“Today, Lily. If you agree.” She didn’t ask another question. Her eyes welled with tears.
“It works for me – better yet, it works for us.”
“I didn’t plan anything beyond coming to Jerusalem,” I admitted sheepishly.
“Now we’ll find a place to get married. I know it’s possible.”
She was well aware of my complicated relationship with my parents and also that hers would have liked advance notice.
“What about our parents?” she asked.
“They’ll have no choice but to accept it.” I had no idea where that confidence came from, but I was convinced that in the end, both sets of parents would have to accept the marriage as afait accompli.
She was quiet. Maybe she doubted what I was saying, but she decided to cooperate, still digesting the surprise.
“So, shall we buy a ring?” I asked rhetorically. I knew that an affirmative answer meant that “Operation Wedding” would proceed.
“Yes,” she replied firmly. “Let’s buy it and get married. By the way, you’re insane.”
“That’s not news now, is it?” I smiled.
“Do they know?” she pointed in the direction the other three had taken.
“Yes, they know.”
“They didn’t say a word! Not even David!”
“Max actually did say something, but you either didn’t hear or didn’t understand.”
Buying the ring turned out to be the easiest part. We walked into the first shop by Jaffa Gate, and within minutes walked out with the ring she had chosen. I think she just wanted the ordeal over with. Back at Jaffa Gate, Max demanded to see it.
“Before you sanctify her, let me check if it fits. Come on…” he was always impatient. “Show us.”
“In the restaurant,” I told him firmly.
Luckily, we didn’t need his tricks to find a table at Philadelphia. The place was packed with Israelis, none of whom had any idea they were about to witness a wedding.
Before coffee and dessert, I handed the ring to Max to check. I knew that was something you were supposed to do.
“It looks all right. I approve,” he said solemnly and passed it to David, who passed it to Serge. Each one said, “Approved.”
I was moved. So was Lily.
“Good luck,” they said together. David added, “And good health…”
“Thanks,” I said, and in the same breath slipped the ring ontoLily’s finger. “Behold, you are consecrated to me with this ring, according to the law of Moses and Israel.”
“Do I need to say anything else?” I asked, as the three of them stood stunned and uncharacteristically quiet.
“Say something about Jerusalem,” David suggested.
“Uh … If I forget you… That’s what they say at weddings, right?”
“At the breaking of the glass, I think,” Max said.
“Yes, at the breaking of the glass,” David confirmed.
“If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you,” I recited with ceremonial pathos.
