Chapter 9

After Sunny and Miki ate dinner, Sunny called her mom.

Hye Bin’s [Hay Bin] cell phone rang just as she was getting ready to take a shower. She answered her cell on the third ring. “Hi, Sun Yoo, is something wrong?”

“No Mama. I just want to call and let you know I’ll be home late this evening. Tonight Miki is going to come out to her mom and she needs me to be there. Also ... mom, I pretty sure you said yes, but I want to confirm that if Miki’s mom will sign for Miki to marry, that you will also sign for me. I want to ask for her hand this evening.”

“If Silvia will agree to let Michaela marry you and sign, I will sign for you also. I understand the time constraints you kids are under. So, my daughter might be engaged when I see your face tonight, huh?”

“Yeah, I hope so Mom. Thank you so much, Mama. I love you!”

“I love you too, Baby.”

“That’s it, Mama, I just wanted to keep you informed and up to date.”

“Okay, Sweetie, Talk to you later. Good luck.”

After disconnecting, Sunny told Miki that all was good with her mom and that she confirmed she would sign for her to marry her. Sunny hugged her beloved and said, “I’m going to ask for your hand tonight also.”

“I love you, Sunny. I hope and pray my mother will accept us and sign for me also. I want so bad to be your wife.”

“Well, by the time you go to bed tonight, we will have the answer to our future. Come on. Let’s get your bath and PT finished before your mom gets home.”

Mrs. Harrelson arrived home at 9:15: fifteen minutes earlier than usual. Both girls were in the living room waiting for her to arrive. When Silvia saw them in the living room, Sunny stood with her hand folded in front of her and she had a calm, but serious look on her face. Silvia hung her jacket up in the closet and said, “What’s this, ladies, you both look so serious? Besides, why aren’t you in bed, Miki?”

Miki sighed and replied, “Mom, Sunny and I need to talk to you. It’s important.”

“Well then, I guess I’d best pour myself two fingers of scotch.”

She then proceeded to do just that. As she was pouring the liquor, she said, “Sunny, sit down and relax. Miki, you too; relax. You know that there’s nothing in the world we can’t talk about. We’re all adults here. Whatever it is, we’ll get through it calmly, and rationally like adults. Right?”

“Yes Mama, you’re right.”

Sunny added, “Yes Ma’am.”

Silvia sat down on the sofa, Sunny in an armchair to Silvia’s right, and Miki had her wheelchair parked next to Sunny. Silvia took a sip of her scotch and said, “Well, what do you girls want to talk about?”

Miki inched her chair forward about six inches and said, “Mama, I have something to tell you. I hope that you won’t be disappointed in me and will accept me for who I am.”

Silvia sighed and said with a smile, “Sweetie, I can accept anything from you accept...”

Silvia paused on purpose just to see how the girls would react. The sudden stop and pause was deafening...

“ ... I will not and cannot accept you not doing the best you can do and being the best you can be. Anything else, I can deal with.”

“Mama, I don’t know how to say this, except to say it right out. I’m gay. I’m positive I’m a lesbian.”

“You are? And how do you know that? Hav you been doing things with someone?” She looked directly at Sunny.

“I’m in love with Sunny.”

Without battling an eyelash, Silvia turned and looked at Sunny and asked, “And you, young lady, are you in love with my daughter?”

“Yes Ma’am I am. In fact, I would like to ask for Miki’s hand in marriage.”

Calmly, Silvia nodded and answered, ‘I hope you have all of your ducks in a row because as the adult here, I expect you to give me an account of everything you two have done together from the day you started working here until the moment I walked in the front door this evening.”

Sunny began a detailed explanation of the progression of events. She continued saying, “The night I undressed and helped Miki with her bath, I made a promise to her. She said that everyone she ever cared about has left her. I promised that I would always be in her life in one way or another.”

“Miss Silvia, I cannot explain how we feel except to say that from the moment I laid eyes on Miki, and hers on me, we have been inexplicably drawn to each other like a magnet. I have fallen in love with her and her with me almost overnight.”

“I am an honest person, Miss Silvia. Honest with others and honest with myself. I was surprised when I found I was attracted to Miki emotionally, mentally and sexually. I never imagined that I would be gay, but I cannot deny what I feel for Miki and it is as real as I breathe. I am what I am and I can accept that as fact. I will state for a fact, we have not done anything of a sexual nature; not even light petting. We have hugged and kissed, but that’s all. I told her that I felt that if we did anything beyond kissing, I would be violating my position as her caregiver.”

