Chapter 30: Epilogue

December 30th, 1995, 9:30 AM PT, Union Station, Los Angeles, CA

Jill and Akilah sat in a small room in Union Station; they both had enormous butterflies in their stomach. This was a day they were both going to remember for the rest of their lives. For Akilah, this was a second time round; she had been legally married already in Las Vegas. For Jill, this was all there was; she was going to be legally married to George today. Between George and John and their influence, they had easily acquired the permission of a judge for her to marry George, despite her being barely fifteen years old.

Gretel and John had done the impossible, securing the two biggest rooms in Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal - better known as Union Station - for the wedding and its party. The ceremony itself would take place in the Waiting Room; the waiting room seats would provide seating for the wedding party, despite the somewhat odd layout. The Ticket Concourse was set up with table seating and a dance floor for the after-ceremony party.

The guest list was tremendous; some of the people on the list were well known - Robert Krebs; the CEO of Santa Fe Pacific, Thomas Downs, the CEO of Amtrak; The Honorable Peter Wilson, Governor of California; Jerry Brown, a former governor of California and longstanding personal friend of John’s, and Dan Ackroyd, a personal friend of both John and George through their mutual membership in AARPCO (American Association of Railroad Passenger Car Owners).

Other guests were people not many people would know: Amos White, an Amtrak chef; Kevin “Tiny” Gunnison, a retired Amtrak conductor; James “Jim” Neville, a lead service attendant on Amtrak. Some were family; John and Gretel were there, of course, as was Miriam and Baruch. Jill’s Uncle Justin and Aunt Krista had managed to find time to come, too - her relationship with Uncle Justin had improved, if mostly by phone. Gretel’s parents, Lillian and Henry Burns, were also there. George’s godfather, recently retired, David “George” Massey, had managed to be there, too, of course.

Invitations had gone out to Miguel and the Roberts family; Miguel had declined, the Roberts family did not even reply. Several local employees of Amtrak had been invited, most had decided to come, as well.

“God, Acky, I’m going to be finally married,” Jill said, actually putting on some makeup. It wasn’t her thing, but this was her wedding day. She wanted to look absolutely perfect. The world hadn’t seen her like this before, and she swore they never would again, but she was wearing a white dress in lace, very traditional in appearance. She was wearing a string of pearls around her neck that had belonged to George’s paternal grandmother, who had died some years ago.

“You were the one who talked me through mine,” Akilah said, kissing her on the shoulder, “I will tell you the same thing. You know he is the right man; you have been practically married for eight months now, Jillian.”

Akilah was wearing something entirely different. She was wearing a very colorful, mostly red, silk dress with floral patterns and geometric designs on it, vibrant and luxurious looking. It was the traditional dress of a bride in her home country. Her hair was covered with a white shawl, and she had chosen not to wear much makeup - just lipstick and a tiny bit of eyeshadow.

Like with Jill, it was likely the last time someone would see her wearing something so feminine. She had taken to the California fashion of short-sleeve or sleeveless shirts, and short shorts. She had begun to see the effect she had on boys, and really enjoyed the guys at school being frustrated over how they could never measure up to Josh and what she had.

Her life at home was almost magical, and it had worked so well. They ... they formed a family, and there was a lot of fun, and wonderful sex - love making, even - ... but the relationships had stayed strongest between her and Josh, and between George and Jill. Actually, the strongest two relationships were between those pairs, but the second strongest, everyone agreed, was between her and Jill. For the first time in either of their lives, they had someone they’d truly call a best friend.

“I have to promise to be faithful, Acky,” Jill said, giving her a look of love and some lust.

“We are faithful, Jill,” Akilah said, “You are as wedded and faithful to George as I am to Josh, the bonds are so much tighter there. The rest of what we have, we are all mutually comfortable with, and you know that.”

“It feels so sudden,” Jill said, “I don’t know how they managed to pull this together so fast.”

“We had to, and you know it,” Akilah said, rubbing her belly, “Before I started to show.”

“I know Acky,” Jill said, kissing her on the lips, “This isn’t going to change anything, I hope, I still ... I love you, Akilah.”

“Nothing could change what we have, Jilly-luh,” Akilah whispered to her, “I love you all so much. That’s why we agreed we had to do this together. It’s almost time, and you are going to make me cry, Jill, cry in happiness, I am so happy.”

“I would cry, too, Acky,” Jill said, “But I would mess up all this fucking makeup. I look ridiculous.”

“You do look ridiculous,” Akilah agreed, “Like some kind of China doll. A beautiful china doll, but it isn’t you.”

“Am I too young for this, Acky?” Jill asked, “I’m just fifteen.”

