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Vicki Sue Love and Brenda Lake were undergraduates at the University of Pittsburgh.  They worked part-time jobs during the day and took classes at night.  Vicki Sue had a car.  Brenda rode the bus.  Both had just come from their 7:00 p.m. “Marriage, Sexuality and Gender” class.  Now they sat at a table for two in the cafe in the Hillman Library drinking lattes from paper cups.

The class had covered the recent decision of the California Supreme Court to uphold the ban on same-sex marriage while letting stand the legality of same-sex couples already married.

Brenda said, “It’s discrimination plain and simple.”

“No it’s not,” Vicki Sue said.

“The law is denying them their rights.”

“Just don’t call it marriage.”

“Separate but equal?” Brenda said.

“Heterosexuality is unique.”

“No it’s not,” Brenda said.

“Two men or two women can’t make a baby.  A man and a woman can.”

The two friends finished their discussion and their lattes and gathered their backpacks and left the cafe.  When they got to the front of the library they could see the floor to ceiling glass and the glass doors were streaked with falling rain.

“Oh, no,” Brenda said.  “I’ll get soaked.”

“I’m parked across the street,” Vicki Sue said.  “I’ll give you a ride.”

Brenda looked at her friend and smiled.  “Thanks, Vicki.”  Brenda looked away, took a deep breath and made a decision.

Once the two were settled in the dark interior of the car, before Vicki Sue put the key in the ignition, Brenda said, “I feel like I’m going to have a heart attack.”  Brenda was looking at the dark dashboard.

“What?”

“It feels like I’m having a heart attack.”  Brenda kept looking at the dark dashboard.

“Are you serious?”

“I’m going to make a fool of myself.”

Brenda looked at Vicki Sue.  She leaned in to kiss Vicki Sue on the mouth.

Vicki Sue quickly leaned away.  “What are you doing?”

“See,” Brenda said.  She looked back at the dashboard.  “I told you I was going to make a fool of myself.”

The two friends sat in silence.  The rain beat down on the car and washed down all the windows.  Dark clouds made the night sky black.

Vicki Sue said, “You just surprised me.”

Brenda looked at her friend.  Vicki Sue was turned toward Brenda.  Brenda leaned in to kiss Vicki Sue on the lips.  This time Vicki Sue closed her eyes and as the kiss went on and on she opened her mouth.