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Central Pennsylvania, 1962.
The only sounds outside their motel room window came from the crickets. Every now and then a car drove by, the headlights shining into the room, reflecting off the alarm clock and mirror, bringing a twinkle to Charles’ eyes and golden streaks to his hair. Erik twirled his fingers into the curls. They’d both caught their breath by now, but their clothes remained in heaps on the floor, and their bare skin was sticky with sweat and come.
All of these external, physical, tangible things were just coming into focus for Erik. It was well past midnight, but he and Charles were still entwined. Charles had been so deeply inside of him, or Erik so deeply inside of Charles, that for the past hour or two, Erik lost contact with the rest of the world. Erik could feel, see, hear, and taste nothing but Charles. Not the scratchy hotel sheets, not the rural highway outside, not the fury that boiled inside him or the call of his crusade. Just pleasure, peace, and Charles.
Another car whooshed past the motel, pulling Charles back into the present, too. Their minds were drifting away from each other and back towards normalcy, but there was still a connection there, an affectionate thread that tied them together. Erik hoped that would never change.
Charles sighed into the pillow, then arched an eyebrow at Erik. “What is it?” he asked with a gentle smile.
“I want a Jewish wedding.”
Charles laughed, as Erik hoped he would, and his laughter vibrated along that thread between them.
Six weeks later, Shaw was dead, Charles was paralyzed, and Erik would be alone for more than ten years.
Dutchess County, New York, 2011.
The bedroom window was open and Erik listened to the rhythm of the rain outside. This was their third year in this house, but Erik still did not understand the weather patterns in New York. Last June had been four straight weeks of heat and humidity and sunshine so strong that Charles’s scalp was perpetually pink. This June was cool and rainy. At this rate, Erik thought, they would have snow in July and flowers in February.
Charles was asleep at Erik’s side with a blanket pulled up to his chin. Erik had tried to convince Charles to move with him to a better climate - California, perhaps, or the south of France - but Charles wanted to remain within a short drive of the school. This was not how Erik had imagined his golden years, but he was old enough now to admit that he’d rather be in New York with Charles than without him in paradise.
Charles’ eyes drifted open. “Is that rain?” he asked drowsily.
“Yes,” said Erik. “Good for the garden.”
Charles hummed agreement and curled closer to Erik. “What time is it?”
Erik brushed his fingers along Charles’ temple. “After midnight. Go back to sleep.”
As Charles closed his eyes, Erik felt their connection deepen. The thread that still tied them together tugged at Erik’s mind and pulled him into Charles’ comfortable, sleepy embrace. Erik would never tire of that bond between them. Forty years later, it still made his heart bloom. They fell asleep in unison, not touching, but joined as one.
The next morning, after preparing breakfast for himself, Charles, and the dog, Erik decided it was probably best for him to get out of the house for a few hours. Charles was expecting some visitors from the school, and Erik was not in the mood for the glares, whispers, and thinly-veiled insults that inevitably came along with them. Three years into retirement and they still seemed to think that this was all some evil scheme that Magneto had cooked up to get Professor X off of school property. Erik knew there was no way to convince them otherwise, so he’d given up trying.
“Do you need me to pick up anything while I’m out?” Erik asked as he checked his hair in the mirror.
“There’s a list on the refrigerator.”
“What’s on it?”
“Why don’t you take the list off of the refrigerator and bring it with you?” Charles asked with exaggerated patience.
Erik rolled his eyes, but went to get the list anyway.
There wasn’t anything that Erik particularly had to do that day. Charles’ list took him to Home Depot for cleaning supplies and hardware. He also ended up in the outdoor section as he always did, where he purchased charcoal and lighter fluid for the grill. From there he wandered into the local bookstore, where he purchased two new paperbacks and a cup of coffee to while away an hour or two. One thing Erik did like about his adopted home was the abundance of farms in the area. After the bookstore, he made his way to an outdoor market and picked up some fresh vegetables and locally-made jams and cheeses. He remembered then that he was overdue to pick up his new glasses at the optometrist’s, and Charles’ prescriptions were ready at the pharmacy. By mid-afternoon, Erik assumed that the coast was probably clear, and he went back home.
There was still another car in the driveway, but before he could turn around and go back to the bookstore for a few more hours, he felt a tug from Charles.
Come in! Come in!
Erik sighed and did as he was told.
He carried the grocery bags into the house while the hardware floated in behind him. “Hello!” he called toward Charles’ office where they usually met to discuss school business.
They weren’t in the office, though. Erik stepped into the kitchen and found Charles, Hank, Storm, Cyclops, and Kitty Pryde huddled around the television. When they turned to look at him, they were actually smiling. Erik didn’t think he’d ever seen Cyclops smile, especially not at him.
“Hello,” Erik said again. He stepped over to Charles and kissed his cheek. “What’s going on?”
Charles took his hand. “Have you seen this?” he asked.
Erik put on his glasses and looked up at the television.
MARRIAGE EQUALITY ACT PASSED IN NEW YORK STATE
NEW YORK SIXTH AND LARGEST STATE TO ALLOW GAY MARRIAGE
HISTORIC VOTE ALLOWS SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IN STATE OF NEW YORK
“Happy news,” Charles said with a grin.
It was, but Erik could not find his voice to say so. He gripped Charles’ hand tighter.
The journalist on CNN said that Governor Cuomo was expected to sign the bill into law within the next day, and the law would take effect thirty days afterwards. It was surreal.
Something deep inside of Erik was turning hot and cold, punctuated with bursts of happiness. It was his connection to Charles, shining brighter and stronger than it ever had before. Erik couldn’t speak. He could barely see. He brushed a tear from his eye, and then looked down at Charles.
“So,” Charles said through his own teary smile, “do you still want a Jewish wedding?”