Thunder In Her Body (37 page)

Then the Elder took the painted wedding vase and held it up saying:

As you drink from one cup, may your lives become one for all time.

The bride drank from one spout first, then gave the vase to the groom, who drank from the opposite spout.

The groom’s daughter, Merrilynn, read a passage from the Bible:

The Lord God said:  “It is not good for the man to be alone.  I will make a suitable partner for him.”  So the Lord formed out of the ground various wild animals and various birds of the air, and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man called each of them would be its name.  The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of the air, and all the wild animals; but none proved to be suitable partner for the man.

So the Lord God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.  The Lord God then built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man.  When he brought her to the man, the man said:  “This one, at last, is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called woman.  For out of her man this one has been taken.

That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.   
(Genesis 2:28-24)

The Elder then directed the couple to hold hands.  The bride’s daughter, Janette, then read:

These are the hands that will wipe the tears from your eyes: tears of sorrow and tears of joy;

These are the hands that will tenderly lift your chin and brush your cheek as they raise your face to look into his eyes: eyes that are filled completely with his overwhelming love and desire for you.

These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times.

These are the hands that will protect you, passionately love you and cherish you through all of the years.

The groom’s son, Trapper, then read:

These are the hands that are holding yours on this wedding day, as she pledges her love and commitment to you all the days of her life.

These are the hands that will massage tension from your neck and back in the evenings, after you’ve both had a long hard day.

These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times.

These are the hands that will comfort you when you are ill or console you when you are grieving.

These are the hands that will passionately hold, love and cherish you through the years for a lifetime.

The Priest then said a prayer:

Father, bless the hands that you see before you this day.  May they always be held by one another.  Give them the strength to hold on during the storms of stress and the darkness of disillusionment.  Keep them tender and gentle as they nurture each other in their love.

While the couple continued to hold hands, the Priest asked:

Do you, Blaze Michael Snow Comes Down

Take

Lynette Beatrice Trudeaux

As your wedded wife?

The groom answered,                                          
I do.

Do you Lynette Beatrice Trudeaux

Take

Blaze Michael Snow Comes Down

As your wedded husband?

And the bride answered:                           
I do.

For the exchange of rings the Priest asked, do you wish to exchange rings, and together the couple said:
                                         
We do.

The Priest then received a ring from the maid of honor and from the best man.  He blessed the two rings, and handed the bride’s ring to the groom.  The groom spoke:

As a symbol of my love and fidelity, for all time, I place this ring on your finger.

The Priest then handed the groom’s ring to the bride.  The bride spoke:

As a symbol of my love and fidelity, for all time, I place this ring on your finger.

The best man, Aaron, and the maid of honor, Clare, each stepped forward and lit the two tall candles on the table, then stepped back.  The bride and groom each lifted a candle and together they held their flames together until the wick of the thick, decorated candle was lit.  Then they blew out their own candles and placed them back on the table.  The Elder spoke:

This symbolizes that they are no longer two flames, but now only one.

The Priest then announced:

Then by the giving and accepting of these rings as a symbol of their commitment to one another, and by clear symbols that they are now one body, joined together for all time, and by the power vested in me by the Church and the State of New Mexico, I pronounce that you are husband and wife together.  What God has joined together, let no one put asunder.

The Priest then led the congregation that wished, in saying the Lord’s Prayer.

The Elder stood and placed his hands on top of each head of the couple and prayed:

Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter for the other;

Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth for the other.

Now there will be no loneliness, for each of you will be companion to the other.

Now you are two persons, but there are three lives before you;

His life, her life and your life together.

Go now to your dwelling to enter the days of your life together;

And may all your days be good, and long upon this earth.

             
                                                                                    (Apache Prayer)

The Priest announced:

I am proud to present to you for the first time,

Mr. and Mrs. Blaze and Lynette Snow Comes Down

At that moment, the Bride’s sister, Jessie, brought forth a shortened broom, decorated with wild flowers and laid it on the ground in front of the newlyweds, who then, together jumped over it, symbolizing the old slave tradition when the slaves were allowed to “jump the broom” to show that the master had let them marry.

As the couple left the circle through the center aisle, the speakers of the DJ’s music system loudly boomed a wedding chant with heavy drums.  The volume was so intense that it reverberated through the bodies of the guests and the air around this special gathering.  It was a message to the world of the living, and the spirits of the deceased, that the sacrament had been completed.  It was a fitting and praiseworthy finale to a beautifully planned and choreographed event.

This most beautiful and memorable ceremony ended in applause and well wishes from the happy and appreciative guests.

C
HAPTER 25

             
¤

From Reception to the Little Cabin

B
ecause this was an event born of, and conducted in, love, the wedding and reception came off without so much as one major hitch.  Yes, it was costlier than either of them had originally intended, but it became an event bringing two families together; and by symbolism and acknowledgement, three cultures.

