DJ Pt. 17

"We are gathered today, to witness the commitment of two such people to each other." She turned and started a CD playing on a boom box that none of us had noticed. It was not the conventional 'Here comes the Bride' but was soft music that we could stroll to.

"Jeff, if you will accompany your groom to the alter?"

Jeff took Joe's right hand in his left hand, and they strolled down the isle to the altar, Joe standing in front of the Pastor.

"Now, DJ, if you will walk your father down the isle?"

DJ took my left hand in his, and strolled me down the isle to the altar, tears in his eyes, and that patented smile on his face. Arriving at the alter, Joe and I instinctively held each other's hands. The Pastor spoke.

"Joseph V. Reynolds, do you take Douglas R. Kendall to be your lawfully wedded husband, to cherish and honor, to love and to care for, in good times and bad, through sickness and health, until death tears you apart?"

"I do!"

"Douglas R. Kendall, do you take Joseph V. Reynolds to be your lawfully wedded husband, to cherish and honor, to love and to care for, in good times and bad, through sickness and health, until death tears you apart?"

"I do!"

"Do you have rings?" Evelyn asked. Joe and I both fished in our pockets, producing the wedding bands.

"You may place the rings on each other's hands." Joe and I slipped the rings onto each others left ring fingers.

"By the powers given me by the Federal Government, and from our Creator, I hereby pronounce Joseph and Douglas to be legally married husbands! You may kiss each other.

Joe and I wrapped our arms around each other, and shared our first passionate kiss as a married couple. It was wonderful, and as we kissed, the room erupted in applause, and pastor Evelyn smiled.

"If I may say something!" Joe hollered, "not only are we two extremely happy husbands, I know we have made someone else very happy today, I'd like to introduce OUR SON, DJ, I put an emphasis on the OUR for a reason. My husband, Doug, went through all the hoops to legally adopt DJ as his legal Son. Now, today, DJ is MY SON TOO, and I am so extremely proud of him."

DJ stepped between us from the back and placed an arm around each of our necks, hugging us both and Sam got a beautiful shot of the three of us together, DJ sporting that patented smile.

"OK EVERYBODY!" I hollered, "My husband spent a lot of money on all this food, so DIG IN! We sure can't eat all this."

Daryl, approaching me, "Doug, I know this is your big party, but can I make an announcement?"

"Sure Daryl."

"HEY EVERYBODY, CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION? I know that most of you have no idea who I am, I'm kind of a tag-a-long today. My name is Daryl Cartwright, and I'm a housemate of Randy Shultz, the General Manager of your local Southside Drug and Pharmacy, and I've recently been transferred here as an assistant manager of the local CVS."

"Randy, can you come over here please?" Randy reluctantly came to where Daryl was standing.

"Folks, Randy and I have known each other for seven years, we met at the university, studying to be pharmacists. We were Dorm-mates, then, after graduation, became apartment-mates, and now, we've rented a house together, so we're housemates."

"I've loved this man for seven years, and—I know this is a little awkward—but..."

Daryl, grabbing a small box from his pocket, and dropping to one knee, "Randy, will you marry me?" The room erupted with cheers.

Randy, tears flooding his face, "I thought you would never ask! Yes, Daryl, I will marry you!"

Daryl, "HEY EVERYBODY! HE SAID 'YES'!" Daryl pushed his fists into the air, smiling. The room continued to cheer.

"Daryl" I said, grinning, "that was a mighty unique proposal, congratulations, guys!"

DJ, smiling that patented smile, "Congrats, Randy, I'm very happy for you two, did you know what Daryl was going to do?"

"No DJ, it was a complete shock, but the best shock of my life!"

Gloria, speaking to DJ, "Didn't I tell you they were soul-mates?"

Somebody handed Joe a knife and said we had to cut the cake.

"I've just been informed" Joe hollered, "that we're supposed to cut the cake!"

In traditional fashion, Joe and I both with hands on the knife, cut out the first slice, and placed it on a small plate, then fed forkfuls of it to each other, grinning all the way, while the guests cheered.

I suddenly had hands wrapped around me from behind, and this deep voice said "Congratulations Dad, awesome wedding!" I spun around, looking right into Matt's face, and he is grinning.

"Why, thank you Matt, I didn't recognize your voice."

