by K C West
“Irini’s family,” I said. “They had food to drop off.” I watched as they greeted friends and relatives before locating places to sit.
“Wow! There’s a bunch of them.”
“Uh-huh. Sandy’s going to have in-laws crawling out of the woodwork.”
“I hope they appreciate him.”
I was touched by the note of concern in her voice. Even though he was now a grown man and in charge of his own destiny, she still worried about him.
“They seem nice. The ones I’ve met anyway.”
We watched the family shuffle back and forth, trying to find enough empty seats in one area.
“How are you holding up, PJ?”
“I’ll be fine, thanks to our discussion last night.”
She shifted again. “All part of the service.”
“I wish you’d calm down, though. You look sensational, by the way.”
“What, the skirt? And the flowers? I feel like Zorba the Greek meets the hippie generation.”
“Do I have to throw you down on the ground and ravish you to prove how sexy you are?”
“Ha! Now that would excite the crowd.”
“Dad would have an attack for sure, and it would embarrass Susanna on her big day, so I’ll try to restrain myself.”
“Good thinking.”
“Just remember the thought’s there in the back of my mind.”
“What a mind you’ve got,” Kim said.
“You know what we talked about last night. All that and more is floating around in my head right now. The biggest thought, though, is how much I love you and how thankful I am that we found each other.”
Kim turned completely around and smiled down at me, eyes glistening. “Right back at you, kiddo.”
The orchestra started the last of its introductory music. When it finished this piece, we’d begin the processional. I tried to focus on the event about to take place, but my thoughts flittered in all directions. Cupid had definitely visited my world recently and wreaked havoc on it. His amorous arrows had pierced the hearts of several targets close to me. As a result, Dad and Susanna had married, Sandy had proposed to Irini, and Kim and I had been joined in a mythical village’s equivalent of a wedding.
I thought about how I’d be forced to share the love Dad and I had just reclaimed, and I realized that I wasn’t the love of Sandy’s life any more. Last night it all came to a head, and I needed Kim’s help to soothe my raw emotions. She helped me admit that a tinge of jealousy was behind my emotional upheaval, and that Cupid’s arrows had first made loving pincushions of both of us.
I’d be forever grateful for that. Kim was my rock. She was fair-minded, tender, thoughtful, brave, sexy, smart, and clearly the best lover I’d ever had. Shit. I was back to thinking lecherous thoughts again, but I guess that was better than allowing jealousy to consume me.
*
The first few notes of Pachelbel’s Canon in D major sounded. Kim’s skirt swayed gently as she started up the slope to where my father and Sandy stood waiting. Shake your booty, tiger. I took a deep breath and pushed my thoughts in another direction, remembering all the work we’d accomplished in such a short time to bring this ceremony together.
During the past week we’d shifted into high gear, setting up the site, ordering flowers, arranging for food and musicians, shopping for clothing, and decorating the dining hall tent. Susanna’s vision for the event was to mix the best of Greek Island foods, clothing, and dance, with traditional American favorites. So far, it had all come together beautifully.
Even though it was November, the weather had also cooperated. Not only had the rains held off, but the sun still held some warmth as it shone through thin, white clouds against a blue-gray sky. The temperature was a comfortable sixty-two.
Salt-laden sea breezes rustled my long, flowing skirt. As bridesmaids, Kim and I were dressed in matching gold skirts with Greek motifs in green along the hemline and dark green bolero jackets over long-sleeved white silk blouses.
Susanna’s outfit reversed the colors of our skirts to give her gold trim on a green background. She also wore a long tunic top that was ivory with gold brocade at the edges, over a gold blouse.
Debate over head coverings raged for several days. Irini inadvertently solved the problem when she presented Susanna with a book of Sappho’s poetry. While my stepmother was thumbing through it, she found a fragment of verse that resolved the controversy perfectly.
‘“She who wears flowers, attracts the happy Graces: They turn back from a bare head.’ There you have it, ladies,” Susanna said. “Right from the poet herself. Number nineteen from the Mary Barnard translation.”
