Chapter Sixty
Sunday 15th December 2013
Absent Friends
Jorge stood up, he was dressed in the same dark suit and bright tie that Harry was, but whereas Harry lent the suit an air of handsome respectability, the same suit on Jorge made him look dangerously sexy, his hair was shorter and it accentuated his features. He could have read the phone book and the wedding party would all have stared in rapt attention.
"I only got to know Harry recently, and those of you that know Harry, which I hope is most of you, if not you're at the wrong wedding and please join the group in the greenhouse…" Jorge began and the assembled guests gave a nervous laugh.
"Harry is easy to get to know, he smiles, he shakes your hand, he asks you about your day and many of you will say you know Harry Cunningham. His training as a doctor makes him friendly, personable. But I tell you today that you do not know the half of it. That is only the outside. You do not know Harry Cunningham. Harry has hidden depths and many secrets…."
Harry had visibly paled; he had begged Jorge and Beto to keep his singing private. He didn't know why he felt so shy about it; he just didn't want everyone remembering his wedding because he'd made a fool of himself, or had been made to look a fool. He looked up at his friend pleading with him silently not to embarrass him. Jorge was talking about knowing Harry, but how much did Harry really know about Jorge? He didn't even seem to have the Spanish accent any more. So much had changed in the six months since his return.
Jorge pointed towards Harry, "So the outside, is a bit dry and brittle, thin, brown and uninteresting. If you cut him, he can make your eyes water." Beto tugged on his friend's jacket and stood to whisper in Jorge's ear. Jorge looked down at his cards and to Beto and back to the party guests.
"I'm sorry I seem to have been describing an onion and not Harry," this time the laugh he got was genuine and unforced.
"But Harry does have many layers just as an onion does. His heart is soft but over the years, various tragedies in his own life and those he has investigated as part of his job have all wrapped another protective layer around the core. By the time Harry reached New York, all the softness had nearly been dessicated."
Beto stood, whispered again, and Jorge swapped his cue cards around again.
"Apologies, that's an Egyptian Mummy…" This time there was a guffaw from the group, and Jorge flashed them a smile.
"Beto and I somehow found a way to break through the bindings. We went on a road trip for his 40th birthday and that cemented our friendship. Having got past the boring clothes and the parts that made your eyes water, we found Harry the perfect complement to our group. A flavour we lacked but never knew until we met him. He created a harmony between us that would have been impossible without him." Jorge gave him a big grin.
"I would like to think in return he found in us something he too had lost sight of, an easy friendship. It had always been there, he had just lost sight of it.
Anne shuffled in her seat, the speech was going in an odd direction. Harry she noticed would have been pulling his hands through his hair, if Nikki were not holding tight to both of them. Harry himself was beginning to wonder whether admitting to singing with them, would sound less odd than a road trip with two gay men.
We didn't know it at the time, but all the times he disappeared that weekend, it was usually to speak to Nikki. We didn't understand the complications of their relationship and for a long time I wondered why they weren't together and then I realised that their long friendship had made them depend on each other so much.
She is the base of his onion, she is the one person in the world that holds all of Harry's separate leaves together, she is his anchor and she is the only person in the world that can do this. There was too much at stake to mess things up. And as we have all agreed that everyone in this room does know Harry, brilliant as he is, he does have a knack for messing things up."
Harry looked to his assembled friends, he saw a few nod their heads.
The two of them are inseparable but it took their separation for them to realise this. We were glad to be of help."
Beto stood again, but not with a joke this time, he wasn't letting Jorge do all the talking. His job as a lawyer often required him to give speeches. He too was in a matching suit; his made him look professional and successful.
"We are both so pleased that Bu..Harry and Nikki wanted us here today to share their wedding with them.
There is a saying in my country;
'Y el amor. Nada es más difícil que el amor.'
'And love. There is nothing more difficult than love.'
They have lived that saying, they would do well in Colombia, there is certainly enough trouble to keep Harry in business. There is nothing more difficult than love but my hope for the two of you is that from now on in, you have the opportunity to enjoy the easy side of love for a while.
Let's raise our glasses to Harry and Nikki; The bride and groom."
"The bride and groom," Jorge repeated.
"Nikki and Burro!" Beto replied holding his champagne high and swigging it back. 'The Bride and Groom,' toasted the guests .
