Opposites attract - 22. Chapter 22

The day of our marriage had finally arrived. It was 11 o’clock. My parents had prepared a reception before the ceremony and many of the guests were already scattered in the house and the garden, talking and laughing. All the people we had invited had accepted. Kev and I still were in ‘normal’ clothing. We had extended the superstitious notion of not seeing each other in our wedding suits to both grooms. Mom had taken care that both of us had something new, something old, something borrowed and something blue. Furthermore, we had sixpence pieces to put in our shoes. Even mathematicians weren’t immune to popular beliefs held by their mother.

A special moment for me was when the bodybuilding team arrived. Timothy embraced me without the slightest resentment and I was overjoyed to realize that I wasn’t holding any grudge against him.

The arrival of Avery and Susan, the couple leading the shelter, was as moving for Kev as for me. Kev had once said that these two had been his only family for a long time. Avery, an Afro-American in his mid-thirties and almost as tall as Kev, greeted both of us with bear-hugs. I had a suspicion where Kev had acquired his habit.

“Take good care of Kev, Leon. If there is one boy who deserves it, then it is him.”

“Oh, Avery. Don’t scare him. Look at both of them and you’ll see they love each other.”

Susan, also in her mid-thirties, probably of Irish descent and of my height, embraced us, too.

I was sure that everyone on the list had arrived, but the door bell rang again. Kev was absorbed in a lively conversation with Avery and Susan. I smiled to myself, because happiness radiated from him, giving him a warm glow. I didn’t want to interrupt and decided to answer the door alone.

An old man and a woman around Mom’s age were waiting outside. I hadn’t seen them in my whole life, but one look into the sapphire eyes of the woman and I knew who was standing in front of me.

“Mrs. Schneider, Mr. Schneider.”

I was in shock and couldn’t say more than just their names.

“You must be Leon, mein Sohn?”

I nodded, still unable to form words. A hand touched my shoulder and I turned around. My Mom was standing behind me.

“I’ve invited them. You may not understand, Leon. But when one of your children or grandchildren gets married, at least, you want to have the choice of being part of it.”

The sound of glass shattering interrupted her. Kev was standing besides us.

“Mom… Opa....”

Mr. Schneider was smiling, but his eyes glistened of tears. Kev’s mother had brought her hands to her face, her tears flowing freely. Time had frozen.

Suddenly, Kev lunged forwards and gathered the two in his arms, pressing them to his body. He was crying now. I sought the hand of my Mom behind me, my cheeks wet. I could feel her sobs as well. Kev released his grandfather and his mom.

“Dad?”

Mr. Schneider shook his head. Kev’s mom looked at him.

“He didn’t want me to come, either. It was time to stand up against him for once.”

It was implied in her voice that her decision to come here included the decision not to return. After a short silence, something occurred to Kev.

“Oh. Leon. This is Emily Schneider, my Mom. And this is Hans Schneider, my grandpa. Opa, Mom, meet Leon Fitzgerald, my husband… at least soon he will be… and his mother, Dolores Fitzgerald.”

We shook hands and finally invited Kev’s mom and grandpa into our house. The effect was strange, but not unknown to me: the more you had to say to each other, the longer you hadn’t seen someone, the more difficult it was to find a beginning.

“Kevin, mein Junge, today is your day. We’ll have time to talk later. Not today, perhaps not tomorrow, but the time will come. I just want you to know that I love you, I always have.”

I knew Mr. Schneider for a couple of minutes, but I already liked him. Mrs. Schneider seized Kev’s hands.

“Yes, Kevin. I won’t ask you to forgive me. I’ve been a coward when I should have been strong and should have protected my baby. But today, I just want to see you happy.”

I put my hands on theirs and smiled. There wasn’t much that I could say, but I wanted Kev and his mom to know I would be there for both of them. Kev looked at me and I could feel his love for me, shining through his eyes.

“It’s time for you both to get dressed. I’ll see for the guests to gather in the garden in half an hour. Mr. and Mrs. Schneider, you will of course join my husband Anthony and me in the front row.”

Mom shoved us in the direction of the staircase while issuing orders to everyone who was unlucky enough to be too close to her. Chuckling, Kev and I made our way up.

