North Meets South, Worlds Collide - 16. Chapter 16

We did take the carriage ride and it was very romantic. I was enjoying this trip. I was learning a lot about Tony. I looked up at the dark sky.

“I always heard the stars can’t be seen in New York.” I commented. “Now I know it’s true.”

Tony pointed to the many lights around us. “We make our own stars.” Then he reached in his coat pocket. “We agreed to not buy presents for each other…and this really isn’t a Christmas present.” He pulled a small box out. “But I’m giving it to you now…I want everyone to know. We belong together.”

I saw the box, it was a ring box. You can’t disguise those. I saw Tiffany on it. “But we’re already married.”

He shrugged. “So, should I take it back?” He smiled as I took the box.

Opening it, this was the first real engagement ring I’d ever seen given by a man for a man. It had white gold and a huge diamond in the center. It was thick and wide as most men’s rings were. But the lights around us made the stone sparkle. I slipped my gloves off and took the ring out. I was stunned! No one I knew had an engagement ring for themselves, not a man anyway. I have no idea what carats it was, nor did I care. It was big. I’m not that kind of gay man who normally thinks about things like that. But it was beautiful, but Tony gave it to me. That was the most important thing about the ring.

“My God! Tony!” I said in near speechlessness.

Then Tony looked at me. “I don’t see you as my wife or husband. You’re a part of me. A completion of me.” Then he nodded. “I know we’re getting married. But we are married, you said it yourself. I want us to have rings we’ll exchange then, but for now…” he took the ring. “You asked me to marry you. I said yes. Now, I’m asking you to marry me.” He held my left hand out as he slipped the ring on my finger. “Mitch. I love you. Say you’ll join with me in front of family and friends, agreeing to spend the rest of our lives together?”

I smiled at him. “I intend to.” I kissed him. “I will, Tony. I love you, Tony!”

Even the driver of the carriage was impressed, but he didn’t say it. I saw him look back, then forward again. He gave a thumbs up when I looked at him looking back with a smile.

The horizon was starting to pink as we walked back to Kathy’s house. We entered as Al had returned from his night on duty at the hospital where he worked. He nodded to us as we came in.

“Do I need to ask if you two had a good night?” Al smiled at us. “The looks on your faces say you did.”

Tony nodded. “We did.”

Now, I was proud of what Tony had given me, but I didn’t want to flaunt it right now. “It’ll be time to go to our in-laws soon. We need to grab a few hours of sleep at least.” I was going to show them all in a few hours. Do it all at once.

When Tony and I woke, it was nearly noon. Tony groaned as he rolled over on me.

“Good morning, baby.” He purred in my ear.

I rolled over smiling at him. Then frowned. “Do I know you?” The old me.

He chuckled. “Oh, yea, you do. Better than anyone alive ever has or ever will.”

I smiled as I played with his sleep tossed hair. “I’m glad you let me know you,” I said kissing him. Then I looked at the clock. “Shit! We’re due at your parents!” I jumped up pulling Tony after me.

It was a good thing Kathy and Al had two vehicles, they left us one leaving a note they had done so and would meet us there. We arrived at Kathleen’s and Angelo’s before two o’clock, Louise and Mike’s plane landed at twelve thirty. They were being picked up by David again.

Greeting his parents was nice, I was no longer a stranger. We sat until the car drove up not more than fifteen or so minutes after we got there. Then in came another of the Delveccios came in. As with Tony, Angelo, and Nick shared appearances, so did Kathy and Louise. Clearly Italian, all with the dark hair and eyes. Louise was the eldest of the three Delveccio siblings of Kathleen and Angelo. Behind them was another young man about Nick’s and David’s age around twenty. His name was Drew. He had the Delveccio hair, but lighter in the skin. He was very handsome. And I’m not just saying that to be polite. He really was. He had Delveccio good looks and a smattering of someone else. Then I saw his father. Mike was French-Canadian with lighter brown hair and brown eyes. He spoke English, but with a French accent. Then, at last, the eldest of the Delveccio grandchildren at almost twenty-five. Erin. With her was another man, I would find out was her new husband. Well, new as in they married two years ago. Marcus. The only one with sandy colored hair. Then as they hugged everyone and was introduced to me, I was thrilled that not one of these people had a bad opinion of me! They were welcoming and quick to accept me. It was great!!

