Becoming the Storm
7 Wedding
WE ELECTED to take a tour of the ranch and the new development as we all got to know each other. I was really thankful that Dad and John were with us as they engaged Bart and gave him some of the background of the ranch. Mom, Anna, and Bea adopted tiny Sylvia. Six-six, 300-pound Bart was a little surprised when he met and had to look up at Lionel and Lamar.
“Well, I guess that brings the average height up around here,” Bart said. “You see those two girls over there? It seems they still need to find men they can look up to. I have a still that I’d offer…” Sugar—a very pregnant Sugar—came up beside Lionel and he bent to kiss her. “Well, maybe that won’t work. I hear polygamy is an in-thing up here, though. I knew a man down near Hazard once who had three wives. Of course, down there you never know how things match up. I think one of them was his sister and one was his daughter. Still, I raised my girls to share.”
“Bart, must you?” Sylvia moaned. I saw Dolly and Debbie whispering and they pushed in front of their father. They both latched onto Lamar’s neck and pulled him down for a sizzling three-way kiss. Bart stepped back a step. The girls turned around.
“Lamar’s our friend, Pap,” Debbie said.
“And he’s going to be a lawyer,” Dolly added. “You should be careful about offering your still as a bride price. He might consider it a verbal contract.”
“Well, I sure stuck my foot in the shit that time,” Bart laughed. We continued the tour. Of course, Sylvia was immediately enamored of the kitchen.
“Oh, the girls made me record every episode of Young Cooking while they were seniors in high school,” Sylvia said. “We love to cook in our family and have a big mouth to feed over there.”
“There was the year they decided to be vegetarians, though,” Bart added. “I like some fried okra as well as the next guy, but even the Catholics get fish on Friday. These girls would fix a vegetarian meal and I’d grill a steak to go with it.”
“It was the first time since I’d known him that his weight fell below 300 pounds and his cholesterol dropped below 180,” Sylvia said.
“Well, I love having them work with me on the show now,” I said. “With these three doing the prep and Mary doing the kitchen management, the shows practically run themselves. I’m thinking of putting them in front of the camera more when we start taping next weekend.”
“I can tell you that all three are happy to be working with you,” Sylvia whispered. “One, especially.” I grinned at her.
The girls had coached us on what to prepare for dinner and we went with the easiest thing we could manage with such a big group. I have never seen so much ham disappear at one meal in my life. And after dinner, we had a sip of the smooth bourbon. We simply didn’t have enough guest rooms on the ranch anymore for everyone who was visiting this week. Malcolm and Regina Evars, Cecile Carver, and Doris Trane were all being housed with Casa del Sol and Casa de los Caballos. Jim and Jill Swift had come for the weekend and Casa de la Tierra was hosting them in the guest room since Casa del Agua no longer had a guest room. Mom, Dad, and Anna were in the master in our house. John and Bea chose a local hotel, but Dinita Kimes was in our only other functioning bedroom. Bart and Sylvia had booked a room at the same hotel as the Clintons, as had Samantha’s parents.
There would be a flood of guests on Sunday—possibly more people than had ever been at the ranch at one time.
It was a big day.
All the clan except Casa del Arco Iris was home. They just couldn’t come back from Pullman for the weekend. They really didn’t have much money to spare. We went to the sports field and did forms at six o’clock before people started arriving. Then we swung into gear. Every kitchen on the ranch was pressed into service. Non-residents were told to bring their own lunch, but we’d be serving dinner. Four ovens had huge turkeys in them by nine o’clock. That was all we could fit in the studio and our house. But the other four kitchens on the ranch were also occupied with casseroles, bread, and vegetables. Martha Jacobs had pies baking in her kitchen next door all morning long. I was happy to see that Maribelle volunteered to help her, but noticed Jennifer and Courtney went to help as well.
By noon, the tribe had begun to arrive. I hoped no one needed to get out before everyone was ready to leave. We parked the cars in the studio parking area in row after row. I was really moved when I saw all the tribe of elders dressed in white gis with gray belts. After they met last night, Leonard had cut yards of material into a gi for Bart. He had to fix suspenders for the pants. Dolly and Debbie wore white gis with gray belts, as well. They technically weren’t part of the clan, but they were definitely part of the tribe.
