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The Pros and Cons of Loving
Part 40
The Next Day
Aiden’s POV
“We are gathered here today to join Aiden Iero Way and Eric Idle in holy matrimony. I want you boys to understand that marriage is forever. Marriage is a symbolism of love forever. It isn’t something you can turn your back on.” An elderly man told Eric and I as we stood in front of an alter. We signed them, and we were married. We had signed our certificated two weeks ago. All that was left was the vows. After the vows we would be together forever. “Are we ready to begin?”
I gave a small nod, squeezing Eric’s hand in mine. He took a deep breath, looking down at the certificates as well.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God, and in the presence of this company, to unite Aiden Iero-Way and Eric Idle in holy matrimony. Marriage was ordained by God in Eden and confirmed in Cana of Galilee by the presence of the Lord, and is declared by the Apostle Paul to be honorable among all men. On this occasion we begin by asking God's blessing on this marriage service. Let us pray."
Overwhelming happiness is all I felt as he began to speak. I didn’t care that we were getting married at seventeen years old and that statistics were working against us. I didn’t care that we weren’t legal adults, that we would have to go to another year of high shcool as a gay married couple.
All I cared about was that I was, right now, marrying Eric. Four years ago he wouldn’t even date me and here we were, getting married. Sun came through the curtained windows and a cool breeze came from the air conditioner. There were two in windows and the rest were automatic, I’m assuming. That didn’t matter though. It didn’t matter that the yellow paint was chipping or that Daddy’s tie wasn’t exactly straight.
Eric’s palm began to sweat, or maybe mine. We were both pretty nervous now.
Dad smiled at me and Eric happily.
“Do you, Eric, take Aiden to be your husband? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only unto him?"
“I do.” Eric said softly, looking me in the eyes. I squeezed his hand again.
“And do you, Aiden, take Eric to be your husband? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only unto him?” The man asked, turning his gaze to me.
I nodded. “I do.” I felt my heart flutter. So close… so close to us being married. We were being married.
“Aiden, repeat after me: I Aiden, take thee Eric to be my husband.”
“I Aiden, take thee Eric to be my husband.” I quietly repeated him and Eric beamed at me, sniffling quietly.
“To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer.”
“To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer.”
Eric was by now crying. I wanted to hug him to me, I hated seeing him crying. I knew, though, that these were happy tears.
“And I promise my love to you.” The pastor said.
“And I promise my love you.” I whispered, then pulled Eric into my arms.
“I’m okay.” He laughed quietly, wiping his eyes. He sniffled then turned to the pastor, who was smiling at us.
“Are you ready, Eric?”
“Yes.” Eric sniffled.
“Repeat after me, now: I Eric, take thee Aiden to be my husband.”
“I Eric, take thee Aiden to be my husband.” he said quietly, locking eyes with me.
“To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer.”
“To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer.”
“And I promise my love to you.”
“And I promise my love to you.”
Now tears filled my eyes and I blinked them away rapidly.
“The rings?” The pastor asked.
Dad handed me one, and Eric one.
“Thank you.” I said softly.
He nodded, smiling.
“Eric, place the ring on Aiden’s ring finger and, again, repeat after me: With this ring, I thee wed; all my love, I do thee give.”
"With this ring, I thee wed; all my love, I do thee give." Eric said, sliding the ring onto my finger.
“It’s your turn, Aiden…” The old man smiled. “Place the ring on Eric’s ring finger and, for the last time, repeat after me: With this ring, I thee wed; all my love, I do thee give.”
“With this ring, I thee wed; all my love, I do thee give.” I finished, pushing the ring onto Eric’s finger.
“With the power invested in me, I declare you husbands. You can kiss now.”
Eric through his arms around me and pressed his lips to mine. I laughed, kissing him back and cupping his face. Dad and Daddy clapped happily and after we pulled away, they hugged us.
The pastor smiled down at us. “I wish you both all of the luck in the world.”
“Thank you.” I said, shaking his hand.
“You’re very welcome, young man.”
Frank’s POV
Later That Day…
Gerard and I walked through the park, both of us still in our tuxes. Gerard had undone his tie and the first few buttons of his shirt and I had my jacket off and was holding it over an arm.
“They did it.” I said happily. “They’re married, Gee. Eric’s our son-in-law.”
“They cried.” He laughed happily. “We didn’t cry.”
“Yeah but ours was a ‘Bang! We’re married!’ thing. They said vows and everything… it was very beautiful wasn’t it?”
