Chapter Fifty-Reception
The surrealism of the whole situation hit right after Tony broke the glass. Ziva looked at all of the cheerful and happy faces and she could only smile. She looked over at Tony who had his hand held out for her and she took it with an even wider smile. She felt him squeeze her hand as if to calm her. How did he know she was nervous? Of course, it was Tony. Tony could always tell what Ziva was feeling and as creepy as that would be to other people Ziva found it amazing. She loved that someone loved her enough to take initiative in learning what she was feeling. They walked down the aisle until they arrived at the people who were waiting to offer their congratulations. Ziva was surprised to see Liat approach her. She noticed how awkward Liat felt. She flashed a small smile to Liat and put her hands on her shoulders. Tony had gone off to talk to the male Mossad officers.
"Shalom Liat." Ziva said in a quiet voice.
"Shalom Ziva." Liat replied.
"Thank you for coming. It means a lot that you're here." She said honestly as she looked into Liat's eyes.
"You are welcome. The wedding was very beautiful. What Tony said to you was very sweet. I enjoyed the ceremony."
"I am glad."
Just then Ziva did something that caught Liat off guard. She hugged Liat. They stood there still for a moment before Ziva pulled away. She looked into the Mossad officer's blue eyes and smiled as she shook her head.
"I do not want us to be the way we were, Liat. I am tired of all the hate and all of the grudges we hold. I just want peace and love. I want my daughters to be born and to die with peace in their eyes."
Liat nodded, understanding what she was saying. She looked down at the pregnant Israeli's stomach and hesitated as she reached out for it. Ziva took Liat's hand in her own and placed it in the very center of her bump. Then, for the first time ever, one baby let out a tiny kick. Both Ziva and Liat's eyes went wide and Liat almost jerked away.
"What was that?" Liat asked.
With a wide smile on her face she replied.
"I think one of them just kicked."
"Really?" She asked in somewhat disbelief.
"Yes, Liat. Now, I do not know about you but I think other people would like to talk to me."
She looked around the room and saw Fornell and Gibbs. How did she not see Fornell? Was he even invited? She then realized it didn't matter. He came and that in and of itself was nice. She walked over to Fornell and Gibbs and Fornell smiled at the sight before him.
"Hello Ziva. How are you?" He asked, pulling her in for a hug.
"I am good. What about you?"
"I am fine. This was beautiful." He complimented, gesturing around the synagogue.
"Thank you." She said, placing her hands on the curve of her back.
"Wow, Ziva, you look gorgeous!" Fornell complimented.
"Thank you again. I did not know you were going to be coming."
"Well, Gibbs sort of told me about it and he invited me."
"I didn't think you'd mind. Do you, Ziver?" He asked, placing a hand on her bare shoulder.
"No, I do not mind. What is that saying? The more the merrier." She said, waving her index finger in their direction.
Just then Abby came up to Ziva and wrapped her in a bear like hug. She didn't let go for several minutes which made Ziva feel light headed. When she pulled away she looked at Ziva with tears rolling down her cheeks and a smile on her face.
"This was so beautiful, Ziva. And what Tony said, that was so perfect."
Ziva smiled and let out a content sigh. She found every bit of what her Goth friend to be very true.
"Yes, it was." She said with a nod.
To be brutally honest Ziva couldn't have imagined a better wedding. It had gone so swimmingly and Ziva could not have remembered a time when she felt this happy. She was finally married to the only man who ever truly loved her and for that she was eternally grateful. Tony walked up to Ziva and did the only thing he felt rational. He pulled her into him and captured her lips in a deep kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed back. Many cheers and claps went off around them. When they pulled apart all they could do was look into each other's eyes. He caressed her cheek and Ziva tilted her head slightly. He then buried his other hand in her perfect curls. They felt as though they had been doused in hairspray. Her face had perfect blush, lipstick and mascara. Of course by now her lipstick was rather gone and some had made it onto Tony's lips. Ziva couldn't help but snicker at this. She then pushed herself up and kissed her husband's lips, licking the deep magenta away. She continued kissing him and he kissed back.
"Okay you two." Abby interjected. "Let's go to the reception."
Everyone piled into their cars and went to where the reception was being held, Tony and Ziva's house. The pair found it senseless to rent out a reception hall when their house would work just fine. When they got there Abby rushed over to the stereo and put on some music. There was a beautiful cake on the dining room table at which Nettie had made. For years Ziva's aunt had been a brilliant baker. Ziva went over to her aunt who was putting the finishing touches on the cake. Nettie stepped back and marveled at her creation. Ziva placed an elbow on her aunt's shoulder and looked at the cake with her.
"It is beautiful dodah."
"Toda, tei-yernikeh. I am glad you enjoy it. Would you like the last of the frosting, my pregnant niece?"
"Yes, I would like that."
She took hold of the tube full one fifths of the way with frosting and squirted some onto her finger. She licked the beautiful whiteness that was the frosting and closed her eyes, letting out a content sigh. She then came to realize it was butter cream frosting.
"Nettie, is this your famous butter cream frosting?" She asked, turning towards her.
"Ken, tateleh. I made it yesterday while you and Tony were talking." She said, putting air quotations around talking.
"Dodah, we were talking." She protested.
"Baht, you were not talking. I heard you upstairs." Eli said from behind her.
"Aba!" She exclaimed happily as she turned around to hug him.
"Mazel tov, yaldah." He whispered to her.
She closed her eyes against the tears that threatened to fall. This was definitely one reception no one here would be forgetting any time soon.