Of course, the rest of us were resplendent in our gis of red, green, blue, yellow and tan. All the residents of the dorms wore various pastel gis with either the belt of their casa or the white belt of the clan.
Then the guests started to arrive. We parked them all in the new development and Larry drove a tractor with a cart behind it to collect people and drive them to the celebration. He’d gone to the fairgrounds and managed to borrow one of the people moving carts they used out there. The fair was over, so it wasn’t a problem. It was clean and polished so no one had to worry about snagging a dress or getting a suit dirty.
The whole basketball team was there, and even some of the guys from our teams in high school. It was fun to see Jeff and Camellia Lincoln, Birdman, and Troy. When Coach Hancock and his wife showed up I couldn’t get to them, but hoped they’d be staying for dinner. There were 150-200 people gathered when Elaine ran to get me and usher me upstairs. “Rose needs you,” was all she said.
Rose was standing naked in the middle of the big bedroom. Hannah was holding her, but wasn’t latched onto a nipple.
“Fuck me right now, cónyuge!” Rose declared. “I can’t stand it!” Elaine was stripping my gi off.
“Easy, my love,” I said as I approached her. I kissed her and had never felt Rose so needy. She clutched at me and sucked my tongue into her mouth. “What is it, darling?” I asked. “What is it you need?”
“I’ve never done this before. Look at all the people out there! What if they don’t like it? What if it’s not legal? My parents are there! Your parents! Hannah’s parents! My God! He should be doing this!”
She pulled me back on the bed and into her with one stroke. Hannah latched onto a nipple and began to suck. At one time, that was how Hannah got comfort. Today, it was what Rose needed. She gasped and screamed and her pussy clutched me so hard that it drew the come from me. Rose was crying and I felt another calm presence beside me. Dani had stripped her gi off and reached to pull Rose to her. In a few minutes, Rose was calm again. Dani just kept petting her and Rose turned to stroke Dani. Hannah got a warm washcloth and wiped Rose’s face, then cleaned us up as I withdrew.
“Thank you,” Rose whispered. “I’m some example for others. I can’t even hold myself together.”
“Hey, Hannah and I have both needed that before we performed,” Elaine said. “Nothing to settle your nerves like an ear-splitting orgasm.”
“Ohmygod! Do you suppose anyone heard?” Rose gasped. We all started laughing.
“No one farther away than the kitchen,” Dani said. “It’s all family.” Rose groaned.
“I need to get dressed,” she said. “I guess all of us do.”
We started scrambling to reclaim our gis. Rose slid her pants on, but the jacket she put on was nothing—or at least little—like our usual gi. It hung below her knees and was tailored to show her beautiful figure. Even though it was red, like the rest of my cónyuge, it had a satin finish. Instead of being belted, Elaine and Hannah arranged belts from each of the casa, the clan, and the tribe to hang down the front of her robe.
“I sure hope Leonard was right about this and no one expects their cleric’s robes to hide her figure,” Rose laughed. “God! Even my nipples are poking out.”
“Wait until you see Lionel and Sugar,” Dani said. “You won’t be the center of attention.”
“You’ve seen them?”
“Renee called and asked me to stop over. They needed a little help calming the bride and her mother.”
“You are such a blessing to our clan,” Rose said. “Such a calming influence on us.”
“I’m just so boring everyone wants to sleep when they see me,” Dani laughed.
“I’m seriously thinking of sleeping with you myself,” I said as I squeezed her to me. She kissed me lightly on the lips and smiled.
When we were all dressed and looked decent, we headed downstairs. Everyone was gathered in front of the firepit with a blaze roaring. No one noticed us slip out the door onto the deck. All eyes were focused on the barn duplex where Warren had organized a drum corps to lead the procession. This was no snare-drum march. They all had congas strapped to their bodies and danced their way from the duplex to the fire. While they were on their way, Rose and I went to the fire to greet them. Brenda, Doug, Theresa, and Adam stepped up beside us to represent the other casa for the ceremony. Adam wore the rainbow belt of Casa del Arco Iris, though I was told he was merely representing them, not joining the casa.
