North Meets South, Worlds Collide - 23. Chapter 23

Now that a lot of our family was here, we began to rehearse. Our ceremony was going to be a little different. There was no bride to come down the aisle. We were meeting from opposite sides in front of both Rev. Pat and Rev. Terry. There we would exchange vows and rings. Then the two of us would go down the aisle together when we left. There were three pipers coming, one drummer. They had sent me some CDs of the songs which I chose. There was a song to play when we came in and a recessional. I remember grinning at Tony as he heard a few of them, he wasn’t that happy about it. A couple of months prior we listened to some selections.

I shrugged. “I guess it’s the Scottish blood in me that gets stirred when I hear it.” I chuckled. “It just….does something to me. I can’t explain it. It touches my soul!” But there were two songs we agreed on. The one to bring us together and then walk out. The one to walk out I’d heard many times at the Highland Games when we marched. Tony and I were beginning quite a game, so it was fitting. “You have a little Gaelic blood in you, doesn’t it touch that even a little?”

He sighed. “Well, marriage is a compromise. You learned Italian and dance the Tarantella, that’s way more than I’ve done, so what we chose is fine.”

“You’ve done a lot, Tony.” I looked a little worried. “If you don’t like it, we don’t have to have it.”

Tony smiled. “Of course we do.” Then he kissed me. “You are Scottish. You said it yourself, the music touches your soul, it’s in. I’m marrying a Scotsman. It’s who you are.” Then he shrugged and gave an evil grin. “Besides, we paid for them to do it, we can’t back out.”

“That’s frugal, are you sure your grandmother wasn’t Scottish? They are known for that.”

We stood to know where we were to stand and when to get there in the nicely decorated garden area. It was clear skies forecast for the next day. White chairs were set out and people sat as we rehearsed. The flower were being delivered tomorrow. Flowers, I didn’t care about those, but Tony thought it was necessary. We hadn’t really planned other than we wanted a little of our two faiths involved.

“Are there best men?” Terry asked.

We had cousins, nephews, and brothers-in-law standing up for us as witnesses just in dress clothes. Al, Mike, Drew, Davids (both Tony’s nephew and my cousin are named David).

I realized we hadn’t chosen one, for either of us. “There are many we could ask, but we never….”

“I’ll stand up for Mitch.” My father’s voice came up. I turned, now I was stunned. Dad shrugged. “I am his father.” Then he laughed lightly. “Can I suggest something?”

Both Tony and I nodded. We were both surprised.

“Having officiated at a few weddings in the past….” To which Mom laughed at that. “I believe there’s a part where you ask if anyone gives this…” he grinned. “…person to be wed. I’d like to do this.”

“So, I guess I’ll stand up for Tony,” Angelo said having sat with my parents. “I’m Tony’s father.” Then he looked at my father. “Good thing I packed my black suit.”

Dad chuckled. “I’ve got a dozen of them, no problem.”

Then Rev. Pat brightened. “And may I add something?”

We both nodded.

“Why not stand up for each of the other?” She suggested. “If you agree, why not have Mr. and Mrs. McKenzie stand as…” she laughed. “…as this is not a regular ceremony. Best Men and Maids of Honor are no being used….why not a set of Best Parents? Mr. and Mrs. McKenzie for Tony and Mr. and Mrs. Delveccio for Mitch?”

Terry smiled at Rev. Pat. “I think that would be very, very appropriate.”

“That’s a great idea.” Mom said standing beside my father proudly.

“I think Tony is a great addition to our family,” Dad said confidently.

“As Mitch has been for ours,” Kathleen said standing by Angelo. “My baby is marrying someone he loves, I should be included, too.”

Rev. Pat shrugged. “Any objections?”

“I think that’s a wonderful idea,” Tony said taking my hand.

Rev. Pat nodded. “Then take your places by your future sons. When I ask who gives these men, that’s when you say…”

“Their mothers and we do,” Dad said, he literally has done many weddings as a preacher. He knew the traditional ceremony by heart.

Terry grinned at me. “Then you will go to their sides.” She pointed to Tony’s and my side. Terry nodded as they went to where they were to stand. “That’s right.” She smiled at Dad, then to me noting I was still looking flabbergasted.