“Everything alright, now that your mom and your grandpa are here?”

“I am glad that they came. I have heard what Dolores said. She is probably right.”

Kev’s fore head wrinkled in thought.

“They must care for me if they are here. Weird thing is I still love them.”

I touched his cheek.

“That’s not weird. Kev, you don’t know how not to love. And that’s one of the reasons why I love you.”

Kev pulled me into a hug, words unnecessary. He let go of me and grinned.

“If we don’t hurry, death will do us part by the hands of Dolores before we even get married.”

We kissed a last time as fiancés and went to the two rooms Mom had prepared. Kev and I had each decided on a best man and a best woman. My choice had been Josh and Rob; Kev had chosen Avery and Susan.

On the bed of my old room, Mom had draped my tuxedo. It was classic, black with dovetails not too long. A white shirt and a grey bow tie completed my outfit. The shiny black leather shoes suited it perfectly. I had just finished donning the trousers and the shirt when someone knocked at my door. It opened, giving view to Rob and Josh.

“Come in, you two.”

“I had hoped to see you nude, little one.”

Rob was grinning.

“You wish.”

“Been there, done that.”

Josh made his smug face that could be mistaken with contempt. But I was close enough to him to know better. I had never seen Josh in a suit before. Josh had Rob’s size. He was wearing his dark blonde hair shorter than he had during his college time. I had never found an appropriate term to describe the color of his eyes. Gold, honey, amber were all a little off.

“Sorry, Josh. We haven’t had much time to talk, have we?”

“Don’t worry, Leon. You have other things on your mind today. Your problems may be weighing way over 225 pounds, don’t they?”

The smug face was now supplemented by ‘The Smirk’.

“Shut up, Josh. It is my exclusive privilege to mock about barn boy.”

“You better both shut up, if you don’t want to enjoy the exclusive privilege of being smashed by his 100-pounds-groom.”

We all burst out laughing.

“Leon. I don’t know Kev. But I know you and if you have chosen him, he must be one hell of a guy.”

“And he’s hung like a horse.”

Josh and I both looked at Rob.

“What? It’s true. The Rocky costume didn’t leave much to the imagination.”

We couldn’t help but to laugh again.

“Who needs enemies, if he has got friends like you?”

I had finished dressing.

“You look great, little one.”

“Indeed, Leon.”

I looked at my friends and I loved them. This very moment, I couldn’t help it.

In the garden, white chairs had been arranged, forming an aisle which led to a dais. On the dais, a white bow had been erected, decorated with flowers. For Kev and me a step had been built before the rostrum to stand on. It was a sunny day, some white clouds floated across the sky. All the guests were already seated while Mr. Whitmore, Dad’s friend who would perform the ceremony, was standing on the dais. Kev was waiting for me at the end of the aisle. I had been trembling of excitement on my way down to the garden, but now seeing Kev calmed me. He was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, so there was no reason to be nervous. Like me, he was wearing a tuxedo. Its color was a dark grey, contrasted by a white shirt and completed by a black bow tie. He looked breathtaking. When Kev saw me, his lips formed the word ‘Wow!’. I answered him with a silent ‘I love you.’. All the guests were either looking at him or at me. It felt weird to be the center of so much attention. Christopher who was looking cute in his suit carried a small pillow with the rings on it. A string quartet began a solemn melody and the guests rose from their seats. Chris started to lead the procession. Kev and I followed. Behind us Rob, Susan, Avery and Josh formed the end. Little Christopher was absorbed in his task, a slight frown hinting at his concentration. He placed the pillow on a pillar right beside Mr. Whitmore who smiled at my dutiful nephew. Kev and I ascended the step while our friends assumed positions left and right of us. The strings finished the piece and the guests sat down again. Mr. Whitmore began to speak.

“Today, we have all gathered to unite these two young men. During the talks we had in preparation for this ceremony, I was delighted to see how dedicated these two are for each other despite their age, how abundant their love for each other is. A marriage built on these foundations is sure to prosper. But a marriage is more than the outer sign of love. It is a promise to take care of your partner, to stand by him even in difficult times. I have no doubt that Kevin and Leon will succeed in this. They have prepared their own vows to express their love for each other.”