Behind the drummers came Rich and Susan in pastel yellow robes and bright yellow belts. The parents, Malcolm, Regina, and Doris followed. Malcolm was wiping tears from his eyes. Then came Renee and Lamar. Lionel and Sugar swayed happily back and forth as they danced from the barn while the dorm residents in their pastel gis threw flower petals around them.
When I finally got a good look at Lionel and Sugar, I saw why Dani said Rose would not be noticed. Both sported floral print robes belted with their yellow belts. Leonard made them from an iridescent fabric that shimmered in the light. Both of them had flowers woven into their hair and they cascaded down Sugar’s back.
Shortly they were arranged in front of us. Renee and Susan stood beside Sugar. Lamar and Rich stood beside Lionel. Their parents stood behind them. Around us were all our clan, tribe, and friends. I helped Rose up on the little platform Josh had built for her so most people could see her, except those blocked by Lionel and Lamar. She started to speak, then cleared her throat and spoke louder.
“We are here to celebrate love, and family, and friendship,” Rose said. “We are here to celebrate the wedding of Lionel and Sugar. This is a new kind of celebration for our clan. We have had many handfastings, but this is a legal union between two people seeking to establish their family under the laws of the State of Indiana. For those of you who might be questioning why I am standing here, I am a duly ordained minister of the Universal Life Church. I have confirmed my credentials with the County Clerk and am legally certified to perform marriages. With that out of the way, let’s get to the important part.”
There was a little laughter, but everyone settled down quickly. No one wanted to miss anything that Rose said.
“Even with television production and construction crews, we have never had so many people at one time at El Rancho del Corazón or as guests of the Clan of the Heart. Lionel, Sugar, though I know you have eyes only for each other, I ask you to lift them up and look around you. You stand in the midst of Casa del Sol. They are your family and will be there with you every step of your journey in your married life. They are here because they have committed to you that they will support you, that they will care for you, and they will watch over you and your children. I know it is uncommon in a wedding ceremony to mention the fact that the bride is pregnant.” There was a lot of laughter at that. “But we are including this unborn child in this ceremony with your Casa, your Clan, and your Tribe’s commitment to care for you and to love you as our own.” She took a deep breath.
“Behind you, Lionel and Sugar, your parents stand as they have stood behind you all your lives. They have released the reins of parental control into your own hands. They have come to bless you and your unborn child and to welcome you as their equals. In front of you stand representatives of the other five casa of the Clan of the Heart: Casa del Fuego, Casa de la Tierra, Casa del Agua, Casa del Arco Iris, and Casa de los Caballos. And behind you are others of the Clan, all standing with you to make you strong in your love and commitment to each other. Around us are our tribe. Our parents and siblings—all of whom are pledging their love and support to you. And among them are your friends who are not within the Tribe. Teachers, teammates, playmates, coaches. We are all here to witness you pledge yourselves to each other. Look around. Here there is love. Here there is strength. Here there is power. As our Patrón has often said, ‘You never have to stand alone.’”
We all looked out for a moment. Lionel and Sugar actually turned to face the crowd and survey all our friends and family. They turned back to Rose and Lionel hugged Sugar to him.
“Lionel Alexander Trane,” Rose said, “do you take Sugar to be your lawfully wedded wife; to be your helpmate in this life; to care for and love her; and to do whatever is necessary to protect and defend her?”
“I do.” Lionel said. Tears were running down his cheeks.
“Sugar Resalla Evars, do you take Lionel to be your lawfully wedded husband; to be your helpmate in this life; to care for and to love him; and to do whatever is necessary to protect and defend him?”
“I do!” Sugar shouted.
“Having pledged yourselves to each other in the presence of casa, clan, tribe, and friends, I now pronounce you wife and husband. Lionel, if you can bend over that far, you may kiss your bride.”
Lionel didn’t bother to bend over. He scooped his pregnant dumpling bride up into his arms and brought her to his lips. There was a cheer from the crowd and Warren started the drummers up. I lifted Rose down from her platform and kissed her soundly. I saw that couples and more all over the crowd were kissing.
Now that’s the way to celebrate a wedding.
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