Chapter 19

After 15 or 20 minutes Hadassah came back up the stairs, hand-in-hand with Joshua, Tyrone following them slowly. His hands showed his arthritis in swollen joints and twisting fingers, but I knew that it was in his knees and hips too, and the stairs were a labor for him. The young people had decided to dispense with almost everything other than the vows themselves – we would sing just one hymn before the ceremony, and one after it. Hadassah sat beside Gill – I was on the end of the pew – and Joshua took the other end of the pew, separated from Hadassah. Tyrone took a seat in the left-hand section of pews, in the front row, and the pianist began to play.

The first hymn was "Amazing Grace." It was singularly appropriate, for it was mere grace that had turned furtive immorality into the beautiful thing we were to create in just a few moments. The hymn was over all too quickly, for I was savoring its message.

When the last notes died away, Tyrone rose and climbed the two steps to the platform, and in his movements I again saw the arthritis which had already gnarled his fingers and affected his legs too – he had enough difficulty with the steps that I could see him grimace. He stood behind the pulpit and looked out over the few people who were there. I hadn't looked behind me, but I knew that Joshua and Hadassah had invited friends from church and school, and I'd heard them coming in while Gill and I had talked.

"There is a question," Tyrone said, "which has been a part of wedding ceremonies, but which I've seldom asked. Joshua and Hadassah have requested that I ask it today. Is there anyone here today who can give a reason why I should not join Hadassah Garvin and Joshua Benitez today in matrimony?"

You don't ever expect a response to that question, but this time there was one. "I would like to say that there are reasons why you shouldn't do it." I turned in surprise, for it was George Benitez' voice. And there he was, sitting in the back row, alone except for Patricia. "I don't want this wedding to take place. I don't think my son should have to marry ... that girl." He ducked his head for a moment, and then raised it again. "But I was reading in the Bible the other day and I came to the place where God told Laban not to speak anything either good or bad to Jacob. And I realized that was God's word to me. So I won't oppose this marriage, and neither will my wife. I cannot bless it ... but I do not oppose it."

I leaned forward and looked at Joshua, and saw tears running down his cheeks. I knew that this was more than he could have expected given his parents' stubborn opposition, and less than he surely had prayed for. But it was a victory, however small.

Tyrone nodded toward the back of the auditorium. "I appreciate your honesty – I presume you are Joshua's father." He lowered his eyes to look at our pew. "If the young people will step forward at this time." They did, and turned to face us. "Before I pronounce my formula, both these young people will utter their vows."

Joshua went first. "I, Joshua Benitez, promise to take Hadassah as my wife. I will love her, I will care for her, I will protect her, and her only, as long as we both live. And I will love our child, and teach her—" I noted that Joshua apparently had adopted Hadassah's view "—to walk in God's ways, and avoid the sin I have committed." Thus far it had been a formula, one he uttered sincerely, but something he'd memorized. Now he spoke extemporaneously. "I love Hadassah. I would walk through fire for her. I want to be her husband forever, and I truly do love our baby. The elders of this church insisted on the promise I've made regarding the baby, but I'm making it freely, because it's right and it's what my heart wants."

Hadassah glanced at Joshua, and then spoke her vows. "I, Hadassah Garvin, promise to take Joshua as my husband. I will love him, I will care for him, I will submit to him, and him only, as long as we both live. And I will love our child and teach her to walk in God's ways, and avoid the sin I have committed." She smiled. "Josh added his own bit, so I will too. I have loved Josh with all my heart since I was 15. I've never loved anyone else, and I don't want to. Whatever we did wrong – and we were wrong – it came out of our love for each other, and 'love covers a multitude of sins.' I'd rather be poor and persecuted with Josh, than rich and pampered with anyone else."

Tyrone smiled. "I see that even when there's almost nothing to a wedding, the people this church marries will rearrange the proceedings to suit themselves." He looked down at the young couple in front of the pulpit. "Please join hands. Will the ringbearer please come forward?" Gill rose, carrying the rings in her hand, wrapped in tissue paper. "Joshua, please take Hadassah's ring and put it on her finger." He did, next to the engagement ring she'd worn since Gill had presented the rings to her and Joshua. "Now Hadassah, please take Joshua's ring and put it on his finger." I knew the rings would fit – we'd had a jeweler resize them earlier in the week. Gill returned to her seat beside me, and Tyrone completed his part of the proceedings. "You've made your promises before God and these witnesses. And now, by the power of God Almighty, and with the authority of the state of New Mexico, I pronounce you husband and wife."

Joshua leaned forward and very slowly, very gently, kissed Hadassah. She let go of his hands, and her arms came up around his neck, and she pulled him into a firmer, fiercer kiss. When they drew away from each other, they turned with one accord to face us. "Joshua and I agreed on this too – in addition to what we planned with Tyrone." Hadassah's voice was somewhat shaky, but strong. "We're married so young, and in such a hurry, because we sinned. We've already apologized and sought the forgiveness of our parents, our church, each other ... Right now we want to apologize especially to all of you. You're our parents, and our closest friends – the friends who really are friends, who've stood by us and not deserted us. We've hurt every one of you, and that's hurt us." She put her hand through Joshua's arm and drew him close to her. "We've hurt you so badly that some of you have been unable to forgive us. That's our fault. Josh has asked me to speak for both of us, because he's afraid he won't be able to say it. We hurt his parents so badly that they've barely been able to be here today. Mr. and Mrs. Benitez, Josh and I apologize, and we ask you please to forgive us for what we've done. We ask all of you to forgive us, and to pray for us now that we're married."