Bittersweet Irish Cream Ch. 10

"Really?" Jack liked that idea.

"I've known you almost 20 years Jack, and I know what you've been through. For you, I will do this," Father O'Donnell said. "And I hear someone is trying to woo you to the Protestant side, and I would much like to see your face continue at Mass with us."

Ethan was thoughtful. "I do want to talk with you, Father. I think I'm ready to annul my first marriage, start clean with this one." Jack looked at him in surprise. He had not mentioned it to him.

Father O'Donnell smiled. "Yes. I think it's time. Let's chat this week, see what we can do."

~~~

On Thursday morning, August 31st, Father O'Donnell came by the Inn looking for Ethan. He handed him the official document of his annulment from Trish, who unsurprisingly agreed to it without a fight. He said, "You are free to marry as a Catholic, if you so choose."

Ethan smiled and said, "But am I free to marry who I want as a Catholic?"

"That is the question, isn't it? Well anyway, I have a special blessing that I want to do before your trip tomorrow. Can you and Jack come by the Church, let's say at midnight tonight? And bring a friend, each of you." He winked at Ethan, who was confused.

He told Jack when he arrived that afternoon after work and showed him the document. "That's awesome!"              

"Yea it is," Ethan said. "But what do you think about the other thing? Going tonight, bringing a friend?"

"He is probably going to do some kind of marriage type blessing. Maybe like a midnight mass with communion. Who do you want to ask to come with us? June obviously for me."

"I don't know. Maybe Brayden, because we've become real good friends, and he's not Catholic so whatever Father does end up doing, he's not guilt ridden to tell." Brayden and Ethan started hanging out a lot more when Jack went to Ireland by keeping each other company, and not talking about the one thing they both had on their minds.

"Well I guess that means Liam and Henrietta too because neither of them are seen without their other half anymore," Jack reasoned.

"True," Ethan said, "Ok, let me just make sure it's ok that it's four friends, not two." He called Father O'Donnell while Jack called June and Brayden.

Ethan asked Mina to stay the night and watch EJ while the rest of them trooped over to the Church, five minutes to midnight. They were instructed to use the side door and to be discrete. When they arrived Father O'Donnell had full Mass robes on.

"We are sorely under dressed for this Father," Ethan said and Jack laughed. They had on jeans and t-shirts just like Henrietta and Brayden and sneakers on their feet. Liam and June were wearing sweatpants.

He ushered them down to the front of the Church and said, "Do you, Ethan Thomas and Jack Nathan, both attest to being here of your own free will, and are willing ready to be joined in marriage?" They both looked at him in amusement.

"Okaaay. What are we really doing here Father?" Jack asked.

"Is this some marriage type blessing you're about to do?" Ethan asked.

Father O'Donnell said with a straight face, "If you call reciting the Order of the Celebration of Matrimony from start to finish a marriage type blessing, then yes."

The both stared at him. Jack spoke first, "You....you can't do that Father."

"Has the power not been bestowed on me to marry two people in a Christian marriage under holy matrimony?" Father O'Donnell asked.

"You'll lose your collar if you do this," Ethan said seriously. "We can't let you do this."

"And what is a collar but an outward sign of my unwavering faith in the teachings of Christ who admonished us to love our Lord with all our hearts, minds, bodies and souls, and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves? Is this not an act of love that has brought us all here tonight? My love for you? Your love for each other? Your friends' love for the both of you? God's love for us all?"

"I know you care about me, about both of us," Jack said. "But this is taking it too far. This is a complete sin in the eyes of the Church. If this gets out-"

Henrietta spoke, "No one here will talk." They turned to look at her.

"Did you know he was going to do this?" Jack asked her.

"No," she said. "Not until we walked through the doors and I saw him dressed like that. He wants to marry you, Jack. Let him."

"This is insane." Ethan scoffed and walked back down the aisle. Brayden went after him.

Jack turned back to the priest. "Why?"

