I ran up the stairs trying to hold my lips together from breaking into a smile.
Chapter 21 The Rehearsal
The next week and a half were a blur, as so many people came in and out of the house. Gram finally arrived from London and stayed in the guest suite up on the third floor. I thought she might have a difficult time getting up there, but soon found that the house was equipped with an elevator for her. My job was to keep Gram entertained while Sandy and Barbara finished up all the details of the wedding.
Jane came home on Friday and all the out-of-town guests started arriving as well. Jake and I had our final fittings and thanks to Aunt Barbara, Jake started his vacation as of Friday. We decided to have our dress rehearsal on Friday instead of Saturday, just in case there were any last-minute changes. We rehearsed at the house and then went to the chief’s house for dinner.
Aunt Barbara set up her backyard to look like a Moroccan Riad, or garden. She replicated a riad by placing a fountain as the focal point in the middle of the tent. Hovering over the fountain stood a large open tent with rich fabric graciously draping over each pole. Lemon and lime trees stood near these drapes, while rugs simulating zellige tiles covered the entire grassy area. We sat on pillows on the ground and dined on couscous with vegetables, pastille—a squab meat pie, lamb tajine—a stew, and Zaalouk salad with eggplant and tomatoes.
During the meal, musicians playing the lute, drums, tambourine, and fiddle circled the tent, and we all clapped in awe when the belly dancers strutted among the guests. They tried to get me and Jake up to belly dance with them, but neither one of us was keen on making a fool of ourselves at our own rehearsal dinner. Charlie, Uncle Henry, and Doug got up to dance with all the ladies. Aunt Barbara was a good sport and she tried her best to keep up with the hip-swinging ladies.
With dinner and entertainment finished, Uncle Henry stood in the middle of the tent and thanked everyone for joining us. To my surprise, he called up Jake to continue a family tradition.
Looking at a crowd of thirty or so cousins, aunts, and uncles, Jake addressed our loved ones. “Most of us in this tent know that we Reids have a tradition at our dress rehearsal dinner. This tradition is started by the first child of his generation to get married and all the other children in that generation must follow the same tradition he chooses. Since I am the first among the cousins to get married, you all must follow my lead when you get married.”
Many whispered, “I hope he chooses something cheap.” I wasn’t quite sure what they meant by this statement.
“The chief says that I need to pick from one of the wedding traditions of something old, something new, something borrowed, or something blue. Gramps apparently chose something old and gave Gram a pearl necklace that his mother wore on her wedding day. Gram?” We saw him circling around the tent looking for his grandmother. “Will you be giving this pearl necklace to my Emily as well?”
This question brought on a holler of boos from all the cousins. Again, I wasn’t sure what they were unhappy about as opposition mounted.
First one to oppose was Doug, the chief’s oldest son. “Gram, I demand a recount. Who voted to give Jake the six-carat diamond ring?” A round of “yeah’s!” came from the other cousins. Most of the aunts and uncles found this dissention hilarious, and some of the aunts joined in with the protestors.
Oh, so that’s what everyone was booing about. I, too, found the family ribbing comical.
“Doug, sit down!” Jake ordered. “I have the mic. Anyhow, before I was so rudely interrupted,” my fiancé continued, “the chief continued the tradition by picking something blue, and he gave his bride a measly blue garter. All of his brothers had to do the same for their brides as a wedding gift. Now I must say, that’s a crappy wedding gift.”
All four aunts and Mom stood and gave Jake a standing ovation. We were rolling in laughter.
“Now it’s my turn, and I pick something old and something new.”
“Show off!” Cousin Glen yelled.
“The only way to outdo a six-carat Asscher cut diamond ring,” he emphasized and enunciated each of those words while a hiss rang through the tent, “is to shower my bride with more diamonds.”