“This is unforgivable,” the priest said. “Repent now, or you too, Mr. Sinclair, will be excommunicated.”
“No, please Father, we can work this out,” Mrs. Sinclair begged.
“He can’t change how he was born,” Mr. Sinclair said.
“Men are not born to be in love with men. It’s sinful lust that draws them to the path,” Mrs. Sinclair said.
“It is not, because I once loved a man beyond lustfulness,” Mr. Sinclair confessed. His hands flew to his mouth. Everyone in the church gaped at him.
“That’s simply not true. We have been married for forty years. I would know if you had lust in your heart,” Mrs. Sinclair said.
“You were not my first love,” Mr. Sinclair said.
“What?”
“I loved another before you, his name was Angus Stewart.” Mr. Sinclair spoke softly. “We fell in love, but we knew the village wouldn’t accept our love. I’m attracted to both men and women, so I knew I could build a life with a woman. I never forgot him though. He was and always will be my first love.”
“You are not the man I married,” she said. “I can’t believe you’ve had these immoral thoughts, and I never knew.”
“Having thoughts is not a sin,” he said.
“You’ve probably cheated on me,” she spat. “You faggots are all the same.” With that, she pushed past everyone in the pew and moved toward the door. She grabbed Rory by the hand. “I can at least save you.”
“No, Mother, I’m not going with you.”
“Don’t you ‘no, Mother’ me, I am still your mother…”
Rory cut her off. “You’re my mother, not my keeper. I’m tired of following your rules that have made me miserable for so many years. I know what happiness is, and that’s being with Bernard.” He pulled his arm from his mother’s grasp and looked up at the priest. “You can excommunicate me, I don’t care. If this is how the church runs, on hatred and vileness, I’m better off finding a more accepting church.”
“You are no longer…”
“Yeah, we get it. No longer welcome,” Bernard said.
Bernard and Rory moved through the doors and headed for the parking lot.
“I brought my car,” Rory said. “Can I meet you at your place? I don’t want to be alone tonight.”
“Of course, I’d love nothing more than having you at home with me.”
*
BERNARD DROVE HOME. His pulse quickened at the thought of Rory lying next to him again. He remembered the first night they spent together. It was a passion he hadn’t felt in years. He wanted that again.
Bernard sat on his couch as the seconds ticked by.
At one o’clock there was a knock on his door. Rory stood on the other side, tears streaming down his face.
“What’s the matter?”
“They…they…they’re going to excommunicate me.” He collapsed into Bernard’s arms. Bernard helped him onto the couch. Rory sobbed into Bernard’s chest.
“Shh, it’s going to be okay,” Bernard said. “I’m here for you.”
Bernard stroked Rory’s hair as he sobbed. Bernard understood his fear. He’d faced this when the church excommunicated him and thought the world would collapse around him. He needed to be there for Rory. Rory faced this because of his love for him. He wouldn’t let him face it alone.
“What…if…I…made…a…mistake?” Rory sobbed.
What could Bernard say to this? Rory made a decision that would change his life forever.