Matt, snickering, "That's OK, I don't recognize it either, I'm really happy for you and Joe—and DJ, he finally has his step-dad."

It's about 4:00 PM and the crowd is thinning. All the policemen have left, except Jeff. Randy and Daryl caught up with Pastor Evelyn and got her information, and told her they likely would have another wedding for her in the near future. Gloria had opened that morning, and she and Jerry had left.

Randy had to re-open the store at 5:00 PM, but Daryl had the entire day off. Randy asked Daryl to hang around the store with him until closing, at 9:00 PM.

Joe asked Anthony how the lasagna happened to appear. Anthony said that everything Joe bought was cold stuff, salads and the like, and he thought they ought to have something that was hot, so he made the lasagna, his gift to our wedding reception. Joe told him thank you and it was much appreciated. Looking at the pan, it was also gone.

We asked DJ and Jamie to take whatever food was left to Karen's, since Granny was still there, and the boys were staying there while Joe and I were on our honeymoon. We took the top tier of the cake home with us, and put it in the fridge.

Sam took our phone numbers, and told us it would be about 2 weeks before the package would be complete, and we could meet some place to get it. DJ paid Sam the $100 in cash, and I paid Marla in cash for the cake. Joe took care of Pastor White, and I never knew what she had charged for her service.

Randy and Daryl were kidding with Joe and me about the cruise. I told Randy that Joe and I likely would be the oldest old queens on the ship. Daryl mentioned that even old queens enjoy the eye candy that will be flitting around that deck, and wagging their tails.

Carl asked, "Joe, do you and Doug have plans for this evening?"

"Yes," Joe answered, grinning, "I'm taking my new husband home and consummate our marriage!" then, "in actuality, we're going home and pack for our honeymoon."

"I'm sure," Carl said, grinning, "you're well practiced on that consummation thing! Your flight is at 11:00 AM, so you need to be there at 10:00. I'll be at your house to pick you up at 8:00 AM tomorrow morning. Enjoy your first night sleeping together as husbands."

Joe and I went over and kissed Aggie goodbye, and reminded her that we would be coming back a couple of days before she had to leave for California. Carl and Karen gathered Aggie up and they left for home.

Joe and I left Anthony's and returned to our home, DJ and Jeff followed us in separate cars. Once at the house, DJ and Jeff went to the boys' room, took off the tux's and changed into regular clothes. Joe and I just removed the tux's, leaving our underwear on, as we were about to do our packing, and then go to bed.

DJ gathered up all of our tux's and put them in the Tracker, and came back in. We thanked Jeff, and he left for home. DJ gave both Joe and me a very passionate hug and kiss, and reminded us how thankful he was to now have both Dad's, legally.

"I'm going to miss you both, but at least I will know that you are having fun, and doing something you've wanted to do for years, and be able to do it as a married couple. I'm so incredibly happy. It's hard to believe that winter break is over, and we have school tomorrow already!"

DJ ran back to their room and grabbed both his and Jamie's backpacks, and left the house and headed back to Anthony's. It was still only 7:30 PM and Jamie was scheduled until 9:00, and DJ figured Jamie probably needed his help to clean up from the reception. He figured right. Jamie's face lit up when DJ walked in the door.

With DJ's assistance they had everything cleaned up and back in place by 9:10, Jamie was actually off duty at 9:00. They gathered up the leftovers, and put the containers in the back of the Tracker.

"DJ," Anthony said, "Thanks for coming back and helping Jamie clean up, I've told you before, if you ever need a job, I would hire you in a heartbeat, and when you two work together, you're like a well oiled machine."

"Thanks, Anthony," DJ stated, "We've got school tomorrow, first class at 9:00 AM, so we need to get home and get to bed."

When the boys got back to Jamie's house, Granny was already in bed. The boys brought the leftovers in from the Tracker, and Karen told them to go on to bed, and she would put the stuff away, and Carl helped her. Jamie told Karen that their first class was 9:00 AM this semester, so they needed to leave here by around 8:30 on most mornings.

Carl planned on getting up about 6:00 AM tomorrow as he was to pick up Doug and Joe at 8:00 and wanted time for a couple cups of coffee before leaving.

(to be continued...)

Coming in Part 18

The start of spring semester

DJ and Jamie receive pleas from Bryan

Joe and Doug are on a Gay Cruise

Randy and Daryl plan a housewarming party