Dad walked over to me smiling, putting those fatherly hands on my arm. “You’re marrying someone you love. I was wrong in the past. This may help make up for what I did. I’m not only saying I accept what you’re doing. I wholeheartedly approve of your choice.”

Okay, the waterworks were starting. I saw my vision blur. But he shocked me! It was enough that he even came, but to give me away!? I never dreamed of asking. I looked over as Tony grinned at me. Angelo had been wary at first hearing about me and Tony, but he never turned his back on Tony in the first place.

That’s when the blast of a bagpipe echoed in the garden area where we were getting married. “Sorry.” The man we hired as one of the pipers said. Bagpipes had to be inflated with the piper’s air. Then he uses his arms to force the air through to make the sounds. He had been testing his.

Melissa looked back at the piper. “This is so cool!!” She smiled at her mother. “A real Scottish wedding!!”

“Almost.” Kathy nodded. “A few Italian things in it. It’s both.”

Then we had our dinner afterward. I was thrilled to see our two worlds were seeming to merge just fine. Both sides of our family were getting to know the other and getting along! They were having a good time. Though I admit to watching David, my cousin, getting along very well with Drew.

Tony chuckled as he looked at me as I watched my cousin and nephew. “If they do anything, does it bother you?”

I realized I was being stupid. “No, but I just…” then I sighed. “You’re right. They’re both adults. If they do, fine. If they don’t, fine. They seem to becoming friends at least. David’s always been a favorite cousin. And Michael. I’m just being protective.”

“That’s not a bad thing to be protective. But Drew’s a good guy, he’d never hurt David.” He smiled. “Would David hurt Drew?”

“Never,” I said instantly without thought.

“Then we’re good.” Tony smiled. “It’s great your father has come around.”

“I know!” I marveled. “I couldn’t believe it. He’s actually going to give me away! And Mom.”

Tony shrugged a smile. “He loves you.”

Then it was getting late. We were about to leave the banquet hall when both Tony and I were stopped. Drew, Al, and Mike were holding Tony back. My cousin David was holding me back.

“Oh, no,” David said to me. “You don’t see each other until you’re both at the altar for the wedding.”

“That’s right,” Al said.

“Those are the rules,” David said simply.

Tony frowned. “What is it about your family and all these damned rules?” He waved to me for his brothers and nephew to see he wanted me. “We’re married already!!”

“You can spend one night apart,” Mike said smiling hauling Tony off in a direction.

“At least we have the suite,” David said leading me off in the other direction. He shrugged. “We shared a bed many, many times over the years. One night without Tony won’t kill you.”

I smirked at my cousin. “It might.” Then I realized, I could ask David about Drew and those two other guys. “So, how are things with Drew?”

David laughed. “You mean, am I going to get lucky?” He shrugged. “Maybe not this trip, but maybe when I go to Montreal….who knows?”

I stopped at the suite door. “You’re going to Montreal? When?”

David smirked. “We’re going to the beach. Right after this. We’ll go to Montreal… he’s on break from school and I’m still looking for work, but enjoying the summer. So…”

“But he’s….” what word do I use. “…open to….whatever?”

“You’re as bad as Uncle Richard and Dad!” David laughed. “Would he have sex with me?” He shrugged. “We’ll find out. But he’s a nice guy. If it happens, it happens.”

“Fine.” I stopped him. “Have you ever been penetrated? Or have you penetrated a guy?”

David smiled. “Yes.”

“But you said there were two guys.”

“Actually, there were four.” He looked a little hesitant. “One was just a jerk off session. And please don’t freak out. The jerk off was with Michael and a buddy.”

“What!?” I balked.

“We’re twins!” David said loudly. “It was more like doing yourself. We were barely teenagers. We’d done other things all our lives. In the bathtub as kids. We touched each other’s’ wieners. Mostly because we didn’t understand why they got hard when we were little. It felt good. We just didn’t do it all the time. We were experimenting. It was more like masturbating when teenagers than jerking off. We both had another hand other than our own to jerk off.” He shrugged.

“And you did it often?”

