-Semitic. When he found out my partner was a man and Jewish, he was barely coherent. He asked me if I was really dating a Jew.”

“I see.”

“It is good for me to know where the landmines are before I meet with him. Is there anything else?”

Todd laughed. “Nope, I think those two issues are enough.”

“I am afraid you are right. Well, this is why I get paid the big bucks. I will be in touch.”

Todd left feeling better and then heard from Dr. Copeland the next day. The man was livid because Todd had gone to the Department Chairman.

“I will give you an exam on Friday night after I finish classes for the day. It will be in the classroom, and you will have three hours to complete it.”

“Thank you, professor. I will be there. Is there anything I need to bring?”

“Such as?”

“A calculator, perhaps. I don’t know what else.”

“This will be stubby pencil work. I want to see how well you understand the mathematical equations we discussed this semester. Perhaps a ream of paper would be helpful because I think you might need extra paper.”

Todd felt a cold chill run down his spine. The man was being a bastard.

On Friday afternoon, Erick kissed Todd and wished him well. Todd went to Hugh Jones Hall and walked into the exam room where Dr. Copeland was waiting and told him he was already two minutes late, and the clock was already ticking. Todd was handed a piece of paper with a statement on it. He was instructed to project the changes in the annualized GDP of Zimbabwe over a five year period given the following conditions: an outbreak of malaria in a village and its projected disease incidence and prevalence across the country, the annual mortality rate, the increase/decrease of food production for export, factoring in the change in government which resulted in farms being taken away from the long time farmers and given to the original inhabitants. Todd could feel the sweat beginning to trickle down his back. He was fucked. After taking several deep breaths, Todd started to dissect the question, sequenced the order for solving the mathematical problems, and then brought forth the formulas needed. He started to smile. He worked non-stop until the professor gave him the fifteen-minute warning. At that point, Todd was reviewing his work to check for any errors. He found none, so he sat back in the chair and breathed a sigh of relief. He handed the professor the entire stack of worksheets with all of his calculations and the summary sheet with the more straightforward answer. The professor perused the papers, and his eyes grew large. He turned and walked out without speaking to Todd.

Erick had given exams on the last day for each of his classes. They were simple and straightforward. He had a faculty assistant grade them. Todd had built spreadsheets in Excel, and Erick only had to type in the exam grade for the final course grade to be automatically calculated. Erick thought it was a lazy way to conduct exams, but he had an important ceremony to attend in Washington. Turning in grades was the last challenge before heading to Washington.

Eron and Tayloe had been busy in Washington all week. They were both being obsessive and they knew it. Everything had to be perfect. From Washington, they would head to Newport, Rhode Island, for two days and then fly to Richmond for more parties. They were also packing Eron’s apartment to move to Richmond. Eron had received a transfer to the federal courts in Richmond. Tayloe was still babying Eron and wouldn’t let him lift anything heavy. It seemed just yesterday that Eron had been in the hospital. Eron tried to fool Tayloe into thinking there were no significant residual effects from the initial event. He did complain about the side effects of the medicines to prevent seizures. The doctor said it wouldn’t hurt him to be on the medication and insisted he take it for another year. Preventive medicine, the doctor said.

Tayloe was jubilant that his soon to be husband was moving to Richmond, and he took charge of everything. He was more efficient than Eron would have liked, and everything was quickly put in crates to be delivered to the apartment in Richmond. Eron realized that things were being packed and shipped that he might need in the near term but found that Tayloe was a man on a mission. Eron knew his first month in Richmond would be unpacking and trying to find his belongings.

On Thursday, the Rabbis flew in from Paris. They flew together on a flight that Yonatan had arranged. They were ecstatic about the service they received on the airplane. When they boarded, they turned left, and the steward asked them if they were guests of Yonatan and Matan. They didn’t understand what it meant to be a “guest” of Yonatan and Matan, but they said yes. From that point, until they arrived at Dulles Airport in Northern Virginia, they had never received such high-quality service. It didn’t matter that they were the Chief Rabbis of two European countries; what mattered was that they knew Yonatan and Matan. They were surprised to be on the same flight as Herbert and Judy Jenner. The four enjoyed each other’s company as they flew across the Atlantic. When they touched down and went to baggage claims, they saw a large man with a sign that read “Yonatan.” Yellow helped them with their baggage and then took them to a black Yukon. There was a woman in the driver’s seat. Yellow introduced Pink.

