Page 96 of Cocky Origins: May and Jerald Cocker

The priest’s voice disappears and all I hear is…

"I, Jerald Daniel Cocker, take thee, May Eloise Kearns, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance, and thereto I pledge myself to thee.” He adds without asking permission, “In this world and in the next.”

Lightning illuminates the sky. We all look up, and Father Michael raises his voice over thunder to say, “By virtue of the authority vested in me under the laws of the State of Georgia, I now pronounce you man and wife.” A fresh crack of thunder. “You may kiss the bride!”

As Jerald lifts my veil, raindrops mingle with the drops on my cheeks. We kiss, thunder as our choir, our parents shouting that we’d all better get back to the cars, and quick. They run off and leave us here, happy in the rain.

“Just like my dream, only this time I’m able to get to you.” Jerald pulls the ring his mother gave him last night from his pocket. “Guess Father Michael forgot something.” He slides a delicate diamond into place, and we kiss in the torrential downpour, his hands on my cheeks, mine gripping his back, our future sealed with love.

53

MAY

Saturday’s Party…as planned

“Happy birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday, dear May…Happy Birthday to you!”

I clap as they cheer and raise my voice to confess, “I don’t know what to wish for! Look at all of you!” My gaze travels over Father with his arm around Mother. Her girlfriends we’ve helped out are here with their husbands, kids we’ve watched over hoping for generous slices of cake. Father’s friends from his factory and their wives joined the party, too, since it’s doubling as a reception celebration now. There’s Mr. and Mrs. Cocker beaming at me, and even some of Jerald’s extended family I only just met tonight who we didn’t know were coming.

My eyes warm as they fall on dear Gertie. Sable standing near but not close to Marvin. Darren beside Peter who’s holding Lily’s hand as she cups her mouth and shouts, “May Cocker, the girl who has everything!”

I laugh, shaking my head, overwhelmed as I turn to my husband and confess to them all, “I already got my wish.”

They whoop and holler as he kisses me, pulling back to smirk at the crowd, “Alright now, calm down. It’s just a kiss that’s legal. Not that exciting.”

“Oh, I’ve got one!” I take a deep breath, bend over and blow as hard as I can. The candles fight back, so I cheat and blow once more as friends and family either object or cheer, depending on who you’re looking at.

The final flame turns to smoke and Sable shouts, “What’d you wish for?”

“If I tell you it won’t come true!”

“Looks like it might not anyhow, with how you had to try again!”

“Sable!”

“What?”

Lily rolls her eyes, muttering, “Do you really need her to explain it to you?”

“Explain what?”

“Forget it.”

Mother announces, “I’ll cut the cake for everyone,” lifting her masterpiece and privately asking me, “What did you wish for?”

“I’m not telling!”

“Fine, be that way!” She heads off and I turn to Jerald, seeing the look in his eyes, too.

“I said I’m not telling. And you’re included!”

“But I’m your husband.”

“Oh I know!”

As the older folks and young children occupy each other, discussing cake, coffee, and what games we should play next, our friends join us away from the crowd.

Gertie lifts my left hand. “It’s just the prettiest ring I ever saw, May!”

---