Albany Park (26 page)

With a hearty stamp, Frank crushed the glass and kissed Ellen to shouts of
mazel tov
from the Rabbi and several guests. Vic put his arm around his brother and shook his hand. He followed with a kiss on Ellen’s cheek and a quick, “Welcome to the family.”

Turning, Frank and Ellen, with the members of the wedding party close behind, descended the platform and walked with broad smiles up the aisle to the reception area, while the guests stood applauding as they passed.

Once Frank and Ellen walked through the doors, the crowd followed into the small lobby. Ma and Pa quickly hugged the newlyweds and Ellen’s parents. Joining their daughters and Vic, they formed a receiving line to Frank’s left. Ellen held Frank’s arm while her folks and her brother and sister lined up on her right. Starting from the left, guests formed a line; congratulating each member of the family with a kiss or handshake. Many stuffed envelopes into Frank’s hand, which he handed off to Vic.

Vic raised his eyebrows when he looked up to see Shirley on the arm of the tall, dark haired man, standing in front of him. Howie introduced himself as Shirley’s husband and explained that he was Ellen’s cousin, adding with a snicker, “always nice to see Shirley’s old boyfriends.” Shirley smiled and squeezed his hand tightly, while Howie turned to say hello to Flo, Faith and Lilly. Something he said to Flo made her laugh and Vic thought he saw a blush come to her cheek. Shirley glanced back, smiling broadly, quickly fluttering her eyelids when she caught Vic’s eyes following her. He smiled back.

Under the watchful eye of The Duchess, the Ridgeview hotel’s buxom catering manager, the servers began passing hors’ d’oeuvres and wine for the guests. A small bar off to the side was serving liquor and groups holding drinks and canapés gathered, chatting as they waited for the dinner and reception.

Loud greetings and laughs erupted from many folks who had not seen each other for several years. The newlyweds and their families joined the guests once the receiving line abated.

Vic taking Darlene’s arm, began introducing her to the cousins, aunts and uncles that she had not met before. He grinned, noticing how she charmed them, carrying on warm conversations with the women, who were looking her over and nodding their approval.

His ninety-year-old, grandfather shook her hand, his light blue eyes sparkling. Darlene greeted him with a hug and a kiss, sweetly adding, “Hi Grandpa.”

“A pretty girl,” he laughed, nudging Vic, “but she’s so skinny.”

Vic laughed, “Don’t worry, Gramp; I’ll fatten her up.”

Darlene smiled. “Never mind, wise guy.”

Shirley, Vic noticed, was with a group of Ellen’s relatives and her husband was by her side with his arm around her as they talked. She looked his way and smiled as Howie reached for a glass of wine. He nodded, smiling in return. Damn, she looked good.

At the sound of a soft chime, The Duchess, her hair piled high and looking well-fed and flushed in her sequined gown, opened the door to the ballroom room; signaling that it was time for the guests to enter and find their numbered tables in the room filled with white and pink decorations. The wedding party and immediate family members, minus the bride and groom, entered last, to strains of soft background music.

Once all were seated, the music ceased and the room became quiet. Then, at a signal from the Duchess, followed by a drum roll, the band leader announced in a loud voice, “Ladies and Gentlemen…for the first time, please join me in welcoming….. Mr.and Mrs.Frank Wayne.”

The doors to the outer lobby swung open, flash bulbs popped and Frank and Ellen, smiling and waving, entered to loud applause and whistles as the band struck up “You Made Me Love You.” Holding hands, the newlyweds walked around the dance floor, stopping briefly at some of the tables, waving to others, and finally joining the wedding party at the large round table at the front of the room.

Winding down the music, the leader of the band called on Pa’s father to make a
barocha
over the
challah
, which was followed by Vic at the microphone making a toast to the new bride and groom.

As he finished to shouts of “
l’chaim”,
The Duchess led her servers into the room. They fanned out, balancing large trays of food as they advanced to the tables of eight or ten, topped with crisp white cloths and centerpieces of full blooming pink roses in low-slung silver bowls.

Frank and Ellen, their parents, plus Vic, the maid of honor and Gramp were at the head table. Darlene sat with Vic’s sisters and two of his aunts and uncles.

After a short break, during which the main course was served, the band returned and began playing soft dance music. It wasn’t long before a few couples were dancing. Others were quick to join them as they finished eating.