“Yeah. It was.” He linked hands with me and kissed my palm. “Our wedding will be like that, baby. Beautiful. Like you.”
I smiled at Gerard. “Are we supposed to steer clear of the house tonight or… what?”
“… I have no clue, honestly. We didn’t discuss it with them, I mean…”
“Well… seeing as we didn’t talk about it…” I trailed off.
“It’s their wedding night… we should probably call and tell them we’ll stay over with Bella or something…” Gerard said, nodding. “I don’t think we should be there…”
“Yeah… staying with Bella may be good, anyway. I mean we haven’t seen her in a bit. She told me Jack has been getting sick a lot.” I sighed. “I better call and see if Jack is sick or not before we plan to stay with her.”
He nodded, handing me his cell phone.
“Thanks.” I said quietly, dialing her number.
“Hello?” Nikki answered.
“Hey, it’s Frank.”
“Hello.” Nikki said cheerfully. “How are you?”
“I’m good. The wedding is over.” I told her, linking hands with Gerard. We continued to walk, while I talked to Nikki. “So how is Jack feeling?”
“Well he was puking yesterday but he seems fine now.” She said. “Bella! Your dad’s on the phone! I’ll talk to ya later, sexy F.”
My eyebrow arched and I began to giggle. “Bye, Nikki.”
I heard the phone being passed, Bella sighing, and then a “Hey, Daddy.”
“Hey hon.” I said. “The wedding is over.”
“Awww you got pictures right?” she asked.
“Yeah.” I nodded, though she couldn’t see it. “We’ll get them developed now.”
“Well do you two wanna stay here if Aiden and Eric are at the house?” Bella asked.
“YAY!!!” Nikki shrieked. “YES THEY DO!”
I laughed. “Yeah, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course not but if Jack gets sick… You may smell like vomit.” She warned. “What time will you be here? It’s kind of messy over here. Things have been crazy. When Jack isn’t puking or shitting, he’s messing the living room up. Then you have Nikki trying to concoct—I mean, cook supper.”
“It’s fuuuun!” I heard Nikki squeal.
“I guess we’ll be there soon. We’ll eat first so we don’t have to eat any science projects.” I laughed. “We’ll see you soon, honey.”
“Alright, Dad. Bye, I love you.”
“Love you too. Bye.”
Aiden’s POV
“We are gathered here today to join Aiden Iero Way and Eric Idle in holy matrimony. I want you boys to understand that marriage is forever. Marriage is a symbolism of love forever. It isn’t something you can turn your back on.” An elderly man told Eric and I as we stood in front of an alter. We signed them, and we were married. We had signed our certificated two weeks ago. All that was left was the vows. After the vows we would be together forever. “Are we ready to begin?”
I gave a small nod, squeezing Eric’s hand in mine. He took a deep breath, looking down at the certificates as well.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God, and in the presence of this company, to unite Aiden Iero-Way and Eric Idle in holy matrimony. Marriage was ordained by God in Eden and confirmed in Cana of Galilee by the presence of the Lord, and is declared by the Apostle Paul to be honorable among all men. On this occasion we begin by asking God's blessing on this marriage service. Let us pray."
Overwhelming happiness is all I felt as he began to speak. I didn’t care that we were getting married at seventeen years old and that statistics were working against us. I didn’t care that we weren’t legal adults, that we would have to go to another year of high shcool as a gay married couple.
All I cared about was that I was, right now, marrying Eric. Four years ago he wouldn’t even date me and here we were, getting married. Sun came through the curtained windows and a cool breeze came from the air conditioner. There were two in windows and the rest were automatic, I’m assuming. That didn’t matter though. It didn’t matter that the yellow paint was chipping or that Daddy’s tie wasn’t exactly straight.
Eric’s palm began to sweat, or maybe mine. We were both pretty nervous now.
Dad smiled at me and Eric happily.
“Do you, Eric, take Aiden to be your husband? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only unto him?"
“I do.” Eric said softly, looking me in the eyes. I squeezed his hand again.
“And do you, Aiden, take Eric to be your husband? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only unto him?” The man asked, turning his gaze to me.
I nodded. “I do.” I felt my heart flutter. So close… so close to us being married. We were being married.
“Aiden, repeat after me: I Aiden, take thee Eric to be my husband.”
“I Aiden, take thee Eric to be my husband.” I quietly repeated him and Eric beamed at me, sniffling quietly.
“To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer.”
“To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer.”
Eric was by now crying. I wanted to hug him to me, I hated seeing him crying. I knew, though, that these were happy tears.
