You May Kiss The Groom
Typically, the bride and her bridesmaids ride together in a limousine to arrive at the church for a wedding, but today there was no bride. There were no bridesmaids, and there wasn't even a church.
Yes, Max and Leo were breaking all the traditional rules. They were getting married in their office, where they had met, they were riding to the destination in the limo together, and they were two men. But they had long since gotten over that last fact.
Roger and Carmen were also in the limo, giddy as two drunken men. Roger had decided to accept Max's offer for him to be his best man while Carmen was Leo's. After all, neither of the grooms had any close relatives or friends.
"I can't believe it! I simply can't believe it!" Roger exclaimed, fixing his bow tie accompanying his tuxedo once. "You two are getting married!"
"Well, unofficially," Leo pointed out.
"Officially, unofficially, does it really matter? Of course not! Isn't it exciting, Carmen?"
"Of course it is, darling!" Carmen agreed. "And Leo, this time you won't have that little bitch," he giggled after saying the word, "cheating on you. Max is much better than that!"
Leo smiled. A year ago, he might not have liked someone treating the divorce between him and his ex-wife Ulla so lightly, but it didn't bother him now. He had long since gotten over the ordeal between them. "I know he is," he said.
"Oh, you two make such an adorable couple!" Roger said just as the limo pulled up to the office building. "Well, here we are."
"I'm so excited for you guys!" Carmen exclaimed, bounding out of the limo with Roger the moment the chauffeur opened the door. Max and Leo followed, holding each other's hands.
"Here we go," Max said to Leo. His voice was filled with a mixture of excitement and nervousness, the same emotions twirling around in his stomach. They had found a home in Leo's mind, too.
"You ready?" Leo asked.
"You betcha." Max smiled at his husband-to-be while he brushed off some dirt from the tuxedo he was wearing. Leo straightened his bow tie and fastened a button in place before taking Max's hand again. All four men entered the office building, and then ascended a few sets of stairs before they were on the right level. They approached the office with the open door and paused.
"Good luck," Roger and Carmen told Max and Leo in unison as they proceeded into the office. The two grooms nodded at each other while tightening their grasp on each other's hand. Then without further hesitation, they entered the office.
Franz was at the old, out-of-tune piano, playing some piece of wedding music Leo had chosen to use. Most of the cast and creative team of Max and Leo's current production of Maim and some other people they knew from around town were sitting in folding chairs that created an aisle down the middle. They replaced the family that Max didn't dare invite and that Leo had lost. Their eyes followed the two as they made their way to the front of the office, grins stretching across the two men's faces like rubber bands.
Once Max and Leo were positioned in front next to Roger and Carmen, the wedding official began with his opening words.
"Welcome ladies and gentlemen. We are here today to celebrate the love that Max and Leo have for each other, and to witness as they enter into a lifelong journey with each other. This commitment of love is one of the heart, body, mind, and spirit, and they have brought us all here to witness their union today."
The ceremony continued on with the wedding address, the exchanging of vows, and even the star of Maim singing a verse of Tonight from the current hit show West Side Story. Butterflies fluttered in Max and Leo's stomachs from pure excitement as the ceremony continued on until it was finally time to exchange the rings. Roger and Carmen presented the official with the two, beautifully designed pieces of jewelery. He then turned to the pair of producers, ready to start the exchanging of the rings.
"These rings are a symbol, a symbol of your love and its eternity. May they serve as reminders to you and everyone else that you have taken these vows today." He turned toward Leo. "Do you, Leo Bloom, take Max Bialystock to be your husband, to love and cherish from this day forward?"
"I do," Leo replied.
"And do you, Max Bialystock, take Leo Bloom to be your husband to love and cherish from this day forward?"
"I do," Max said. The official then gave the rings to the two and turned to the guests.
"It gives me great joy to pronounce you husband and husband. You may kiss the groom."
Without further ado, Max and Leo embraced each other, letting their lips push together. Leo was surprised at how tightly Max was holding him, but he didn't mind. It felt wonderful to know that he would always have someone there for him, and for Max, it was a comfort to know that no one could take Leo from him ever again.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce Mr. and Mr. Bialystock-Bloom."