A More Perfect Union

by J. Scott Coatsworth

  “Okay,” Jeordi said.

  And Tom slipped out the door, leaving Jeordi freaking out inside. Any erection Jeordi had had from looking at Tom’s naked body was long since vanished, much as Jeordi’s excitement. He wondered what he’d done wrong. This was the most important moment of his life, the biggest decision he would ever make, and somehow he’d blown it. But he didn’t know how.

  When Tom returned about fifteen minutes later, Jeordi was dressed in shorts and a loose shirt and sitting on the sofa, close to tears.

  Quietly Tom closed the door and stepped over to sit next to Jeordi. Taking his hand, Tom said simply, “Yes.”

  “Yes?” Jeordi asked, his heart ablaze with excitement once again.

  “Yes,” Tom said, nodding and smiling his way.

  “Kiss me,” Jeordi ordered, so Tom leaned over and they locked lips in a searing kiss.

  “Thank goodness,” Jeordi said. “I was sitting here freaking out, wondering what I’d done wrong. I couldn’t blow this. This was the biggest moment of my life.”

  “You didn’t blow it,” Tom said. “You just caught me off guard. My first thought was that this was just a way to get us some legal protections because of the hospital thing. But then, as I walked, I calmed down a bit and thought why not take those protections that are there already for people who are married. I said yes because I love you and because I know you love me. The legal stuff is secondary.”

  “I love you, babe,” Jeordi said. “Help me get dressed so we can go to the courthouse and get our license.”

  “Right now?” Tom asked, startled.

  “I want to get it in our hands. That’s not to say we’ll use it immediately, but when we’ve got everything worked out in a few days, we’ll have it ready.”

  It took some serious work to get Jeordi dressed and then to find someone in the park who could drive them to the courthouse. When Tom had found a woman driving that way to work, he asked for and got a ride from her.

  Neither man had ever needed to visit the courthouse before that day, but with the help of a couple of security guards as well as a map on the wall of the building, they finally managed to find the county clerk’s office.

  It being a weekday and the middle of the day, there was no line, so the clerk appeared almost immediately when they walked in.

  “How can I help you, gentlemen?” she asked.

  “We’d like to get a marriage license, please,” Jeordi said.

  “All right, and who is it for?” she asked.

  “Us,” Tom said.

  “The two of you?” she asked. “I’m sorry, but we do not issue marriage licenses to anyone except traditional male-female couples in this office.”

  “Excuse me?” Tom said, his anger rapidly rising. “Haven’t you heard that the Supreme Court recently overturned all state laws prohibiting same-sex marriage? We’re now legal, so we’d like to get a license, please.”

  “And I’m telling you that I will not be party to such an abomination in the eyes of the Lord.”

  Jeordi noticed a woman who had entered the office behind them pull out a smartphone and use it to record what was happening. Tom recapped for the recording.

  “So you’re telling us that you will not obey the law and issue us a marriage license?”

  “I cannot in good conscience do that. It is against my faith, and I will not be party to the commission of such an abhorrent sin in the eyes of the Lord.”

  “I thought this was a courthouse,” Tom said. “Surely you must have people around here who will tell you that you have to follow the law. The Supreme Court ruled we can get married anywhere in this country.”

  “Then you’ll have to go somewhere else, because I cannot issue you a license. It is in opposition to my faith, and my faith is the most important thing in my life.”

  “So let me get this straight. You will not do your job, the job for which the taxpayers pay you, because it goes against your faith?”

  “This part of the job is contrary to my beliefs, and I will not be party to sin.”

  “Then, ma’am, you need to quit and get a different job, because you don’t have a choice. You do what the law requires, or you get out so someone who will abide by the law can take over.”

  “I have to ask you to leave,” she said officiously. “I will not stand here and be verbally assaulted by two homosexuals. Repent, and there might be hope for your eternal souls.”

  “Really?” Tom said. “This has all been a fascinating, eye-opening experience.” When he asked for her name, however, she refused.

