Don't be Late

“What time are we supposed to be there?” I said to my boyfriend as I checked my watch for the hundredth time.

“Babe relax, we have plenty of time, we don't have to be there until noon.That's an hour away and we're only six miles from the church.”

We’d been waiting for this for a long time, finally the courts had ruled decisively, we and others like us, had the right to marry. John and I immediately decided to do it, we found a group that was putting together thirty couples to be wed simultaneously. Thirty couples, one for each of the failed attempts at getting this law passed.

Until now, same sex couples weren’t afforded the same rights as ‘normal’ couples and now that was a thing of the past, we’d finally won. I was so nervous going forward to this date, nervous that something would happen to stop us from being able to marry. I even had fears doing this in a group setting because I feared a mob of protesters would try to do something to stop us.

As we approached the church there were in fact a large number of protesters, they had signs decrying how evil we were, how we were nothing more than animals, that we should be jailed… or worse.

We slowly made our way along the road until we reached a barricade, a uniformed policeman asked who we were and we showed him our certificate from the group who was putting on this wedding that we were participants. He signaled his partners who lifted the barrier and we were allowed to pass through amid the chants and taunts being hurled at us by the assembled mob.

Each one of the taunts cut through me like a knife, I took John’s hand as he slowly drove forward, the distance between us and the mob increasing at the same rate that my nervous heartbeat decreased… ever so slowly.

We finally arrived at the church, parked the car, and got out. Hand-in-hand we walked up the steps and to our future. Thirty minutes to go and I would be Mr. Eugene Copperfield, husband of Mr. John Copperfield, I’d chosen to take his last name as my own.

Entering the sanctuary we saw eighteen other couples, I wondered briefly where the others were, but I was more interested in the fact that we were there! I turned to John and gave him a hug. “We’re finally here, Babe. I can’t wait!”

“You always were one to worry, my love, It’s one of the things about you I find most endearing. Let’s do this!” He said before giving me a very passionate kiss. One that proved his unending love for me and mine for him.

Finally the time was here, twenty-six couples, four having cancelled due to one reason or another. We lined up in rows of eight. Two couples were chosen at random to stand in front of the group, John and I were one of those.

The Minister approached the lectern and began to speak.

“Dearly Beloved… we are gathered here together today to perform a quite historical ceremony. A ceremony that at one time would have been punishable by imprisonment, both for the participants and by those who performed it, it is my distinct pleasure and honor to perform this ceremony today.”

He looked out at the assembled couples before continuing.

“We are gathered here today, in the sight of God to bring these courageous couples together in the bonds of matrimony…” The minister went through the various rituals of the ceremony and came to the part where we were to exchange vows.

I looked into Jonathan’s eyes as I said, “Jonathan... John, you have been everything to me for these past three years, I thank God each and every day for having brought you into my life, I have never met a more kind, gentle, or sensitive person, and I look forward to the years ahead of us. From this day forward I vow to share my life with you, each and every day, the good, bad, fun, sad, joy and sorrow. Being together will allow us to conquer all, withstand anything. I love you with every breath I take.”

He looked back at me and began, “Eugene, there is nothing on this earth I wouldn’t do for you, you have brought sunshine to my life that I never dreamed possible. I too look forward to spending the rest of our lives together, sharing life in all it’s infinite beauty and magic. You are the better half of me, without you I could never consider myself a complete person, I look at things from a realistic point of view, and I know we won’t always agree on things. We will have fights, but know now that even when we fight, my love for you will never fade. I love you now, I will love you tomorrow, and I will love you until the end of our days.”

Once all of the couples had exchanged vows the Minister said,”It is with great joy, and by the powers vested in me by the laws of God and this state, I pronounce you married. You may seal your love, and your vows now with a kiss.”

I kissed my husband, and he kissed me. Finally our lives could continue… together.

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