CHAPTER 18

 

Gavin and Clarye began to make plans for their wedding day. The date was set for one month away. Ada worked feverishly to plan the small, intimate wedding ceremony.

Clarye had moved her church membership to Gavin’s church. They decided that they would hold the wedding at the church in the small wedding chapel.

Eric and Jeremy were even excited for their mom as well. They had begun to actually love and accept Gavin as being their father. They would have long private talks with him. Gavin proudly showered them with advice. They listened to him and respected his guidance and devotion to them and to their mother. Vast portions of their conversations were family centered because Gavin emphatically believed in families sticking together and supporting each other, no matter what. And that’s what they were; a real family.

EJ was going to be the ring bearer in the wedding, of course. He begged Clarye to let him wear a white tuxedo.

“EJ, we’ll see, sweetie. I haven’t decided on the colors just yet. But whatever you wear, you’re going to be the most handsome fella there.” She reached down to give him an ABC hug, something Gavin had invented. Every time Gavin came over to the house, he would grab EJ and hug him real tight, like a bear hug. He told EJ that the hug was a special hug that he called an ABC hug. EJ looked forward to those hugs. In fact they had become a sort of ritual between the two of them.

Clarye decided that the colors for the wedding would be earth tones since Gavin loved earth tone colors. She chose an elegant, yet simple, soft ivory designer wedding gown with hand sown pearls strewn through it, and shoulder length sleeves trimmed in lace. It was, of course, made in a flair design because Clarye hardly ever wore anything that actually revealed the shapely curves of her body.

The men were to be dressed in tailored ivory tuxedos with soft shades of tan handkerchiefs and cummerbunds. The church was to be filled with Clarye’s favorite flowers, roses. Just like in her home, the roses were a variety of colors. She was going to have four bridesmaids; her niece; her friend Debbie from work; her oldest sister, Sara; and her soon to be stepdaughter, Kenya. Naturally, Ada was going to be the Maid of Honor. Eric and Jeremy were going to give her away. Two of Eric and Jeremy’s friends and two of Gavin’s friends were going to serve as groomsmen. Gavin’s best friend, Kurt, was going to be the best man.

Ada had contacted the caterers. Gavin and Clarye had decided on a full course sit down dinner to include a variety of seafood, spiced chicken, primed beef, salads, steak, green vegetables and an array of fruit. The cake was going to be a three tiered wedding cake with ivory icing and white filling. This wedding was indeed going to be a memorable occasion for Clarye and Gavin. Ada was determined to make it so.

Jean even found joy in helping out with the plans. She made sure the florists had the freshest cut roses. She visited the wedding chapel every day during the week of the wedding. She wanted to make sure that everything was going to go as planned for her only son and the woman of his dreams. Jean felt tremendous joy for Gavin. She had longed for him to have true love in his life. She had longed for the day that she would have what she called a “real” daughter in law. Now that day was drawing near and Jean was determined that nothing was going to mess it up.

The wedding took place as scheduled, four weeks after Gavin’s proposal. It was a beautiful, sunshiny Sunday afternoon, immediately following their morning church service. Rita, a friend and one of the associate ministers of the small church, honored them by performing the small, intimate wedding ceremony.

The one thing Gavin was unhappy about was that Kenya did not show up. Gavin and Clarye had called her several times during the preceding days of their marriage and she had assured them she would be present. When Eric saw that Kenya hadn’t made it, he went to the phone to call her. He did not want anything ruining this day. Not after all his mother had experienced throughout her life. This was going to be a grand day. No one was going to spoil it, not even Kenya. As the clock continued to tick, there was no Kenya.

“I tried to call Kenya but there was no answer,” Eric told Gavin.

Gavin was obviously upset. Hurt shone all over his face. Clarye was becoming frantic herself. Not so much that Kenya had not shown up, but she was hurting for her husband; for Gavin. Eric raced to the phone once more, minutes before the ceremony; no answer. Gavin and Clarye were swiftly jerked back into their own wedded bliss and thoughts of the disappointment of Kenya not showing up were pushed aside. Standing proudly beside her to give her, the bride, away were Eric and Jeremy.

EJ, looking handsome as ever, boldly walked down the aisle bearing the rings in his ivory tuxedo. As Eric and Jeremy escorted Clarye down the church aisle, Clarye was captivated when she saw her beloved Gavin. He was finer than ever, dressed in a tux the same color as Clarye’s wedding dress. The words of Celine Dion’s song, Because You Loved Me, played through the church speakers.

The ring Gavin gave her was a simple band of gold that had “Gavin and Clarye Forever” engraved inside. Gavin wore a gold band that Clarye’s father had worn when he was a young man. Ann had given it Clarye after Clarye’s father died.

Gavin treasured the ring and actually began wearing it before they became husband and wife. He told Clarye that they were already husband and wife but had to make it official by the world’s standards and laws. And so they did.

They repeated their vows while “Baby Face” Edmonds, “Every time I Close My Eyes” played softly in the background.

Clarye was living the very words of that song, Every time I close my eyes I’ll thank the Lord that I’ve got you and you’ve got me too, and every time I think of it I pinch myself ‘cause I can’t believe it’s true, that someone like you loves me too.

Gavin and Clarye spent their seven day honeymoon on the Right Bank of Paris, France in the ritzy, high scaled Louvre District. During the day, they explored the luxurious Paris monuments, and shopped in the finest jewelry and clothing stores. They lunched at the Eiffel Tower and cruised on the river Seine at dusk, enjoying the French cuisine served by candlelight. Gavin spared no expenses when it came to Clarye. Their thousand dollars a night room at the Ritz was where they celebrated their love for each other, allowing the passions of their hearts to overflow and consume them.

When Gavin vowed never to leave her, this time Clarye’s heart accepted his words with ease and undying faithfulness.

 

They had decided that Gavin would move into Clarye’s house. The two of them made his house a little get away for Clarye where she would be able to go and write without fear of interruption of any kind.

Clarye loved Gavin more and more as each second passed. Their lovemaking was passionate and fulfilling as they reached out to experiment with loving each other in ways that she could never imagine. Gavin gave her all of himself and she gave him all of her. He showered her with gifts of his love. There were always stuffed animals, cards, and endless telephone calls just to say, “I love you, Clarye.” Clarye found herself in a continual emotional state of pure bliss.