The Sauna Part 79

Although it was barely morning, we rose and showered together, enjoying the quiet and privacy of the early morning hours. We discussed how we wanted to orchestrate our ritual and considered various conventions, but settled on our own version which was more meaningful to us. We both needed time to write our varars, or vows, in our own way, and we continued to discuss the elements we wanted to incorporate into the ceremony as we drank our coffee together on the patio. It was the first time I had ever seen Jon decline breakfast, explaining he was too excited to eat. Lainie was up first, and grabbed a mug of coffee and joined us on the patio.

“You two look bright-eyed and bushy-tailed this morning. How long have you been awake?” she asked yawning.

“Just a couple hours, but we have some exciting news” I began when Jon motioned for me to stop.

“Wait. Let me get sleeping beauty up and we can tell them both together” he suggested.

I nodded and he went inside to rouse Richie. Elaine looked at me quizzically and raised her brows, sipping her coffee.

“Another surprise? Haven’t you tortured me enough yet?” she asked laughing.

“I guess not, but I don’t think this will come as nearly as much of a shock as last night” I replied, remembering the stunned look on her face when she saw Jon and Richie waiting for us in my kitchen.

We waited quietly until Jon returned, a sleepy Richie in tow. Richie sat down and Jon pushed a mug of coffee into his hands. He yawned and smiled, leaning his elbows on the table as he looked at the two of us.

“What’s up? Jon’s never dragged me out of bed at this hour before” Richie asked, grinning.

“We wanted to tell you both together. Trish and me, we want to pledge ourselves to each other in a Handfasting ritual tonight and we want you both to be there as our witnesses” Jon explained excitedly.

Richie and Elaine looked at us and then at each other and back to us. Richie was the first to comment and his broad smile said what he was feeling.

“I’d be honored. What do I need to do?” he said, beaming.

“All you need to do is learn a new song and play the guitar for me. I’ve already got the words, babe” Jon said, turning to me. “I know exactly what I want to say in my varar, and the words have been turning in my head all morning. I just need to write the melody.”

“I’m not as quick as you, love. I need some time to put my feelings into words and I need to prepare some things for the ritual. Lainie, will you help me?” I asked, wondering about her silence and thinking she might not be as eager as Richie to participate.

Elaine hesitated and looked uncomfortable. I knew she was uncertain about Wicca and not really interested in it, but her discomfort was a bit surprising. She avoided my gaze and stared at her coffee instead. Jon looked at me searchingly and Richie appeared puzzled.

“What is it Lainie? What’s wrong?” I asked, genuinely confused.

“Trish, I’m sorry. I know this is important to you and I’m flattered that you want me to be a part of this, but I just don’t share your beliefs. I’d be happy to be a guest, but I wouldn’t be comfortable taking part in a ritual” she said, looking at me directly now.

“Elaine, I know that. You wouldn’t be a part of the actual ritual, only a witness. All you have to do is be happy for us and join in celebrating our love with us. I was only asking for your help in baking the cakes for after the ceremony” I answered, smiling, now that I understood her hesitation a bit more.

“Oh. Baking I can do!” Elaine replied, looking relieved, and we all laughed then.

“C’mon, Richie, I’m anxious to get started on this song” Jon said as he rose. He bent to kiss me and whispered in my ear.

“I’ll leave you in peace to write, darlin’. Is there anything you need me to do first?”

“No, love, not right now” I said, returning his kiss and he and Richie went off to work on the song, leaving me alone with Lainie.

“Trish, I am happy for you. You know that, right? I just …” Elaine began, but I stopped her and put my hand on her arm.

“Elaine, it’s okay. I know you’re not into the spiritual piece, just think of it as a celebration. It’s just a more intimate one, that’s all” I said, patting her arm.

“Okay, then. I’ll go take a shower and then we can start on the baking” she chirped, leaving me alone to write my vow to Jon.

I knew how I felt, but putting it into words was difficult. I struggled with where to begin and changed my mind several times before I finally found the words. I was still writing as Lainie emerged from the shower.

I put my pad aside and pulled out my recipe book, finding the basic recipe for honey cakes and I showed it to Elaine while I looked at my list of flowers and their corresponding properties.

“This looks pretty simple” Elaine observed, looking at the recipe.

“The basic recipe is, but the key element in Wicca is symbolism. I have to choose the right ingredients to add to the recipe that represent the qualities I want to evoke” I explained and Elaine raised her brows.

I chose roses for love, lavender for peace and harmony, cardamon for romance and banana to represent the God and Goddess as one. Elaine wrinkled her nose as I listed off the ingredients we would need, trying to imagine how it would taste, and I assured her we wouldn’t need a lot of most of the ingredients. The remaining plants, herbs and flowers I wanted to include were either poisonous or had been vetoed by Elaine as wholly unacceptable flavor-wise, so I settled on the idea of weaving them into garlands instead.

I sent Jon to the store for bananas and to grab something for lunch while I went outside to plunder my garden for all the required ingredients. Elaine went to work on the batter, and grunted when I added the spice and flower petals before recruiting Richie’s help and returning to the garden. Jon came back from the store and joined us outside after depositing the bananas and the bags of burgers and fries in the house. We gathered up all the plants, flowers and the cedar branches for sweeping the ritual area and set them down in piles outside the back door and went in for lunch just as Lainie popped the first batch of honey cakes in the oven.

Jon and Richie devoured the burgers, having skipped breakfast, but Lainie and I ate smaller portions so we had room left to sample the cakes. Jon studied the correspondence tables, checking to be sure there was nothing critical I’d missed on our foray in the garden and surrounding woods. Richie grinned indulgently and Elaine shook her head. After lunch was finished, we all busied ourselves making the garlands and circlets for the ceremony and Elaine brought out the first cakes from the oven. Even she admitted they tasted pretty good.

By three o’clock we were nearly finished with the magikal chores and Richie and Jon left for Richie’s court appearance. Lainie and I went inside and brewed a fresh pot of coffee before sitting down at the kitchen table for a break. The kitchen smelled like potpourri after several batches of honey cakes and I grabbed a picnic basket to begin loading the cakes and the mead Jon had picked up while he was out.

“So, now that we’re almost done, how about if we pick out what you’re going to wear tonight?” Lainie suggested.

“No need for that, love, it’s an easy choice. Rituals are performed sky clad so all I need is a robe” I giggled as she gave me a perplexed look.

“What does that mean?” she asked suspiciously.

“Sky clad means clothed in the sky. In other words, naked” I said, eyeing her warily.

“Excuse me? You seriously expect me to get naked in front of Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora?” she said shrilly.

“You don’t have to be naked, Lainie, unless you want to. Jon and I will be naked and it’s up to Richie whether he wants to be or not” I answered.

“Jon and Richie naked? I think I need a drink” she said as she buried her face in her hands.

“But you don’t drink” I retorted.

“I think it’s high time I started.” she laughed and I laughed too. “Does Jon know this? Does Richie?”

“Jon certainly knows. I don’t know if he told Richie. I assume your reaction means you plan to wear clothes?”

“Hell, yeah. What should I wear if I’m not ready to do my birthday suit?” she asked wearily.

“Anything you like, but I’d discourage high heels as we’ll be in the woods out back and we need to climb to the top of the hill” I advised.

“Shit. Okay, I’ll find something nice. Do you mind if I go and look now, so I can see what I brought that will work?” she asked.

“Go ahead. I need to finish my varar” I said.