Kim and I were startled when we heard those words. It was as if Sappho had spoken to us, adding her own unique touch to the ceremony. We were only too happy to comply with Susanna’s request that we wear flowers in our hair, and wished that we could share with her what we knew about the historical poet. In private, we wondered about our Amazon joining ceremony and the custom of weaving wreaths for our heads. Had it really been an Amazon tradition, or had it been Sappho’s idea? And what about all that kissing? We decided that Sappho could easily have suggested that quaint idea, too.
However, now wasn’t the time to get sidetracked. Susanna beckoned me from the staging tent, and I ducked inside to help her button one of the cuffs of her blouse. Together, we watched Kim give Dad a kiss on the cheek and hand him the slender white candle she carried. I had one also, and would give it to Susanna once we all assembled under the rose trellis.
“Almost time,” I said. “Last chance to back out.”
She put her hand on my arm. “Not on your life. I’m crazy about your father… and his lovely daughter.”
“I’m happy, too, that you’ve become a member of our family. I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have for a stepmother. Should I call you Mom, or Susanna, or what?”
“Why don’t we stick with Susanna, or even Sue. Either is familiar and works well for me.”
“Works for me, too, Susanna.”
She gave me a peck on the cheek, and a light scent of Chanel mingled with the fragrance of the roses.
My cue came. After making sure my ringlet of baby’s breath and red rosebuds was secure on my head, I started up the slope toward Kim. She was gazing my way with such a tender look on her face, my heart turned cartwheels in my chest.
All of the assembled students, friends, relatives, and laborers turned their attention to me as I made my way slowly up the slope to the arbor. Glancing sideways at them, I could see they were dressed in their finery and made a colorful addition to the landscape. I heard whispers and an undercurrent of anticipation as they looked beyond me to catch the first glimpse of the bride.
When I reached the arbor and stood in front of Dad, he leaned forward to let me kiss his cheek. “Relax,” I whispered, “she didn’t chicken out.” He kissed my forehead and pretended to be relieved. I stepped back to stand in front of Kim, feeling the warmth of her hand on my back. Along with everyone else, we turned our heads toward the staging tent, waiting for Susanna to appear.
The music paused and started again, repeating the hauntingly beautiful notes. Susanna stepped out, carrying a bouquet of baby’s breath and roses, wearing a ringlet of matching rosebuds in her hair.
Appreciative murmurs greeted my beautiful stepmother as she walked toward her waiting groom. When she reached us, Susanna exchanged her bouquet for the candle I carried.
Sporting a brand-new navy-blue suit and tie, Sandy stepped forward to address the guests. I felt a little bit of a tug on my heartstrings, remembering how I had been tempted to have a fling with this handsome guy. That was when I first joined Kim’s excavation in Arizona’s Superstition Mountains, and I was still in my love ‘em and leave ‘em days. Fortunately, his maturity kept me from acting on a misguided attraction, and we formed a lasting friendship instead. I couldn’t speak for Sandy, but I’d come to love and cherish that bond between us. He was the brother I never h
ad, and a genuinely good guy.
“Welcome all of you, to this joyous occasion.” Sandy’s voice was clear and deep. “We’re gathered here today to join with Frederick and Susanna as they stand before us to exchange expressions of their love. After the ceremony, you’re all invited to a celebration in their honor. There’ll be food, music, and dancing, combining the best of Greek and American traditions. And now, let’s begin.”
He lit both of their candles, and then stepped to one side. Dad and Susanna faced each other, holding lighted candles, gripping each other’s free hand. The breeze dropped, allowing the flames to flicker brightly.
My Dad looked so handsome in a black business suit, pearl-grey shirt, and white striped cravat. A bright red rosebud was pinned to his lapel. I noticed that his candle shook as he spoke, but otherwise he looked calm and collected.
“Susanna,” he said, seeming to caress her name with the tone of his voice. “At a time in my life when I thought I’d never again feel love, you appeared. We began as friends who shared common interests, and I thought that was enough. Then, before I knew it, I was finding any excuse to talk to you, just to be with you.