At a nod from the band leader, Vic approached the microphone again. He waited for the music to stop and for the dancers to return to their seats, before calling on Ellen’s brother and sister to say a few words. Holding hands and wine glasses, Seymour and Susan Rabinowitz joined Vic at the microphone. Susan giggled as she welcomed Frank and the Waynes to their family. Raising her glass, she toasted, expressing her love to her sister and new brother-
in-law
.

Smiling, Seymour took over. “Thank God she’s finally married and moving out. Maybe now, I’ll be able to use the phone and have a closet to hang my clothes.”

Pausing for the laugh, he went on. “Seeing all of you here, to celebrate this joyous occasion with our family, is one of the happiest occasions of my life. Please join me as I propose a toast to my sister and her new husband and his family.” Pausing, he raised his glass. “May this be the beginning of a long and fruitful marriage for the two of them and our families.
L’chaim
.” At tables around the room, many stood, lifting and clinking glasses.

Next, Vic escorted Ma and Pa to the center of the floor. Ma smiled, declining the microphone, but held Pa’s arm as he took it and waved, acknowledging the applause for the two of them. Fumbling in his jacket, Pa found his notes, gave a short cough and adjusted his glasses. “Thank you Ellen and welcome to our family.” He looked at Ma as she squeezed his arm.

” Frank, as the first of our children, has made a wise choice for a bride. We love you and are proud to have Ellen as a daughter. We also are honored to be part of your family and welcome all of you into ours.”

“To my Pa,” he said, looking toward the old man, “my brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews and friends, and to the Rabinowitz family and their relatives and friends, we thank you for sharing this
mitzvah.”

As many guests stood and joined him he raised his glass “A toast to my beautiful daughter-in-law and handsome son.
L’chaim.
I can’t wait to see the grandchildren.”

Ma hugged and kissed him to cheers and applause.

As the folks returned to their table; Vic introduced Ellen’s parents. Her Dad had everyone laughing as he came to the microphone with his pants pockets turned inside out and his hands raised in surrender, acknowledging the small fortune it was costing for his daughter’s wedding.. His wife joined in the laughter.

Thanking everyone for attending, he added his and his wife’s best wishes to Ellen and Frank for luck in their marriage. Wiping at tears, he talked about his love for his daughter and how much he and his wife looked forward to her marriage, regretting only that she was no longer their little girl.

Like a wave, the whole room stood to applaud and raise their glasses to toast Mr. and Mrs. Rabinowitz. Walking back to their seats, they chatted at many tables, hugged and kissed guests and made the rounds at several tables to be sure everyone was enjoying the party.

The band struck up Glenn Miller’s “In the Mood,” to the accompaniment of scraping chairs, couples began flooding the floor, jitterbugging to the strong beat.

Vic motioned to Darlene to join him for a dance. She quickly was at his side. Shirley and her husband were close by, as were his sisters. Flo was with Ralph, a cousin from Ellen’s mom’s side, and the two younger ones, Faith and Lilly, were dancing together.

Vic and Darlene danced as the band flowed from one song to the next. They paused at times to talk with other couples on the floor and then crowded around Mr. Rabinowitz as he energetically danced with one of his young nieces. Looking over Howie’s shoulder, Shirley smiled, catching Vic’s eye as he and Darlene almost bumped into them on the dance floor.

When the band started the
Sherilah,
Frank and Ellen jumped up to lead the dancers who were forming a circle holding hands, weaving up and back. As the circle expanded with more dancers, the newlyweds hooked elbows and swung around in the center of the now large circle, inviting guests to join them in the middle. Everyone else continued to clap to the joyous beat. After swinging a few of the women around, Frank grabbed Vic, hooked his elbow as they swung together and then the two of them faced each other, squatting and
kicking their legs out, as they jumped up and down to the beat, delighting the other dancers.

When they finished, Ellen broke the circle and began leading the dancers in a long line around the room, picking up people along the way. Stopping in the center of the floor, she joined hands with the girl behind her to form a canopy, as the rest of the dancers trailed under their raised arms. Following the tempo of the traditional wedding music, the line snaked around the floor until all the dancers had gone through the canopy, still holding hands and forming a crossed link chain of all the people; then reversed, unwinding back into a circle. Going around once more, they slowed as the band ended with a loud blast, which prompted thunderous applause and laughter.

