Rhythm
by
John Terry Moore
CHAPTER 23
Jacob leaned back in the comfortable old chair and grinned to himself. ‘Would it be tonight?’ he wondered. ‘Yes,’ he agreed with himself, ‘tonight is the night, I’m sure of it.’ All week Darcy had been evasive and Jacob picked up on it straight away. Everyone agreed that he and Darcy were joined at the hip or at the cerebellum as one of their lecturers has so succinctly put it! And they both agreed. Because it was lovely, and if their partnership felt so right at the beginning, time had proved it even more so. They were so comfortable together; they were teased by their fellow undergraduates because it was quite usual to find them sitting together, holding hands, Jacob with his head on Darcy’s shoulder quietly talking to each other, with their eyes closed! Jack Carruthers, one of their lecturers, initially freaked at the sight but relented when he realised they were indeed listening to him! And their results, from the moment that Darcy joined the same stream as Jacob, were the best of their year. So uni was great, their living quarters had been spruced up with some help from Gerry Hansen and Wayne. And they had an even bigger bed!
The one night of the week they spent a few hours apart was Wednesday; Jacob insisted that Darcy, a fanatical darts player, should continue to enjoy his hobby and in return, he could read or watch television, but generally do his own thing. Healthy for both of them. But there was no doubt they were growing even closer all the time. Such a loving closeness that after the initial attraction, had settled comfortably on them. And now, reinforced by the attitudes of both their families. Darcy made it especially clear through his lovemaking that Jacob had achieved what he thought was impossible; the unconditional support of both sets of parents. So Darcy relaxed even more. He had always been a closet romantic, the loud, straight guy who had been responsible for the ‘social engineering’ that brought Lance and Angelo together as a couple. And also as a straight boy, his open admiration for Adam and Patrick at the very beginning of their partnership. So now, just over a year down the track, Darcy was enjoying his status as one half of a same-sex partnership that their peer group at uni thought would never succeed. And the romance spilled out of the bedroom and into their everyday life like a waterfall. After a year or so, no one questioned the two straight boys now. Darcy would bring home the odd bunch of flowers; and would find his laundry washed and ironed by Jacob. So Darcy bought a portable barbeque so he could cook for them at least once a week. Domesticity suited them totally. Whilst the rest of the university rocked to the rafters, Darcy and Jacob, Adam and Patrick and particularly Lance and Angelo, were all behaving like old married couples! Even though Lance and Angelo were the only marrieds! Staying at home on Saturday nights to watch television or a DVD. Or the six of them getting together for a barbeque at the boat sheds with Adam and Patrick, where there was room to move. And a few glasses of wine.
*****
The key scratched in the lock and there he was, the former university heart-throb, carrying a trophy from his darts tournament, slightly tipsy, with yet another bunch of flowers, and a silly grin on his face. Jacob’s heart did a quick flip as it always did when their eyes met after a temporary absence.
“How ya goin?” said Darcy.
“Hey,” replied Jacob.
Suddenly Darcy’s expression changed and he threw his keys down on the desk, apparently in exasperation. ‘Here it comes,’ thought Jacob to himself.
“Whatta we gotta do?” snarled Darcy. “I’ve been hit on three times tonight, two chicks and a guy. Have we gotta get married to give ’em all the message, or what?” He stopped and looked at Jacob who couldn’t wipe the smile from his face.
“Yes, Darce, why don’t we do that, then they’ll all get the message!”
Darcy’s mouth fell open; he thought Jacob, being the truly sensible one of their partnership, would have delayed the event, maybe until after they had finished university.
“You bloody knew I was goin’ to ask you didn’t you?” he grinned. “You’re always ahead of me, I’m so bloody slow on the uptake!”
“You’re not slow, Darcy Sullivan,” snapped Jacob. “I hate it when you put yourself down. You are a most intelligent man, and you’re always thinking of people other than yourself, particularly me. And right from day one, you’ve not only thought of me, but every single thing you do every day is focussed on us as a partnership. And underneath what was once a gruff exterior like your old man, I discovered a real romantic, which suits someone a bit sentimental like me! So yes, Darce, of course I’ll bloody marry you, because as far as I’m concerned you’re the best thing that’s happened since Jesus Christ played full-back for Jerusalem!”
Darcy knew he would always remember this night. The quiet, shy young Jewish boy he had fallen in love with had changed, he knew, just as he had. Jacob had become more gregarious; he had quietened down. They had both matured, he realised, at breakneck speed, thanks to their love affair and partnership. He tried to focus on what Jacob had just said, he knew it was what he wanted, but for Darcy, it was too much. Jacob kissed away the tears; and they tore at each other’s clothes like that first day. Sometime during the night, Jacob woke up to find Darcy doing something with his hand. He was trying to slide a ring on his finger!
