We Are NOT Alone

Fortunately, Teagan was also very good at strategizing and subterfuge. You might think it was all of those years portraying the perfect heiress to an ancient fortune, but no. Nobody knew where this streak inside of her had been born. Thusly, it was she who conceived the entire concept and implemented the plan of helping Peter to think that he was ambushing his parents, when in reality the entire ruse was contrived, staged, and rehearsed to her complete step-by-step satisfaction in advance. The plan hinged heavily on their collective acting skills, which was the only part that even vaguely appealed to Josh. He had performed in a few roles in high school plays usually portraying the ‘dumb jock’. Much to the satisfaction of Director Teagan Palisade, this elaborate scheme unfurled perfectly ensnaring Peter in the trap and he never suspected a thing. They each promised to retain this secret among themselves until their graves, though Josh was given the right to disclose it if he wanted. Hogan and Teagan were convinced that it would be good for no one, especially Peter for him to find out about their collusion. One thing that Josh hated more than anything was lying, especially to Peter, but it was the price he had to pay. As the weeks toward the forever partnering ceremony, and when Teagan discovered they had frozen her out of the plan, something, again, that Josh did not anticipate nor expect would happen, Teagan began to grow a bit sour on the idea of the forever partnering ceremony. She was managing only by drinking more wine than usual, and because Hogan reminded her every day, that the most important thing about the forever partnering ceremony was Peter’s happiness not hers.

When she saw her son dressed up like this half-hip fashion model / half-beach bum for his forever partnering ceremony and barefooted, it was the final straw. Had this been her idea, it would have been considered a stroke of genius to put beach boys in board shorts, but she had not been involved at all. Some strangers, the boys’ landlord for heaven’s sake, was hosting her son’s forever partnering ceremony, something that could have been planned easily at her own Malibu beach home. They were dressing like savages or, at least, people who didn’t respect the vows. They might as well get married in the forest dressed as elves or on a dude ranch riding a horse shirtless wearing only chaps and red kerchiefs.

Finally, Hogan took her aside and calmed her down. He took away her wine and begged her from the bottom of his heart not to spoil the day for their son’s sake. Peter, however, was not so kind. He went to his mother and flat out told her if she hoped to have a prayer of ever seeing him again, she needed to scale herself back into its place in this event, act like a normal mom, and deal with it. This caused her to nearly spill the beans on the behind-the-scenes with Josh, but Hogan intervened quickly but not before it looked like she throw some things at her son. At this point, Peter didn’t want there to be any pictures of any of this. He did not want to be a part of his family nor want photographic evidence of their transgressions on his big day. He was very hard on himself for ever believing his parents would come around. Hogan quickly calmed Teagan down again, and then he took his son aside.

“Look, Peter, I am sorry. Your mother is going through a rough patch right now. She’s not as prepared to see you get married, sorry, life partnered, as she thought. But, she’s an old pro, don’t tell her I said ‘old’, and she’ll suck it up for now. She knows she owes you that much.”

Peter glared suspiciously at his mother who, for her part, nodded with acquiescence. He then went over and apologized for inciting her to violence, and promised he would find a way to make everything up to her. Just please let him have this one day. She nodded again. They then proceeded with the photos according to the instructions. Peter tried his best not to let these events impact him or show up in the photos. He put on his happy face. He worked hard to wash everything from his mind and focus on the one person that mattered — Josh. He remembered when Josh proposed they elope, and he said no because he knew that Josh really wanted this day and realized he could have and maybe should have said, “yes”. Now that was in the past and he needed to move forward. He wished he could see Josh right now and talk to him because Josh would make all of this go away with a glance from those beautiful eyes and a nod from his gorgeous nose. Mintaka could make everything better in an instant. Muriel came up to him.

“Peter, I know. Honey, I know. But, guess what, you are 10 minutes away from seeing Josh. It’s going to be fine. Just focus on that.” Her words snapped him back from an abyss. He stood up fully demonstrating his true stature. While he was shorter than Josh, he was still the towering figure in this photo set. After the photos were complete, everyone from Peter’s family except for his parents, departed to take their seats.

At exactly 10 am sharp as a green comet streaked unknowingly across the heavens and a green searchlight they had set up flashed from one side of the sky to the other in their general proximity and direction, Josh appeared on the forever partnering ceremony dais. He looked at the minister and then turned to face the crowd. He was truly a majestic sight to behold. Looking positively regal in all but lacking a crown, he stood up very straight revealing the full lengths of his gorgeous perfectly tanned, perfectly muscular legs. Many of the older guests who had been to more forever partnering ceremonies than they could count could remember seeing a more illustrious-looking groom. He looked like Tarzan, Hercules, and Aladdin all had a baby. So strong, so powerful, and with that glorious, perfect smile. When he did not show his teeth that smile changed a bit from a youthful smile to a more princely smile. Then the traditional forever partnering ceremony march was played on strings including harp, bass, cello, violins, and acoustic guitar. The arrangement had been modernized and sounded glorious.

Moments later, Peter appeared behind the crowd with one of his parents under each arm. They walked him down the aisle. When he reached Josh’s parents, he paused and invited them to walk the rest of the way up to the dais with him and his parents. They had not known this was going to happen, but the audience would never have noticed. Tears of joy started to stream down Lavern’s face. She wiped them away as she turned, and the four parents took their seats in the front row next to Josh’s siblings. Peter did not wear a veil as promised, and Josh kept praying that the emotions of the event would prevent his member from making an unwelcome appearance. He lucked out.

Peter turned to face the audience just as Josh had causing a new round of gasps. As much as some, like even Angel, had doubted Josh’s choice of forever partnering ceremony regalia, their inverse board short / tuxedo barefoot combo worked. They looked like ancient Greek and Norse gods among men. They then turned to face the minister and they were read some technical statements. Then they parted so the minister could share some details about the meaning of forever partnering in the modern age and that the uniting of two people, two souls in this fashion while an age-old tradition designed to subjugate women and strip them of their rights, could now be reborn in a new age to celebrate the true partnership of two people dedicated to their mutual progress as contributors to this planetary organism of which we are all a part. They each spoke out their handwritten vows which differed entirely from the “for in sickness and in health” that used to be the way to move into bolder new territory. Then the minister invited them to exchange rings to seal their bond. For a moment Peter panicked. He was in charge of the rings, but he had not brought them. Then he remembered Muriel giving him something, a small box. He reached into his vest pocket and pulled out the box. He opened it to the audience who then, many for the first time, saw these luminous rings. With their wide, a bit more than a centimeter, round encircling bands and set with encrusted gemstones on top. As he showed them, the gems reflected and refracted the light. Josh’s tanzanite was ablaze with ricocheting beams of light seemingly trapped inside. He took the sapphire ring and placed it in Josh’s palm and then placed the tanzanite ring on Josh’s left ring finger.

“With this ring, I, Peter Sven Palisade commit to joining you as your forever partner,” Peter said.

Then Josh took the ring from his palm and placed it on Peter’s ring finger. He said, “With this ring, I, Joshua Anthony Harbour commit to joining you as your forever partner.”

The minister said, “You may now demonstrate your love and seal it with a kiss.” They hugged and then they kissed. The audience could not stop applauding and cheering during the kiss which just caused them to hold it longer and longer. Then finally, they needed air, and when they broke the seal, the audience roared. The band became silent and the musicians started moving instruments and locations to the east lawn where the rest of the party was set to occur. The commencement of the music drew Josh and Peter apart, and they collectively invited everyone to move over for the luncheon and party on the lawn.