  Somehow while they’d been talking, a security guard had arrived on the scene and asked them to leave the building. Without a word, they did.

  Chapter Eight

  ONCE THEY were out of the courthouse, Jeordi let loose with all of the anger he’d held inside.

  “I don’t fucking believe it,” he practically shouted. “She can’t do that. It’s her job.”

  “I agree, but she did,” Tom said. “And she had us removed from the building.”

  “I’m… I’m… I don’t know what, but I’m gonna fight her. This isn’t right,” Jeordi said.

  “Gentlemen?”

  “Yes?” Jeordi said, turning to find who was speaking to them.

  “Hi, I was in there.”

  “I remember you,” Tom said. “You were recording that woman, weren’t you?”

  “You’re damned right I was. You’re not the first same-sex couple she’s done that to, but if I have anything to do about it, I want you to be the last couple she denies service to. She’s way out of line, and she needs to put her faith aside and do her damned job.”

  “I couldn’t agree more,” Jeordi said, smiling. “But how are we ever going to change something like this?”

  “With your permission—and you better agree—I’m sending that video to Channel Six news, and I’m gonna demand that they broadcast the story of that employee paid by the taxpayers denying constitutionally guaranteed services to those same taxpayers.”

  “Wow,” Jeordi said. “Thank you!”

  “Now, I need some information from you, like your names.”

  They exchanged information, and she was off to get the video to the news reporters in the hopes of getting it on the air that evening.

  “Okay,” Tom said. “I need to get you home so I can get to work. I’m gonna be late as it is.”

  “Go,” Jeordi said. “I’m feeling a lot better and could use a little exercise. I’ll walk and take it really slow. If I can’t for some reason, I’ll just wait until someone I know comes along and hitch a ride with them.”

  Tom looked quickly at his watch. “I don’t like that, but… I need to get to work. Are you absolutely sure?” he asked.

  “Of course. I don’t lie to you. You know exactly how I’ll do this. So go. I’ll be fine. I’m not going to run, but I’ll make it home at my own pace.”

  “I hate this. I wish we had a car so you—”

  “Go,” Jeordi ordered, pointing Tom in the direction of his workplace.

  WHEN TOM got home late that night, he was absolutely exhausted. He had been convinced that he would find Jeordi in bed and asleep, so he was surprised to find his best friend, his partner, his lover sitting in the living room wide awake and still dressed.

  “What are you doing up?” he asked. “I thought you’d be asleep by now.”

  “I was waiting for you. You’re late.”

  “I was able to pick up an extra shift because someone called in sick. We need the money. Sorry if I worried you.”

  “I suspected, but I always worry about you. You’re my guy,” Jeordi said with a smile. “You’re off work tomorrow, aren’t you?”

  “Yes, tomorrow is my day off. I volunteered for a shift, but they wouldn’t give it to me because it would put me over some magic number of hours or something. Who knows.”

  “Good. I’ve made plans for us for tomorrow.”

  “Oh? What do you have planned?” Tom asked.

>   “We’re going on a little adventure.”

  “An adventure?” Tom asked, curious.

  “Yes. It starts early, so I suggest you get showered then meet me in bed so we can both get some sleep.”

  “You’re gonna try not to tell me?” Tom asked, his arms crossed over his chest.

  “I will tell you—just not right now. In the morning you’ll know everything. You. Shower. Now,” Jeordi ordered.

  Ten minutes later they were in bed together with the lights out. No matter how many times or how many different ways he asked, Jeordi would not reveal his plans for them.

  Jeordi’s alarm clock went off at five thirty in the morning. He gingerly got out of bed and dressed before shaking Tom awake and forcing him out of bed.

  “No,” Tom whined, pulling the pillow over his head to try to make the distraction go away, but Jeordi was insistent that he get up.

  Thirty minutes after he’d gotten out of bed, Jeordi pushed Tom out the door to his brother’s waiting truck.

