Both Lisa and Sam burst out laughing. Sam answered first, “Uh, no, buddy. I’m just joining your family this morning.”
“You know what I know?” Lawrence Jr. asked, an excited grin on his face.
“What’s that?” Sam exchanged a worried glance with Lisa. You never knew what was going to come out of a six-year-old’s mouth.
“When you do get married, you will be Lisa’s wife. And you know what else?”
“What?” Sam’s grin was widening.
“Lisa will be your wife, too.”
“I know,” Sam said, looking relieved. “And that is very, very exciting to me.”
Lisa’s mother cleared her throat loudly behind them. Lisa laughed at the severity of Sam’s blush.
Lawrence Jr. let go of Sam’s hand, raced up the steps as fast as he could, and disappeared into the lobby of the church. Bridget ran up and grabbed Sam’s newly freed hand.
Several people had to walk around Lisa’s large family as they slowly made their way toward the church, mainly because the family walked at Bridget’s pace.
Mr. and Mrs. Maynard said, “Good morning” as they walked past them, but then Mrs. Maynard turned back around and did a double take as she took in Sam and Lisa holding hands. Her surprised expression almost made Lisa laugh. Mrs. Maynard turned back around and whispered something in her husband’s ear. He waved her away as if he didn’t want to hear any gossip and increased his pace. She had no choice but to follow.
Other people weren’t as kind. Some outwardly frowned at them, while a handful clucked their tongues in disapproval and shot angry glances their way.
“What’s up with them?” Sam whispered to Lisa while helping Bridget navigate the stone steps. “Who do they think they are judging us? They don’t get to judge us.”
Lisa nodded. “You’re right. They don’t. Especially not on someone’s eighteenth birthday.”
Sam waggled her eyebrows.
“I can’t believe you wanted to go to church with us on your birthday,” Lisa said.
“With you is the only place I want to be.”
Lisa’s heart pumped a little harder at that moment.
They found their usual pew and squeezed together so Sam would fit in with them. The kids were unusually squirrely that Sunday morning, and it took all Lisa and her parents could do to calm them down. They were either suffering from North Country never-ending winter syndrome or from the fact that Sam was with them. A little bit of both probably, because Lisa also felt a little squirrely with Sam there. But it was a good squirrely.
Once the kids were relatively settled, and the service was moments away from starting, Lisa looked up toward the pulpit and groaned. “Oh, no.”
“What’s wrong, baby?” Sam followed her gaze.
Lisa nodded with her chin. “It’s another visiting reverend.”
“At least it’s a woman this time,” Sam offered.
Lisa reached across Bridget and squeezed Sam’s hand. “You’re right. Maybe she won’t be a Reverend Rinaldi.”
Lisa’s mother said, “Reverend Owens announced his retirement.”
“He did?” Even though Lisa wasn’t sure Reverend Owens approved of her, she still had a big place in her heart for him. He had been the only reverend she had ever known. Not that she remembered, but he had baptized her almost seventeen years before. And he had baptized her sisters and brothers. Her heart hurt a little.
Her mother nodded. “Our guest is Reverend,” she looked down at her program, “Cross. Now that’s an interesting name for a reverend.”
Lisa and Sam laughed. It was a great name.
“She pastored a church downstate in a town called Norwich. I think that’s near Binghamton. Anyway, she’s on the search committee’s short list for Reverend Owens’s replacement.”
Lisa whispered to her mother. “Fingers crossed that she’s not a bigot like Reverend Rinaldi.”
Lisa’s mother nodded her agreement.
“Hello, Leslie,” Mrs. Maynard said to Lisa’s mother. She stood at the end of their pew. “Hello, girls,” she said to Lisa and Sam, completely ignoring Lisa’s father and siblings.
“Hello, Mrs. Maynard,” Lisa said. “This is my girlfriend, Sam.” She was proud of herself for being honest and open. That’s how she hoped life would be from now on.
“You girls must be really excited.”
Lisa exchanged a glance with her mother.
“About what, Miriam?” Lisa’s mother asked.
“The Presbyterian Church just voted to allow gay marriage. Didn’t you know.” Lisa’s shock must have showed on her face. “Oh, it’s true, dear. The General Assembly voted and pastors can now perform gay marriages in New York. Of course, you’re both too young to be thinking about marriage, but this would be a first for our little church, wouldn’t it?” Without letting anyone reply, she added, “They’re even changing the marriage language in the Book of Order to read ‘two persons’ instead of ‘a man and a woman.’ Isn’t that something? My, the world is changing.” She turned abruptly to face the front. “I’d better get back to Joe. He hates when I’m not seated at the start. Bye girls and good luck.”
Lisa’s head was spinning. The one thing she desperately wanted was to be able to get married in her own church. She looked at Sam and saw just what she knew she would see. Love. Hope. The promise of a real life together.
This time it was Sam who reached across Bridget to squeeze Lisa’s hand. She held on for a very long time.
