Seth and Claire's wedding was at an old-school Louisiana plantation. Apparently Claire was a Southern girl; she didn't have an accent, but that part of the country clearly had a place in her heart. The venue was almost like something out of
Gone With the Wind
, a big stately country house surrounded by oak trees and Spanish moss. It clearly had a lot of history, though I bet a lot of that history wasn't as flattering as they let on.
Chad and I had spent months saving up for the trip. We knew we couldn't rely on Chad's parents, so I'd picked up a lot of extra shifts at the bar. Chad was doing lots of political stuff, but it didn't usually pay well, so he'd also picked up gigs as a personal trainer. It also helped to be living together, since our bills were practically split in half.
I had to admit, I felt a little out of place on that guest list. The wedding was very fancy-schmanzy, and I'd only met Seth and Claire that once. Of course, Chad had known Seth a lot longer, and he knew that crowd way better than I did. I did recognize how many movers and shakers would be there, and I wanted to be extra mindful of what it could mean for Chad's career.
Chad and I made sure to dress extra nice. He seemed to already know the drill: his mom had dragged him to plenty of black-tie events, especially those military fundraisers of hers. Chad actually had a selection of tuxes to choose from, and he knew how to tie a bow tie and everything. As for me, I had no idea what I was doing. I just rented a tux, the same way I'd done for my high school prom, and I let Chad tell me what to do from there.
Just before we stepped outside, we both looked in the mirror. I've gotta admit, we'd cleaned up pretty nice. Chad looked really sexy, in a dapper James Bond sort of way. He had every hair in place, and his shoes were impeccably polished-- to the point that I could almost see my reflection-- while his clothes were perfectly tailored to his body. I could only hope that I looked half as good as he did.
The ceremony was out in the garden, by an old gazebo. When we got there, a woman was playing the violin, and flower petals were scattered all over the place. It was almost over-the-top, but I couldn't help getting caught up in the moment. In the back of my mind, I wondered what it would be like if Chad and I were the ones walking down the aisle. It wasn't that I was a hopeless romantic-- especially now that I'd seen the nastiness of his parents' divorce-- but still.
I got an even bigger case of the feels when Seth and Claire took their vows. On the surface, there didn't seem to be much to it: they used the same words I'd heard at any number of weddings. Even so, when the minister said to repeat after him, in my mind I kept hearing Chad's voice.
"I, Claire Nicole DuPre, take thee, Seth Aaron Fisher...."
I, Chad Matthew Collins, take thee, Scott Bradley Harrington....
I knew it was just in my head, but it still sent adrenaline through me. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to hear those words in real life.
Of course the minister didn't miss a beat: "... to be my lawfully wedded husband..."
The word "husband" seemed to throw me. I'd never once thought of Chad that way, even after the years we'd been together. Boyfriend, yes. Lover, yes. Partner, possibly. But husband? It just sounded so-- I dunno-- official.
"... to have and to hold, from this day forward...."
I looked over at Chad. He didn't seem to react; he just stared at the gazebo.
"... for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health...."
The words kept echoing in my mind. I felt like I was just starting to understand what they meant.
"... to love and to cherish, till death do us part."
Some of the bridesmaids were crying. One girl blew her nose in a particularly unromantic toot; then she let out an even louder honk that could've been used to guide ships through the fog. The maid of honor let off a snort, which was clearly unintentional. Chad and I had to force ourselves not to laugh, and I bet a lot of other guests did too.
Once the vows were over, the minister of course declared them husband and wife, they shared a kiss, and everybody clapped. Then the music started up again, they proceeded down the aisle, and the real party started.
When we went indoors for cocktails, we ran into Tony, the guy we'd met at Seth's office. He was there with his husband Craig.
"Oh hi!" Tony said to Chad. "Long time no see."
"Hey," Chad replied, and we all shook each other's hands.
"How's your father doing? Is he here?"
Chad seemed caught off guard. "I'm sorry, what?"
"Seth was telling us about him. Is it true he's moving to Reston?"
I was worried this could spoil the mood, but Chad took it in stride. After all, these guys had ultimately met because of Bill. "I-I mean, he's weighing his options," Chad said. "He's still dealing with his recovery, so... he's gotta take it easy."
That was a political answer if I'd ever heard one. Chad hadn't talked to his father in months, so we hardly had a clue about what Bill was up to. At one point Pam had texted to say he wouldn't be at the wedding-- since he'd been invited too-- but that was about it.
I wanted to change the subject, and I suddenly remembered how these guys were among the first gay-married couples we'd ever met. I was tempted to ask them about that, but I forced myself not to. I didn't want to tip my hand to Chad, at least not at that point.
It was just as well. Chad basically wanted to talk shop, and the other guys went along with it. They started throwing out so much jargon that I could barely follow what they were saying. But Chad was clearly enjoying himself, and I knew how much this stuff meant to him. So I just stood there, smiling and nodding and sipping my drink.
I couldn't help noticing when Congressman Wheeler made his way through the crowd. He acted like he was walking a rope line, shaking hands and making small talk. He was clearly a pro at this, and he made it look natural. So did his wife, who was trailing behind him. I found myself wondering if Chad would be like that someday, and if so, whether I'd be the one trailing behind him.
A couple of ditzy bridesmaids walked up beside me. They were both going on about the decorations. "These arrangements are so cute!" one girl was saying.
"I know," the other replied. "Claire had the idea when we were ten. Don't you love it?"
I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes. Having grown up with Amy, I knew it wasn't unusual for girls to start planning their weddings as kids. But as a guy, I could hardly imagine giving it serious thought. I was pretty sure gay weddings were different, but I wasn't exactly an expert on the topic; I'd never actually been to a gay wedding myself.