“And I promise my love to you.” The pastor said.
“And I promise my love you.” I whispered, then pulled Eric into my arms.
“I’m okay.” He laughed quietly, wiping his eyes. He sniffled then turned to the pastor, who was smiling at us.
“Are you ready, Eric?”
“Yes.” Eric sniffled.
“Repeat after me, now: I Eric, take thee Aiden to be my husband.”
“I Eric, take thee Aiden to be my husband.” he said quietly, locking eyes with me.
“To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer.”
“To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer.”
“And I promise my love to you.”
“And I promise my love to you.”
Now tears filled my eyes and I blinked them away rapidly.
“The rings?” The pastor asked.
Dad handed me one, and Eric one.
“Thank you.” I said softly.
He nodded, smiling.
“Eric, place the ring on Aiden’s ring finger and, again, repeat after me: With this ring, I thee wed; all my love, I do thee give.”
"With this ring, I thee wed; all my love, I do thee give." Eric said, sliding the ring onto my finger.
“It’s your turn, Aiden…” The old man smiled. “Place the ring on Eric’s ring finger and, for the last time, repeat after me: With this ring, I thee wed; all my love, I do thee give.”
“With this ring, I thee wed; all my love, I do thee give.” I finished, pushing the ring onto Eric’s finger.
“With the power invested in me, I declare you husbands. You can kiss now.”
Eric through his arms around me and pressed his lips to mine. I laughed, kissing him back and cupping his face. Dad and Daddy clapped happily and after we pulled away, they hugged us.
The pastor smiled down at us. “I wish you both all of the luck in the world.”
“Thank you.” I said, shaking his hand.
“You’re very welcome, young man.”
Frank’s POV
Later That Day…
Gerard and I walked through the park, both of us still in our tuxes. Gerard had undone his tie and the first few buttons of his shirt and I had my jacket off and was holding it over an arm.
“They did it.” I said happily. “They’re married, Gee. Eric’s our son-in-law.”
“They cried.” He laughed happily. “We didn’t cry.”
“Yeah but ours was a ‘Bang! We’re married!’ thing. They said vows and everything… it was very beautiful wasn’t it?”
“Yeah. It was.” He linked hands with me and kissed my palm. “Our wedding will be like that, baby. Beautiful. Like you.”
I smiled at Gerard. “Are we supposed to steer clear of the house tonight or… what?”
“… I have no clue, honestly. We didn’t discuss it with them, I mean…”
“Well… seeing as we didn’t talk about it…” I trailed off.
“It’s their wedding night… we should probably call and tell them we’ll stay over with Bella or something…” Gerard said, nodding. “I don’t think we should be there…”
“Yeah… staying with Bella may be good, anyway. I mean we haven’t seen her in a bit. She told me Jack has been getting sick a lot.” I sighed. “I better call and see if Jack is sick or not before we plan to stay with her.”
He nodded, handing me his cell phone.
“Thanks.” I said quietly, dialing her number.
“Hello?” Nikki answered.
“Hey, it’s Frank.”
“Hello.” Nikki said cheerfully. “How are you?”
“I’m good. The wedding is over.” I told her, linking hands with Gerard. We continued to walk, while I talked to Nikki. “So how is Jack feeling?”
“Well he was puking yesterday but he seems fine now.” She said. “Bella! Your dad’s on the phone! I’ll talk to ya later, sexy F.”
My eyebrow arched and I began to giggle. “Bye, Nikki.”
I heard the phone being passed, Bella sighing, and then a “Hey, Daddy.”
“Hey hon.” I said. “The wedding is over.”
“Awww you got pictures right?” she asked.
“Yeah.” I nodded, though she couldn’t see it. “We’ll get them developed now.”
“Well do you two wanna stay here if Aiden and Eric are at the house?” Bella asked.
“YAY!!!” Nikki shrieked. “YES THEY DO!”
I laughed. “Yeah, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course not but if Jack gets sick… You may smell like vomit.” She warned. “What time will you be here? It’s kind of messy over here. Things have been crazy. When Jack isn’t puking or shitting, he’s messing the living room up. Then you have Nikki trying to concoct—I mean, cook supper.”
“It’s fuuuun!” I heard Nikki squeal.
“I guess we’ll be there soon. We’ll eat first so we don’t have to eat any science projects.” I laughed. “We’ll see you soon, honey.”
“Alright, Dad. Bye, I love you.”
“Love you too. Bye.”