A Spot of Bother - Mark Haddon [136]
And something happened in Katie’s heart, and she realized it wasn’t just two people being joined together, not even two families. She felt as if she were joining hands with everyone who’d done this before her, just as she’d done after giving birth to Jacob, a feeling that she finally belonged, that she was a part of the whole enterprise, a brick in that great arch which rose out of the dark behind you and swung over your head and curved into the future, and she was helping to keep it strong and solid, and helping to protect everyone beneath it.
The registrar asked her and Ray to stand and hold hands, and there were tears in her eyes, and the registrar said, “Before you are joined in matrimony here today I have to remind you both of the solemn and binding character of the vows you are about to make…” but Katie wasn’t really listening anymore. She was up there, looking down, and the roomful of people was so tiny she could fit it into the palm of her hand.
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Jean heard a little squeak just as Katie and Ray were beginning their vows. She turned round and saw Jamie slip into the room and stand behind that nice young lady in the wheelchair.
Now everything was perfect.
“Why I, Katie Margaret Hall,” said Katie.
“May not be joined in matrimony,” said the registrar.
“May not be joined in matrimony,” said Katie.
“To Ray Peter Jonathon Phillips,” said the registrar.
Jean turned to look at Jamie for a second time. What on earth had happened to him? He looked as if he’d been dragged through a hedge backward.
“To Ray Peter Jonathon Phillips,” said Katie.
Jean’s heart sank a little.
“Now the solemn moment has come,” said the registrar, “for Ray and Katie to contract their marriage before you, their witnesses, families and friends.”
Then Jean remembered that her heart was not allowed to sink. Not now. Jamie had been doing a good thing. And these people were good people. They would sympathize.
“So can I ask you all to stand,” said the registrar, “and join together for the celebration of their marriage.”
Everyone stood.
They would get home and Jamie could change into new clothes and everything would be perfect again.
“Ray,” said the registrar, “will you take Katie to be your wedded wife, to share your life with her, to love, support and comfort her whatever the future may bring?”
“I will,” said Ray.
“Katie,” said the registrar, “will you take Ray to be your wedded husband, to share your life with him, to love, support and comfort him whatever the future may bring?”
“I will,” said Katie.
From several rows back, Jean heard Douglas say, “You go, girl.”
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George looked around the room and felt oddly fond of all these people.
It was not something he was accustomed to feeling at family gatherings.
He squeezed Jean’s hand. He was in love with his wife. It made him feel warm inside.
Everything was going to be different from now on.
What, in any case, was frightening about death? It came to everyone sooner or later. It was a part of life. Like going to sleep, minus the waking up.
And there was Jamie, arriving late, as children usually did.
Jamie was a homosexual. And what was wrong with that? Nothing whatsoever. So long as one was hygienic.
And there was his husband beside him. Boyfriend. Partner. Whatever the word was. He would ask Jamie later.
No. That was the man who was operating the wheelchair for the crippled girl, wasn’t it. Plump. Scruffy hair. Beard. Obviously not a homosexual now that George thought about it.
Even Douglas and Maureen were all right, really. A little vulgar. A little loud. But everyone had their faults.
And, look, there were fluorescent lights in the room, which meant that if you spread your hand out and waved it from side to side at the correct frequency you could make it look as if you