"Because you deserve to know that God's love is infinite, beyond what us mortals see, believe and feel about one another," the priest said. "God has brought you two together. Let Him solidify that bond through me. Also, because I want to."

Brayden made Ethan sit in the back pew. They sat in silence for a while and then Brayden said, "You know, this church really is beautiful."

"I can't let him do this," Ethan said. "This is crazy."

"What's crazy? That a man of God wants to marry two people?" Brayden asked.

"No offense but you wouldn't understand, you're not Catholic," Ethan said.

"I'm not gay either but I understand prejudice, hate, hypocrisy and misquoting of the scriptures," Brayden said. "And I used to be Catholic. I was an alter boy, a boy scout, all of it. I was 12 years old when my dad said he was leaving the Catholic Church.

"When scandal after scandal of the priest abusing young boys came out, he couldn't handle how terrible it was that people allowed it to go on for so long, and that others were either defending or brushing it under the rug to this day. He said, 'My sons will not grow up in an institution that won't protect them.' He told us that we weren't going to church for the people or the doctrine, we are going for our faith.

"I loved being Catholic, and it took me a while to understand why he moved us, but I get it now. At the end of the day that doesn't matter. It's Jesus we have to impress, not the people sitting in the pews or even the man giving the sermons and blessings. We don't owe anyone an explanation of who we are, or who we love, or the choices we make, or the sins we commit, but Christ Himself. Otherwise, why do we call ourselves Christians?"

Ethan nodded. "I hear you. But this is less about me and more about him, Father O'Donnell. I can't let him throw his whole life away, for me."

Brayden shrugged, "That's what we do for the people we love. Everyone told me I was throwing my life away waiting for Etta. And now look at us. Married." He paused then said, "Baby on the way." He smiled.

Ethan's eyes grew wide. "Daaag that was quick, boy! Congratulations!" They hugged tightly.

Brayden laughed. "She planned it, she's been clocking her cycle since our honeymoon. It's early, five weeks, but man. It's like Christmas morning every day when I wake up." He smiled widely and Ethan smiled widely with him, giving him another hug.

Jack had walked over. "What are you two grinning about?"

"Nothing," they both said together, then laughed.

"Bray, can I talk with Ethan for a minute?" Jack asked.

"Sure!" he said. He went back toward the front of the Church with everyone else.

Jack sat next to Ethan. He touched his leg, then found his hand and held it. They sat in silence for a moment. Ethan said "You want to do this, don't you?"

Jack sighed. "I don't know. I never dreamed I would get married in a Catholic Church. Ever. I never dreamed I would get married, really. Even in my wildest dreams this wouldn't happen. It seemed impossible."

"And yet, here we are. Your wildest dreams becoming even wilder," Ethan said.

Jack let a moment pass, then asked, "What about you? Do you want to do this?"

"For you, I would," Ethan said.

"So if I didn't want to do this you wouldn't?"

"Probably not," Ethan said. "One, because I already had a Catholic wedding and it's not all it's cracked up to be. And two, I really really don't want to get Father in trouble. How can we ensure that no one slips and says how he married two gays in the Church? And even if that never happens, because I do trust everyone here, who's to say he wouldn't feel tremendous guilt for it afterwards?"

Jack was thoughtful. He asked him, "Do you want to get married Ethan, or are you only marrying me because you think that's what I want?"

Ethan turned to him. "I want to marry you, Jack. I wasn't sure if you really wanted to marry me and that's why I asked you on Christmas, if you actually wanted to get married or if you were just saying it to get my attention. If it was anybody else in the world I would probably be doing it because the other person wanted it, or just flat out wouldn't do it. But you? I want to be your husband. I want you to be mine."

Jack felt his heart explode. He made the decision. "Then we're getting married. Right now." He stood up. "We'll do penance for Father O'Donnell every chance we get. But for now...."

Ethan stood up and said, "We're getting married."

Jack smiled his sideways smile and they leaned in at the same time to kiss gently, then passionately, holding onto each other's faces.

Henrietta called, "Hey! Save it for after the vows!"

They made their way down to the front of the church, hand in hand.