A few hours later, having the blood test results, they were standing in line at City Hall. The line inched along, but eventually it was their turn. They filled out the forms and presented the medical tests. Everything was nice and legal.
"Now where's the Justice of the Peace?" Jack wanted to know.
"Sorry, sir. You have to wait twenty-four hours. Then you can come back here, get your license and get married," answered the clerk. Looking at her watch she added, "So at 3:14 PM tomorrow, you'll be Mr. and Mrs." she quickly glanced at the application, "John McFarland."
Jack and Karen smiled at each other. Could this be happening? Twenty-four hours, then marriage, then… They both had thought sadly that on Monday some poor clerk would be filing a couple of death certificates.
"We'll keep it private. We won't even tell Grace and Will. They'd just ruin it with their endless questions and butting in," Karen insisted. "They'd keep us from what we want to do."
Jack agreed. They returned to his apartment to wait until tomorrow. They spent the remaining time planning the next day and trying to avoid Will and Grace. They would find out soon enough when they came looking for them to go to the theatre.
It was finally Friday afternoon and they returned to City Hall as instructed. Karen wore the simple white dress; Jack, his best suit. The justice rounded up a couple of witnesses from the employee pool. It seemed the ceremony was over all too quickly. Then justice was saying, "You may now kiss the bride, Mr. McFarland."
Jack looked at Karen. He moved in. Karen slowly closed her eyes as her arms snaked around his waist, then up behind his shoulders, pulling him to her. Their lips met in a way they never had before. They lingered over their first kiss as man and wife until the justice cleared his throat, bringing them back to reality. They thanked him and left hurriedly.
"Wow, they say the second time around is better," Karen observed. "They weren't kidding."
"Second time for me too, and it was way better," Jack also observed.
Karen thought back to that wedding many years ago when Jack had agreed to temporarily marry Rosario so she could stay in America; a marriage that was annulled without being consummated.
They had decided to have a lavish early dinner at the Four Seasons. Jack had closed out his savings account to pay for it. At least that little bit he had left was being put to good use. Karen ordered the small Caesar salad and twin lobster tails with drawn butter and Jack had fillet mignon with julienned carrot salad. Of course, they had the best champagne of the house. They lingered over their wine and left the restaurant around 6:30 PM with an extra bottle of chilled wine and just enough left for a generous gratuity and taxi fare back. They knew Will and Grace would be stopping over to pick them up just before 8 to go out…they didn't have much time now.