“What kind of name is Pink?” The Rabbi of Vienna was intrigued.

“It is short for Pinkerton, which is my last name.”

“Ahhh, how is it that you are driving such a big vehicle; I would expect the man to be driving.”

“When I was in the IDF, where I drove a tank. At first, the men made fun of me until we were in a dangerous situation, and I maneuvered the tank in such a way that we got out safely, and no one was hurt. After that, they would not let anyone else in the driver’s seat. Of course, we are not in the Gaza Strip right now, but sometimes D.C. traffic can be challenging.”

The Rabbi of Paris spoke up. “So, you grew up in Israel. When did your family immigrate to Israel?”

“We didn’t immigrate. I am a Mizrahi. My ancestors never left the Middle East.”

“How did you get such a name as Pinkerton then? That is not a Jewish name.”

“It is my husband’s name. His family’s name was Anglicized when they immigrated to New York from the Steppes of Russia. After the Six-Day War, his family moved to Israel. They wanted to come home to Israel. They moved to Jerusalem, which is where I grew up.”

The Rabbis were impressed with this young woman driving the vehicle as she maneuvered it through the afternoon traffic. They looked in wonder at the sights as they crossed the 14^th Street bridge and entered the district. Pink said that Matan insisted on a tour before she delivered them to the hotel. Herbert and Judy served as tour guides and pointed out the sites. Both gentlemen wanted to get out and walk up the steps to the Lincoln Memorial. Yellow escorted the four of them as they climbed the steps. After looking at the statue of Lincoln seated in his chair, they turned and looked down the Mall. Both men were used to capital cities and were duly impressed by this much younger capital city. Pink was waiting for them after they had also toured the FDR Memorial. It was much more subdued than the Lincoln Memorial. Both men had been young boys when Europe was liberated from Nazi power and held Roosevelt in high esteem for his leadership through much of the war. They both had grieved that he did not live to see the end of the war.

When they arrived at the hotel, they were greeted by Abraham and Rachel and then Robert and Marjorie Reynolds. Marjorie was unsure if she was supposed to curtsey when meeting these men. Robert had assured her it was not necessary and that she didn’t have to kiss their hands. Abraham was in awe of the men and could barely speak. Rachel was her usual quiet self.

Yellow came up with room keys and had a card with his telephone number.

“Call me any time you plan to leave the hotel. I will have someone meet you. If you would like more tours, Pink will be happy to take you.”

The men bowed to Yellow, and he returned the gesture. They went to their rooms and found their clothes had been unpacked. The maid told them that their suits were being sent to the laundry for pressing. Neither man was used to this level of hotel service.

That night, a dinner was being held at the home of the Chief Rabbi of Washington. The Rabbis, the grooms, and both sets of parents were entertained in grand style. Rachel planted herself next to Marjorie the entire night and quietly explained everything that was happening. The two had bonded and Rachel wanted to make sure her friend was comfortable. When they left the Rabbi’s home, Yellow was waiting to help them into the vehicle. Pink suggested they drive by the White House at night. They were impressed with the well-lit building though both Rabbis said they expected something more massive.

“Of course, we come from Europe, where the kings lived in castles.”

The Rabbis were delivered back to their hotel so they could rest before the next day’s activities. They were surprised by the hospitality they were receiving. They were used to people kowtowing to them, but this was different. They were being subjected to southern hospitality, which had its own set of norms. They also had a hard time understanding the accents of some of the people. The two men had heard about the mythology of the south, and they were witnessing it firsthand. Rabbi Herzl couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but they were a little more relaxed, a little more genteel. There was a ready compliment, a welcoming smile, a gracious handshake. In the hustle and bustle of a nation’s capital, life did seem to slow a little.

