Keep Me As An Apple of Your Eye - 35. January 4

Saturday, January 4

11^th Day of Christmas

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

eleven pipers piping.

from “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” The eleven pipers piping represent

the eleven faithful disciples.

“We had an incredible time. Being at the apartment in Brussels felt like home. How does something so different feel so right?” Matan was practically bouncing in his chair as he recounted their time in Europe. “I can hardly wait for us to be there this summer.”

They had arrived home on Friday evening after deciding they needed a couple of days to unwind. Plus, they never knew about the travails of travel and they allowed time for contingencies. Etienne had been their steward on the flight home. He was ecstatic to see them again. This time they exchanged addresses and telephone numbers. Yonatan and Matan made sure Etienne understood that he was welcome to visit them at any time.

Their house in Suffolk was filled with friends who were there for a welcome home dinner. Ayal had called and asked everyone to bring food and drinks for the evening. There was telling of the stories of their lives over the holiday season. Todd was in the thick of everything. He was laughing and recounting his remembrances of the commitment ceremony and then Erick proposing to him at the beach. The photographer for the commitment ceremony had sent pictures for Yonatan and Matan to choose from. The photographs were passed around and the guys were recounting all of the events of the wonderous day.

“I was expecting Herbert to give me grief over the cost of the ceremony and party but all he had to say was that it was a wonderful evening. He was so proud of us and the fact that all of our friends were so supportive. When he and Judy were wed it was a small ceremony because his family objected to the marriage and Judy had no family. Of course, when they returned to Paris, Judy called Jeremiah every day to check up on his treatment. She would then call and give us an update.” Yonatan gave Jeremiah a big smile. “Then she had Bobby to worry about. She was in heaven the entire time. She said she had two more boys to take care of.”

There were questions of Todd and Erick about their upcoming ceremony. Everyone was surprised, but then not really, when they said it was a double ceremony with Eron and Tayloe.

“We expect everyone here to be at the ceremony. Of course, we are having to hog tie Tayloe because he is already on full-tilt planning the service. If you think he is bad in a restaurant that is nothing compared to him planning a commitment ceremony. Erick and I get to sit back and let him do all of the work. My brother, Tayloe, is something else. He is going to be the definitive groom-zilla.” Everyone laughed and knew that Erick had accurately described his brother.

“I just knew that Tayloe was going to bust out of the closet one day and that ole closet door is probably still flying through space. All I had to do was look at the two of them and knew it was gonna happen. They were all over each other while Tayloe was still pretending to be a straight boy. He is worse than some of those college frat boys. Well, I guess I don’t get to do the twins now.” Jeremiah winked at Erick and they both laughed.

“You aren’t doing anyone. You are with me.” Bobby leaned over and kissed Jeremiah.

There were many questions for Bobby about what lay behind the large bandage across his optical orbit.

“I go back to the doctor next week and hopefully I can take this off. I move back into the dorm tomorrow and it will be strange not being in Tim’s house. Poor Tim had to run the bookstore and be nurse to the two of us. We were a mess. I am sure the guys at school will razz me when they find out who hit me in the face.”

There were questions about Toby and not surprisingly Matan and Yonatan chose not to talk much about him. He had been nothing but trouble for the two of them. They supported Bobby with his case of assault against Toby but they had nothing to add. To end the conversation, Yonatan said that after the lawyers finished with Toby, he probably wouldn’t be hitting anyone again for a long time.

Black had his arms around Tim holding him close. It was obvious how much they had missed each other. One couldn’t move without the other following right behind; it was like there was a short elastic band connecting them. When Jeremiah got up to get another drink, he walked up to Tim and kissed him on the cheek. Bobby was right behind him and kissed Tim’s other cheek.

“Don’t I get a kiss? I drove the get-away car when we rescued you.”

Jeremiah stopped and looked at Black.

“Can I be honest?”

“Are you ever anything but honest?”

Everyone laughed at Black’s seemingly rhetorical question.

Jeremiah looked at Black and in a small quiet voice said, “You scare me. Tim is so mothering to us and you are like this stern father who has just come back from war. I keep thinking that I am going to have to salute you or something. Sorry, dad. You asked.”

There was absolute silence in the house. Black had tears in his eyes as he walked over to Jeremiah and enfolded him in his arms.

“I loved you the minute we arrived at the shelter that morning. I wanted to cry that day because of what had happened to you. I was so glad when Tim said he wanted to foster you; it was like we were making a family. You are my family, Jeremiah. You are my son and I love you.”

Jeremiah looked up at Black and started crying and laughing as he planted kisses all over Black’s face.

