Show off your talent!

[pnggrad79]

His grandmother went on to explain that one couldn't help who they fell in love with and that love whenever it happened was a beautiful thing. Marty asked, "Did you love grandpa?" Grandma smiled, "Yes, I did, but not like I did my friend, Amanda was her name. Your grandfather was a special man, and I loved him like a brother. I married him because I knew Amanda was not a possibility and I knew he would be a good person to marry. So I did because I had no other choice. Things are different now, Marty, you need to pursue this thing with Jake. It may be your only chance at true love." Marty hugged his grandmother, and she held him for a long time as if to say, "I understand, I really do." Now, he had something to do...

[Jennifer5]

He was so happy to have heard what his grandmother had to say. How he just needed to talk to Jake.

[pnggrad79]

His mother, still wondering about her son, cornered him after his conversation with his grandma. "Son, I saw you talking with your grandmother. What did she have to say?" Marty looked into his mother's eyes and wondered if she knew about her mother. He glanced over at grandma, and she nodded approvingly. "Mom, I told her about Jake. She said it was a beautiful thing, and that she had had a similar experience during the war." Grandma came alongside them, putting her arms around both of them. She spoke softly to her daughter, "Clarisse, Marty is gay." Clarisse just looked at both of them, as tears welled up in her eyes, "I know, I have always known. Marty, I just want you to be happy. If this makes you happy, then I am behind you. You can't fight love." Marty cried, as he held his mother and grandmother.
Later, he called Jake...

[NathanATX]

Meanwhile, a furor of activity was happening down at the Sweetland Baptist Church. Pastor Lawson had called an emergency meeting of the church's elders & deacons in order to respond to the news that he had just learned from Mrs. Clarisse Betters, one of their church's more prominent members.

Mrs. Betters had called Pastor Lawson earlier in the week and asked to talk to him about a private family matter. Later, in his office, she told him that she had been suspecting that her son Sam(aka Marty) was gay for a long time and that she was really afraid he was going to confirm her suspicions. She was scared for him and wanted to know what to do and how to respond with love. Pastor Lawson gave her the traditional Baptist advice and assured her that Jesus could heal her son's demonic sexuality, but something Mrs. Betters said at the end of their meeting angered and worried him.

"Pastor Lawson, I hear what you're saying and in my head I know you're right, but my heart is still struggling with this. I think I'm going to go visit with the United Church of Christ pastor and get her feedback. I really want to do the right thing. I'll let you know what she says."

Mrs. Betters' husband was the famous and wealthy, John Betters Jr., sole heir to the oil empire of his dying father, John Betters, Sr. Clarisse's financial contributions to the church usually averaged about 45% of the annual budget. If she left the church, EVERYTHING would fall apart. They had to decide what to do.

[Jennifer5]

... when he got a hold of Jake he desided to just ask him over to talk in person. So the next day Jake came over to talk. The talked for several hours and Jake ended up staying there for a few days. Things were going well, Marty felt that maybe things wouldn't be so hard.. until his mother called a couple days later.

[Mia14]

"Marty, sweetie," she cooed into the phone. "Please, just meet with Pastor Lawson. He just wants to talk to you. He cares about you, I care about you... we just want what's best. We know that this isn't easy for you and it hasn't been easy growing up without a father figure. There's this new therapy that Pastor Lawson heard about..."

[Jennifer5]

Marty shocked at what he was hearing dropped the phone. Jake asked what was wrong, but he was completely speechless. How could his mother say such a thing after what she said the other week? She said she couldn't fight true love.... now is she taking that back? Jake came over a hugged Marty, until he was okay enough to get back on the phone. He said to his mother...

[Mia14]

He could hardly believe his ears when he heard himself tell his mother "Ok, I'll meet with him". Jake gave him a sad, confused look. He didn't know what Marty had agreed to, but sensed that something dangerous was about to happen.


challenge: see if the information on this website can help you create a dramatic account of what might happen next to Marty if... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reparat...apy#Techniques

[Jennifer5]

So Marty got of the phone and just sighed, Jake came over and hugged him again. Marty was suddenly feeling so hurt by his mother, he didn't feel in his heart that his realationship with Jake was wrong, but his mother did. He was feeling so rejected by her, and wished that could pretend that he never heard her say those words. Did she still love him? Did he really want to talk with the pastor? Was all of this pain worth the trouble?

His head was spinning with questions of is this right, but all the while the only thing that could make him feel safe was the feeling of Jake's arms around him.

