Chapter 110: Wedding Traditions

After another round of photos with the entire wedding party, then some with all the guys and their girls, they left the chapel to a shower of birdseed. Giggling and with hands firmly clasped together, they walked out into the sunny quad and David pulled up short.

“What on Earth?” He saw a chupah set up in the expansive lawn, and his mother’s Rabbi standing at the ready.

“You gave me my tradition, I want to give you yours,” Hath said, reaching up to kiss her husband. “We’re married in the eyes of my God, I want to be married in the eyes of yours, too.”

“You are wonderful,” David said. “Thank you.”

They led the crowd over to the canopy. Hath had done her research, and waited for David, his mother, Tico, and Sue to join the Rabbi under the chupah, the symbol of the new home and new life they would build together. She solemnly walked around David seven times before standing by his side.

The Rabbi recited a blessing over a glass of wine, then spoke the Birkat Erusin (prenuptial blessing), after which, David and Hath both drank from the glass. Hath turned to her new mother-in-law, who took a small silk purse from her pocket. Another slender gold band was tucked inside. Hath handed it to the Rabbi, who then handed it to David.

The Rabbi had David repeat the words "Haray at mekudeshet li betaba'at zu kedat Moshe v'Yisrael" ("Behold, you are consecrated to me with this ring according to the laws of Moses and Israel"). David slid the ring on Hath’s index finger.

Smiling, Hath turned to her brother, who drew a scroll from his inside pocket and handed it to her.

“What’s this?” David asked, already knowing what it was.

“It’s our ketubah,” Hath answered. “I had a friend illustrate it and write it out for us.” The ketubah was a traditional wedding contract. It basically spelled out the bride-price and extracted a promise from the groom to provide food and shelter for his bride. In modern times, and with an interfaith couple, the language was more relaxed. David read the scroll. He recognized the words from their vows written in Hebrew.

“This is amazing,” he muttered, and handed it to the Rabbi to read.

The Rabbi read the words of promise aloud, then rolled the scroll and handed it to Hath, who clutched it softly in her hand. It would be framed and hung in their house when they got home.

The Rabbi placed a small velvet bag on the ground – the traditional glass. David took Hath’s hand, and stomped hard on the glass, breaking it with a loud POP! Everyone cheered, and David swept Hath up into another kiss.

After Ang took photos of Hath’s and David’s families with the Rabbi, they headed the rest of the way across campus to the stone mansion on top of the hill. The house was used now as a function hall, and as they made their way to it, the students that were out and about stopped to applaud. David and Hath shared a kiss and a wave, and kept up their trek. The other guys were somewhere in the middle of the pack, and went unnoticed across campus.

At the hall, Ang took more photos, the couple with each of the tables of people. She would take more shots during the first dance, the toast, the cake cutting, and the inevitable garter toss.

The Rashbaums danced their first dance to “All I Ask Of You” from Phantom, the haunting voices of Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman underscoring the emotion of the words. They sang the words to each other softly, eyes locked on each other as they waltzed around the dance floor. As the final bars of the music faded out, David dipped her low and kissed her tenderly. They stayed joined that way for several minutes until they realized the room was completely silent.

Blushing, they separated, David saying, “Can you blame me?” and making everyone laugh.

They sat down to a catered luncheon of simple foods, as that’s what David and Hath preferred. They started with a fresh fruit bowl, with grapes, berries, and melons all deliciously chilled. The spinach salad was crisp and light and the smoked turkey tender and delicious. An assortment of desserts was laid out on a table next to the cake. Stephanie had been working feverishly to provide the treats, and Hath had put her business card at everyone’s place setting, so they would know who was responsible for the delectable creations.

The cake itself was a four-layer cake, alternating chocolate and yellow. It was covered in white frosting, and decorated simply with fresh roses around the base. The topper was a traditional man and woman standing under a canopy of flowers. It was simple and elegant, like everything else that day.

After lunch, Ang took shots of the couple slicing into the cake together. They carefully fed bites of the light confection to one another, and shared a kiss after each one. There was a moment when David considered mashing the cake into Richie’s face – he was standing right next to them and grinning like an idiot, but decided a food fight at the wedding reception would definitely irritate his new bride.