“From about twelve until we were about sixteen.” David was uneasy now. “He’s my brother, but he’s my twin. The buddy didn’t stay buddies long, but we still did it. Imagine, having someone so like yourself, but different in many ways. We’d seen each other naked all our lives. Is that perverse?”

I didn’t know what to say. They were brothers, but there is always a connection between twins that often went beyond that family tie. “I don’t know. But it’s ironic you asking me for moral advice. I am gay, remember?” Then I saw his concern in his eyes. “David, I know you. You’re a good man. But Michael’s married now. If would be a problem if you two still did. It sounds like kids just being kids.” Then I was concerned about Gary’s involvement. “Did Gary start this with you two?”

David looked surprised. “Gary? Why?” Then he looked at me. “Why would he…” then he nodded as he put things together. “He did something to you, didn’t he?” He nodded a confirmation I hadn’t given.

“It was over fifteen years ago,” I said dismissively. “How did you know he may have done something with me?”

“There’s evidence of some others.” David shrugged.

“My objection to what happened was how he treated me afterward.”

David nodded. “There was another cousin, on Mom’s side that said Gary touched him.” David shrugged. “Now Gary doesn’t come around much. I don’t know who’s in his life.” He shook his head opening the suite door. “Michael found someone he loves. That’s Shelly. He’s told me of no other guys. I’m telling you things I never told anyone. Not anyone!” He stressed. “I trust you the most, your family I can really trust, and I don’t like labels. I’ve been with three girls. It was very nice, but so were the two guys that were also very nice. Maybe I am bisexual. I came to determine that if I find someone, that’s who I’ll be with. The gender didn’t matter.”

Maybe Tony was right. David was more evolved than many, certainly me. This was a lot to take in. “Is it perverse? I don’t know. I don’t think so. But you two shared space for so long, it might have just been because you’re twins. I knew you two were extremely close, but I just figured it was because you were twins.”

“Who says it’s not? There’s plenty of records on the Internet to say it’s kind of normal. We are twins. We even have our own language.”

There were things about twin psychology I didn’t know. “I don’t know. This is alien territory for me.”

David nodded. “We never kissed or anything. I never wanted to fuck him or let him fuck me.”

“But you were the best man at his wedding,” I said. “So him marrying someone is okay?”

“Sure. We’re not in love. We love each other, certainly. But how could I object? Shelly’s a great girl.” David nodded. “Of course I was best man. I’m his twin.”

I nodded. “This family really knows how to push the envelope on issues.”

“Would it surprise you to know Dad and Uncle Richard jerked each other off, too?”

That was way too much. “What!?”

“Two brothers, so close and never parting much…and friends? Who else would be let into the other’s personal space? That’s me and Michael. And it was also Dad and Uncle Richard. They shared a bed for almost two decades.” David nodded. “How we found out about Dad and Uncle Richard was when Dad caught Michael and me once. That’s when he told us about him and Uncle Richard. They were just kids, trying to figure out how things worked. We know they’re both straight.” He smiled and hesitantly looked at me. “Are you okay?”

I shook my head. “No.” I sat down on the bed.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have told you.” David sighed sitting beside me. “This is your wedding. Not some fraternity house talk about things like this.”

I looked at my cousin. “It’s just a shock, David.” I smiled. “To find out my straight-laced father has some….well, let’s just say, he saw himself as a knight, but now I see his armor is a little dinted and not so shiny.” I sighed. Then I reached out and threw my arm over his shoulder. “Now, what am I going to do without Tony?” I grinned at him.

His eyes grew. “Oh, no.” He chuckled. “Don’t even think about it. No way.” He edged away a little.

I kissed his temple. “Relax. I’m only kidding.” Then I hugged him. “I love you, David.”

He chuckled as he hugged me back. “I love you, too. You’re my favorite cousin.” Then he stopped. “And then there’s Chuck and of course, Rhonda and Mary…”

“A plethora of cousin choices of…what’s the count now? Sixty-three?.” I nodded. “At least I’m in the top ten, right?”

David nodded. “The very top.” Then he got up. “Now, my luggage is in my room, so I’ll have to wear my briefs to bed. Will that be too much for you?”

I rolled my eyes. “I’ve seen it already. Get undressed and let’s get some sleep.” Then I stopped. “You don’t snore, do you? I can’t remember.”

