by M. E. Tudor
There were more murmurs from the reporters as Jean raised her hand and went on, “I cannot discuss the details of these issues right now, but once we reach a point where the information can be disclosed we will let you all know.” Jean hesitated and looked at Ashley again. “Now, for my final announcement, and then I will take a few questions. I will not be running for re-election as a family judge in three years when my term is up. I will be going back to practicing law privately. Okay, now you may ask questions, but please one at a time.”
Jean fielded several questions about why she was not going to run for re-election. She had mentioned her intentions not to run for re-election before, so Ashley wasn’t surprised by her decision. In their last few conversations, Jean had expressed the desire to get out from under the Judicial Conduct Committee’s thumb and live her life more freely. She’d mentioned going to work for the ACLU to help other lesbians forced out of the closet.
There were only a few people who asked about Jean’s sexuality and the sex bar. Jean had given vague answers like any good politician. After about fifteen minutes of questions, Jean announced that she had to end the press conference and prepare to hear cases. A few reporters were disappointed, especially those who were really looking for the juicy answers about the sex bar.
When Jean ended the press conference, she took Ashley by the hand and led her back into the courthouse followed by Jean’s father, Raymond Blair and Elizabeth Stanton. Once inside, Jean sighed, “Well, that went pretty well.”
“Yes, it did,” Jean’s father agreed.
Raymond Blair nodded, “More often than not, people take public figures coming out in stride. I’m sure you’ll get some hate mail and comments for a few weeks, but after that the reporters and gossipers will move on to the next big story.”
“Exactly,” Jean’s father put his arm around Jean and asked, “So what time are we going to lunch?”
“It will have to be after two,” Jean replied. “I’m starting my hearings late so that will push lunch back.”
“That’s fine,” he assured her, “I have some other business here in town to take care of anyway.” He turned to Ashley and offered his hand. “It’s very nice to meet you, Ms. Jessup, and I look forward to seeing you soon in Louisville when Jean introduces you to the family.”
Jean gripped Ashley’s free hand when she saw her face go white. “I hadn’t told her about that yet, Dad,” She smiled at Ashley, “Don’t worry. I’ll give you plenty of warning before we actually do go up there.”
“Thanks,” Ashley said quietly, still looking pale, but she smiled at Jean’s dad, “I look forward to meeting the rest of the family, Mr. Carlisle.”
He smiled and turned to Raymond, “Let’s go have some coffee and discuss how we are going to deal with Governor Michaels.”
“Sure,” Raymond agreed, and then turned to Jean, “Call me if you need me.”
“I will. Thank you, Raymond,” Jean said.
The two men walked off. Elizabeth turned to Jean and Ashley, “I have to go, too. It was nice to see you again, Ashley. Hopefully, we can all get together for a drink or something.”
“That would be great, Elizabeth,” Ashley answered and watched her saunter off. She looked up at Jean, “Is she family?”
Jean nodded, “But deep in the closet. I’ll be surprised if she ever officially comes out.”
“So how do you really feel about coming out today?”
“Good. Nervous as hell about the repercussions,” Jean explained and squeezed Ashley’s hand, “What about you? Think you’ll still have a job when you get back to the office?”
“I know I will,” Ashley smiled, “Jerry Winslow called me into his office this morning as told me that he and Mr. Lowry knew about Mary and me. But, they are both open-minded and think of me and Mary like extended family.”
“Wow! That’s great!”
“I know,” Ashley looked around and frowned as some of the reporters still pressed toward the door where security was keeping them at bay, “It just seems too easy.”
“Yeah, I’m expecting the other shoe to fall at some point,” Jean agreed.
Ashley nodded and looked over shoulder at the crowd, “Well, I better get back to the office. Don’t want to lose my job for not doing it.”
“No, we can’t have that,” Jean laughed, “I’ll call you tonight when I get home. Maybe we can have dinner together.”
“That sounds great. But let’s have dinner in. I don’t think I’m ready to be photographed eating, and I’m sure there will still be a few paparazzi out there taking pictures of us.”
With a heavy sigh, Jean said, “That’s true. We’ll figure something out, though.” She smiled down at Ashley, “I would love to kiss you right now, but I don’t’ think that’s a good idea.”
“No, I think not,” Ashley agreed with a grin.
Jean motioned for one of the security guards to come over, “Please make sure Ms. Jessup gets to her car safely.”