The guys, and any other man who wanted to help, moved all 125 chairs from the semi-circle of the wedding ceremony to the sixteen or so long, cafeteria-length tables, covered with white linen table clothes and festooned with greenery and wild flowers.  In no time at all, everyone was seated.  Aaron took the microphone from the DJ, made a brief speech and announced that the buffet serving line was open.

“Y’all come on now, we don’t want this food to get cold,” he urged.  “You get a little bit of service from the servers, and the rest is on your own,” he laughed and he pointed to the beer and soda tubs.  There was a big cheer.  The Priest and Elders were allowed to be served first.  Each had an attendant assigned out of respect for their positions.  The people filed into one line after that and
the feed was on!

While everyone was moved through the serving line, the newlyweds slipped off to their bedroom.  Blaze could not wait to put his arms around his wife, and kiss her like he wanted to.  A certain amount of decorum was required from him and his bride in the presence of guests. He could not kiss her, lift her dress and rub her body in front of the assemblage.  That’s what he wanted to do.  He wanted to climb all over her, around her, in her.  That would have to wait, but he would kiss her, passionately.  He was so grateful for the feat she had pulled off.

“
We
pulled off,” she lovingly corrected.

He kissed her over and over again.

“My wife.  My wife,” he kept repeating.

“Let’s see how it sounds.  Mrs. Snow Comes Down, or Mrs. Snowdown, would you join me for a wedding dance?” he asked gallantly.

Blaze had called her Mrs. Snowdown, several times before for effect.  Now it was true.  Before God and now everyone, she was his wife.

After Lynette repaired her makeup, they returned to the festivities and made the rounds of all the tables, careful not to miss anyone.  Several guests, male that is, inquired about the marital status of both Janette and Merrilynn.  One of the Elders noticed that Hawk kept a particular eye on Janette and when the dancing started, he was the first to ask her for a spin around the well-mowed lawn.  Many people talked to Merrilynn about when she would return to the area as an M.D and begin her practice.  She had her internship to complete, then one to two years of residency, so it would be awhile, but she assured them she would be back.  Though she didn’t look anything like Blaze, she was his acknowledged daughter, so that made her one of them with collective pride.

As the DJ played Tracy Lawrence’s song,
Are You Ready For My Love,
Blaze located Lynette in the milling throng, and swept her off to the grassy dance area.  As they danced, he held her close, with his arm tucked carefully between the cloth of her wedding dress and the fringes which swayed back and forth.  He knew the song.  He sang it to her in her ear –
“My love is overflowing like a loving cup, are you ready for my love?  My love is ready for you…”
  His lips were moist against her ear like they had been on that first night they danced.  People watched closely.  Their eyes and bodies answered the song’s question.

The drums beat out a heart-stopping cadence; the voices chanted and the people rose and formed a tribal dance circle.  The newlyweds locked hands with others and they danced counter clockwise, then clockwise to the haunting rhythms.  Then the one circle became two; one smaller group encased in a larger circle.  The drums continued, and the tempo increased.  This, Lynette had seen at POW WOWs, but never did she expect to participate in such a ritual, and she was in the middle of it.  Blaze had phenomenal rhythm and he guided her around the circle, holding tightly to her hand.  Those who were not Apache were guided patiently into the rhythm, by those who were.  In her mind she could see half naked Native men dancing around a blazing fire, somewhere in the desert, celebrating the coming of life, the sanctity of a union or a ritual initiation.  They had no wood burning fire nor firelight, only the fire of the sun, which shone down in all its beauty on this fine, clear day.  Several times during the reception, someone stood to make another toast.  There were many toasts and Blaze and Lynette personally thanked each offerer for their care and affection.  “Welcome,” several women of the clans spoke directly to Lynette, patting her hand, or stroking the delicate fringes of her garment.  Before the buses and vans rolled up, the bride and groom passed out the beautifully wrapped night lights to each individual guest, and as is tradition in some tribes, any food that was untouched and left over, was packaged up and offered to the Elders and Father Gibbons, which they graciously accepted.  Those packages were quietly placed in air-tight coolers and set to the rear of the buses.  Blaze had asked Lynette a few days earlier about the half-dozen Coleman coolers sitting in the garage.   When she explained their purpose, he just walked away shaking his head, but with a smile.  She didn’t overlook anything.  There were a few more extra night lights, so they were given to the Priest as gifts for the church.  He said he would use them as presents and incentives for the catechism classes.  Blaze handed both Father Gibbons and the Chief Elder each a small envelope for his services.  It was a small stipend for their graciousness, not a payment.

At about seven o’clock in the evening, the vans and buses arrived in the driveway to take the guests back home. There was much well-wishing as Blaze and Lynette, Clare and Aaron, Trapper, Janette, Merrilynn and Lynette’s sisters and nephew, shook hands with the departing guests.  Those close family friends and relatives who were staying at the house and the condo stayed behind to change clothes and help clean up.  Lynette made sure that Lucinda and her husband went back on the bus.  Everyone clawed out of their wedding wear and into jeans, shorts, slacks and tops.  The ladies were happy to get out of their high heels.  More than once the comment was disparagingly made that a man designed high-heel pumps!