Matan insisted on providing each of the Rabbis with a book listing all of the weekend events, maps indicating where each event was located, and helpful tips on navigating this new city and this different way of Jewish life. Matan wanted these two older gentlemen to feel at home. However, neither did. They missed the old buildings, the narrow streets, the polyglot languages heard in the public squares, and the sense of reverence that people would pay them. People would greet them graciously, but there wasn’t the same sense of deference and awe.

Yonatan and Matan hosted a wedding day breakfast at the Hay-Adams Hotel. It was designed to be a low-key affair where the families could relax. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Both Todd and Tayloe were wound tight. Eron and Erick looked like deer in headlights. Each pair of brothers had spent the night together. They were viewing their partners that morning in a different light. Soon, they would be bound together. The enormity of the day weighed heavily on their shoulders.

Finally, Marjorie could not stand any more of the awkwardness. She asked Yonatan if she could say a few words. The more orthodox of those attending were surprised that a woman had taken charge. For those who knew Marjorie, this was seen as her usual behavior. Rachel sat to the side and smiled at her friend.

“I would like to thank everyone for being here today. If we haven’t met, my name is Marjorie Reynolds. Come see me during breakfast because I want to know each and every one of you. Robert and I are so thrilled that you could be here this morning. Yonatan and Matan are peaches to host this breakfast. They are two of the sweetest men you would ever want to meet. On behalf of our families, we would like to thank you for your hospitality. I will be conducting a walking tour of D.C. starting in an hour. Please wear a hat or bring an umbrella because it is a sweltering day. I don’t want anyone to get heatstroke. Also, wear sensible shoes. I know that you are all fashionistas, but let’s be sensible about the heat and the sidewalks. I love this town and want to show you some of my favorite places.”

Black and Green were glaring at Yonatan. This tour was a new wrinkle, and they were caught unaware. How would they protect this group wandering through town? Yonatan, too, was caught unaware. Matan stood to the side, grinning at Marjorie’s audacity. Everything was planned down to the minute, and she threw in a walking tour of the town. Maybe it would relax some of the people and change everyone’s countenance into smiles. The Rabbis had a full day of services and meetings at the synagogue and regretted they could not join everyone else. Still, it was also a special weekend when they would worship with their colleague in his synagogue. Many people wanted to hear them talk about their synagogues in Europe and spend some time talking with them. They both realized that they were overbooked but were cheerful in being so well received.

When people started gathering, Marjorie, with Rachel's help, organized people in the unlikeliest of ways. Tayloe, Todd, Erick, and Eron were paired with older women who might appreciate being on the arm of a handsome young man. Yonatan and Matan agreed to help the cousins of Marjorie and Robert. Lester volunteered to be a good Boy Scout and help people across the busy streets of the nation’s capital. Jeremiah and Bobby led a group of teenagers who were prone to wander off. A surprise to everyone was a tour of the White House. Marjorie had not mentioned that earlier in the day. Senator Fairfax took a bow when Marjorie thanked him for his assistance.

At lunchtime, Marjorie announced a special treat, and they walked to China Town to have lunch. Everyone found something on the menu they liked. Marjorie had ordered special desserts for everyone, along with glasses of champagne. Everyone was chatting and in a good mood by the time they left the restaurant. Afterward, Black and Green arrived in the Yukons to take some of the guests back to their hotels. They were exhausted from their tour but wouldn’t have missed a minute of it.

Yonatan and Matan headed to the Metro and came up at Dupont Circle. They had plans for the afternoon that included lots of intimacy. They practically ran to the hotel when Matan whispered in Yonatan’s ear what he needed. Yonatan could only grin and pull Matan along. Yonatan was undressing while Matan opened the door to their room. He was stumbling over his pants and practically fell as he moved toward the bed. They were both laughing at the trail of clothes from the door to the bed. Neither could get enough of the other. They knew every square inch of the other’s body. Yonatan said he knew every freckle on Matan’s shoulders, every hair in his armpits, and the few strands on his pecs. Matan luxuriated when laying across Yonatan’s hairy chest. He would rub his hand across Yonatan’s chest and sigh. That was all he could do: sigh.