“Yes, ma’am,” the tall black man responded.
The guard took Ashley by the elbow and led her out the courthouse doors. He pushed through the remaining reporters and walked with her the two blocks to her car. A few reporters followed and yelled questions at her. Ashley ignored them and got into her car. She started her car and slowly pulled out of the spot as the guard blocked the reporters from getting at her car.
Ashley was stunned when she saw a few cars pull out of the courthouse parking lot after she passed it and start following her. At a stoplight, she called Mary, “Mary, reporters are following me. What should I do?”
“Hang on,” Mary said, “I’ll get Mr. Winslow.”
Ashley could hear Mary talking to someone in the background and then Mr. Winslow came on the line, “Ashley, come to the office. I’ll be waiting for you. If the reporters won’t go away, I’ll call the police and have them removed from the property.”
“Okay,” Ashley replied.
She drove carefully. A few times the paparazzi pulled up even with her and took pictures. One almost hit the front of her car. “Jesus, you idiots! It’s not like I’m Princess Diana.”
Finally, she was able to pull into the parking lot of the law office. Mr. Winslow was waiting outside the door. He immediately appeared at her door and helped her out of her car.
“Miss Jessup,” one reporter yelled, “Why did you take the judge back after she cheated on you with Cynthia Donaldson?”
“Why would you want to be with her after she had been with another woman?” Another asked.
“Is she really your dominatrix? Is she forcing you to stay in this relationship?”
Ashley stopped when she heard the last question. She turned to the reporters, “No, Judge Carlisle is not forcing me to be in a relationship with her. I love her, and she loves me, and that’s why we are together. The Cynthia Donaldson thing was a mistake and, I feel, a set up by John Garrett, but time and a good trial lawyer will prove that. Anyway, it doesn’t matter. That is all in the past. We are in this relationship for the long haul.”
“What about the age difference?” A reporter yelled.
“Love knows no age, sex, color or anything else. True love will overcome all obstacles,” Ashley responded.
“Do you believe you and Jean Carlisle have that kind of love?” a woman reporter asked.
Ashley looked directly in the woman’s eyes and told here, “Yes. Yes, I do.”
“That’s it people,” Mr. Winslow ordered and led Ashley into the office.
“Thank you,” Ashley sighed.
He gave her a sideways hug and said, “No, problem.”
Ashley sat down at her desk and took a deep breath, “Wow, that was intense.”
Mary came over and sat down at the edge of Ashley’s desk, “You going to be okay?”
“I think so,” Ashley said looking at the reporters still hovering in the parking lot. “Who would have thought a judge in a small city would draw so much attention from the press.”
&nbs
p; “Well, this is a small city in a conservative county and state. So, a judge coming out as gay is a big deal,” Mary said.
“I know,” Ashley sighed again, “Hopefully this will all blow over soon and we can get on with our lives.”
“It will, but I suspect that the next couple of months are going to be a real challenge for Jean and you, individually and as a couple,” Mary cautioned.
Sadly, Ashley was afraid that Mary was right.
Chapter Eighteen
A rocky month had passed when Jean called Ashley and demanded, “What the hell were you doing talking to a reporter about our sex life?”
“I didn’t,” Ashley protested, “Why on earth would you think I talked to someone about our sex life?”
“Because I just got an email from Raymond saying there’s an interview on an online news page where you were quoted saying that you liked it that I was loose because it made me easier to get into.”
“What!” Ashley gasped, “I would never tell someone something like that.”
“Well, it’s your voice in the interview”
Jean gave Ashley the link for the online interview. Ashley listened to the recording of her voice in horror, “I didn’t say that, I swear, Jean.”
“You need watch what you say to people and who you talk to,” Jean spat and hung up.
“Christ!” Ashley growled. The local news and paparazzi had already put a strain on Ashley and Jean’s relationship with their continued presence, now this. Ashley knew that Jean was getting harassed in court on a regular basis, and that the Judicial Conduct Committee was going to review her case, so she had been in a horrible mood for the past two weeks. This could be the last straw. Ashley could only pray that Jean doesn’t give up on their relationship.
“What’s going on?” Mary asked.
“Did you just hear that interview?”
“Pieces of it,” Mary admitted.
Ashley pointed at her laptop on the kitchen table, “There’s a supposed interview with me saying that I like it that Jean’s loose and easy to get into,” Ashley spat. “Jean got the link from Raymond Blair in an email.”