When Hath sat for the garter removal, the unmistakable strains of the traditional Hora dance flowed from the speakers. Jon, John, and Richie hoisted Hath’s chair up over their heads, making her scream. “Don’t you dare drop me! You mush my babies, and I will kill you!” She screamed again when they started to spin her chair around. She looked frantically around for David, and saw him hoisted up by Tico, Nathan, and Ed, her brother’s best friend. The two groups brought the chairs close enough together so Hath and David could grasp the edges of a linen napkin and they were spun and twirled until Hath thought she would never un-dizzy.

“OK!” Hath said, breathless with laughter. “Please, put me down now.” The men complied and high-fived each other as they went back to their women.

“Can I please dive under my bride’s dress now?” David complained, and his new mother-in-law cuffed him on the back of his head.

“There are children present, you ass,” she hissed at him.

“Oops, sorry Mom,” David said sheepishly.

A stripper’s anthem played while David knelt in front of Hath. Slowly, he raised the hem of her dress until nearly her whole leg was showing. The men whistled and clapped, and Hath giggled gleefully. David traced his fingers up her silk-covered length, and slowly pulled the garter down over her thigh. When he reached her knee, he leaned forward and grasped it in his teeth, pulling it the rest of the way off. Smirking like a fool, he straightened and kissed his wife.
“Who wants it?” David called. He flipped it in the general direction of his friends, and laughed with Michael, Stephanie’s son, caught it. He didn’t know what to do with it, so he shoved it in his pocket. Hath took the throw-away bouquet and tossed it behind her at the gathering of unmarried girls and women. Ava caught it, and everyone thought it was cute that they sat together for the rest of the afternoon.

Hath and David made the rounds after a while, stopping to talk, kiss, hug, or otherwise thank each person for coming, then they made their exit. David had a single suitcase packed and waiting in the limo.

“Where are we going?” Hath asked.

“Somewhere where all you need is your passport, your bathing suit, and a smile,” David answered.

“But WHERE are we going?”

“Do you trust me?”

“Always,” Hath answered, leaning in for another kiss.

“Then trust me, you’re going to love it.”

They climbed into the car, and looked back, seeing their friends and family gathered on the porch of the hall, waving frantically. They settled into the seat, arms wrapped around each other. “Thank you,” David said. “Thank you for marrying me.”

Hath laughed.

“What?” David answered.

“That’s not the right line. The right line is ‘thank you for loving me’.”

David groaned and laughed. “How long are you going to quote us to me?”

“HOW long are we going to be together?”

“Forever,” David said, smiling.

“Then forever,” Hath said.

The couple joined hands and lips, and stayed that way until they reached the airport.






The Goddess wishes to thank Jovi's Willow for her help with this chapter....

Chapter 109: Wedding Day

David had woken before dawn, reaching for Hath before remembering she was at her mother’s. A pounding at the door had him sprinting across the room. He tore it open, heedless of the fact he had on only boxer shorts, and blinked rapidly when a flash went off in his face. “What the hell?” he asked. When his vision cleared, he saw it was Ang, or rather the rapidly retreating back of Ang. She had better hurry to get to Hath’s mother’s house.

David was showered and dressed by seven. His classic black Armani tux was custom-fitted for him. The notched satin lapels were brushed clean of lint, and the double-breasted jacket broadened his already broad shoulders, and made his waist look trimmer than it was. The cummerbund and bow-tie were Taz print, as were all the men’s accessories, and muted the pure white shirt with French cuffs that he wore beneath the suit. David’s mother had given him his father’s cufflinks and as David fastened them through the cuffs, he wished his father was alive to see him this happy.

Shaking off the melancholy, for it really had no place on such a happy day; David brushed his wingtips until they shone. Satisfied he looked like he was supposed to, and tired of waiting a moment longer, he was knocking on Tico’s door by eight.

“I can’t stand waiting anymore,” he said, shouldering his way into the room. “Distract me.” And now he was pacing the floor in Tico’s suite and checking his watch every few minutes.

Tico tried to keep up with David, but finally settled for sitting on the couch and watching one of his best friends wear a groove in the carpet and mutter about time taking way too long to pass. He tried to distract David, the two men talking shop for a while.

Tico’s wife came to join them, dressed for the ceremony. They gushed appropriately at her elegance and when Hector came out of his room, unable to fasten his bow tie, David smiled. He had such a serious little face on. David crouched before his honorary nephew and handed Hector a small white box. “These are the wedding rings,” he said. “Your job is to keep them safe, okay?” Hector nodded solemnly and said, “Si, Tio,” and put the box deep in his pocket.