  “It’s still dark out. This is uncivilized. Nobody should be up at this hour,” Tom complained.

  “No argument there,” Jeordi’s brother Jerry said.

  “Where are we going?” Tom asked at the twenty-minute mark.

  “You didn’t tell him?” Jerry said.

  “Hush,” Jeordi said.

  “Fine. I don’t see why you can’t tell him,” Jerry said.

  “Drive the truck,” Jeordi said.

  “I hate you both,” Tom said as he closed his eyes and tried to get some more sleep. He actually did manage to fall asleep so that Jeordi had to wake him when they got to their destination.

  “Come on, babe,” Jeordi said, shaking him gently.

  “Huh?” he said, only half-awake.

  “Come on. It’s time. We’re ready for part one.”

  “Part who?” Tom said, trying to scrub the sleep from his eyes.

  “Come on,” Jeordi said, pulling Tom toward him and the open door of the truck. Turning to his brother, he said, “Thanks, Jerry. I appreciate the ride.”

  “Where are we?” Tom said.

  “We’re at the airport,” Jeordi said.

  “Why?”

  “Because that’s where they keep the airplanes,” Jeordi said.

  “You’re not making any sense at all. Why are we here?”

  “Come on. You’ll see.”

  Inside the small airport terminal, Jeordi looked around and led them to a Southwest Airlines ticket counter. Tom listened, but the conversation he heard made very little sense. The story didn’t get any more clear when Jeordi led him through a security check that was more intense than anything he’d ever gone through in his life.

  “All right, I need to know what’s going on,” Tom demanded, now wide awake as he put his shoes back on and put his belt back through the loops.

  “We’re going to do what we tried to do yesterday,” Jeordi answered.

  “Why does that involve us going through security at an airport?”

  “Because we have to get on an airplane to do it.”

  Tom’s eyes went wide with shock.

  “I’ve… I’ve… I’ve never been on an airplane. I’m… I’m not qualified. I don’t know what to do.”

  “You don’t have to do anything but sit down. The airplane does all the work. Or at least so I’ve been told.”

  Tom pulled Jeordi close. “I’m scared, Jeordi.”

  “Me too. That’s why we’ve got each other.”

  Their small airport didn’t have a lot of space. In fact there were only two gates. Jeordi directed them to Gate Two, which somehow felt exotic, definitely better than lowly Gate One.

  For two hours they sat or paced the short distance available for people to walk, both becoming more anxious with every passing moment. But their nerves took a backseat to something strange. A very loud noise sounded just as a large jet came into view and rolled quickly toward their location. The engines on the machine were very loud as it parked.

  As soon as the engines had shut down, a truck with stairs mounted on the back end drove up and parked so they touched the edge of the plane. The driver jumped out, raced up the steps, knocked on the door, and opened it. Almost immediately a steady stream of people began to exit through that door. Tom watched the people come in through the door they were supposed to leave from.

  While people were still exiting the plane, someone announced, “Ladies and gentlemen. Boarding for our flight will begin momentarily. If I could have everyone in group one please line up for me, as soon as we get the all-clear we can begin. Ground time is minimal, so I appreciate your cooperation in getting everyone on board and seated as quickly as possible so our flight can have an on-time departure.”

  “I didn’t understand half of what that meant,” Tom said.

  “Me neither,” Jeordi whispered back. “All I got was boarding group one. We’re in second, so I guess we need to be ready to go next.”

  “Jeordi, why are we doing this?” Tom asked.

  “Love, darlin’, for love,” Jeordi said, giving Tom one of his million-watt smiles and a quick kiss.

  They stood and watched the last people from the plane come through the doors, followed almost immediately by the people in group one moving out to take their places. When boarding group two was called, they were the first in line and therefore the first to nervously lead the second wave toward the plane.

  Stepping outdoors, Tom and Jeordi both detected the odor of some kind of fuel. A person gestured them toward the stairs. Jeordi went first, holding tightly to Tom’s hand. His injuries made him move a little slower on the steps than usual, but neither one of them were upset by the pace.

