Chapter Fourteen

In the following weeks, Jeff’s wonderful mood just kept growing. He and Luke had gone out enough times to be considered official boyfriends by just about anyone’s standards. He’d cleaned out and rearranged all the furniture in his apartment and was teaching his kids about F. Scott Fitzgerald with newfound exuberance. The play had just started dress rehearsals, and everything was running smoothly. Cam’s grades were better than they’d ever been thanks to Jeff’s weekly sessions, most of which now consisted of Jeff telling Cam that he was leaving when he was really just sneaking out back to Luke’s shed to make out with him. So yeah, things seemed to be looking up for everybody.

Before Jeff knew it, it was time for April and Dex’s wedding. It was the first Saturday in February, exactly one week before Valentine’s day and it felt like love was in the air. Luke showed up at Jeff’s place at 11:30 in the morning wearing an actual suit. The jacket was dark gray and worn over a white button down. He’d accessorized with a skinny red tie and pocket square. The pants were a little too short around his ankles, but the look still made Luke look devastatingly handsome, and it complemented Jeff’s own more traditional black suit. They’d look nice together, like an actual couple of equal standing and attractiveness. Jeff didn’t know why he liked the idea of that so much. Maybe it was because almost all of his previous boyfriends had been somewhat sloppy in nature. Luke had just enough of that rugged and laid-back style that Jeff was attracted to, but without taking it too far like Manny often had.

“You clean up nice,” he told Luke, pushing up onto his toes to give him a kiss.

“I’m glad you think so,” Luke said. “Because this is the only formal wear I own.”

Jeff wasn’t surprised, but he filed away the information regardless. He always took note of things his loved ones needed, but wouldn’t buy for themselves. Those always made for the best presents.

Jeff smoothed his boyfriend’s tie and beckoned him inside.

“How’s Cam? I feel bad for missing tutoring. He’s got a Spanish quiz on Monday.”

“He’s fine,” Luke insisted. “He said that since you couldn’t make it he was gonna go study with Danielle at her place. He seemed excited about it. He didn’t even bat an eye when I told him I was going to a work event and might be out late.”

“Huh,” Jeff mused. Cam and Danielle had gotten awfully cozy as of late, to the point where Jeff suspected that their onstage romance had wormed its way into their everyday lives. This only confirmed his suspicions, but hey, if he and Luke were allowed to keep their relationship a secret, Jeff didn’t see any reason why Cam and Danielle couldn’t do the same. They were good kids. He was sure they’d be safe. In fact, in a lot of ways they kind of reminded him of today’s bride and groom to be.

“So, where’s the wedding again?” Luke asked. “And whose car should we take?”

“It’s at a chapel over in Goose Creek. We should probably take yours. My truck doesn’t get very good gas mileage.”

“Okay,” Luke said. “But that means I get to pick the music.”

“You know I like every type of music. Don’t try and act like that’s a threat.”

Luke put his hand over his heart in mock offense.

“Threaten you? Why I’m offended. Honestly, Jefferson, what kind of man do you think I am?”

Jefferson laughed and reached for Luke’s face.

“A very handsome one.”

The two of them kissed, a long and lingering one now. Eventually, they broke apart and made it out the door with their clothes still on and intact. Jeff had even remembered to grab his gift. 

It was about a thirty-minute drive to the wedding venue, which left Jeff and Luke plenty of time alone together. It was nice. Both of them were in a particularly good mood and were happily singing along to Luke’s 80’s hair bands. Also, the view wasn’t anything to scoff at. Although they were driving more inland, away from the county’s signature beaches and into more militarized area, there were still lots of beautiful old buildings and thick knotted trees that seemed to spill out over everything. The chapel that April and Dex had picked out was no exception.

The building itself was a tall white structure with steeply slanted ceilings and a belfry on top. Leading up to the main entrance were wide, moss covered steps that were evidently serving as the altar. Standing atop them was a jovial priest in front of an elaborate metal podium. He was surrounded on either side by two massive southern live oak trees that served as a natural archway. Facing him were two long columns of white folding chairs, about half of which were already filled. There was classical music that seemed to be trickling down from hidden speakers up above.