Lisa’s mother cleared her throat to let them know that the service was starting. Sam let go of Lisa’s hand, but turned her head toward Lisa’s mother. Lisa’s mother tried to remain stoic, but after catching Sam’s eye, burst into a rapturous grin. She reached over both Lisa and Bridget to squeeze Sam’s hand.
Tears formed in Lisa’s eyes, and a quick glance around, showed her that she wasn’t the only one. Her father, mother, and Sam were each blinking back tears. Lisa’s mother sighed, let go of Sam’s hand, and dug into her purse for tissues all around.
“Hey, Papa,” Lawrence Jr. whispered, “is Lisa getting married today?”
Lisa squeezed her lips together. It simply wouldn’t do to burst out laughing.
“One day, son, but I don’t think it’s today.”
Sam, obviously hearing the exchange, whispered to Lisa, “One day.”
Lisa nodded and quoted John 8:32, “And the truth will make you free.”
About the Author
Barbara L. Clanton is a native New Yorker who left those “New York minutes” for the slower paced life in central Florida. While still in school she played any sport she could find: softball, volleyball, basketball, and field hockey. During high school, she could even be found in the upstairs gym playing team handball with her friends. She played softball at Princeton and was the captain her senior year. She currently teaches mathematics at a college preparatory school in the Orlando area and has coached softball and basketball in both New York and Florida. She still plays softball and has been inducted into the ASANA’s (Amateur Sports Alliance of North America) Hall of Fame. She has also picked up a fairly new hobby! “Dr. Barb” plays bass guitar in a pop-rock band called The Flounders. Her writing credits so far include several young adult lesbian romance novels. Her Clarksonville Series includes: Out of Left Field: Marlee’s Story, Tools of Ignorance: Lisa’s Story, Going, Going, Gone: Susie’s Story, Stealing Second: Sam’s Story, and Out at Home. Her standalone YA books include Art for Art’s Sake: Meredith’s Story and Quite an Undertaking: Devon’s Story. She has also penned two girl’s sports books: Bases Loaded and Side Out. Visit her website at www.blclanton.com or email Barb at [email protected]; she’d love to hear from you.
More Titles from Barbara L. Clanton
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Out of Left Field: Marlee’s Story: Book One in the Clarksonsville Series
High school junior Marlee McAllister lives and breathes softball. She’s the pitcher for the Clarksonville Cougars in the North Country of upstate N
ew York. With the season opener approaching, Marlee and her best friend, Jeri D’Amico, go to scout their rivals, the East Valley Panthers. The Panthers star pitcher, Christy Loveland, took the All County pitching title the preceding year. It is a title Marlee covets. Marlee and Jeri settle in for the game but as the Panthers take the field, Marlee finds herself staring at Susie Torres, the Panther left fielder.
For reasons Marlee doesn’t understand, she’s drawn to Susie. Over the course of the next few weeks, Marlee and Susie will slowly act on their mutual attraction. But suddenly Susie pulls away without explanation and Marlee realizes it has to do with Christy. Susie won’t explain the bond she and Christy share but whatever it is threatens Marlee’s burgeoning relationship with Susie.
Struggling to maintain her grades, dealing with the ever-increasing estrangement from her best friend Jeri, and handling the pressures of the All County Pitching competition, Marlee also has to confront the bittersweet realities of what it might mean to be gay.
ISBN 978-1-935053-08-8
eISBN 978-1-935053-96-5
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Tools of Ignorance: Lisa’s Story: Book Two in the Clarksonsville Series
Lisa Brown is the starting catcher for the Clarksonville Cougars High School softball team, and she has a major crush on her pitcher Marlee. Lisa continues to carry her torch for Marlee, even when Sam, a rival softball player, flirts sweetly. Lisa becomes more confused than ever when Tara, the first girl she ever kissed and the first girl who ever broke her heart, resurfaces. Since Marlee doesn’t know Lisa’s alive, should Lisa give up on her once and for all? Sam seems to have secrets of her own, but Lisa wonders if she should overlook them and allow her fledging attraction grow for the pretty blonde or should she fan the tiny flame still burning in her heart for Tara? Lisa faces these problems and deals with society's tools of ignorance in her quest for love and acceptance.
ISBN 978-1-935053-40-8
eISBN 978-1-935053-99-6
Available From these e-tailers:
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Going, Going, Gone: Susie’s Story Book Three in the Clarksonsville Series
Susie Torres planned on spending most of the summer before her senior year of high school with her girlfriend, Marlee McAllister, but that’s proving to be quite challenging because Marlee works at D’Amico's restaurant, and Susie babysits for Mrs. Johnson, her mother’s boss. Susie hates the job, because she not only works like a slave, but gets paid like one. Susie is desperate to take her physical relationship with Marlee further, but she knows she has to go at Marlee’s slower pace. Complicating things is the attention that a pretty blonde softball player from another team shows Marlee, and Susie falls into a funk when Marlee seems to enjoy it. On top of that, nothing she does seems to be good enough for her summer softball coach. Frustrated with life, Susie accidentally on purpose comes out to her mother. It would be an understatement to say that her mother didn’t take it well. Can Susie deal with a girlfriend whose head has possibly been turned by another, an employer who treats her like dirt, a coach who doesn’t respect her, and a mother who tells her she is unnatural? Can she get her life back on track before senior year starts?