Finally, it was time to head to the chapel. The blazing sun hit David squarely in the eyes when he ventured out o fthe lobby, and he couldn’t think of a better omen. The drive to the chapel took a little less than half an hour, and he was pressing the imaginary gas pedal on the passenger side of the car the whole time.

Once they got to the campus, David was glad to see their arrival went mostly unnoticed. Saturday morning on a college campus was usually a quiet time. David, Tico, and Hector went into the priest’s offices and waited. Jon and Richie and their assorted women and children arrived shortly after nine, with April and the other kids right behind them. The kids all got to their stations and started their jobs.

At 9:15, guests started to arrive and David started fidgeting with his tie.

By 9:45, the chapel was mostly full of their relatives and friends and Tico threatened to toss David to the floor and sit on him if he wouldn’t stop the damned pacing.

Five minutes after that, the back door opened, and Ang came in.

“Where is she?” David demanded, bolting for the door.

Ang stopped him, a hand on his chest. “Easy there, tiger. She’s out there. She isn’t coming in until she knows you and Teek are at the altar waiting for her.” She straightened David’s bow tie. “You clean up good, David.”

David relaxed. “Thanks Ang, darlin’. Alright, I’ll go.” He looked at his watch. “But if she doesn’t start walking down that aisle at 10 sharp, I’m coming after her.” He kissed Ang’s cheek and left.

Tico kissed Ang’s other cheek. “Querida, he means it. One second after ten, and he’s running after her. I’ve never seen him this fidgety.” He followed his groom to the altar.

When she was sure they were gone, Ang motioned to Hath and her parents to come in. At five before ten, Hath’s mom went to be seated in the congregation, Jon doing the honors. He thanked her again for taking care of his girls when he was away, and she brushed him off.

When the priest came down the aisle, the congregation quieted. From the side of the altar, two large, dark men started playing guitar. When Hath heard the music start, her eyes teared up. They were playing “In Love With A Goddess”, the first song David had written for her. She wasn’t expecting to hear that today, and that David had her brother and Richie learn it made her love him all the more. It sounded beautiful, and even to her trained fan ear, she couldn’t tell which octaves were Richie and which were John. They sounded perfect together.

As the bridal party stepped out of the offices and into the church, the rustle of a hundred people turning as one made her smile. Joanna went first, getting an “awww” from the congregation. She began sprinkling white rose petals on the carpet as she made her way down the aisle. She looked like a fairy princess in a white taffeta dress with pink flowers around the hem. Susan went next, walking slowly and regally down the aisle in her woman’s tux.

When Hath took her father’s arm, she smiled.

“Are you ready, baby girl?” Hath’s father asked her, squeezing her hand.

“More than ready, Daddy,” she said. This was it.



When David saw Pauline come down the aisle on Jon’s arm, his pulse kicked up. It was really happening! He was really FINALLY going to marry Hath. When the priest started down the aisle, David’s palms started sweating. He hoped he could keep Hath as happy as she was making him. He wished the damned priest would walk faster.

Finally, he heard Hath’s brother John and his own brother Richie start playing, and his heart raced. It was time. He was never so glad of anything in his life.

He watched as Hath’s niece came down, a frown of concentration on her little face. She was evenly distributing the petals on the floor, making the crowd chuckle. When the basket was empty, she went to sit with her grandmother. David saw Sue coming, and thought she looked cute in her Taz tux. He wished she’d walk faster though, so he could see. . .

His breath caught in his lungs when he saw her. Hath was gliding down the aisle in a cloud of chiffon, her hair flowing around her shoulders, a serene smile on her face. As she approached, he could see his own love reflected back in her eyes. He smiled at her and her smile widened and she mouthed “I love you” to him.



Hath was nervous walking down the aisle. She thought for sure she was going to stumble in her high-heeled shoes. She worried about stepping on the front of her dress, worried about how it looked, an obviously pregnant woman walking down the aisle, then she stopped. She saw David waiting for her at the altar. Tico was by his side, and Hector next to his father, and he gave a little wave. Hath smiled and gave a little wave back. She locked eyes with her David and basked in the glow of his love for her, and happily continued the long, slow walk to her future, smiling into his open, loving face.

When Hath and her father reached the altar, John and Richie ended the song. They stood and took their seats in the congregation. The priest came to Hath’s dad and asked, “Who gives this woman unto this man?”

John-the-father looked at the priest and said, “She gives herself, but her mother and I approve and support her choice.”

