| |
TRACI STOOD TUGGING on the zipper of the green and gold FAMU hoodie and folded the long cuffs up her arms. She ran her hands over her unruly locks trying desperately to smooth and tuck them behind her ears. Randall flicked on the penlight and double checked the address on the card before clapping the iron door knocker on the quaint brownstone.
“Good evening, Reverend. Remember what we talked about the other day at Riverview?”
“Yes,” the man said wrapping the sash around his bathrobe. He coughed and cleared his throat. “Let me guess. This is the woman.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Hello there, young lady.” He looked down at her toes wiggling in the rainbow flipflops peeping from under the pink and white polka dot pajama bottoms.
“Hello Reverend.”
“Well, couples counseling is on Tuesdays and Thursdays by appointment only. Call the church office in the morning and set it up with my wife. She'll put it on my calendar.” He turned to walk back inside.
“No, sir. I mean ...” Randall pulled the drowsy preacher aside. “Sir, Reverend, what I mean is ... see Father Kearn said the Friendship Hall at St. Andrews is available for...”
“We’ve got a small Fellowship Hall at the church. My wife can look in the book and tell you the availability and prices ...” He smiled empathetically toward Traci and focused back on Randall. “Son, I really think you should both go on to your respective homes and call in the morning.”
“I'm not looking to rent the hall,” Randall insisted. “I’m not here about that, just a ceremony. Well, not a real ceremony, just a ... well, yes, it needs to be real ... but I mean, can you just go ahead and marry us?”
“You wanna get married?” the Right Reverend raised an eyebrow then narrowed a gaze on Randall that made Traci shiver.
“Yes, sir.” Randall squared his shoulders not willing to back down. She wasn’t sure that was the best strategy.
“Right now?”
“Yes sir, can you take care of it right now? I'd really appreciate it, Reverend. Just the vows and a blessing.”
“Vows and a blessing?” He coughed as if the words had caught in his throat.
“Yes, sir.”
“You think this is some drive through chapel like they got out there in Vegas? A blessing? You think I got some lucky charm in my pocket? Marriage is serious business, son.”
“No, sir. Yes, I know. After everything we've been through, I just ... was hoping ... may we have your blessing, please?”
“Stop talking,” Traci thought. She wanted him to just stop talking, to stop looking at Reverend Mac and take her into his arms, swallow her up so tight until she swooned, drawing her in so deep like metal to a magnet until she was locked into that place where all she knew was that this man loved her to the depth of his core. And now something had unblocked, fallen away with this one revelation, “He needs me,” in spite of her stupid donut obsession, moody lady days, temper tantrums when things confused her, night tremors and panic attacks. All the things that made her “a mess” that had counted her out at every turn in her life. She touched his hand.
“No sir. Not a lucky charm. More like a ...” Randall continued.
“Mentor,” Traci said, nodding at him with tender reassurance.
“Yes, a mentor.” He returned her glance, relieved, embarrassed. “A marriage mentor.” He squeezed her hand. She wiggled her pinky finger to signal “too tight.” He loosened his grip and mouthed “Sorry.”
“Well,” the minister looked them over again and took a deep breath, “you need a license, from City Hall ... and they’re closed. Without that ...”
“I'll get it, first thing in the morning as soon as I check in at the station, I'll head right over there. I promise. Listen, I know this is probably not following the right protocol, license first, then the preacher, but I was hoping you would maybe ... extend a little professional courtesy.”
Traci thought Randall was about to ruin their chances, but she had seen this determination in his eyes before. There was no way to shut him down when he got like that.
“Well, you'll still need a witness even if ...”
“I'll make a call and get one of my guys. I know RD will ...”
“Hold on, son. I'll wake up Mrs. McMoultry. She can step in, but it'll take a minute for her to get herself together and all. She's probably not gonna like any of this. She's a real stickler for ‘protocol’ but I think I can smooth things over for you. You get that license and get back here with it as soon as that office opens.”
“Thank you, I'll do it. Thank you.”
Traci watched as Randall, her dear partner and confidant, this strong guardian of the community, flustered and floundering through this torrent of words trying to express what only the two of them understood. She wanted to laugh and cry. She could feel her face flush with emotion as he held onto her as if their lives depended on it. “Maybe it did,” she thought and chuckled softly.
“Dear, you got just as much say in this as he does. You agree with him?”
“Yes, Rev.”
“You love this man and want to marry him, then?” he stepped between them and looked deep into her eyes.
“Yes, Rev. With all my heart, I do.”
“Alright, wait in the room here. And, pray for me as I go wake up Mrs. Mac.” He let out a deep sigh and stepped back inside leaving the door open for them.
“Oh man, I almost forgot.” Randall reached into his pocket and pulled out the engagement ring.
“It looks like a piece of sunshine,” Traci smiled, then covered her mouth at such a ridiculous thought.
“Do you like it?”
“It’s the most perfectly ... perfect ring I have ever seen.”
“You know, Ray helped me out at Jameson’s. I gave him a hard time, but I should probably let him know that I appreciate it.”
Traci held it up to the light and then gently lowered her hand down to cup the face of her beloved, drawn in by his most brilliant and beautiful smile.
“Oh him? Mr. Kinsey sent an email to let us know Ray’s been under a lot of stress lately and took an extended leave of absence. So, we won't be seeing him for a long time.”