“Sorry darlin,” he said gruffly. “I didn’t forget, we just got sidetracked!”
“You’re forgiven,” replied Jacob, as Darcy appeared to stop trying.
“Can’t understand,” he said. “I thought I had the size right”.
“This is the finger I broke once on a fishing trip when the bloody boat fell on me. We just have to get it over the knuckle, that’s all, don’t despair, hand me the lube, for Christ’s sake.”
“The lube?” said Darcy, a little slow for once. “Oh yes, the lube, I see to get it to slip over ------.” Jacob coated it generously with KY and it slipped into place. “Now Darce, what are you doing for the rest of your life?”
“Spendin’ it with a spunk,” he grinned, holding up his own ring in the glow of the bedside light.
The next morning they sat down in the cafeteria at breakfast and discussed the practicalities that passion had disallowed the night before. Both of them couldn’t wipe the smiles from their faces. They actually felt different; neither could explain why, but they just did. A warmth that washed over them. That another human being had paid them the ultimate courtesy by wishing to become a formal and permanent part of their life. They looked at each other across the breakfast table, as if to say, ‘you like me that much?’ Angelo and Lance came in and sat next to them, followed by Adam and Patrick, with four days to go to their own wedding. And Lance put his food down, walked over to them and threw his big arms around their shoulders.
“When did this happen?” he said.
“Last night,” whispered Jacob.
Thirty seconds elapsed before the other three woke to the facts and there was pandemonium. They escaped back to their room and sat down on the bed facing each other.
“When?” said Jacob.
“Just before Christmas, whaddya reckon?” grinned Darcy.
“All right, but I want to do it up at the North Coast, at the Anglers Club.”
“But why not here?”
“Because your old man bent over backwards to reinvent himself and to accept us as a couple. My parents would go anywhere, that’s not a problem. But can you imagine how proud your old man would be if we did it up there with all his old mates around? It would be us endorsing him, Darce, instead of the other way around.”
Darcy thought for a moment and nodded. “He’d just love that, wouldn’t he! Will we ring ’em now?”
*****
They set the date after consultation with their families; and with Lance and Angelo, Adam and Patrick. Only then could they relax, because the attendance of those people was mandatory. Then they saw Gerry Hansen, and Wayne, and finally the Dean. As they were ushered into her office, she caught the look on their faces and let a boisterous bellow loose, which frightened the pigeons on her window sill.
“Is it true,” tell me it is?” she shouted. They nodded, smiling and the Dean threw her plump arms around them.
“Congratulations!” she roared. “I’m so bloody proud of you. No one has to ask you two if you’re serious! Let’s celebrate!”
With that she pulled a bottle of Ballantine’s from the cupboard beside her desk, and four glasses. “Merle,” she roared to her assistant. “Come in here!” Merle was a diminutive little person; smart as a whip and very protective of the Dean. She was handed a glass of Scotch, and looked at it as if it was a terrorist bomb. “Madam,” she said, “it isn’t even midday yet.”
“It is somewhere in the world,” she laughed, her eyes blazing. “Probably Auckland? Anyway, this is a super special occasion; Darcy and Jacob are getting married. Isn’t that sensational! Congratulations, darlings,” she said, “cheers!” She looked at Jacob, their usual spokesperson.
“So there’s something else, isn’t there Jacob?”
“Madam, we want to have the ceremony in Darcy’s home town, I’m sorry it can’t be here.”
“I’m not surprised,” she said, “after Jack Sullivan did a complete attitude u-turn, you need to show him how much you care. I agree with your decision. And if it hadn’t been for both your parents, we never would have got everyone to the Olympics. Don’t worry, I’ll never forget that.” She looked a bit crestfallen, nonetheless.
“Am I invited?” she almost whispered.
“Of course madam,” Darcy replied. “You are top of our list, and I mean, top! And apart from our own friends, I know our families would be happy to have anyone else you nominate.”
“Good,” she smiled. “I’ve got the other Board members coming to Adam and Patrick’s wedding this Saturday, after fucking near forcing them to attend Lance and Angelo’s back in June. And they will come to yours! Finally, they are beginning to believe in same-sex couples and my market positioning of the university! You six guys are the heart and soul of this university, and you’ve been trailblazers in the hunt for new enrolments. So I wouldn’t miss your party for quids. ’Nother scotch?”