As Jeff and Luke approached, they were greeted by a smiling young man with black hair and thick plastic glasses who asked them to sign the guest book. Jeff went first, seeing as he was the one who had actually been invited and then handed it over to Luke. When they were done, the man took the book back and held it protectively to his chest as he led them to their seats. They ended up on the right side of the aisle toward the end of the fifth row. A moment later, a woman came by to pick up Jeff’s gift. He didn’t know if these people were related to the couple or not, but they were like wedding ninjas.

As more guests continued to trickle in behind them, Luke pulled out his phone and silenced it. Jeff, wisely, did the same. Then he began surveying the crowd. At first glance the guests in attendance just seemed like a random mishmash of strangers, the way all crowds do when you’re in the middle of them, but then individual facial features started making their way into Jeff’s brain, sparking memories. There were tons of Apollo High School alums in the audience. He started excitedly whispering about them to Luke.

“That girl over there, the one with the blue hair, I had her in my class the first time I tried teaching speech and debate. It was a disaster. I was super un-confident in myself and anytime one of the kids spoke up or questioned my decision about a match I just caved and let them do whatever they wanted. And the boy sitting next to her, he used to eat lunch in my classroom every day because people in the cafeteria always made fun of his stutter. Also, I’m pretty sure that girl that just walked in is Nancy O’Riordan, who played Antigone in her freshman year and never wanted to be in another show again, no matter how hard I tried.”

Jeff went on for several minutes until a sudden hush fell over the crowd. He glanced up and saw Dex, looking much older but still recognizable thanks to Jeff’s bout of SocialBook stalking prior to coming here, exiting the church and coming to stand at the altar. He was followed shortly behind by his groomsmen, who were all wearing a dusty blue color. If Jeff was writing about it, he’d have called it periwinkle, although he still wasn’t one hundred percent sure that was the correct word for the color he was seeing. It was just the closest he could come up with without peeking at a paint strip or color wheel.

In any case, the groomsmen lined up neatly with one person on each step so that they created the effect of a human ladder leading up to the groom, who was nervously clenching and unclenching his fists as the priest leaned over to whisper something in his ear. Whatever the clergyman had to say seemed to put Dex at ease, at least for the time being. He took a deep breath and nodded at some unseen force. And that unseen force must have been a DJ, because almost immediately the generic classical music blasting through the air switched to a much louder wedding march. Everybody in the crowd craned their necks backward in anticipation of the bride’s arrival, but the bridal party was still a little speck in the distance.

It wasn’t until the first walker, a flower girl with long brown ringlets and a poofy yellow dress, made it to the edge of the seats that everyone started to stand. The girl lingered for a moment with her little fingers clenched tightly around her basket, until Dex waved at her and motioned for her to come forward. The girl walked a slightly crooked path and dumped her flower petals at odd intervals, but she was adorable all the same. Once she reached the top of the steps, Dex scooped her up in his arms and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before directing her to the proper step to stand on. There were many audible awws from the audience. One or two of them may have come from Jeff himself.

Next came someone whom Jeff barely recognized as April’s little sister Alyssa. He hadn’t been as close with Alyssa as he had been with April, but he still remembered her well. She’d always turned in well-polished essays. She was wearing a dress that was basically a tighter and more fitted version of the flower girl’s and she was carrying with her a simple bouquet of white lilies. She walked down the aisle very quickly and efficiently and immediately took her place on the edge of the steps.

Then, three more bridesmaids came that Jeff did not recognize, and then finally, the woman of the hour stepped into view. April looked stunning in her dress, which was white with sparkling silver beads all up and down the fitted bodice. The bottom half of the dress tapered into a classic princessy silhouette, only the skirt ended just below April’s knees, making it look fun and way more modern. Her thick black hair was woven in and out of a small tiara and she was smiling from ear to ear as her father led her down the aisle. Jeff instinctively leaned into Luke’s chest as she passed their row. Nothing had happened yet and he was already starting to feel choked up.

April’s dad walked her all the way up the stairs before giving his daughter a big hug, shaking Dex’s hand and then joining his family in the first row. Dex turned to his bride with unmasked reverence in his eyes. The music cut out and everyone waited in charged silence to see what would happen next.

“You may be seated,” said the priest. His voice was loud and creaky, the way you might expect a marble statue to sound. He waited patiently for everyone to sit back down before continuing. “We are gathered here today to join April Jean Donahue and Dexter Wolicki in holy matrimony. If any person in attendance can show just cause as to why these two may not be joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

The crowd remained silent.

