“No,” he said.“I won’t make that choice.Ican love Lucas and love God.I know that to be true.And I believethat I can love Lucas and serve the church.If you don’t believethat I can, you’ll have to decide what to do about it.But I won’tgive him up.”
“And I think that’s a good place for us toleave things,” Daniel said smoothly.“You’ve offered Mr.Webber hisprevious position.We accept that but reject any special provisionsthat go along with the position, any rules that apply only to him.He’s done nothing wrong and does not deserve to be placed on anysort of probation.”
“It’s not a special rule to say that priestswork within certain boundaries and are held to a higher standard,”Berton retorted.
“Well, that’s something we can discuss at afuture meeting.In the meantime, should Mr.Webber return to worktomorrow?”
Berton frowned at the lawyer.“No,” hefinally said.“Not until this is resolved.If it can’t be done atthis meeting, he can just sit on the sidelines until it isresolved.”
“As you are the ones delaying his return, youwill continue to pay his salary.”Daniel was gathering up hispapers.
“For a little longer,” Berton replied.“Butnot indefinitely.We want this taken care of.”
“As do we,” Daniel said with a calm smile.Hewaited for Mark to stand and they went through the ritualhandshakes before making their way out of the room.They didn’tspeak until they were right outside the building.
“Can they make me choose?”Mark asked.He waspretty sure he knew the answer and his suspicion was confirmed whenhe saw Daniel’s expression.
“There are special rules for priests.Forteachers, lawyers…pretty much every profession demands that itsmembers conform to a different standard of social behavior thanregular citizens.We can make an argument that they’rediscriminating against you based on your sexuality, but that’s moreof a public relations move, not a legal one.Legally…yes, I thinkthey can make you choose.”
“It’s strange,” Mark said as he leaned backagainst the bricks of the building.“It seems as if we should bemaking moral arguments.This is a church, not a factory.”
“To some extent, the public relationsargument is a moral argument.It’s not high-level philosophicalmusing, but we’d be appealing to what people think is right, orfair.That’s a form of morality.”
“Just a form?Or is the will of the peoplethe best indicator we really have of what’s morally right?”
“You’re asking a Jew whether public opinionon an issue is ever wrong?Really?”Daniel waited long enough forMark to get the point.“Don’t let yourself confuse yourrelationship with God and your relationship with the church.As Iunderstand it, the first one is still solid.”He made a ruefulexpression, then added, “I think the second one may be in trouble,if you’re committed to staying with Lucas Cain.You need to thinkabout that.”
“No, I don’t.”Mark pushed himself off thewall.“I don’t need to think about it at all.I should go back inthere and quit, right now.I won’t walk away from Lucas.Noway.”
Daniel laid a gently restraining hand onMark’s shoulder.“That’s good to know.That changes our strategy.But don’t quit just yet, okay?If I know that you’re ready to walkaway, I can push harder.”
“For what?”
“Money, probably.”Daniel smiled at Mark’sexpression.“It’s a blunt instrument, but it’s what we’ve got.Ifyou want them to change their policies and attitudes you have tomake it uncomfortable for them to not change.And losing moneymakes people uncomfortable.”
“Taking money makes me uncomfortable.”
“You don’t have to keep it.Give it to yourfavorite charity for gay teens.Hell, give it to your localAnglican church if you want to really mess with their heads.Or, ifyou’re inclined to be a bit more practical, keep it to tide youover until you find another job and then give away what’s left.”Daniel stepped forward a little.“But I want you to be sure aboutthis.Take some time to think it over.Spend some time with Lucasand make sure he’s on the same page as you with all of it.If youwant to go back to your old life, pre-Lucas, we can still do that,more or less.”
“No, we can’t,” Mark said quietly.He didn’tneed volume to make his feelings on this crystal clear to him.“Because I’ve changed.And I like it.I can’t go back and I don’twant to.”
Daniel nodded.“You’re a lucky guy.And so’sLucas.But take some time to think it over anyway, okay?Talk tohim about it.This is a big decision.”
The lawyer was right, Mark mused as he walkedto his car.This was a big decision and that meant he should talkit over with Lucas because that was the healthy thing to do in acommitted relationship.And maybe they could talk over some otherthings as well.Like whether Lucas was about ready to leave thehalfway house, or at least whether he could talk to his paroleofficer about an alternate location for his nightly curfew to beserved.The thought of waking up next to Lucas with the morninglight streaming over his golden skin had Mark smiling all the wayto the farm.
He remembered that Alex would be around as hewas parking the car.He wasn’t trying to rub the relationship inthe kid’s face but it seemed to be happening anyway.Well, Markwould keep the visit short, or maybe see if he could give Lucas alift home.He’d gone back to riding his bike lately.Mark wasn’tsure why Lucas wasn’t driving but he knew he didn’t appreciate theextra time it all took, giving them less time together.So if hecould steal Lucas away a little early and then get him home fasterin the car, he’d do it.
He knew he was grinning like a lunatic as hemade his way up the hill to the barn and he felt like running orskipping.He’d always thought the phrase “weight off yourshoulders” was just figurative but it really seemed as if somethingphysically oppressive had been taken away when Mark had made thefinal decision to leave the church.He was free to love whoever hewanted, and he absolutely had his selection made.
He found Lucas sitting on the concrete barnfloor by Rascal’s cage, the baby raccoon climbing happily over hisshoulders and combing her delicate fingers through his hair.
“Should I be jealous?”Mark asked lightly.“You guys seem pretty close.”
Lucas looked startled to see Mark.“Alex ishere.I was going to come over to your place tonight.”
Mark stepped forward quickly.Lucas reallydidn’t seem pleased.“I’m sorry.I just wanted to stop by.Ithought maybe I could give you a ride home.I wanted to talk to youabout something.Something good.”
Lucas busied himself luring the raccoon backinto her cage and by the time he was done he seemed a bit morecomposed.“I need to talk to you too.But I thought I could do itat your place.”
