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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 

Flash Fiction - Second Shot - The Senior Year - 26. Chapter 26

Last one of the Senior Year story line for a bit, but since I have the other two stories either written or mostly written, I might get back to this sooner than later.

"Do you ever think about getting married?" Blake asked as he poured water over his head.

The question caused Jason to stop drinking. Blake and Ethan had been 'dating' less than a month. "Yeah, I sometimes. Why?"

Before he answered, Blake shook his head, spraying Jason with water.

"Hey!" Jason flicked his bottle at his friend to no avail.

"Sorry." He turned and shook again. "It was running down my back."

Jason rolled his eye and used the bottle of his shirt to wipe his face. "That usually happened when you empty a water bottle on your head."

"I suppose." Blake pulled his shirt over his head and used it as a make shift towel. Sweat matted the dark hair to his torso and Jason had to turn to stop staring at his friend's body.

Chest hair had always been a turn on for him, so Jason understood why Peter got that little hitch in his voice when Jason mentioned he and Blake went running. Once he realized Peter's jealousy, he never mentioned any conversation that took place in the locker room, or worse, the shower.

"Um, so why the interest in marriage?"

"Oh, well. . . ." Blake rooted through his bag and pulled out a clean white tee shirt with a Graydon logo on the front. "My Uncle Greg and his boyfriend are getting married."

"That's great." Jason noticed all but a couple of their teammates had already left the practice field. "When's the date?"

"They haven't picked one yet, but they asked about my schedule so I could be there." Blake rolled his eyes. "They were hinting I should bring Ethan. Everyone wants to meet him."

"You don't sound thrilled."

"Well, no, it's not that. I mean, I want them to meet Ethan, but you should have heard the conversation. They sounded like sorority girls the way they were laughing."

After stuffing his cleats inside his bag, Jason motioned toward the field house. "I got nothing. Maybe they were just happy because of their announcement."

Blake shook his head. "That's the f'ed up part. I don't think they're that excited about getting married – well Corey isn't. I know Uncle Greg really wants to."

"Corey doesn't want to marry your Uncle, but he said okay anyway?" Jason arched an eyebrow. "How's that work?"

"No, you dork." He bumped shoulders with Jason. "He wants to get married, but he wants it to mean something. They live here in Pennsylvania, which as we both know, doesn't recognize gay marriages. Corey thinks they should wait until it is recognized here."

Jason understood that argument. He and Peter had discussed it several times, but always in the abstract. "So again, why get married then?"

As they neared the building, Blake slowed to a halt. "Corey loves my uncle and I think he's doing it for him. Uncle Greg thinks it doesn't matter if Pennsylvania will recognize it. The important thing is to do it to show the world and to make a statement."

"I take it Corey isn't a make a statement kinda guy." Jason understood that feeling.

"No, not really." Staring back at the field, Blake didn't say anything for a few second. "I'm not sure how I feel."

Now Jason understood the original question. "Isn't it a bit early to need to decide?" He tried to inject humor into the question by ending with a snort.

"No," Blake shook his head and turned back to Jason. "I don't think it's ever too early to think about how I feel about this issue."

Jason regarded his friend, wondering how their chat turned so serious. "You're really thinking a lot about this?"

"Not a lot, but you mentioned that the female D.A. treated you like a couple and it made me think." Kicking a clod of grass, Blake watched it roll. "My uncle says that it's important. That if enough people do it, even if the state won't recognize it right now, it might once it sees how many couples want it."

"That's a thought, I guess." He doubted their would ever be enough couples to sway the legislature by sheer numbers to change the law. "What do you think?"

"I think that if two people love each other, and want to get married they should. Whether the state recognizes it or not shouldn't matter."

"But isn't that a waste of time? I mean, whether they're married or not, they still love each other and everyone that matters in their lives knows it." Having raised this issue with Peter, Jason was interested to hear what Blake thought.

"I kinda agree with you, which is why I'm not sure. But I think the real issue shouldn't be whether it's allowed." He shook his head. "That didn't make too much sense, did it?"

"Yes and no. I kinda get what you're saying but still don't understand your position."

"Basically I think people should get married for love and not any other reasons. Legal benefits and recognition are great, but it's hardly a good basis to build a relationship upon." He shrugged again. "I think you should get married because you love someone and want to marry them, not because you want the legal benefits."

Jason listened to his friend's argument. He and Peter had said much the same to each other. Finally he nodded. "I can see that. 'Marry me because I love the legal benefits' isn't a very romantic proposal."

"Ha! Nope." A smile split his face. "If Ethan said that I'd smack the crap outta him."

The image of Ethan on his knee, proposing with those words caused Jason to laugh. "I'll let him know to find a different way to propose when the time comes."

