Page 111 of Just Business

They were here. They’d come. A Reform synagogue. A gay wedding—his wedding. They werehere.

“What...?” Justin trailed off.

Rabbi Berkowitz clasped Eli’s father’s hand, paused, and leaned in a bit. Whatever they said to one another, it was lost in the throbbing in Eli’s ears. His mother turned and gasped. His father did likewise—and straightened.

Pride. Anguish.Oh, Dad.

He stepped forward. “Did you think we would miss our own son’s wedding?” His father’s voice was rough and thick, his English full of the musical dips and swells Eli had so loved as a child.

He had to blink a few times to clear his watery vision. “I wasn’t sure you still had a son.” Yes, that hurt them; those words made them flinch. “But I’m grateful you do, and I am glad you’re here.” Maybe, maybe they could find a path through the pain and hurt and all the shit they’d done to him.

Such a journey needed to start somewhere, and Eli wasn’t alone anymore. Hehada family—one of his own choosing.

Justin held out his hand. “I’m Justin White, Eli’s fiancé.”

His father hesitated, then shook Justin’s hand. “Jaco Ovadia. This is... this is Eli’s mother, Reiza.”

She took Justin’s hand. “I thought my son was lost. I was wrong. Thank you for finding him anyway.”

Justin folded his other hand around hers. “He and I... We were both a bit lost. We found each other, brought each other home.”

Eli’s chest didn’t need to be any tighter. He forced himself to breathe, though that became quite hard when Justin let go of his mother’s hand and she turned to him, her eyes full of tears. “Eli.” Just that and no more, but it carried the weight of the years that lay broken between them, the missed opportunities, the joys that never were, the sorrow that was, and the fear he knew so well.

He wouldn’t turn his back. Not when they’d come this far. “Mom.” He handed Justin his cane, then stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her.

She sobbed once, a sound that both broke and mended his heart. There would be more tears. Probably yelling, too. Anger lurked in his heart and mind, justifiable, given everything. But this—he could not deny that love lay in her. When he pulled back after several long moments, he saw it in his father as well.

“Thank you for coming.” Now his voice was heavy and his vision far too blurry.

“Eli?” Michael stepped forward, a formidable figure in his tux. “Shall I show your parents to their seats?”

“Please.” How they would deal with the sudden appearance of one of the grooms’ parents, he didn’t know. But that’s why there were wedding coordinators. And best men.

Michael offered his arm to Eli’s mother. “I’m Michael Sebastian, Eli’s best man.” He led Eli’s parents toward the inner doors.

Once they were safely out of sight, Eli wiped his eyes. “This is not how I thought I’d end up crying at my wedding.”

Justin’s own eyes were moist. “I can always stomp on your foot during our dance if you’d like a different kind of crying.”

The absurdity, the ridiculousness in that flipped Eli’s brain over until it settled down on one thought alone. “God, do I love you.” That smart mouth, those blue eyes.

Justin smiled. “I hope so. This is a lot to go through for a casual fling.”

Eli smacked Justin’s ass with the back of his hand, hard enough to make him yelp. “Nothing casual about it, Mr. White.”

“Good.” A bit breathless and blushing slightly, Justin was captivating. He stepped closer and stole a quick kiss. “And I love you, too. More than ever.” He stepped back.

A polite cough caught their attention. Rabbi Berkowitz stood at the doors. “We’re all set, whenever you gentlemen are.”

Eli nodded, and the rabbi vanished past the double doors.

“Are you ready?” Justin’s warm fingers smoothed down his lapel.

“Yes.” He’d waited his life for this. He took Justin’s arm in his and walked forward.

***

Justin didn’t tramp on Eli’s foot while they slow danced. His husband. That was what the vows and the rings said. The stomping on the glass. He kissed Eli’s neck and took pleasure in the shiver that resulted.