ISBN 978-1-61929-009-9
eISBN 978-1-61929-010-5
Available From these e-tailers:
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Stealing Second: Sam’s Story: Book Four in the Clarksonsville Series
Samantha Rose Payton likes girls, but her parents don’t know that. And Sam would like to keep it that way, because her parents are ultra-conservative Republicans. They live in a mansion and have servants and chauffeurs, but instead of playing the part of a dutiful debutante who plays the violin and still has a nanny at age seventeen, Sam would rather watch ice-hockey on TV and play second base on her summer softball team. Having to hide her relationship with her girlfriend Lisa from her parents is becoming an agonizing struggle. Not only are her friends pressuring her to come out to her parents, they are also trying to convince her to attend a very public gay pride festival at the local college. At least she has her nanny Helene to confide in, but for how much longer? Sam is acutely aware that the time for Helene to move on may be fast approaching. And if that isn’t enough, Sam’s summer softball coach gives her no end of grief after an error-filled game and isn’t afraid of making an example out of her. Will Sam remain the perfect princess her parents expect? Will her beloved nanny leave her forever? Will her girlfriend get fed up about being kept hidden? Will her friends continue to pressure her about coming out? Will Coach Greer make her life miserable? All of these questions are answered in Stealing Second: Sam’s Story
ISBN 978-1-61929-110-2
eISBN 978-1-61929-111-9
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Out At Home: Book Five in the Clarksonsville Series
Marlee McAllister just wants to fit in. She didn’t know she wasn’t fitting in until Kate and Rita—the prettiest girls in the senior class—pointed it out. Even Marlee’s grandmother declares that Marlee’s too old for “this tomboy nonsense.” All the other girls at school have long hair. Except Marlee. All the other girls wear something other than jeans, a t-shirt, and sneakers to school every day. Except Marlee. All the other girls fit in. Except Marlee.
Marlee decides to grow out her short hair, buy femmy girly clothes, and pretend she has a boyfriend named Ronnie. Really, though? She has the most amazing girlfriend in Susie Torres. Susie is everything Marlee hoped for—sweet, sexy, kind, athletic, pretty. And best of all? She loves Marlee as much as Marlee loves her. Although their parents know about their relationship, not many other people do.
Marlee is out at home, but not to anyone else. And if anyone else finds out she’s into girls, Kate and Rita especially, the entire school and her grandparents will know within a day. Life as she knows it will be over.
Out at Home is the story of Marlee McAllister’s life-altering struggle to fit in.
ISBN 978-1-61929-184-3
eISBN 978-1-61929-183-6
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Art For Art’s Sake: Meredith’s Story
High school senior Meredith Bedford is a social outcast. Her family recently moved from the Catskill Mountains to the sprawling suburbs of Albany, the capital of New York State. Shy and self-conscious about her acne scars, she stays to herself and tries to remain invisible. Her twelve-year-old brother, Mikey, has Down Syndrome and she tries hard not to blame her troubles on him. Despite verbal and sometimes physical harassment, she survives because she has her art. She was selected to be part of the elite Advanced Placement art class and is quite good at capturing the emotions of her subjects in her portraits. Art is the one thing, besides her family, that helps her cope with her outcast status. One day, at a senior class meeting, she sees Dani Lassiter, president of the senior class, captain of the lacrosse team, and knows that she must paint this enigmatic young woman. One class period later, Dani manipulates things to have Meredith as her partner for a history project. Meredith is suspicious of Dani’s motives, but takes a chance. And it pays off. Meredith slowly sheds her invisibility cloak and allows Dani in—a little at a time. They explore an old Victorian house for their history project and become close with Esther and Millie, the two older women who own the house and who’ve lived together for about forty years. But, when Dani reveals to Meredith that she is gay, Meredith simply can’t deal with the news. How had she not known? What is it that won’t allow her come to terms with this unexpected news? Will Meredith control her own homophobia o
r will she reject the one person who had taken a chance on her and made her feel human?
ISBN 978-1-935053-14-9
eISBN 978-1-935053-97-2
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Quite An Undertaking: Devon’s Story
Devon Raines, sixteen-year old journalism nerd, was happily minding her own business when wham, her life was turned upside down. She struggled with grief when her grandmother died from a sudden heart attack. But it was at her grandmother’s wake that she locked eyes with the most beautiful black girl she’d ever seen. Rebecca Washington was the most beautiful girl she’d ever seen, period. Would this beautiful dancer freak out if she knew Devon was gay and attracted? Enter Jessie Crowler, Rebecca’s basketball playing best friend. Or were they only friends? Devon tried to hide her attraction for the ebony dancer, but would fate allow Rebecca to look her way? Would Jessie get in the way? Would the difference in skin color keep them apart? All this adds up to quite an undertaking in Devon’s formerly quiet existence.
ISBN 978-1-935053-21-7
eISBN 978-1-935053-98-9
Available From these e-tailers:
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Tools of the Devil Page 22