This is sort of a one-off chapter I wrote about the time I was getting married. It sums up some of how I feel about getting married after many years of being together and only now being allowed to make it legal.
Copyright © 2014 Andrew Q Gordon; All Rights Reserved.
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 
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Have I said before that I LOVE BLAKE?!?

The marriage issue is something that I honestly don't understand. I can see the legal/benefits issue with having multiple partner marriages but most definitely not in recognizing two people who want to make that commitment to one another. I think it's completely fucked up that not all marriages reap the same benefits. I was glad though that Blake recognized that it's for love, loyalty and making a commitment to the one you love. I might be a little old fashioned when it comes right down to it but that little piece of paper should have great significance. It's used way to freely for those who don't really respect it and withheld from those who truly want it. It's completely fucked up! One marriage at a time, one state at a time...slowly but surely the states are coming around.

Anyway, I am truly happy for you and your husband!

Are you ever going to put Second Shot on Amazon or B&N? I look for it every so often but to no avail! I would love to have it I'm my library and it would sell $$$$!!!!!! I know I can reread it here for free but....it deserves a spot on the library shelf!

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On 02/19/2014 05:27 AM, thejoedani4 said:
Have I said before that I LOVE BLAKE?!?

The marriage issue is something that I honestly don't understand. I can see the legal/benefits issue with having multiple partner marriages but most definitely not in recognizing two people who want to make that commitment to one another. I think it's completely fucked up that not all marriages reap the same benefits. I was glad though that Blake recognized that it's for love, loyalty and making a commitment to the one you love. I might be a little old fashioned when it comes right down to it but that little piece of paper should have great significance. It's used way to freely for those who don't really respect it and withheld from those who truly want it. It's completely fucked up! One marriage at a time, one state at a time...slowly but surely the states are coming around.

Anyway, I am truly happy for you and your husband!

Are you ever going to put Second Shot on Amazon or B&N? I look for it every so often but to no avail! I would love to have it I'm my library and it would sell $$$$!!!!!! I know I can reread it here for free but....it deserves a spot on the library shelf!

Thanks so much for the comments, they totally help keep me motivated.

 

The marriage issue has so many facets to it. One very good friend of mine suggested that since Mike and I were married in all ways, we really should go do it for the good of the 'herd' so to speak. That we should do it to let future generations know that making the commitment was something Gay couple could and should want and do. Other friends won't do it - because they feel it's an institution for straight people and they don't need someone to say it's valid for it to be valid.

 

Me? I think there is a huge benefit to standing up and saying I do. I don' think people need to wait 18 years like we did, but I think the act of doing it and saying it, and getting it validated by the state IS important and meaningful. I have to say that I didn't know how it would feel after 18 years to 'walk down the aisle', but that day is one I won't forget. I still see what Mike looked like, how 'lil q looked and acted. I won't say it was worth the wait because it should have been allowed much sooner, but it was definitely worth doing.

 

As for SS in print? It needs a major edit and it needs to be two books. I've toyed with it from time to time, so we'll see. Maybe? Is that good enough? :)

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Having just read Second Shot for the second time and loving every word even more, I, perhaps selfishly, want to see it continue into their old age, one year at a time! You mention a forum where ideas can be bandied about - how do I access it? Is there an email? I am going to read more of your amazing writing. Thanks for sharing your gift. Tony

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On 12/13/2015 12:16 PM, pvtguy said:

Having just read Second Shot for the second time and loving every word even more, I, perhaps selfishly, want to see it continue into their old age, one year at a time! You mention a forum where ideas can be bandied about - how do I access it? Is there an email? I am going to read more of your amazing writing. Thanks for sharing your gift. Tony

Sorry for the slow reply, Tony. Life has a way of interrupting me and this holiday it hit extra hard.

 

GA decided a while back to do away with the forum's of authors who weren't as active (such as me) unless said author requested they be kept open. I chose not to keep mine open - sorry. My website is available for comments, though I have to say, there won't be much back and forth there or you can start a thread in the general signature author forum and if you tag me somehow, I'll pop in and answer/reply/comment. Not sure if that's a satisfactory answer, but there it is. But a big thank you for reading.

 

As for an email - Andrew@andrewqgordon.com is my author email account. Shoot me an email there and I'll respond within a day usually.

 

Best - AQG.

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7 hours ago, Danilo Syrtis said:

it is a shame that the story stops here ! 🙈

So much has changed since this started. Like I said in a previous response, all these comments have me thinking I need to revisit this once my life calms down a bit.

Thanks so much for all the comments. :) 

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7 hours ago, Andrew Q Gordon said:

So much has changed since this started. Like I said in a previous response, all these comments have me thinking I need to revisit this once my life calms down a bit.

Thanks so much for all the comments. :) 

Yess, pretty please do (with a cherry con top!)🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

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