“Because you’re one of the most popular people in Columbus?”Mike answered as he opened the door, where their respective fathers were standing, grinning.
“Oh, mon beau fils a décidé de nous honorer de sa presence.”Jean-Claude Throneaux, Jamie’s father, stated.“C’est un jour dont je suis très fier.Un jour très heureux.”He leaned in and kissed Jamie on both cheeks.
He looked at Mike, his smile bright.“Et j’ai encore un autre fils, tout aussi beau.”He took Mike by the shoulders, turning him towards him, and repeated the gesture.“C’est un jour très heureux.”
Mike’s father, James Jones, asked, “What was all that?”he chuckled.“It sounded very...elegant.
Mike put his arm across his father’s shoulders, smiling.
“I said,” Jamie’s father started, “That I have a very handsome son and that I am very glad to see this day.And that now, I have another handsome son, and that it was a very happy day,” he translated.“I am sorry.”Jean-Claude did a slight bow.“I did not mean to speak to where you would not understand.It is that I am so happy.”
“Thanks, Jean-Claude,” Jimmy Jones said.“I understand.It is a very exciting day, indeed.”
An employee of the golf course country club said, “Gentlemen, are we ready?”
Jean-Claude held out his hand to his son.“Shall we?”
Jamie took his father’s hand in his.“Thank you for being here.”
“But, of course.I would never miss my firstborn’s wedding!”
Mike held out his hand to his father.It took a moment for Jimmy Jones to take it, not a custom that was common in the U.S.He did and then smiled at his son.“I’m ready,” he said.
Mike and his father went down the aisle, in between the white folding chairs.There was a rustle as people stood.When Mike and Jamie had sat down to hammer out the details for the wedding, Jamie let Mike have his way for the majority of it, but he did insist on a country song that brought his grandmother to tears every time she heard it; “I’ll Say I Do.”
The wedding ceremony was short, as both Jamie and Mike had agreed.The reception would be at the diner, which suited both men, and they decided that beer and wine would be offered.Jamie’s father insisted that he provide the wine, while Mike’s father wanted to buy the beer, his beverage of choice, while Mike’s mother rarely drank but said she would have a glass of wine.
The biggest argument they had was over the food.Jamie wanted to cook it all, but Mike put his big foot down and absolutely would not budge.They compromised by allowing the diner’s kitchen staff to cook things that Jamie would approve of.The only stipulation was that it be buffet, so the ladies didn’t have to work, and that the younger kitchen staff do most of the work on the day.That would allow Walter, Timmy, and Dexter to be part of the party after the ceremony.And of course, Jamie found a way around that by cooking most everything leading up to the event, meaning that most of it was just heat and serve.Mike nearly blew a gasket when he found out, but it had been too late.
“Attention, s’il vous plaît?May I have your attention, please?”Jean-Claude said, using both languages so that Jamie’s stepmother and stepbrothers and stepsister would understand.“Je voudrais porter un toast aux hommes nouvellement unis que nous sommes ici pour célébrer.I would like to propose a toast to the newly bonded men we are here to celebrate.”He pulled both men up from their seats.“Aujourd’hui, j’ai eu le privilège d’être témoin d’une belle union entre mon fils et cet homme, que je considère désormais comme un fils.Today, I have been able to witness a great union between my son and this man, whom I now consider a son.”He lifted his champagne flute.“Puissiez-vous connaître de longues années de bonheur à venir.May you have many happy years ahead of you.”
There was a loud cheer, a clinking of glasses, as the toast was made.Jamie looked around the dining room of the diner, which was packed to the gills with people who were involved in their lives.Before Jamie sat back down, next to his new husband, he turned around and looked at the photos that Joesph had hung on the wall.He located the one with him standing between his grandparents, not long after he’d come to live with them.
“Mamaw, Papaw...I wish you were here.I love and miss you.”Suddenly, he felt Mike’s arm draped across his shoulders and then a kiss landed on his temple.
“They’re here in spirit.”Mike hugged him close, pulling him into his side.“They’d be so proud of you.You know that, right?”
Jamie could only nod, feeling himself tearing up.
When they turned back around, Mike’s father was standing, his glass with beer instead of champagne.“And here is to my son and his new partner.”He turned to Mike and Jamie.“I also wish many happy times and wish them everything they hope for in life.”
Another round of applause, cheers, and clinking of glasses.
“My turn,” Joesph said, standing.He chose to wear a bright red suit, white shirt, red bowtie, with bright red patent leather shoes.Lord only knows where he found them, Jamie thought when he saw them.“I’ve been Jamie’s best friend for longer than I am willing to admit.But when I saw Jamie and Mike together for the first time, I knew that Jamie had met his match.There was no denying that they were perfect for each other.The only problem was getting Jamie to see it and then, even more frustrating...to everyone around him, admit it.Flo and I had to scheme to get them together.Thankfully, Mike is not as stubborn as Jamie is.”He looked at Jamie.“My darling,youare a stubborn ass!”
There was a great deal of laughter.Jamie stuck his tongue out at his friend, and then more cheers and a great deal of drinking.There was no dancing, since there wasn’t any room, but that didn’t mean that there wasn’t some music and a lot of wiggling people in the room.
Midway through the party, Christine rolled out a big cake.Jamie was gobsmacked at how beautiful it was.He walked around it and looked at Christine.“You’ve outdone yourself.When did you have time?”
Christine chuckled.“You rarely check up on me and...well”—she pulled Ian to her side—“this one here helped me a lot.I think he’d make a wonderful pastry chef.”
“Really?”Jamie looked at Ian.“Is that something that you’d be interested in?”
Ian nodded slowly.“I was torn between the two, but I really like pastry and desserts.”
“Okay then,” Jamie said, smiling.“We’ll start you working more with Christine.”
“After the honeymoon,” Mike interjected.“Or else I’ll never get him to take some time off.”He kissed Jamie quickly.“Right?”