“We are not in the South.” I chuckled to Tony.

He grinned shaking his head. “I told you they’d love you.”

It was all wonderful. But yes, the conversation was done in both English and Italian! And the occasional French as Louise had to translate some of the Italian to French for Mike. The cousins were at ease with one another. Those that married into the Delveccio family were like I was paying attention to conversations so they didn’t miss anything. It was delightful chaos! There was laughter all around until Melissa, who plopped down beside me on the couch where a sparkle caught her eye, then she let out…

“Holy Shit!!” She grabbed my left hand to see it closer.

“Melissa!” Kathy gasped in irritation. Then looked at her husband. “She’s such a joy to have around.” She commented sadly.

Al shrugged. “We’re so proud.” He muttered to everyone and no one.

Melissa wasn’t bothered a bit. “This is huge!” She practically was taking my hand off to see the ring closer. She was smiling at me. “How big is it?”

My eyes rolled. “That’s gay to know that.” I grinned and shrugged. “As big as it is. I don’t know.”

Melissa frowned at me. “You are gay! You’re supposed to know stuff like that, Uncle Mitch!” Then she looked at the ring again. “This is at least three or four carats!”

“Five,” Tony said calmly on my other side. “In the setting for a man, the stone is so deep it had to be that big to show up.”

I grinned at him, but my eyes said he didn’t need to say that, but I knew why he did.

The others were crowding to see it, and I let them.

“I know you weren’t wearing it when you got here, Uncle Mitch,” Melissa said. “I would have seen it.”

“He gave it to me last night,” I said smiling. “He’s making an honest man of me.”

“He could make me a dishonest woman if he gave me something like this!” Melissa declared.

“Melissa.” Kathy shook her head. “Try to show we taught you some manners.” She said trying to be patient. “Or just be civil?”

Erin laughed. “She is! This is as much as she is normally.” Then she smiled at me. “So, spill. Let’s have the dirt. Where were you and how’d he do it?”

So, I told them about the evening and the after midnight carriage ride and his presenting it to me. All the women were doing that that’s so sweet thing. The men were not as happy.

“Damn it, Tony!” Al groused. “Are you trying to show us up?” But his face said he was joking.

“You are showing that it is more romantic for a gay man.” Mike agreed with his accent. “We straight guys suffer!”

Louise hit her husband. “Leave my brother alone.”

“He’s a Delveccio.” Kathy nodded in agreement. “He is romantic, it’s in his blood.”

Angelo chuckled. “At least he didn’t do it by mail.”

I smiled at my father-in-law. “I heard that. So, he really did?”

Angelo nodded, then shrugged. “It worked.” He laughed.

“So when’s the wedding?” Erin asked.

Tony looked at me. “We haven’t really decided.”

I shrugged. “It’s sort of expected to marry in June.”

Kathleen looked startled. “So quickly? We don’t have time to plan!”

“We don’t need to plan that much, Mama,” Tony said, but he didn’t put his heart into the protest. He knew what she’d say.

“No.” Kathleen shook her head. “No son of mine is going to get married without a plan. You’re marrying a person you love!”

And so it was off! Christmas was going to happen, but now it was all about Tony and me. The women were talking back and forth and even the men were involved. What sort of wedding did we want? Were my parents coming? Would it be here in New York, in the mountains or Charleston? Before the sunset, we had a date, the 14^th of June. We decided since my grandparents and parents had more room it should be in the mountains, providing they agreed. And my family could more easily get there. I wanted to include things from Tony’s culture and he wanted to include mine. Again, it was decided I was to wear my Scottish family’s colors. The kilt and everything needed as a Scotsman. The Coatee, the Sgian Dubhs and everything. I needed to make sure I knew what all belonged on what I wore. Remember, my family almost forgot their roots. But if they came to this wedding, they’d be reminded.