“There was that song George was playing,” Akilah said, “Why do kids grow up? So they can fall in love. You fell in love, Jill, and you grew up. You are more than ready for this.”

“We are more than ready for this, girl,” Jill said, “Since when am I the one being reassured?”

George sat with Josh in another room, making sure his hair was brushed and his waxed mustache and Van Dyke beard were properly aligned and trimmed. He wanted to look good today, too. It was important to him that he looked good for Jill, for all of them, and in his own way. He had even had a manicure; this was one day that he didn’t want to leave to chance.

For one of the first times since he was about five years old, he didn’t wear a watch on his wrist. He was wearing his paternal grandfather’s Bunn Special 14k gold railroad-certified pocket watch, on a chain that went across his grey vest. His pants were a grey and black striped tweed. His shirt was a white silk, with French cuffs; his cufflinks had belonged to Gretel’s paternal grandfather. He was wearing a fine black tailcoat on top of it, with a red carnation in the lapel. His patent-black shoes had white spats on them. On his wrist was a gold bracelet that had belonged to Gretel’s maternal grandfather; it had been loaned to him by her brother. Completing the ensemble were a black top hat, and a wooden walking stick.

He looked old fashioned, as he often generally did, especially when he was dressing into what he called “appropriate clothing.” He was an old-fashioned man, in a lot of ways. It made sense that he would make himself up in the manner he most liked.

“I’m starting to understand how you felt on your wedding day, Josh,” George said, “I didn’t understand the nervousness. I mean, I almost considered myself already married, but ... we are actually going through with this. It ... it is weird.”

Josh was next to him, also making sure he looked good. Akilah had convinced him that both of their religions forbade the cutting of the face with metal- and thus shaving. He had grown a full beard and mustache, having stopped shaving almost immediately after arriving in Los Angeles. He was brushing it and gelling it into looking less wild than it did normally. He was wearing a traditional tuxedo in black, a black bow tie, and a black cummerbund. He had on black and white tuxedo shoes. He wore almost no jewelry except for a 1960’s Omega Seamaster DeVille in 18k gold on a black leather strap; a wedding gift from George.

“Nervous I am, too,” Josh said, “Dis is not your weddin’ day, our weddin’ day it is. Right? Tuh Jill yuh are committin’, tuh Akilah I am recommittin’. But both of us know, tuh each othuh we are all committin’. About dat is what dis is really about. Ya’ dig? Togethuh we are doin’ dis, Geawhge. Becawze each othuh we love. Becawze yuh I love, okay? Impawhtant dis is. Yuh with me?”

“I know, Josh,” George said, rubbing Josh’s shoulder with his hand, “I keep thinking about what Acky keeps saying, about us being so hung up. I do love you, too, I just ... I’m not attracted to you that way, you know?”

“Me neithuh,” Josh said, “Unnerstand I certainly do. I love Acky in a very special way. Right? I love Jill so much, and she is so sexy. I love yuh just de same, but not ... dat way. Yuh with me? But besides Acky, yuh and Jill are everythin’ tuh me. Anythin’ I’d do fawh yuh guys, no mattuh what. Yuh with me?”

George awkwardly gave Josh a hug, and put on his hat. It wasn’t that George had trouble hugging Josh; its that he was worried that Josh would be bothered by it. He didn’t feel sexual attraction for Josh, but he did feel affection for him. Josh was ... very hung up, perhaps a little homophobic. George wanted to respect his boundaries.

“I feel good that I quit school, Josh,” George said, “I wanted to ask you. Since I got the governor to waive the education requirement, and I now have a private investigator license ... do you think you and Acky could work for me on the tech stuff? I am so clueless about that ... wizardry.”

“That goes without saying, George,” Josh said, “You’re family. That’s what this ceremony is about. Now let’s go.”

The two of them walked out of the room and to the front of the beautiful old art deco/mission revival station’s great hall. They stood so that each of their partners could stand to their left, with George on the right, and Josh to the left of him. In front of them stood the Reverend David “George” Massey, who had become a minister in his retirement. He was George’s godfather. He had been there for his parents wedding, had been there when George had met Jill. He was the man George wanted to wed them, and he had agreed to.

Josh was George’s best man, and George was Josh’s. They were each carrying the ring for the other’s partner in their pockets. Gretel had offered to give George a gigantic diamond ring for Jill; George had asked instead for a small diamond deeply set into a thin gold band; he knew Jill would never want to wear a proud stone, or a large one. Miriam had given Josh the small silver ring with the blue sapphire that her mother had smuggled out of Poland by her sister, who had escaped to America.