“Shut up.” David shot with a grin.

The morning arrived finally, now I was feeling….it’s hard to describe. Tony and I were already married, but this ceremony was a big deal. We were telling everybody we were committing. Slow building Adrenaline? I was looking forward to a life with Tony. I looked at the ring he gave me the night he proposed.

“No, no,” David said sitting up in bed as he watched me looking at the ring. “You’re not having cold feet!” Then he chuckled. “Well, you did have cold feet last night, but not about marrying Tony!”

“No, I don’t have cold feet.” I groused. “And I wouldn’t have had real cold feet last night if I had Tony, but I didn’t.”

“Aw, did you need cuddling?” David asked in mock pitying voice.

“Don’t we have somewhere to be?” I growled.

“The McKenzie breakfast.” David nodded. “Normally, it’s the Bride’s Wedding Day Breakfast, but since you’re the bride, we renamed it.” Then he grinned. “Or is Tony the bride? I’m sort of confused about this whole thing.”

“Get dressed,” I said, then looked at his almost naked form in the bed. “That means you’ll have to go get some clothes.”

He chuckled. “That’s not going to work if you’re thinking what I believe you are.” He said in a sing-song voice. “I have help on the way. He’ll be here in a few minutes.”

“Damn it,” I said in a loud whisper throwing the covers off. “Tony’s right, this family is way too dependent on damned rules. Who makes them up?”

“It’s a tradition.” David corrected, but still smiling. “I don’t know who made it up, we all just do it. We’re consistent at least.”

There was a knock on the door. Going to it, I saw Mike, looking not as good as he usually does. People don’t all look great when they wake up.

“No, and don’t ask me,” Mike said sternly. “You can’t see Tony. I’m here to get his suit and shaving and shower things. He’ll get dressed in our suite.” He said pushing past me. "First, the Delveccio Breakfast. We're giving him that one. You have the McKenzie Breakfast."

I nodded and started to head over to our luggage to get Tony’s things.

“No!” Mike said quickly, holding me back. “I’m to get it.”

My eyebrows rose at that. “Why?”

“He doesn’t want you to know something.” Mike went to the luggage and got Tony’s bag and one of the suitcases. “You could have told me Tony snores.” He said mockingly indignant. Then he walked to the door and then stepped aside.

“This is Mitch McKenzie’s room, isn’t it?” I heard a voice I knew.

Mike motioned to me with a smile. “He’s right there. I’m the future brother-in-law, Mike. Louise’s husband.” He stuck his hand out.

“I’m Mitch’s cousin, Chuck.” Chuck shook Mike’s hand. “Does that make us cousins-in-law?”

“Something like that.” Mike grinned. “Why not? In-laws for sure.” Then he walked off to go back to Tony.

Chuck came in smiling widely. “So, ready to get married?”

“No, I’m canceling,” I muttered. “Tony and I broke up.”

“What!?” Chuck asked shocked.

“He’s kidding,” David reassured. “You know him. He never gives the answer when it’s obvious what the answer is.”

Chuck nodded chuckling. “Oh, yeah. I forgot.” Then he was back to being his happy self. “Well, get dressed, we have to be in the banquet room in an hour! The McKenzies have booked and are paying for this.”

I groaned and went into the bathroom. It didn’t take long for me to shower and shave. Then I dressed in an outfit that had been purchased for the day. Tony insisted that we each buy one for this reason.

I was escorted to the banquet room where I was surprised at all the cousins that came. And a few aunts and uncles. Like I’ve said many times, I had a really big family. “Hi, everyone!”

“You haven’t seen Tony today, have you?” Aunt Faye asked smiling.

“No,” I said curtly.

“Good,” Sherry said happily. “This will be a momentous occasion, we don’t want any bad vibes.”

“I’m sure I’m giving off a few myself right now,” I said dourly.

“All because he can’t see his precious Tony.” David mockingly crooned as he came in dressed nicely and showered.

I frowned at David. “Well, he is, damn it! We’ve not been apart in over a year!”

“Until now.” Chuck smiled. “It was done to me and every guy married here. So buck up.”

The fact a good number of the McKenzies were here and showing support was the happiest moment I had yet. The wedding was next.