Sometimes I know that my work has gone well. Sometimes I am certain that it has not. This time, I am certain of nothing, but I am hopeful.
Morgan borrowed Brooke’s car this afternoon after church and drove out of the city to meet with her parents, sister, and brother for dinner. All along the way, her hands were tight around the wheel, anxiety thrumming through her. Her mind was flying in different directions, trying to find the right words to say, the right plan for the evening. I did what I could to soothe her, but very little helped. The fact remains that Morgan’s family does not approve of her relationship with Brooke—or rather, they do not approve of the new form that relationship has taken.
I only managed to calm her in the last moments of the drive when I reminded her of Brooke’s love and how that love makes her happy. It was to be a talisman in her heart throughout the evening.
The Weiss family home is a lovely home in the woods of Connecticut, not large, but warm and welcoming. The sunlight was nearly gone by the time Morgan arrived, but there was a light in every window, and her parents came out to meet her, kissing her cheeks and exclaiming over her. They ushered her inside out of the cold, and I followed into a fragrant, glowing atmosphere. It was so refreshing, after the damage seen in Pamela’s family, to find a family whose one struggle does not reduce their love for one another.
Morgan’s mother Serena admired her new haircut while her father asked about her work. Her sister Danielle wanted to show Morgan a picture from her school play, while her brother Michael brought a rather disgruntled cat to say hello. They settled down to a home-cooked meal together, and silence fell as Morgan’s father asked a blessing on the food. It was only after everyone had been served and had begun to eat that the trouble spot appeared.
“So, Morgan, any big plans this week?” her mother asked.
Morgan’s smile disappeared, but I stepped closer to her, reminding her not to be ashamed. She lifted her head. “Yes, actually. I’m surprising Brooke at work on Tuesday with lunch, and then that evening we’re going out for dinner and a show.”
Samuel Weiss looked down at his plate. His wife looked across the table at him, then at Morgan, her smile a bit weaker. “Well, that sounds nice.”
“Do you kiss Brooke out in public?” Michael asked curiously.
“Michael!” Serena hissed, and he jumped as Danielle kicked him under the table.
“Yes, Michael,” Morgan said calmly, though her heart was jumping. “I do.”
“We’re not talking about this,” Samuel said.
“Why not?” Morgan asked, looking at her father. “He wants to know. Yes, Mike, I do kiss Brooke out in public, because I’m not ashamed of loving her.”
“We all love Brooke, of course,” Serena said, reaching out to cover Morgan’s hand with her own. “Bring her with you next time, won’t you, dear?” But her eyes demanded silence from the rest of her family, and her hand was stiff and cold.
Later in the evening, after Michael had been sent to bed, Morgan sat with her parents in front of a bright fire, cradling a cup of coffee close to her chest. I had to nudge her twice before she spoke her thoughts.
“Why is it so wrong?” she asked without looking away from the flames. “Why shouldn’t I love Brooke?”
Samuel and Serena looked at one another. “Danielle,” Serena said, “why don’t you finish your homework upstairs?”
Danielle didn’t move from her father’s desk. He eyed her, but didn’t repeat the order.
“Your mother’s right,” he said, looking down at Morgan. “We love Brooke, and we are glad that you’ve had her to support you all this time. But it’s not right to call her your partner, sweetheart. That’s not the role she’s supposed to play in your life.”
“Why not?” Morgan demanded, setting down her mug. “Brooke loves me. She takes care of me, and she knows me better than anyone else. She wants the best for me. Isn’t that the kind of person you want me to be with?”
“Honey, try to understand our position,” Serena said, her eyes sad. “Everything we have been taught says that this lifestyle is sinful. It’s not right. God says—”
“God says to love one another, and to love him,” Morgan interrupted. “The old laws don’t apply anymore, and the new ones say that love is the most important thing. Besides, what’s more important? That I live my life according to laws that haven’t been followed in full for centuries, or that I have someone by my side whose love makes it possible for me to be a better person?”
Her parents didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t quite read their thoughts; all that I could get was confusion.
Morgan sighed and got to her feet. “Just think about it?” she asked. There were tears in her eyes. “I’m not going to change my mind, because I can’t change my heart. I want to be with her, and I want you all to be happy about it.”
Serena sighed and held out her hand to her daughter. “We’ll pray,” she said.
Glad and grateful that even in their disagreement, her parents could still offer her love, Morgan kissed them both and went upstairs to get ready for bed. Danielle followed, and I could feel her strong, silent support.
I lingered with her parents for a moment, spreading my wings around them. “Our Father is love,” I whispered to them, “and it matters not where love comes from if it is true. Or else, why would I be here?”
Sometimes our influence slides off of closed minds; other times it sinks down into human thoughts and only shows results much later. I am not sure whether my words penetrated to their hearts. Still, I know that whatever Samuel and Serena decide, they will still love their daughter, and where there is love, there is hope.