“We have not just been winging this like tow kids infatuated with puppy love. We talked about it with another lesbian couple about the mechanics of a lesbian relationship, we discussed our expectations and realistic goals for the future. We both know that Miki will die before she’s twenty five. The clock is ticking. I love your daughter with all my heart. I am willing to spend whatever time she has left as her life partner, loving her and being right by her side until her very last breath.”

“I am willing to suffer the pain, sorrow and heartache of becoming a widow before I’m thirty and losing my mate. I’m willing to bear a child for her. Miss Silvia, I love Miki with every fiber of my being, I don’t have any money. The only job I have is taking care of Miki, and if we marry, I will lose that. But ... But ... we have a very a small window of time. We only have the time between Miki’s sixteenth birthday and the day I turn eighteen to marry. Otherwise, as an adult, I cannot legally have a romantic relationship with her until she turns eighteen herself.”

Both Sunny and Miki had tears streaming down their faces. Sunny sobbed out “I have no means of supporting her but I would give my life to be her mate.”

Silvia was glassy eyed also, but she maintained her composure. She said in a soft voice, “Sunny, calm down. Stop crying and we can continue to discuss this.”

Sunny and Miki sniffled and choked back the tears and got themselves under control. Sunny wiped her eyes and looked at Silvia hopefully. Silvia said, “You sure made a very good case for yourself, young lady. Now ... Michaela, I eant to know why you feel the same and Sunny and why you’re in love with her. It has to be more that she’s a pretty, kind and caring girl. Tell me how you feel.”

Miki looked at Sunny, and Sunny nodded to her and said, “Tell her what’s in your heart of hearts.”

“Mama, I love her. I love her with every thought and beat of my heart. She is the only person in my life, including you, Mom, who has seen my soul. Sunny sees who I am deep inside, and to her, I’m not handicapped, disabled or deficient in any way. She sees and accepts me for me; my spirit.”

“I know you love me, and you would never do anything to hurt me, but you can’t love me the way I need to be loved. I need the love the love of another person that is intimate, sexual and sacred. I never thought that I would be fortunate enough for someone who would ever love me like that, but there must be a God who has seen my plight and heard my prayers. They say that God creates someone for everyone. He said it is not good for man to live alone and that we should be fruitful and multiply.”

The one person who could give me the love I need, and have craved for, simply walked into our lives and started loving me. We have a tiny window of time that we have to get married. Otherwise, we will have to separate. We could never be romantically involved again until I’m eighteen. No one knows as well as you do that my life’s time clock is ticking. Please, Mama, I’m begging you to allow us to marry and love each other for the time I have left.”

Silvia sat stunned for several long seconds then, with a raised eyebrow said, “Michaela dear, I am so very proud of you! This is the first time in your life you have spoken to me like a mature young woman instead of a whining little baby.”

“I hate to burst your bubble, you two, but anyone with a decent pair of eyes can see the way you two look at each other and tell you’re both madly in love with each other. I have watched your relationship grow, and like both of you, I knew from the moment Sunny walked through the door that she was the one for you. I’ve watched the way you two interact and I’ve seen your love for each other blossom overnight. I am overjoyed, Miki, that you have found someone who can give you the love you’ve dreamt of having.”

Turning to Sunny, she continued. “Sunny does you mother know all that you’ve told me?”

“Yes Ma’am. I spoke to my mom this evening and told her what we were going to do. I explained everything we’ve discussed here with her last night. She said, and I quote, ‘If Silva consents and will sign for Michaela to marry you, I will also bless your union and sign for you before you turn 18.”

“Then dial your mother’s number and let me speak to her. If she agrees, I will also give my consent.”

Sunny went to her bookbag and took out her phone. She speed-dialed her mom’s cell phone. When Sunny’s mom picked up, Sunny said, “Mom, Miki told her mom and Miss Silvia knew everything. I asked for Miki’s hand and she is in agreement if you also will also sign for me to marry. She would like to speak to you.”

Silvia responded to Hye Bin’s greeting and said, “Mrs Park, I’m so sorry, but I don’t know your name. “Hey Bin? Thank you. It seems our daughters want to spread their wings and fly. I’m calling just to confirm with you that Sunny has spoken to you in depth about their sexuality and that both are gay. Also, Sunny has asked me for Michaela’s hand in marriage. With Sunny being seventeen and Miki at sixteen, they will both need parental consent. Sunny has informed me that you have given her your blessing and will sign for her marriage license.”

“Yes, Silvia, I confirmed with Sun Yoo this evening that if you gave your consent and will sign, I would also sign the marriage license application for her and Michaela to get married.”

“Fine. I’m glad to hear that the girls are being honest, up front, above board and are going through all the proper steps and checking all the boxes. Would it be possible for all of us to meet in person and have an informal dinner ... say at Outback at Hunt Valley Towne Center at 7pm tomorrow evening?”