With that, John kissed his daughter’s cheek, shook David’s hand, and handed over his most precious daughter to her new life. As he took his seat next to his own wife of close to 40 years, he wiped furtively at his cheeks.

“Friends,” the priest started, and the wedding was underway. Various aunts read the readings, and Sue sang the psalm, bringing tears to Hath’s eyes. After the gospel reading and the brief sermon, they were ready to take their vows. “The bride and groom have written their own personal messages of love and promise to each other,” he said, and stepped back.

David took Hath’s hand and looked into her eyes. “Jenilee Hathor Gengras, I love you. I take you to be my wife, my partner in life and my own true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, love you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for as long as we both shall live.” His eyes shone with unshed tears of joy.

Hath covered David’s hand with her own. “David Bryan Rashbaum, I love you. I take you to be my friend, my lover, the father of my children and my husband. I will be yours in times of plenty and in times of want, in times of sickness and in times of health, in times of joy and in times of sorrow, in times of failure and in times of triumph. I promise to cherish and respect you, to care for you, to comfort and encourage you, and stay with you, for all eternity.” Hath’s eyes were damp as well, and she blinked rapidly to keep the tears from falling.

The priest cleared his throat. “Do we have the rings?”

David blindly put out a hand, not wanting to tear his gaze away from Hath, and Hector put the box in it. David opened the box and gave the rings to the priest, then handed the box back to Hector. The little boy beamed at his father, who had tears in his own eyes, and puffed out his chest proudly when his father ruffled his hair.

The priest had Hath and David each repeat: “I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and fidelity,” then clasped their joined hands and addressed the congregation. “Jenilee and David have proclaimed their love for each other, and have vowed to be true to one another, loving no other, until death parts them. If there is any member here today who does not believe these vows are true, or has any other reason why these two should not be joined, let him speak now, or forever hold his piece.”

There was a loudly whispered “Ow!” from the front row. Hath turned toward the sound to see Richie rub at his arm. Lucy smiled at Hath, and winked. The priest continued. “Then by the powers vested in me by God and the state of Massachusetts, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

David swooped Hath into his arms, and crushed her to him, kissing her thoroughly, to wild applause and catcalls from the congregation. When they parted, she sought out her parent’s faces, and saw tears tracking down their cheeks. She blew them a kiss and stood next to David as the priest announced, “And now, for the first time, let me introduce to you, The Rashbaum Family; David, Jenilee, Laura and John. Congratulations.”

The couple made their way down the aisle, smiling and looking into each other’s eyes. They stopped at the back of the room to collect their congratulations. Hath handed Sue her bouquet a moment before Hector came tearing over, arms spread wide for a hug. “I did it, Tia Hath,” he said proudly. Hath knelt to gather the boy to her. “You were wonderful,” she answered, and kissed him.

“I’m supposed to get the second kiss,” Tico complained loudly.

“Oh no you aren’t,” Richie said, and hip-checked him out of the way to take Hath in his arms for a hug.

“Behave yourself,” she said quietly. She turned her face up for a kiss, and he obliged with a chaste brush of lips on hers, then he hugged her close. She did the same with Tico, Jon, Matt, Nathan, her girlfriends, her brother, and a hundred other people. By the time they were done, she felt as if she’d hugged every single person she’d ever known, but nothing could detract from her happiness.

She looked down at her left hand. There, under her engagement ring, was a slender gold band. That’s all she had wanted: plain gold bands for the two of them – simple, unmistakable tokens of their devotion to one another.

Chapter 108: The Main Event

Saturday dawned dreary and gray. Not a good omen, Hath thought. But, she shrugged off the negative thoughts and was downstairs a little before six.

“Morning, honey,” her mother said as she came into the kitchen. “How are you feeling this morning?”

“Good,” Hath answered. “Happy.” Her stomach growled. “And hungry,” she laughed.

The doorbell rang and Hath opened it to find Ang and Nate on the doorstep. Ang raised the camera and snapped a picture, and Hath slapped her. “What the hell are you doing here so early?” she asked indignantly.

“I am taking your picture, silly girl,” Ang answered, breezing past. “Do I smell bacon?”

Nathan rolled his eyes and followed Ang in. He was carrying two garment bags, and a small case. “Guess you guys are getting ready here?” Hath said, leaning in to kiss Nathan’s cheek.

“Looks like,” he answered. “How’re you doing?” He yawned widely.

“I’m great. Let’s go eat, and get you some coffee.”