“Thank you for your friendship, your strength, your kindness, and your love. You have saved me from a lonely old age. I pledge to you, in front of our family and friends, my friendship, my protection, my devotion, and my love, now and as long as I live.”
Susanna blinked back tears. I saw her squeeze Dad’s hand. “Frederick, I’ve admired you and your family for many years. You were a handsome, dynamic presence at all the otherwise boring social functions that I was required to attend.” Several of the guests chuckled.
“As our friendship deepened, I tried to deny my feelings for you. I thought I had no need for marriage. I had my work for comfort in my old age. How wrong I was. Your thoughtful attention and romantic gestures broke down all my defenses. With quiet tenderness, you captured my heart.” Her voice broke and she paused to take a deep breath. Dad rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb.
“I pledge to you my love, and I promise to cherish you for all the days of my life.”
A few sniffling sounds drifted upward from the guests and murmured words of approval. My eyes filled, and Kim shoved a tissue into my hand at just the right moment.
Dad and Susanna, using their separate tapirs, lit a single tall candle that sat on a glass-topped table behind them in the arbor. Once the single flame was burning brightly, they extinguished their individual ones, symbolically proclaiming that from this day onward, the two were one and would move forward as a single entity.
They melted into each others embrace and kissed. Cheers erupted from below, briefly drowning out the orchestra’s soft music. Two people - two hearts and minds - had come together in the arbor to stand under an arch of sweet smelling roses. They’d arrived as two people, but left as a couple to be showered with rose petals as they looked confidently to their future together.
I saw a vision hovering in the sky, and I blinked, thinking it was a weird cloud formation, but it took the shape of a woman’s face. Blonde hair, green eyes, and a tender expression I hadn’t seen since I was fourteen. I must have swayed, because Kim’s hand clamped on my elbow, supporting me.
“Don’t panic,” she said. “I see her, too.”
Tears dribbled down my cheeks. “It’s my mother. I feel her warmth, her love. She’s giving her approval to Dad and Susanna.” I turned to Kim. “But if you see her, too, then maybe she’s blessing us, as well.”
“I think so.” Kim used her thumb to blot my tears. “Please don’t cry. I don’t have any more tissues. And you can’t use your shirt sleeve, it’s silk.”
The thought of her making a perceptive fashion statement had me giggling. “Now, I’ve heard everything. This has truly been an amazing day.”
“Hey, the fun’s just beginning.”
*
The Greek musicians rose and began a lively tune. We fell into step behind the newlyweds to walk to the reception. Our utilitarian food tent had been transformed into a banquet hall with a buffet area of extravagant proportions. Demitri and Pietro had outdone themselves. I swear I heard the tables creaking under the weight of it all.
Appetizers, or mezedes, were offered of taramosalata, which was Greek style caviar, tsatziki, cucumber dip that goes with everything, and tyropita, cheese filled pastries.
The entrees consisted of: hoirino me selino, which I discovered was lemon pork with celery, moussaka, an eggplant casserole, spetsiota, a Greek style fish dish, and exohiko, a delicious roast lamb with herbs.
Representing the American cuisine, I saw fried chicken, a huge steamship round of beef, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Assorted Greek and American vegetable dishes accompanied the entrees.
An array of desserts awaited us on a side table. A huge wedding cake that Irini’s family bakery had created for the occasion was in the center. It featured red rosebuds with olive leaves and was decorated with the sentiment, “Happy New Life, Frederick and Susanna.”
“Kali oreksi! Bon appetit!” Demitri shouted, as the bride and groom reached the far end of the room and approached their places at the head table.
*
In a quiet moment during our meal, I slipped an envelope into Dad’s hand. He looked surprised.
“Go ahead and open it.”
Dad tore open the envelope before handing it to Susanna to examine the contents.
“Oh, PJ, Kim. What a wonderful gift.” Tears filled her eyes and threatened to spill over.
My dad was uncharacteristically speechless.