[Vanessa White]

I know what God means to me, Marty thought. Right here, right now in Jake's arms, with his love enclosing me like a blanket on a cold night, to wipe my tears, reassuring me, enjoy the blessings of the day with me. Isn't God represented in that? he thought. In every blessing, every challenge, every part of our every day? In addition, isn't God's love for me without judgment, without penalty, as long as what I do is in the name of love? Somehow, Marty thought, I don't know that the Pastor sees it that way.

[pnggrad79]

Marty went as scheduled to see Pastor Lawson. "Sam," Lawson began. "Uh, I prefer to be called Marty, now." Lawson digressed, "Very well then, Marty, I hear from your mother that you think you might be gay." Marty swallowed hard, "I am, and before you say anything, I know what the Bible says, and I don't need the preaching. I am comfortable with my sexuality and I know that God loves me regardless of who I sleep with." Astounded at his own bravery, Marty sat back with his hands on the arm rests of the chair. " I see, but Marty, I have to say that our church's official position is to condemn homosexuality as a deviant lifestyle and we do not condone it in any way shape or form." Marty smiled, "So pastor, what is YOUR position?" ....

[Mia14]

For just a moment, the pastor was back with his best friend, Sarah. She was so young then, so full of life and happy. He remembered the tears that followed, and the night her parents told her they "wouldn't accept her choice to lead a gay lifestyle". He still had the little newspaper clipping - "Teenage Girl Found Dead, Probable Suicide". And now here he was with this young man who had no idea how easily being gay could ruin his life. He wouldn't fail him like he'd failed Sarah.

"Marty, no good can come of being gay"...

[Jennifer5]

Marty completely horrified tuned out. All he wanted was to go home and feel again the feeling of Jake around him. How could this feeling of love he wondered? He knew that he was going to need to speak with his grandmother again, she always knew what to say...

[pnggrad79]

Jake and Marty went over to Marty's grandmother's house. "Grandma, this guy mom wanted me to talk to, Rev. Lawson, said that nothing good could come from a gay lifestyle. He related to me a story of a young girl he knew that committed suicide because of it. What do I do?" Uncharacteristically, his grandmother's face grew red and she said, "I must speak with your mother and this pastor of hers. No daughter of mine will ever get away with the mistreatment of my grandchildren, and certainly not a gay one." She marched over to the phone, "Clarisse Anne Betters, how could you do this to Marty? If I am the only one in this family to stand by him, then so be it, but I am sorry, daughter, for you to send him to some bigoted preacher, who spouts off about something he has no idea about, then maybe you should cart me off, too! I am a lesbian!" Clarisse was aghast. "Mother I ...." Marty and Jake looked at each other. "Well I am going over to that church myself and confront this pastor."
Pulling up to the church parking lot, Marty's grandmother was a woman on a mission.

[Vanessa White]

Marty and Jake spoke for a long time after his grandmother left. What sacrifices she must have had to make, they both thought, to keep that true part of herself hidden, for so long, from so many people, even people that she loved and cared about the most. No wonder she could offer such support to us, no wonder she feels so strongly about this. I wonder if she had some of the doubts I have, about so many things, wondered Marty to himself.

[Jennifer5]

Pretty soon the phone rang and it was his grandmother, she said I'm on my way over to your place, we need to talk. She sounded so energetic, but in a more happy way. Soon the doorbell rang and she was there, was he ready for the whole story?

[pnggrad79]

Marty answered the door, with Jake by his side. His grandmother walked in. "I spoke with your mother and then with Pastor Lawson, today." she began. Marty was nervous. She continued, "I told both of them that is was NOT Jesus' plan to exclude anyone and that Hebrews 4:4 says that God had a plan to save us from the foundation of the earth. I said that if they were going to rewrite the Bible then they would answer to God for it. I told Clarisse that you were welcome in my home anytime with your cute little boyfriend here (Jake blushed), and if they couldn't accept it, then they didn't have to come over. I told Pastor Lawson that I was leaving his church and I am taking my money with me, since that is all he seems to be concerned with." Marty hugged his grandmother. "Grandma, you didn't have to do all that. But I am proud of you standing up to Mom and Pastor Lawson like that." His grandmother looked at him, "I have made a decision, Marty, and it is about my will..."

[Jennifer5]

...it's going to you"

"What?" Marty exclaimed in shock.

"But, what makes me so special?"

His grandmother said "You're the first one in this family to fully recognize what true love is. Your mother says she knows such things, but then can't show it, she does not know true love. Your siblings say they have found true love, but they have yet to show you, there saying they have not found true love. Until you can feel the love, embrace that love, and then share it with not some but all, that is the day that you have known true love."

Marty with tears in his eyes threw his arms around his grandmother.