“Good,” the priest said. “Now if you will all join me in prayer. Dear God, we ask for your blessings upon this lovely couple as we celebrate this momentous occasion in their lives. Please grant them happiness and joy as they establish their new home and explore the depths of their love for one another, and for you. Bless their families and friends and all those who have supported and sustained them throughout their lives. And most of all, in times of hardship and suffering, please give them the strength to remember the love and dedication that led them to this moment here today. In your name we pray, Amen.”

Jeff reached for Luke’s hand and squeezed.

“Now I invite the bride and groom to share their vows to each other.”

The priest handed his microphone to Dex and took a small step back.

“Hi everyone,” Dex said, voice thin and shaky. “Thank you so much for coming.” He turned his full attention to his wife to be. “April, for pretty much the entire time that I’ve known you, you have been my best friend and my biggest supporter. You’ve helped me not only learn what it means to love another person, but also what it means to love myself. I truly feel like you are my soulmate in every sense of the word. You make me a stronger, happier, and more compassionate human being. As your husband, I promise to love you unconditionally no matter the circumstances and always support you in your creative endeavors. I promise to do whatever I possibly can to minimize your daily stresses and make sure your needs are met. I promise to sing along with you in the car and never get mad at you for making fun of my bad taste in movies. I promise to remain selfless, honest, respectful, and kind, so that the joint vision of our happy life together can become a reality. I love you now and I’ll love you forever. In sickness and in health for as long as we both shall live. Thank you for making me the luckiest man on the face of the earth.”

Dex let out another shaky breath and passed the microphone over to April, who along with so many people in the audience—Jeff included—had tears in her eyes. She dabbed at them carefully and blinked several times. Dex leaned in and whispered something in her ear that made her laugh long enough to get her emotions under control.

“Dex. There isn't much I can say to you now that I haven't already said a million times. When I first met you, you were timid and shy, afraid of the world, and I, like a moron, thought I could never be with someone like that. It wasn’t until Mr. Martin paired us off in drama club that I started to take notice of you and see you for who you really are. Passionate, sweet, brave, and so incredibly thoughtful. My only regret is that I wish I’d been able to see it sooner. Thank you so much for being patient enough to break through my walls and see me as I truly am too. Also, thank you for putting up with my drama all throughout high school and continuing to stick with me over the years. I know that couldn’t have been easy, but you truly are the yin to my yang. Your calming energy balances me out in every way. I've grown so much as a person since we've met, and I'm so excited to continue growing with you as we go through the joyful and the difficult times to come. I promise to respect our differences and support your dreams, including your strange and oddly delicious food combinations. I promise to do my part in creating a better life and home as a couple than we ever could on our own. I love you Dexter Wolicki. I’m so honored to be your wife.”

At this point Jeff had pretty much stopped giving a fuck and was now letting his tears flow freely. She’d mentioned him by name in her wedding vows for goodness sake! Luke wrapped his arm around his shoulders and pulled him close. Jeff was only slightly surprised to find his boyfriend’s shoulders were shaking too. At this rate there probably wasn’t a single dry eye left in the house.

The priest cleared his throat into the microphone to re-grab everyone’s attention and then asked for the rings. At this, one of the groomsmen stumbled forward and dug two metal circles from his breast pocket and handed one to Dex and one to April. The two of them were beaming at each other with equal amounts of adoration.

Once the groomsman was back in position, the priest continued with a brief speech about how the rings were meant to be a symbolic token of their everlasting love for each other as they were circular and unending. Honestly, it was hard to catch every word of it over the sniffling and nose blowing going on in the crowd.

“April,” he said finally. “Please place the ring on Dex’s finger and repeat these words: with this ring, I thee wed.”

April slid the ring onto Dex’s left hand and then gently closed his fingers around it.

“With this ring, I thee wed.”

Her voice rang out loud and clear even without the microphone.

Dex repeated the sentiment a few moments later, and just like that the still unnamed priest was pronouncing them husband and wife and telling them to celebrate their union with a kiss. Dex didn’t need to be asked twice. He wrapped his arms around April’s tiny waist and dipped her. She giggled audibly for several seconds before easing into the gorgeous Hollywood-worthy kiss.

The crowd stood and gave a mighty roar of applause that made the poor old priest rub his ears in discomfort. He was still smiling though. How could he not be after officiating the most adorable wedding of all time?