They all tucked into a hearty breakfast, then Hath disappeared to take a shower. When she came out, scrubbed pink and wrapped in a towel, there was a knock on the door. “You decent?” Ang asked.

“Yeah, but if you take my picture I’m gonna kill you.”

Ang laughed from the other side of the door. “Never mind then,” she said and walked away.

Shaking her head, Hath got her makeup on, slipped into a dressing gown, and combed out her hair. In her room, the room that she grew up in, Hath sat at her vanity and stared at her reflection. Her mother appeared behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. “You alright, sweetheart?” her mother asked.

“Mom, I don’t think I’ve ever been this nervous in my entire life,” she answered. “I mean, there are so many things that could go wrong.”

“Do you love him?”

Hath nodded and sighed. “With my whole heart and soul.”

“Does he love you?”

Hath nodded again. “More than life, so he says.”

“Then there is nothing you can’t overcome,” Pauline said. “Nothing the two of you can’t conquer. Now,” she said, picking up the blow dryer. “Let me do your hair.” Hath closed her eyes as the warmth of the blow dryer paired with the gentle tugging of the brush through her hair soothed her. When she opened her eyes, she saw the sun peeking though the clouds. A good omen if ever there was one.

Hath saw a flash behind her eyes, and opened them to find Ang standing there, dressed in a gorgeous blue gown, holding her camera. “You look beautiful,” Hath told her. “Just amazing.”

Ang dropped a sassy curtsy. “Well thank you, ma’am,” she said and snapped another pic.

“You up there?” Hath’s sister-in-law called up the stairs.

“Sure am, Sue, come on up!” Sue was in a woman’s tux, the floor-length skirt slit up one side to mid-thigh, and the low-necked blouse tucked neatly into the Taz cummerbund that she and David had picked out. It added just the right touch of whimsy to the day. The fitted jacket emphasized her tiny waist. “Oh, you look great!” Hath said, and she got up to embrace her sister-in-law. Ang snapped another picture.

“You ready for this?” Sue asked.

“As ready as I can be,” Hath answered.

Pauline set Hath’s hair with fat hot rollers, and went to the closet to take out her gown. “You ready for this now?” she asked. Hath nodded. She dropped the dressing gown, revealing a strapless white bra, white panties and hose, and a white garter belt. A power blue garter rested high on her thigh.

Hath shot a warning look at Ang. “Don’t you dare,” she said and stuck her tongue out. Ang laughed and put the camera down to help get the gown over Hath’s head.

The white chiffon draped her body beautifully, held up by thin straps. The chiffon crisscrossed at her breasts, and looped around to the back, where a loose tie was formed. The rest of the fabric fell from under her breasts to the floor in a gentle cascade, and a small train at the back would flow behind her when she walked. Sitting, she strapped on the gold sandals she had worn for David’s birthday, and put on her jewelry. Elegant pearls graced her throat, and dainty pearl-drop earrings fell from each of the piercings in her ears.

Pauline had Hath sit again at the vanity, and removed the rollers, causing fat, glossy curls to cascade down around her shoulders. She tugged on a few to lengthen them, but otherwise left them alone. Sue came up behind her, and put a headdress on Hath’s head. “Here is your something borrowed,” she said. This was the headpiece she had worn at her own wedding, and it was a gorgeous tiara with a gather of chiffon on the back that stretched to the floor.

Hath stood and turned around, showing the finished bride to the room. “I’m ready,” she said.

Her mother had tears in her eyes. “You look so beautiful,” she said, touching Hath’s abdomen, shoulder, then cheek. “I am so proud of you,” she said. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Mom,” Hath answered, and the two women embraced, and Ang captured the moment forever.

The women trooped downstairs, Ang going first, so she could capture the look on Hath’s dad’s face when he saw his daughter. When Hath rounded the corner, her dad sucked in a breath. “Oh, Hath, you look beautiful,” he said, tears shining in his eyes. He embraced his daughter, his little girl, and leaned back to look at her. “If he ever hurts you, I will kill him,” he said quietly.

“I know, Daddy,” Hath answered. “Thanks.”

They went outside to take pictures, and to wait for the limo. They didn’t have to wait long, and took several more posed shots with the car in the background. Sue leaned into the car and pulled out the bouquets and handed the big one to Hath. It was a cascade of white roses, a full two feet long, and was incredibly heavy. Several more pictures taken, they all climbed into the car, Mom and Dad, Ang and Nathan, Sue and Hath, and set off for Hillstone College.