[pnggrad79]

Marty couldn't believe what his grandmother had just said.

That night he took his grandmother and Jake out to eat, and afterwards, he and Jake went back to his apartment. Sitting in front of the fireplace, Jake lightly touched Marty and before either knew it, they were making love, and Marty knew from that time on, that if he had no other love in his life, Jake would be more than sufficient. Somewhere though, in his mind, he pictured his grandmother, a younger girl, black hair, blue eyes softly looking into Amanda's brown eyes. He pictured them kissing and holding each other. The passion, the longing he imagined they had seemed to heighten his own.

He called his grandmother the next morning and asked if Amanda was still alive. "Yes, she is," his grandmother said. Marty said, "Grandma, I think you should call her." His grandmother said, "Oh she wouldn't even remember me." Marty said, "Oh I think she will." Digging through her memorabilia, she found a letter Amanda had written her about 5 years after the war. She took a chance and wrote to her. A week later, another letter arrived and grandmother and Amanda reunited for the first time in over 50 years.

They began a sweet, tender relationship. Amanda had married as well after the war, but never forgot Meg, Marty's grandmother. She had had 3 children, and one of her grand- daughters was a lesbian. Her name was Melissa. She and her partner, Beth, came with Amanda on her first meeting with Meg. When Meg opened the door, Amanda took her in her arms and kissed her. "I have waited for this for 50 years Meg." They both cried and hugged for what seemed like hours. That evening, Melissa and Beth paid for a hotel suite downtown for Meg and Amanda. With the passion and strength of youth, Meg and Amanda made love again.

Within the next weeks, Melissa and Beth met Marty and Jake, and they formed a friendship. Amanda and Meg moved in together and began a rose garden that was the pride of the town. Beth, one day, approached Amanda and Meg, about the possibility of having a baby and wanted to know if Marty and Jake would be willing to be co parents with her and Melissa. Meg was ecstatic. Amanda cried, and said, "Our first great grandchild!!" Meg smiled at her lover, "Hold on a minute, my love, Marty hasn't agreed yet."

They had dinner a week later, and Melissa spoke up, "Marty, Jake, we have a proposition for you." Marty blushed, "My, my, a lesbian is propositioning me. What can I do for you?" Beth turned red, and Melissa squeezed her hand. "Marty, Jake, Beth and I want to have a family, and we were wondering if you or Jake, would..." Jake finished," Contribute?" Marty looked at Jake, "What do you think?" Jake stood up, pulled Marty up and faced all four women. "Since meeting you and forming this family that I love and cherish as my own, nothing would give me greater pleasure than to continue this wonderful tradition. I say yes...what about you" Marty, tears in his eyes, "I would love to be a father with you, and you, Melissa, Beth. Grandma, what do you think of this?" Meg and Amanda were hugging and crying. "We will have a great grandchild of our own."

The next week, Melissa and Beth met Marty and Jake at a gay/lesbian lawyer's office and drew up the legal papers. Melissa and Beth took Amanda's last name, Martin, and Marty and Jake took Meg's last name,Taylor, and they agreed to be co-parents together. Any child born to them would have the name Martin-Taylor.

After three attempts, Melissa got pregnant with Marty as the father. Beth and Jake agreed since that would be the bloodline of Amanda and Meg. Melissa gave birth to Jaxon Patrick on May 5, 2007. Marty's mother came to the hospital to see her grandchild. She fell in love with him, and as she held him in her arms, she said, "Mom, Amanda, I was wrong about all of this. This is a beautiful miracle I have in my arms. He is just beautiful. Marty and Jake, and Melissa and Beth will be wonderful parents, and I will be a supportive grandmother.

Melissa got pregnant again and this time, a daughter was born. Victoria Elizabeth. Victoria was Meg's middle name and Elizabeth was Amanda's middle name. She was born July 7, 2008.
They had a family. They had a legacy of love to continue. Clarisse was true to her word that she would support them and she became an active member of PFLAG. Meg and Amanda continued with their rose garden, and planted oak trees in honor of their great grandchildren.

[Jennifer5]

There lives went on so happily within a few years the two couples decided that for the sake of there children they should all live together. So they began to look for places to live. Finally the found the perfect home, it was huge a 8 bedroom, and prefectly reasonable price... so they bought it and all moved in.

But then, all loving being parents so much, as Jaxon was about to begin preschool, they decided they really still wanted more kids. This time Beth and Jake tried and got lucky, the first time and Beth was pregnant. She gave birth September 11, 2012 to triplets. Finally one big happy family that was always looked down on had a big family. They couldn't have been happier, their name's were....