Standing with Vic and Darlene, Frank, with Ellen at his side, beamed, “Well I guess we’re officially married, now that we’ve danced the
Sherilah
.”

Back at her table, Shirley watched Vic separate himself from the crowd and head for the lobby. Suddenly turning to Howie, she excused herself. “I’ll be right back,” she said, and scurried off. She came face-to-face with Vic in the hallway near the restrooms.

“Hi, you look great,” he greeted her.

“Yeah, you too, “she replied, smiling and lightly licking her lips.

“How’s everything going? You enjoying married life?”

Still smiling she answered, “Yeah and how about you? I see you’re still going with the same girl you took to the prom. Getting married?”

“Not yet, but probably in a year or two; I’m still going to Roosevelt College.”

“Victor, I heard that Sam Greenstein is sick. Is it serious?”

“I’m not sure, but it’s not good. He’s taking some tests and will know more in a few weeks.”

“Oh, I’m really sorry, I always liked him. Please give him my regards and let him know I asked about him.”

“Sure. What else is going on with you?”

“I work at Marshall Fields downtown two days a week, in the Ladies Exclusive Wear Department. How ‘bout calling me there Tuesday afternoon and letting me know about Sam, she replied, tilting her head and looking directly into his eyes. Fishing a card out of her bag, she said, “here’s the number. “

“Okay, I’ll do that,” he answered quietly, with a small smile . “It’s nice seeing you,”

“Yeah, you too,” she said as he turned towards the men’s room.

Impulsively she reached out to stop him. Looking up, she kissed him lightly on the lips. He pulled her closer for an instant, hesitated, then quickly turned and darted into the men’s room.

On Tuesday, Vic called. At her suggestion, they agreed to meet at Vinny’s on Wabash next to the Pamer House at five-thirty that afternoon. Hanging up, he smiled, knowing that when she kissed him at the wedding, something was going through her mind and it wasn’t Sam Greenstein.

The bar wasn’t busy when Vic arrived at five-fifteen and sat in a booth near the back. It was a place he had stopped at a few times after school to avoid the rush hour before going home and had no trouble getting served even though he was only nineteen. Dropping his books, he headed to the bathroom to comb his hair and check himself out in the mirror, hoping he would look okay surrounded by all the guys in the bar wearing suits.

Back at the table, “Star Dust” was playing on the jukebox as the bartenders started setting up for the after-work crowd. The bar was dark, except for a few lights behind the bar and little lamps on the tables in the booths. Through the arch into the dining area, the lights were brighter.

Shirley walked in at five-twenty-five. Seeing she was having difficulty in the dark, he got up to meet her.

”Here I am,” he said, lightly kissing her cheek and taking her hand. Even in the dim light, he could see she looked great. Her dark hair was hanging looser than at the wedding, and under her slim-fitting black trench coat, she was wearing a simple soft rose-colored sweater with a grey skirt and shiny black high heels, looking taller than he remembered.

“Hi, how are you? Sorry I couldn’t talk earlier, but my boss doesn’t like us getting personal calls during work. So, tell me about Sam. Is he really sick?”

“I don’t know, except that it will be awhile before the doctors know. He has some stomach problems and it could be serious. Right now it’s wait and see. But now, how are you?”

“Me? Well being married is nice. I don’t know if you heard, but I have a little boy. He’s the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me. My mom takes care of him on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I can work.”

Seeing him looking at her wedding ring, she covered it with her other hand while she eyed him across the tiny table. Close up, he somehow looked different; more relaxed, surer of himself, with shorter hair and a white shirt with a red and black rep tie. He appeared more of an adult. She also noticed him studying her as she went on.

“My husband, Howie’s a nice guy from the neighborhood and very ambitious. He loves the baby almost more than me. Now, tell me what’s going on with you? Are you going to marry that pretty redhead?”

“Her name is Darlene Silverman,” He nodded smiling. “And I think we’re gonna get engaged soon. Her boss at the United Fund is a big shot in politics and when she told him I was interested in public service and had worked with the refugees from HIAS, he told her to bring me to some of the meetings. I really like it and I think if Stevenson runs for president, I may volunteer to work for him.”