When it got late and they were about to leave for Midnight Mass, Tony and I told them we were going to the MCC.

“Can I go with you?” Melissa asked hopefully.

Tony looked at his niece confused. “But you’re place is with the family.”

Melissa nodded. “And so is yours.” She frowned. “Both of you. Just because they’re too stupid to see it, why should you stay away?”

Then Kathy smiled at us. Then looked at her daughter. “Tell you uncles and the rest of the family why you’re in public school now.”

Melissa shrugged. “Why not? I’m not ashamed of it.” Then she smiled at us. “We were in Religious Studies. Sister Pain-in-the-Ass...”

“Melissa!” Al said crossly, but he wasn’t too harsh.

“Well, she is,” Melissa said. “She said that all homosexuals were going to Hell. I stood and told her she was full of shit.”

“Melissa.” Louise was shaking her head, but on her face, I saw the smile.

“Well, she was and I said, not my Uncle Tony! Then said, any simpleton of even the remotest intellect would say that can’t be true. Then I called her a stupid bitch for telling everyone that. I said the human race rejoices in that she didn’t contribute to the gene pool.” The smiled sweetly. “They suspended me and I wasn’t allowed to come back until I apologized to Sister Pain-in…”

“Melissa!” Al shouted with a little more force.

“Should I say, Sister Never has and Never will get Laid? I wouldn’t think Christ would be that desperate to take her as bride.”

“Melissa, just tell them,” Kathy said with a prayer for patience.

“Anyway, I wasn’t going to apologize. I wasn’t sorry. So, that was never going to happen.” Melissa stated. “So, I transferred.” Then she hugged Tony. “Anyone who meets you knows that’s not true.” Then she hugged me. “Now I have two gay uncles!!”

I chuckled as I saw Kathleen cross herself and said a prayer to whatever Saint was in charge of wayward teenage girls. But Angelo was chuckling. Her cousins were laughing.

“Now you know why we’re so proud of our little girl.” Kathy stage whispered to us.

Al grinned. “It’s your fault, Kathy. She takes after you.”

Hearing all this made me smile. Tony shook his head and got closer to his niece. “Melissa, I appreciate you standing up for me. But this is a time for family. I can’t go, but you need to.” He pointed at his parents. “For them.”

Melissa nodded. “Okay. But it was damned unfair.” She sighed. Then walked over to her grandfather. “Let’s go Grandpa.” She put her arm in his and he kissed his granddaughter on the cheek.

Tony chuckled as we hit the street. “She has the face of an angel, with the mouth of a sailor.”

I shrugged. “She’s honest.” I smiled. “You have an amazing family.”

Tony grinned. “Which is now your family, too.”

I nodded. “And those in Derby are now yours.” I pointed out.

“David, Michael, Chuck, Rhonda, Mary….there were lots of people on your side I’m thrilled to have as family,” Tony said. “There are Delveccios you might not want in yours.” He said with his eyes telling me to ask.

“Who!?”

“Dad has a brother.” Tony nodded as my mouth dropped. “Yes. He was a criminal. No mob connections, he isn’t that smart. He married and had a bunch of Delveccios that Mom will ward off evil spirits about or the Evil Eye by the spitting if you even mention him or his family.”

“Really?”

“You’ll see it a lot more now.” Tony laughed. “How much vacation time do you get a year?”

I was blindsided by the question and sudden change of subjects. “Two weeks. I hadn’t used any before. I had no reason to.”

“But you’ve been gone this week.”

I nodded. “It starts over in January.”

He nodded walking backward as he led me. “Your passport is coming, right?”

I grinned knowing part of what he was planning. “It should be.” Just not why, but I sort of guessed.

Tony nodded. “How about a real honeymoon after the wedding?”

I guided him around an obstacle. “Okay, where did you have in mind?”

He shrugged. “I would love to show you Italy. Where the Delveccios came from. You’d like to see Scotland where the McKenzies came from. Why not a week in each place?”

I chuckled. “I’d love to.”

He nodded. “Then that’s what we’ll do.”