Mr. Whitmore nodded to Kev with a smile.

“Leon, you have once told me about a mathematical definition, an essential singularity. You explained some interesting properties to me, in terms even a bodybuilding jock like me can understand.”

A small chuckle ran through the audience.

“Essential singularities are fascinating places. A function assumes every possible value close to it. And that is what happens to me when I am close to you. Around you I can be everything. I can be everything including myself and still I can be sure of your love. I want you to know that you can be as sure of my love. I will be yours forever.”

I had to swallow away the lump that had formed in my throat, had to blink away the tears that wanted to form in my eyes.

“Kev. On the day of your arrival, I felt lonely. This feeling was only a dim memory the very moment you were standing before me. I was attracted to you at once, an attraction that grew into love in no time. I remember that you feared I would be intimidated by you. But I was never afraid of you. I saw from the very beginning that you are caring and loving, a gentle giant. And best of all: now you are my gentle giant. My love for you grows every day and I am intimidated by only one thing: that I have to spend a single day without you.”

Kev had to fight the same fight with his emotions as I had before.

Mr. Whitmore continued.

“Kevin Schneider. I ask you: do you want to take Leon Fitzgerald as your husband? Do you vow to love him and care for him?”

“Yes. I do.”

“Leon Fitzgerald. I ask you: do you want to take Kevin Schneider as your husband? Do you vow to love him and care for him?”

“Yes. I do.”

“Please exchange the rings.”

Christopher fetched the small cushion again and presented it to Kev and me. Our wedding rings were made of white gold. They had been polished in a stripe-pattern, alternating between matte finished and shiny bands. Inside the date and both of our names had been engraved. Kev took the smaller one and put it on the ring finger of my right hand. His face wore the smile I had fallen for during our first meeting. I put Kev’s ring on his right hand looking into the blueness of his eyes. We turned to Mr. Whitmore again.

“By the power and authority vested in me by this state, I pronounce you husband and husband. You may kiss each other.”

Our gazes met again. Both of us bearing a blissful smile, we closed the distance between us until our lips met. The guests got up from their seats and started to applaud. As always, I lost track of time when locked to Kev’s lips. After a short while, cat calls were added to the applause by the bodybuilding team. It was our cue that we had used up the maximum time for a decent kiss. Laughing, we let go of each other and turned to our guests. The string quartet began to play another tune, a more lively and happy one this time. Kev and I linked arms and moved down the aisle, followed by our best men, best women and Chris. The guests threw rice at us which my Mom had prepared in small silken pouches. We went inside the house into the living room. A table had been prepared for our wedding gifts. Kev and I stood before it and the guests filed in to congratulate us and to give us their presents.

In the meantime, the garden had been prepared for the wedding feast. Tables had been arranged in a horseshoe-like manner. Before and after the meal, many of the guests held a small speech, more or less voluntarily. It had taken considerable effort to make Rob do it.

A dance floor had been created in the inner horseshoe. Instead of a band, we had been able to persuade Mom to hire a DJ. We had not been successful at talking her out of the traditional waltz which we had to open. Kev and I had practiced that dance in the privacy of our dorm room, but still I was feeling nervous when we were standing alone in the middle of the floor. But the touch of Kev was soothing and after the first few measures of the waltz, my anxiety had waned. I looked up at Kev, smiled and voiced the words ‘I love you.’ ‘I love you, too.’ was his silent answer. After another minute, someone tapped my shoulder. It was Mr. Schneider. Kev had been approached by my Dad. Kev’s face showed as much surprise as mine, but we waltzed on with our new partners. All the other couples who joined us on the dance floor were same sex couples. Rob was dancing with Tiff, Marc was dancing with Avery, Mom was dancing with Mrs. Schneider. That had been Mom’s idea for sure and I smiled at her when our eyes met, she winking at me. I was shocked by the next person who tapped my shoulder: it was Timothy. We smiled at each other and started to dance. Kev was now waltzing with Prof. Smyth, while my Dad was almost floating in the arms of Coach Derringer. I had to suppress a laugh.