When Dex and April finally broke apart, they disappeared into the church with the rest of the bridal party. The priest then informed all of the guests that the reception would be held inside and that the newlyweds would be back to greet everyone in about an hour or so. Then he too, opened the ornate doors and stepped inside.

In a matter of seconds, there were people dismantling the podium and orderly leading people down the aisle and up the steps. The classical music had switched to a happy love song. When the ushers made it to them, Jeff and Luke stood up and linked arms. Jeff leaned against Luke as they walked. He felt like he’d just been on a long and emotional journey in under twenty minutes.

Inside, the church wasn’t actually a church at all, but a banquet hall. Apparently, the building had been bought and gutted some time ago. There were no pews, only an endless sea of wooden floorboards and staircases on either side of the room leading up to the dreamily lit mezzanine balcony up above. Lined along the edges of the room were circular blue-clothed tables with name cards and white floral centerpieces. Along the back wall was a display set up with the wedding cake, a small chocolate fountain and a couple of other small fixings. In the other corner was a small photo booth right next to the open bar. The rest of the floor space was reserved for dancing. The same pop-y music that was permeating the outdoors was even louder in here, but not so loud that you couldn’t have a conversation over it.

“You wanna dance?” Luke asked him.

Jeff took a quick glance around the room. Nobody was paying either of them any attention. Everyone was laughing, drinking, and generally having a good time.

“Sure,” he said.

Luke led him out to the dead center of the floor and lazily draped his arms around Jeff’s neck. Jeff wrapped his own around Luke’s beefy waist and the two of them started swaying lightly to the music.

“That was some ceremony, huh?” Jeff mused as one song bled into another.

Luke nodded his head.

“Mmmhmm. Probably the second most beautiful wedding I’ve ever seen.”

“What was the first?” Jeff asked.

Luke spun them both around as the music picked up and pulled Jeff close to his chest.

“Mine, of course.” he answered.

Jeff’s stomach sank.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s okay,” Luke said. “I don’t mind talking about it. It was one of the happiest days of my life. It was in Sarah’s mom’s backyard in the middle of summer. It was hotter than four hundred hells, but Sarah looked like an angel. We didn’t know it, but she was pregnant with Cam at the time.”

“That does sound really beautiful,” Jeff said, smiling.

“Yeah,” Luke agreed. “But you know, there are a few things I think I missed out on the first time. Maybe next time I’ll actually book a venue and fly in everybody I want to be there from out of town.”

“Next time?” Jeff asked, eyes wide. “You mean you want to get married again?”

Luke shrugged.

“I wouldn’t say no to the right person.”

Jeff flushed and had to look away.

The rest of the night was kind of a blur after that. Dex and April returned, making a grand re-entrance via the upstairs balcony, from which April lobbed her bouquet right at her sister’s head. After that, the happy couple came downstairs to greet everyone. By the time April and Dex finally made it over to Luke and Jeff, they both looked exhausted, but they were still smiling brightly. They each gave Jeff a bone-crushing hug. April even let out a happy little squeal when Jeff introduced Luke to them as his boyfriend. Dex was slightly more subtle with his approval, opting for a firm handshake and a thumbs-up instead.

Once all the guests had been properly received, they all sat down at their assigned tables for dinner. Jeff gave his speech and didn’t stumble at all. He went on and on at length about the staying power of love and what it means to maintain a relationship for so long. He also mentioned how proud he was of both of them and how it was an honor to be included as a part of their special day. During the whole speech Jeff kept longing to look down at Luke and gauge his reaction, but he kept his eyes trained on April and Dex, like a good little matchmaker.

They ate a huge and delicious meal, partook in a drink—only one since they still had to drive back home—watched the cutting of the cake, and ended their night in the photo booth. It was one of those fancy rental units with a green screen in the back and tons of emoticon stickers and frames. Jeff and Luke forewent all of those options and decided to just make good old fashioned funny faces at the camera. After the first couple of pictures they were both laughing, unable to keep a straight face.

“Hey,” Luke said, leaning in.

“Hey,” Jeff repeated, capturing Luke’s lips.

The camera kept on clicking, capturing the sweet peck and the moments after.

“I love you,” Jeff said, almost a sigh. He didn’t even mean for it to come out. Luke reached up and held Jeff’s face in his hands.

“I love you too,” he said without hesitation.

Jeff was unable to contain his smile and hid his face in Luke’s shoulder.

This truly was a magical night.