Read with BonusRead with Bonus

5 - Commitment Ceremony

There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved. – George Sand

When Dean had shown them the walk-in closet of wedding dresses, Bunny had fallen in love with the dress that they dubbed the Big Fat Greek Wedding Dress. The skirt was so large that her arms couldn’t go down straight by her sides.

Smirking, Deam had pointed out that her arms weren’t the only things that would not be straight at the wedding. When she had quit laughing, Bunny threatened to put the teen in pink. They both knew it was an empty threat.

Two days before the wedding, Helen had shown up at the two-story house with a new set of petticoats. Even though they would not be seen during the ceremony, it still meant a lot to the three of them. Especially for Jaxon.

Although they all knew that Helen accepted Jaxon and his partners, the gift of the rainbow-colored petticoats solidified it. It meant even more to learn that Daphne had helped Helen to add the coordinating ribbon and lace to each of the tiers.

Now as she walked down the hall of Riot the soft swish of the colorful satin and lace under her eccentric white dress was her own personal wedding march. But with each shush and swish sound, her nervousness grew.

She had done this once before; she shouldn’t be nervous. She shouldn’t have these butterflies in her stomach. But she had a whole flock.

Is that what they were called? The thought flitted through her head, quickly followed by another. Why am I wondering what a group of butterflies are called?

Bunny turned the corner and JD’s friend Cooper opened the door for her to enter the garden.

“You look beautiful.” He whispered as she passed, and she blushed as she stepped into the courtyard.

Rented chairs made up two sections of seating for the approximate seventy guests. A white runner with rainbow trim on either side created the walkway that would carry her to her men.

Stepping onto the satin look runner, a soft squeak from her shoes on the white plastic was added to her personal song.

As Bunny walked down the aisle by herself smiling at her two grooms, hoping they couldn’t see her nervousness. They both looked so calm, and she didn’t understand how.

Ty shifted his weight and Jaxon leaned in close to whisper something in the other man’s ear. They both grinned at her, and JD shook his head. Obviously, he had heard what was said and it was something that he did not want to know.

Clarance, a friend and fellow club member who renewed his officiant license just for this ceremony, leaned closer and whispered something to all three men. JD looked up at the sky and she was certain he was praying for patience.

Or the strength to murder the other men and make their bodies disappear.

Waylon leaned forward and whispered to JD who turned and replied quietly causing Waylon to pale slightly before shaking his head. Even Jaxon and Ty turned to look at JD who simply shrugged and smiled at them. Neo tipped his head back and laughed.

Bunny really wanted to know what had been said. But she reached the end of the aisle and the conversation stopped. Dean, Olivia and Jolene stood on the other side, hiding their smiles and laughter behind the small rainbow tea rose bouquets.

She had been unable to choose a single color for the wedding theme. Nor could she even narrow it down to a theme. Six weeks before the commitment ceremony, she had been sitting in her moms’ living room pouring through bridal magazines when Bridget offered a solution.

Rainbow.

Since both her partners were bi, the pride rainbow seemed perfect. And according to Dean, poly relationships should be encompassed in the plus of the LGBTQ+. Bunny wasn’t sure if it was, but it certainly should.

Her bridesmaids all picked their own dresses – Dean had a long sleeveless maxi dress in dark red that had an ombre effect to purple at the bottom. Olivia wore a bright Kelly-green floor-length dress with cap sleeves and an empire waist that showed off her small baby bump. Jolene had chosen an off-the-shoulder bright blue fitted dress with a corset back.

The men all wore black suits with a colored silk shirt and no tie. Starting with Clarence, they went through the rainbow, except for yellow. The yellow silk shirt looked dingier and more faded than the promised lemony color.

Clarance wore red that conflicted garishly with his natural red hair and ruddy complexion. Yet, with his bright smile and rainbow stole, it all perfectly worked together.

Ty’s dark skin was set off by the orange.

Yellow was skipped over, thankfully.

The bright green of the silk and Jaxon’s dark brown hair gave him a man of nature look.

JD wore a bright blue that set off his suddenly blue eyes from the contacts that he had gotten specifically for the wedding.

The dark blue that Waylon wore stood in the place of the indigo of the original ROY G BIV rainbow. At first the plan had been to use the Pride flag – red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. But when they had seen the yellow, changes were made.

Neo wore a bright purple shirt and had taken a purple marker and colored Betty’s eyes. He decided that if JD could color his eyes, then he could color the eyes of his tattoo.

“It’s about time you got here.” Clarance grinned. “These two were getting out of hand and that one,” he pointed at JD, “is dangerous.” He gave the younger man a quick once over and smiled brightly before looking at Dean. “You’re a lucky girl.”

“I am.” She agreed as she smiled at her husband who winked at her.

“Okay, you lovely girl, you go here between your two men.” Clarance ordered and the trio moved around so that she was flanked by her husband on her left and Jaxon on her right. “That’s better.”

Clarance cleared his throat before he began the ceremony. Looking around the garden that sat in the middle of the Riot complex, he smiled at the crowd that was gathered to celebrate the love of the three people in front of him. This was a big change from the much smaller crowds that had previously attended commitment ceremonies.

It warmed his heart when his couples and throuples, and one quad, had strong support from their family and friends. Even though James and Cherise Johnson were not there to support their son, Tyrus and Regina proudly sat in a place of honor. The throuple’s one-year-old daughter, Ariel, sat in Tyrus’ lap while her youngest cousin, Jaina, was entertained by Regina’s bangles.

“Twue wuv…”

The Princess Bride was one of Clarance’s favorite movies and almost every ceremony had a reference to it. There were a few other references as the three of them exchanged their vows and rings. But the best was at the end when he told the two men that they could kiss their bride.

“As you wish.” Jaxon grinned just before he kissed Bunny.

“Inconceivable.” Ty said as Bunny turned towards him for a kiss.

“I do not think that means what you think it means.” JD muttered and Clarance chuckled.

“Have fun storming the castle!” Waylon cheered.

JD turned around and looked at him. “Seriously?”

“What?” Waylon grinned.

“I have a niece to prove that they’ve already stormed the castle.” JD pointed out gesturing to the sleeping toddler curled against her great uncle’s chest.

“Meh.” Waylon replied. “It’s not my sis-“

Neo’s hand clamped down over Waylon’s mouth. “You’ll thank me for this later. Did you just lick my hand?”

Waylon laughed as Neo pulled his hand away and wiped his palm down his jeans.

Bunny turned towards the three women on the other side of them. “Have they been like this the entire time?”

“Yes.” The three women and Clarance answered at one time.

“Pretty sure Cheryl is going to end up a single mom if Waylon keeps pushing JD’s buttons.” Olivia warned her friend with a grin.

“Nah.” Dean laughed. “He likes pushing buttons himself.” She smiled at him, and JD winked at her.

“Someone’s getting their button pushed later.” Clarance mumbled behind his hand before he turned the three newlyweds towards the audience. “Little Miss Ariel was supposed to be up here for this introduction, but she looks quite comfortable where she is. Without any further ado, ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Johnson family. Bunny, Jaxon and Tyrus Johnson.”

Previous Chapter
Next Chapter