  “Welcome aboard,” a perky female flight attendant greeted them as soon as they were on board the plane.

  “Thanks,” Jeordi said. “Um, where do we sit?”

  “Take any open seat,” she said with a smile.

  Jeordi, still holding Tom’s hand, led them back to a spot where there was an empty seat by the window and another beside that. He took the window and got Tom seated in the middle seat. Instructions were given in the midst of people boarding, stowing their luggage, and finding seats, so both men fastened their seat belts and made sure they were secure.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, the cabin door is now closed. Please ensure that all seat backs and tray tables are in their upright and locked position for taxi and takeoff. We will be underway momentarily. Flight attendants, arm doors for departure. All-call and cross-check.”

  Faster than seemed possible to the two novice flyers, the engines of the mighty machine sprang to life and powered up sufficiently to start them moving forward and turning away from the terminal. They rolled along the taxiway leading to the one runway at their rural community airport.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, we are number one for takeoff. Flight attendants, please be seated.”

  Without slowing down, the engines got louder still, and they were pushed back into their seats as the airplane raced down the runway faster and faster until the thump-thump of the tires on the pavement stopped.

  “Oh my God,” Tom said. “Are we in the air? Holy shit. Do you see how high we are already? How is that possible? I can’t believe it. Everything looks so small on the ground already. Wow. I had no idea planes were so powerful. Holy fuck.”

  “Amazing” was all Jeordi said from his seat by the window. No one had taken the empty seat on the aisle, so they did not hesitate to keep their hands locked together.

  A few minutes later, the pilot came on the loudspeaker system and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached our cruising altitude of 37,000 feet. Our projected flight time today is one hour and fourteen minutes from takeoff to touchdown, which will put us at the gate a few minutes ahead of schedule. We do not anticipate any major turbulence today, so I’ve turned off the fasten seat belt sign, but we advise you to keep your seat belts fastened while seated, just like we do up here in the cockpit. In the meantime, sit back, relax,
and enjoy our short flight this morning. We’ll be back with more updates as we get closer.”

  “I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Tom said, leaning over toward Jeordi, quickly planting a kiss on his temple. “Thank you.”

  “You’re okay with this?” he asked Tom.

  “Getting married and having an adventure with you? Hell yes, I’m okay with it. My only concern is how are we paying for this? Flights aren’t cheap.”

  “This one wasn’t too bad, at least according to people I talked to yesterday.”

  “But how are we going to pay for it and pay our bills? What are we going to live on?”

  “Love, babe. We’re gonna live on love.”

  They remained cuddled together for the duration of the flight, watching with great interest when their plane started to descend into Washington, DC. When the wheels touched down on the runway and the mighty engines reversed to brake their forward motion, they heard a flight attendant calmly say, “I’d like to be the first to welcome you to our nation’s capital, where the local time is 10:02 a.m. Please remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened until we have parked at the gate and the signal has been given that it is safe to get up.”

  While everyone around them wrestled heavy bags, they didn’t have anything with them, so when it was their turn to move down the aisle, all they had was each other. It was only once they were in the terminal, this one substantially bigger than the one they had flown out of a little over an hour earlier, that they both seemed to realize they didn’t have as much of an idea of what they were doing as everyone else seemed to. People zipped around them, while they had to stop and read signs and check with one another about each decision.

  Following instructions from someone at the information desk, they exited the airport and entered the subway system, purchasing fare cards and boarding the proper train toward their destination. Even though Jeordi knew their destination, he anxiously checked at every stop to be sure they hadn’t somehow missed the proper station.

  Getting into the courthouse was a little easier than getting into the airport had been, but only slightly. With just one wrong turn, they found the room they needed. The room at least was quiet, so they didn’t have to wait to see a clerk. There were two other men in the room, both substantially older than them. They seemed totally engrossed in reviewing photos on the back of a digital camera and paid no attention to Tom and Jeordi as they came in and checked out the place.