“Kim and I did some phoning and faxing. We knew you wanted to travel and haven’t had time to plan a honeymoon, so we thought this would be a good place to start your new lives together.” They both covered their mouths as I spoke, seeming happy, but quite surprised and astonished by the extent of our plans. “For the next three nights, you’re booked into a villa at the Paradise Hotel and resort at Gavatha. Sauna, heated pool, spas, room service… all the amenities. Oh, and I put the directions, phone numbers, everything you need, in the envelope.”
“Thank you both so much,” Dad said, after finding his voice. He pulled us into bear hugs. “I’ve not one, but two daughters, and I love them both.”
“But wait, there’s more,” Kim added, sounding like a late night TV infomercial. “Contact Joanna at the number on the sheet, and when you’re ready to go, she’ll fix you up with an all-expenses-paid week’s tour of the islands in the Northern Aegean. Your headquarters will be on board a private, fully-rigged sailing ship.”
Dad was so excited, I was afraid he’d hyperventilate. He grabbed Susanna and hugged her fiercely. Then he turned and hugged each of us again.
Any further conversation was drowned out by the Greek orchestra, consisting of clarinets, violins, lute, lyre, santouri, the two-headed Greek drum - the daouli, and tambourines. They played a variety of traditional dances.
We drafted Demitri and Pietro to give lessons and organize the guests into groups. The men performed a lively dance while in a big half circle, with arms across their shoulders. Alexander explained that the dance was called Geranos, or the dance of the labyrinth. According to legend, Theseus, after killing the Minotaur at Knossos, stopped at Delos and offered a sacrifice to the gods for sparing his life. Afterward, he performed this dance of serpentine movement. Dances of this type were often performed by grooms at weddings to illustrate the difficulty of getting out of the labyrinth of life.
The women danced in a half circle of their own. Irini helped us learn some of the shuffling steps and turns to a series of slow dances called Surtoi. We practiced these with plenty of stumbling missteps and laughter.
The men were supposed to do their dancing with leaps and fast footwork, while the women remained graceful and slow in their movement. After a while, and with a few Greek beverages under our belts, we joined both half circles and tried a blend of lively and slow steps.
Consuming too much alcohol was a concern for me ev
er since my fiasco in Arizona. The night I went out partying with the boys and Sandy had to drop me off at Kim’s place was still vivid in my memory. I, in my inebriated state, managed to make a pass at him, insult Kim who was my boss at the time, and vomit all over the solitary cactus that grew on the RV lot she rented in Apache Junction. Sandy had brought me there, to Kim’s motor home, to sober up because he didn’t know what else to do with me. What an embarrassing time it was for all of us. If someone had told me then that Kim and I would become a loving couple and that today I’d be on a Greek island, celebrating my father’s wedding, I would’ve thought they were crazy.
The orchestra switched gears and played a variety of American dance tunes. And when I heard the familiar strains of the Anne Murray favorite, “Could I Have This Dance”, I grabbed Kim.
“It’s our turn.”
Her eyes widened. “Whatever you say.”
The lights were dim. We found a quiet spot in the shadows where we could indulge ourselves with a slow, romantic dance together as an Amazon-style, married couple. I stole a few sweet kisses and leaned my head against Kim’s chest while wishing that the dance would never end.
She hummed along with the music.
“Are you happy?” I asked her.
Her lips pressed against my temple. “I’m blissfully happy.”
“Me too. I only wish…”
“What?”
“I only wish that it would stay like this forever, but I know it can’t.”
*
After Dad and Susanna left on the first leg of their honeymoon trip and the festivities wound down, Kim and I retired to our tent. I put away my wedding finery and slipped into a shirt and sweat pants. Kim, who had already changed into her old scrubs that doubled for sleepwear, wanted to enter some data into her laptop. I took out my journal and I wrote a few paragraphs about the day’s events and then sat back, contemplating.
Thoughts I’d kept bottled up for most of the day surfaced. I was happy for Dad. He’d found someone to love again, and Susanna would be a true friend and advisor to all of us as we settled into our lives as a family unit. I rejoiced at Sandy and Irini’s double blessing - his great archaeological discovery and their future marriage.