Prologue
Dear Mr. President,
My name is Bobby Thirske. I am 8 years old. I go to Wilhelm School for the Gifted. I live in Baltimore, Maryland. I would like to say congratulations on being President.
I am writing to you today because my teacher said we had to for homework. Mrs. Pavel said that you are history. She says that you are a sign that America is finally learning to treat everyone equal like she says it says in the Constitution.
I wish that she is right but I don’t think so because if she was then Veronica and I would have a real family by now. God took my parents away when I was 4. My Uncle Mike says that He needed them more than we did. So I guess it’s okay, but I still miss them sometimes and it took me a long time to be okay which only happened because of my best friend Veronica.
Instead of parents I have My Uncle Mike. He is the best uncle but at first he was very sad when he got me even though he loved me very much. He missed my mom and dad too and he was lonely too.
So then Veronica and I wrote Santa to find him and her dad somebody. We thought Santa would not be able to find them anybody because they were homosexuals. I wrote it momosexuals because I was five and I thought that was how you say it. Anyway! Santa did not have a hard time at all. He just put them together which was real good because Uncle Lucas can’t cook or anything. So he was happy to have us come live with him when our apartment building caught on fire on Thanksgiving.
We lived with Veronica and Uncle Lucas ever since. Uncle Mike says that it goes to show you that there’s a silver lining in every cloud. I just think that God works in mysterious ways, just like Pastor Lane says at our church.
Mr. President I said all this to say. If everyone is supposed to be equal, why can’t we be a real family? You know let my two uncles get married. (They aren’t really my uncles just Uncle Mike, so it would be okay for them to get married. I asked Pastor Lane just to make sure). Some people say that God would not like it but since God took my parents and then my home on Thanksgiving and told Santa to put Uncle Mike and Uncle Lucas together then how does it go against God?
Since you are making history and telling the U.S. that everybody is equal can you make a law that says my uncles can get married and we can be a real family?
Sincerely,
Bobby Thirske
P.S. You should have the Secret Service talk to Tommy Sherman. He is the biggest bully in the school and calls you all types of words I’m not supposed to say. He even says his daddy is going to get you. So be real careful when go down Oketo Street. That’s where Tommy lives.
I
“Uncle Mike! Uncle Lucas! The president’s coming to our school!” Bobby bellowed as he ran into the kitchen. Slamming his book bag on the counter, he dashed around the house waving his arms about and looking like an overexcited puppy.
Veronica was right behind her best friend, running into her father’s arms as he came out of his office. She was chattering away while he swung her up into his arms.
“He’s coming on Friday to visit our class because we wrote letters to honor him for becoming our new president,” Veronica explained, giving her father a hug before wiggling to get down and dance around with her friend.
“You don’t say, Roni?” Lucas Townsend teased, setting his daughter down and tousling her red-gold curls.
“Yes, and he’s supposed to have a special surprise for some of us. He wrote us a letter, and our teacher read it to us. He said that he hoped to see us and our parents there. Can you come, Daddy?” Veronica asked, her golden hair shining in the late-day sun.
“Friday I have a lot of meetings that I can’t miss, Roni, but I wish that I could be there,” Lucas answered with real regret.
Immediately the two children turned to their other parent with hopeful looks, and Veronica tried again. “What about you, Uncle Mike? Can you come?”
“I don’t have class Friday. So I should make it no problem, Pumpkin,” Mike replied, leaning down to swing her and then Bobby around, making them both giggle. “Now off you two go. There are snacks in the fridge, and I’ll be down to help you with your homework by the time you’ve finished eating.”
“Yes, sir,” the pair said in unison before trooping off like good little soldiers.
Mike turned to Lucas with a shy, sweet smile in greetings. Lucas loved that smile. Mike reserved it for him, and it spoke volumes of the love he felt for Lucas. Lured in by that smile, Lucas leaned down to kiss Mike’s soft lips, causing Mike to make a little sound and wrap his arms around his lover’s neck.
They kissed hungrily for a few seconds, forgetting everything but each other. A loud giggle from the kitchen had them separating with an almost guilty look. Three years and their passion had yet to wane. It was still as strong as the first days and often swept them away on a cloud of heat.
Giving Mike a rueful grin, Lucas said softly, “How was your day?”
“It was pretty good. I got a call from an agent who would like for me to work with their client.” Mike’s pleasure was evident in his shining eyes and excited tone.
“Really? That’s great. Do you know who the agent was representing?” Lucas asked curiously.
“No, he had to take another call before he could tell me. He wants me to go to his office tomorrow to discuss it.” Mike sighed. “I hate going downtown. It’s always a mess around Harborplace.”
“It isn’t so bad if you take the MARC instead of a cab. Then you can meet me for lunch afterward, and I’ll drive you back.”
“That sounds good,” Mike admitted grudgingly, and then he headed up to change before starting dinner and overseeing homework.