The men stood waiting there, as a small band began to play “Here Comes The Bride”

Justin had been very touched when Jill asked him to walk her down the aisle. He could not have imagined a gesture so strongly indicative of forgiveness from his niece. He had, of course, accepted the honor of doing it. He stood to her right just out of view of the Great Hall. He was proud of her; he had learned so much about George; all of it good. He couldn’t have been happier at this point that they had gotten together. He was proud to have him marrying his niece.

Baruch had offered to Akilah to walk her down the aisle. She had gotten in touch with her mother as Josh had suggested. Her mother had told Akilah that she was forgiven by her - but not by her father. She let Akilah know that she loved her, and wished her the greatest of happiness, but that she had to say goodbye. Akilah had no family on her side to accompany her down the aisle. So she accepted Baruch’s loving gesture. She was touched that she had been accepted into their family so firmly.

When the march began, the four of them came around the corner, and proceeded down the red carpet that had been laid down to represent the aisle; the guests were all seated in the historic Waiting Room’s waiting benches, which were oddly arranged. Baruch was to the left, then Akilah, then Jill, and finally Justin. They walked down the aisle in lockstep, and approached the men.

“Ladies and Gentlemen,” Uncle Dave began, “We are gathered here today to witness the marriage of two wonderful men to two wonderful women. I don’t say that just as a pastor, and I don’t say that because George here happens to be my godson.”

Uncle Dave paused for an appropriate amount of laughter, and then continued, “I have often said I have known George since before he was born. I bore witness to the night on which he was conceived by the love of two wonderful people. I bore witness to their marriage, on a late Amtrak train, nineteen years ago. I have spent so much time with George, I was one of the people who raised him. I was there when he met this wonderful woman standing next to him, Jillian McGee. Their otherworldly love for each other was unmistakable even on that day,”

“I spent almost 40 years as a sleeping car attendant on America’s railroads,” he continued, “And I have witnessed the beginning of many a married relationship on board them. None of them have the chemistry, the love, the respect, the mutual compatibility of the one I saw between George Caldwell and Jillian McGee. It is an honor to be here presiding over their wedding.”

“But, and I take this with great seriousness,” Uncle Dave continued, “I was told by my own godson that another one is at least equal to theirs, and that is the relationship between the other two wonderful people before me, Joshua Abati and Akilah Ganem Abati. They were legally married in Las Vegas a few months ago, but they wanted to be married again, in the presence of their family, and in simultaneity to their very best friends.”

“Normally I would come before them and talk about the mighty commitment that marriage entails,” Uncle Dave noted, “But I know all four of you already know what that entails. You all understand that you are committed to love, to cherish, to honor, to care for, to respect, no matter what happens, when everything is going great, and also when life is going to hell in a hand basket. I know this because with what you have all been through already, you already understand it. No matter what you call God, we are all under His mercy, love, and patience. I know that all four of you are committing to God to be faithful to your vows to each other. Still, I need you to all affirm your understanding of this commitment; do you all do so?”

“We do,” all four of them said in unison, committing not just to their partner, but to all of them.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Uncle Dave said to the audience, “I am very specific in generalizing God, because this marriage carries people from three distinct views of God. George and Jill are non-practicing Christians, who despite their limited religious affiliation, do believe in God. Joshua Abati is a practicing Jew, and Akilah Ganem is a practicing follower of Islam. But they all believe in God and His teachings of mercy, respect, love, and faith. It is under this belief that I ask you to take vows before Him.”

“George Caldwell, and Joshua Abati, do you promise to love, to honor, to respect, to care for, in times good and bad, in sickness and health, Jillian McGee and Akilah Ganem?”

“I do,” George and Josh said almost simultaneously, putting the rings they were given onto the two ladies’ fingers.

“Jillian McGee and Akilah Ganem; do you promise to love, to honor, to respect, to care for, in times good and bad, in sickness and health, George Caldwell and Joshua Abati?”

“I do,” Jill and Akilah said in exact unison, taking the gold bands handed to them by Justin and Baruch, and placing them on the fingers of their men.

“I pronounce you man and wife,” Uncle Dave said, “You may kiss the bride.”

George and Josh kissed Jill and Akilah.

“I give you Mr. and Mrs. George Caldwell, and Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Abati,” Uncle Dave concluded.

They all turned towards the audience, who applauded wildly. The two men gave each other pecks on the cheek, and kissed the other women, and then the women kissed each other. They were finally married to each other.

The guests moved into the connecting hall between the waiting room and the ticket concourse; it had been set up for a small cocktail reception. It was open to the public, so not only did the invited guests join in to the little reception, but so did random commuters who were at the station; that was why it only lasted half an hour before the guests of the wedding were called into the Ticket Concourse for the meal.

A local doo-wop group started singing once everyone was in and seated. The song was the Ten Commandments of Love.