Jorge and Beto leant over to kiss both Harry and Nikki before taking their places again and listened to the heartfelt applause of the party.
"I've been asked to say a few words," began an elderly lady with steel grey hair, a steady gaze and strong New York accent.
"Who's this one? I thought you said Nikki didn't have any family?" Audrey asked taking another swig of champagne and gestured to a waiter for a refill.
"Another of their friends from New York," Anne replied.
"What did they do charter a plane?"
"No, she was doing a book signing."
"Book signing?" Audrey pulled her glasses out of her bag, popped them on and stared at the lady talking. "She does look familiar… Where will I have seen her?"
Before Anne could answer, Audrey removed her glasses and stared back at her friend. "Wasn't she on the news the other night?"
"I think she was."
"That's Gerda Finkelstein!" Audrey continued with her mouth hanging open.
"She was Harry's neighbour."
"So he really was in New York?"
"Yes he really was in New York."
"So before I propose a toast, I'm going to bless the happy couple here; this is a Jewish prayer but here in this beautiful garden it seemed the most appropriate. Feel free to join in with an Amen.
Sameach TeSamach Re'im Ahuvim, KeSamechacha Yetzircha BeGan Eden MiKedem.
Baruch Ata HaShem, MeSame'ach Chatan VeKalah
Let the loving couple be very happy, just as You made Your creation happy in the garden of Eden, so long ago. You are blessed, Lord, who makes the bridegroom and the bride happy.
Baruch Ata HaShem Elokainu Melech HaOlam, Asher Barah Sasson VeSimcha,
Chatan VeKalah, Gila Rina, Ditza VeChedva, Ahava VeAchava, VeShalom VeRe'ut.
You are blessed, Lord our G-d, the sovereign of the world, who created joy and celebration, bridegroom and bride, rejoicing, jubilation, pleasure and delight, love and brotherhood, peace and friendship."
"Amen," agreed Jorge and Beto, who couldn't suppress his instinct to cross himself.
"And now I will tell you all what I told Nikki, one night a long time ago. 'Don't give up on faith and don't give up on love. Without those you really will have nothing.
"To never giving up," proposed Gerda Finkelstein smiling at Harry and Nikki.
"To never giving up!" the party replied.
"You have heard so much from so many people," Harry began. "So I will keep this short. Thank you all so much for coming. Thank you to the staff here at Kew who have just made the day so special. Thank you to Jorge and Beto, for getting me here, for Mrs Finkelstein for making it all the way from New York. You cannot imagine how special it is to have you with us.
Thank you to Nikki for agreeing to be my wife, I think we'll all agree she looks stunning." Harry smiled at his wife. She did look stunning, hair flowing freely across her bare shoulders, light make-up, classic dress, the tiniest clip decorated with a diamante butterfly in amongst the loose curls and an enigmatic smile. He couldn't be happier. "And thank you to my Mum, for always helping me to make the right choice, for letting me make my own decision in my own time."
Audrey gave Anne a hard stare.
"I think he's talking about his boyhood trauma at the pick and mix." Anne explained.
"He's what?" Audrey asked incredulously.
Harry continued. "There is one more toast that we can't do without here today and I'd like to introduce you to Mrs Cunningham to do the honours." He held his hand towards Nikki as she rose to her feet amidst the applause of their friends.
"There are many people who aren't here today. People we loved, people who steered us on our way. And we are both thankful for them and for the time that they were part of our lives. Please join with us and raise your glasses. To absent friends." Nikki pronounced.
"Absent friends." The company repeated, many taking the chance to wipe away a surreptitious tear.
"And now I believe; it's time for cake!" Harry said with a smile and led Nikki across to a simple but elegant cake with a beautiful sunflower decoration. The cake cut, the company were shepherded out to enjoy the winter wonderland walk, whilst the chairs were reset for the evening's entertainment.
And to all absent friends out there, there are many in the FF world that come and go, people who have influenced my writing and encouraged me that are no longer with us. Heartfelt thanks to anyone and everyone who has taken the trouble to comment. So raise a proverbial toast with me to some of our FF friends gone but not forgotten: lilpad1, pinkswallowsun, Audrey1119, haveunotthought, immortalspudthief, and many many more. Thank you all.
Only two left so prepare yourselves. Also we've got the first dance to go… Guesses welcome.