Ashley clicked the link for the recording to play again, “Listen to this. It sounds like my voice, but I have never talked to these people.”
Mary listened to the recording, “It’s definitely your voice.”
Listening to the recording again, Ashley stated, “I recognize that woman whose asking the question’s voice, but I can’t place it.”
“Whoever put this together knew what they were doing because it’s almost seamless. You can’t even tell that it was pieced together. No wonder Jean is so pissed,” Mary surmised.
“Jeans!” Ashley cried, “That’s where I talked to that woman. I was buying jeans at the mall. This woman came up to me and asked me if I liked my jeans tight. I thought she was a sales person. I said that I liked my jeans loose because they were easier to get into.” She grabbed her phone and called Raymond.
“That’s amazing that someone can take a handful of words that you say and make it into something totally different,” Mary shook her head.
“Raymond,” Ashley said when he picked up, “I know where I talked to the reporter in the interview.”
“You actually gave an interview to a reporter?” Raymond asked, stunned.
“No, the woman came up to me in the mall. I was shopping for jeans. She started a conversation with me about how I liked my jeans, and I thought she was a sales person. She even took me to where the loose fit jeans were.”
“Do you remember what store you were in?” Raymond asked.
“Kendall’s in the mall,” Ashley said, “It was on Saturday.”
“I’ll get with the online news carrier and see if we can get this retracted. Don’t talk to anyone else out in public unless you know them,” Raymond instructed.
* * *
It took over a week for Raymond to hunt the reporter down and make her recant the story. Jean still hadn’t called her to apologize for yelling at her. Ashley hadn’t tried to call her either; she surmised that both of them were still too angry to talk to each other.
Mary watched Ashley mope around the apartment for an hour after the story broke about the reporter lying, and that the ACLU was filing a case against her for fabricating the story. It was Friday night and Ashley was becoming more agitated by the minute.
“Would you just call her already?” Mary demanded.
“No!” Ashley snapped, “She needs to call me and apologize. She should have known I would never say something so stupid to a reporter.”
“Honey, she is just as stressed as you are, more so. She’s got the Judicial Conduct Committee breathing down her neck trying to get her to quit her job. And, the shit the reporters are making up could keep her from getting another job or clients if she goes into private practice,” Mary reasoned.
“I know that,” Ashley said and flopped down on the couch, “That’s what’s making me so mad. She knows I know how hard things have been. She should have known that I would never intentionally bring more attention to us than was necessary.”
“I know,” Mary agreed sitting down next to Ashley and pulling her into a hug, “I know. I just don’t know how to help you with this.”
Ashley hugged her back, “I think I need a drink. Do we have any beer left?”
“Of course,” Mary replied, “I’ll get us both one.”
The front door of the apartment opened and Jackie came in with a dozen red roses. “Special delivery,” she said.
“Oh Baby, you are so sweet,” Mary gushed and started to take the flowers.
Jackie pulled them back, “They’re not for you.”
“What?” Mary asked stunned.
Smiling, Jackie handed them to Ashley who had just taken a drink of her beer. She looked up at Jackie. “For me?”
“Yes, I was asked to deliver them to you,” Jackie explained, the grin never leaving her face.
Ashley sat her beer on the table and took the flowers. She took out the card tucked in the bouquet. It read, “I’m so sorry for being such a bitch. Please forgive me. Jean.”
Ashley looked up and saw Jean standing by the open front door. She tried not to smile, but she was having a hard time. She was so happy to see Jean, but she didn’t want to give that away yet. She moved past Jackie and went to Jean. “I tried to tell you.”
“I know, and I am so sorry I was so stupid. I was letting the stress get to me, and I wasn’t thinking clearly,” Jean said. She stuffed her hands in her jean pockets. “I know that’s not really an excuse for being such a bitch toward you, but I hope you’ll forgive me anyway.”
“The flowers are a good start,” Ashley replied putting her nose to the flowers and sniffing.
“What else can I do to make it up to you?” Jean asked, taking one hand out of her pocket and pushing a blonde strand out of Ashley’s eyes.
“I’m thinking maybe a punishment session,” Ashley whispered.
Jean’s head shot up to look at Jackie and Mary, who were pretending to not be paying attention. “What did you have in mind?” Jean whispered back.
“I have some handcuffs and feathers I’d like to try out,” Ashley whispered and leaned in close to Jean.