They fell asleep and were startled awake by the telephone ringing. It was Judy Jenner calling to find out what time they were arriving at the synagogue. She could hear the sleep in Matan’s voice and said the service started in less than an hour. The guys ran into the shower and quickly washed. Matan spent more time getting his hair exactly right than he did showering. They were both putting on their shoes when Black knocked on the door and said they were expected downstairs immediately.

They were still laughing and out of breath when they crawled into the Yukon. They apologized for being late and said they had fallen asleep after the morning tour.

“Well, the grooms are here, and the ceremony can’t start without us, so you are not late.” Todd was grinning. Tayloe had a determined smile on his face. Erick and Eron were pensive and fretting. They were a fascinating group.

“Are you guys ready? Are there any last-minute directions?”

All four men looked at Yonatan as if he was crazy. Of course, they were ready. Nothing was being changed. They wondered where he came up with such crazy notions; however, the anxiety was so thick you could cut it. Matan looked at them and asked if his hair looked okay. He said they had made love all afternoon, and he was sure he had bed hair and that people in the congregation would know that he was freshly fucked. That finally got a guffaw out of the guys, and they started relaxing.

“It’s always about you and your hair, Matan. My hair this, my hair that.” Matan was trying to crawl over Yonatan to get to Todd. Todd and Matan grinned at each other and then threw air kisses.

By the time the Yukon pulled in front of the synagogue, all six men were jovial and making jokes about what would probably go wrong. Yonatan had started a betting pool. They each had to pick something different, and each of them put five dollars in the pot. Matan won when he predicted that the Chuppah would not be in the synagogue when they arrived. Martine and Geneviève had spent the afternoon in bed also and were racing up the steps with the Chuppah and poles in their arms.

“Okay, if that is the worst that happens, then we are golden. Let’s go get married.”

Yonatan and Matan led them up the steps of the synagogue and hugged them before handing them off to their parents. Yonatan and Matan then walked to the Bema to take the poles holding up the marriage canopy. When the families started walking up the aisle, Matan became choked up, and tears of joy ran down his smiling face. He was so happy for his friends.

The grooms had developed elaborate choreography for their initial circling. It looked like all four men were marrying each other. Their hands, heads, and arms were intricately weaving in and out as they moved. When they finished, there was a Tallit around Eron and Tayloe's shoulders and another around the shoulders of Erick and Todd.

Rabbi Akiva from Paris was the first to speak. He wove the blessings for a home and the marriage vows into a cohesive whole. Then Rabbi Herzl of Vienna talked about the importance of the Jewish family and how the men were responsible for creating Jewish homes in this new world. He spoke of the exile, diaspora, and Shoah, and said that even after those tragedies befell the Jewish people, that today they were living witnesses to the fulfillment of the scriptures through the joining together of couples.

Abraham and Robert then stood and read the Ketubah crafted by their sons. The language was filled with love and their giving of themselves and their wealth to each other. Erick and Todd had rewritten parts of the Ketubah after Tayloe and Eron had written it in American legalistic jargon. Erick had a gift of writing beautiful phrases, and it was on display. An ink pen was produced for them to duly sign their marriage contracts.

Rabbi Schulman started the first of the seven blessings. He was followed by the Rabbi of Washington and then his European counterparts. Two wine glasses were produced, and then men stomped them, perhaps a little too vigorously. They were bent over laughing and singing by the time they finished the smashing of the glasses. Erick and Eron had learned a Debra Friedman song at Jewish camp and started singing it. They were surprised when members of the congregation joined them. Before it finished, the entire congregation was on its feet, singing, dancing, and celebrating the marriage of these men.

The party afterward was a continuation of the joy that emanated from the wedding ceremony. Before the night was over, Erick and Eron joined the band on stage and sang with them. Todd and Tayloe stood back and smiled at their partners. It was a night of joy and bliss.

One ceremony down, one to go.