“Wait, I get to kiss him also. You are like my baby daddy Marine.” Bobby planted kisses on Black with the final one on his lips. Everyone had tears in their eyes as they witnessed the coming together on this family.

Yonatan slipped out of the room. When he returned he had the Chuppah in his arms.

“Ya’ll are just too emotional tonight. This is supposed to be a party. Look at what Martine and Genevieve made for us. He spread the quilt on the breakfast room table. The quilt from the Chuppah had the boys filled with awe at its beauty. They looked at the squares and the messages written or drawn on them. All of the messages were affirming and loving.

Martine laughed, “Just think, when you go to bed and are doing that nasty stuff that gay men do, all of those people and their thoughts and prayers will be right on top of you. I bet the vibes from your love making reach out to them and let them know what you are doing under this sacred cloth.”

Yonatan chuckled and said that they would put the quilt in the guest bedroom because what he and Matan did in bed would make most people blush. It would be an heirloom quilt for them.

There was a knock at the front door and Black immediately went into security mode. Everyone knew to let him do his job. Standing there were three men who were chatting. Lee Humbert had just arrived from Paris and came directly from the airport. Tayloe and Eron were standing there also.

“You are just in time.”

There were greetings all around. Then Ayal and Zeke disappeared. Matan gathered everyone in the dining room and then turned off all of the lights. Nobody knew what was happening until Ayal and Zeke walked back in with a birthday cake that held sixteen candles. Jeremiah was in shock. Bobby was grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Everyone started singing Happy Birthday to Jeremiah who stood crying into Bobby’s shoulder.

“Blow out the candles. Blow out the candles.” Everyone was shouting and enjoying themselves. Bobby leaned over and whispered something in Jeremiah’s ear which made him burst out laughing. Jeremiah then leaned down to blow out the candles while never taking his eyes off of Bobby.

“Okay, what did Bobby say?”

“I’m not telling.”

“Awww, come on Jeremiah.”

Jeremiah blushed. “Okay, Bobby said to think about blowing him while I blew out the candles.” All of the guys hooted while Bobby stood back, smiled, and shook his head back and forth at the lack of a filter on his boyfriend’s mouth.

Black got everyone’s attention after they had eaten a slice of cake.

“Our son has a birthday tonight. His ‘mother-smother daddy’ told him he was too young to go to a gay bar to dance. His ‘baby daddy Marine’ however said to hell with that. We are creating our own gay bar on the deck tonight. Put on your coats and let’s go celebrate my son’s birthday.”

Everyone could hear music playing from outside. They ditched their cold drinks for hot mulled apple wine and walked through the doors into the freezing temperature. Jeremiah and Bobby started the first dance while people stood watching them. Then they all joined in. Yonatan noticed that a boat pulled up to their dock. He went over to tell Black who said to ignore it and not to point it out to anyone else.

Black walked up to the stereo and inserted a different CD than the beach music that Yonatan had been playing. He had everyone form a circle with Jeremiah and Bobby in the middle. He handed Jeremiah a handkerchief and told he and Bobby they needed to hold it while dancing. Then he had everyone put their arms across each other’s shoulders as Erick and Eron led the group in the Hora. Green had walked up the steps and joined the group. When they finished dancing, they heard a rocket report and looked to the water. There were fireworks going off from the riverbank. No one could believe it. Jeremiah and Bobby walked up to Tim and Black to hug them. The men wrapped the boys in their arms.

When the fireworks finished, people heard Klezmer music on the stereo. Black handed out kazoos and told them they were going to play along with the Klezmer music to welcome everyone home and to celebrate Jeremiah’s birthday. The sound they produced was awful as they danced around the deck creating dissonant chords with the pipes piping at a fevered pitch. Then they started listening to each other and somehow slowly the sounds became harmonious as they banded together as a family.

Jeremiah and Bobby went up to Black and told him he was the coolest dad in the world. Black whispered in Jeremiah’s ear that Tim was staying with him for the night and for he and Bobby to use plenty of protection when they got home. Black grinned while looking at Jeremiah whose mouth was hanging open. He then threw his arms around his shoulders and kissed him. It was unclear who was more moved: Jeremiah or Black.

Everyone was enjoying what they were doing but the yowling dogs in the neighborhood halted their joy filled time together. They were waking the neighbors. Matan started snickering which led to everyone having a good laugh to finish the night. As people departed, they were filled with love, peace and joy; for Jeremiah and Black there was also a great sense of anticipation.

Suggested Music:

“Wedding Medley”

Performers: The Sounds of Klezmer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMiCUTsjQCE