Free Disclosures - SF4 by Susan X Meagher Page B

struggles with the issue in both the national and the international church," Rev. Evans said. "But the archdiocese is very supportive, and my congregation has been extraordinarily foresighted in outreach to gay men and lesbians."
    "Thanks to you," Jamie smiled.
    "No, no, that’s not true at all, Jamie," he insisted. "I’ll gladly take credit where it’s due, but the members of my congregation are light years ahead of me on many social issues. I just try to keep up."
    "It’s so nice to have your support," Ryan insisted. "It’s meant an awful lot to both Jamie and me."
    "You’ll always have it," he replied confidently, grasping Ryan’s shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze. "I’ll help you both in any way possible."
    "Maybe it’s just the day and the freedom I feel, but I think I’m going to tell my parents soon, Poppa," Jamie informed him.
    "You are?" Ryan blinked in surprise.
    "Yeah…I don’t see any point in waiting, Honey. You’re my life, and they need to either accept that, or get out of the way and let us start our lives together. I think they need to know."
    Ryan continued to blink at her, unsure of what her response should be. Rev. Evans patted Jamie on the back and offered, "Let’s get together and strategize before you do that, Honey. I can offer you some tips that you might not have thought about."
    "Okay, Poppa," she agreed immediately. "I’m not quite ready, and I haven’t really discussed it at any length in therapy, but I want to do it soon. Let’s get together for dinner. Is Friday okay?"
    "Yes, I can make Friday," he said. "Is that good for you, Ryan?"
    "Sure. My schedule is all about Jamie," she grinned.
    "Excellent. Call me later in the week and we’ll decide on the details, okay, honey?"
    "Will do, Poppa," she agreed, giving him another hug. "We’ll see you then."
     
    Walking away from the booth, Ryan asked, "Do you happen to have a feather on you, Love?"
    "A feather? Ahhh, why would I need a feather?"
    "I just wanted to see if you could, in fact, knock me over with one," Ryan mused, giving the question serious consideration.
    "Does it really surprise you that I want to tell my parents, Honey?" Jamie stopped and tugged Ryan to a halt beside her. "I guess I should have asked you first, Ryan. I’m sorry that it didn’t dawn on me to."
    "No, no," Ryan soothed, fluffing the golden bangs that framed Jamie’s face. "I don’t want you to ask me for permission to do what you need to do, Hon. It just took me by surprise, that’s all."
    "Do you think it’s a bad idea?" Jamie queried, now a little concerned by Ryan’s apparent reticence.
    The taller woman took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she considered the issue. "No, I don’t think it’s a bad idea," she said. "I guess I’m afraid that it’s going to be stressful, though. A large part of me wants to maintain this euphoria that we’re in for as long as possible." She had such a wistful, lovesick expression on her face that Jamie just had to kiss her tempting lips. They stood in a tender embrace for a long while, oblivious to every person that passed.
    "I didn’t think of it like that," Jamie murmured as they broke apart. "It’s a good point though. I’ll wait until the euphoria dies down, then I’ll tell them."
    "Now, Honey," Ryan informed her, "let’s not get carried away. The average life expectancy for a man is only 75. I think we should tell them before that!"
    "You are soooo cute!" the smaller woman cooed, holding Ryan’s face in such a tight squeeze that her lips went from their normal horizontal orientation to a vertical one.
    Jamie placed a few more kisses on the newly oriented lips, deciding that she couldn’t get enough of the pink flesh, no matter how it was placed.
     
    By the time late afternoon rolled around, they had seen every booth and said hello to most of the gay and lesbian population of the San Francisco Bay Area. Once again, Jamie was taken aback by the sheer number of people that her partner