EXCERPT FROM "ON ALL HALLOW'S EVE"
Jorgi poured himself a glass of mulled wine, and Thane filled his plate with two slices of rye bread. Taking a peek at him, Jorgi smiled at how handsome his boyfriend was. “Samhain isn’t about fertility,” he murmured, keeping his voice low so no one else would hear him. Eleven other people filled the yard, chatting as they drank and ate. “But Wicca has made me feel so much more relaxed about sexual stuff that I might want an extra ‘celebration’ when we return home.”
Thane smiled at Jorgi in return. “I’m up for whatever you’re up for.”
“Excellent.” A flush heated Jorgi’s cheeks. He stepped over to the patio table, grabbing a plate and setting down his glass so he could serve himself apple slices, gluten-free bread, and a small slice of pie. He had only been dating Thane officially for about three weeks, but they’d been bonding for three months. Jorgi felt he knew Thane well enough to move beyond kissing, but he had a problem. And as he picked up his glass and turned, the problem hit him squarely. He saw two of their friends from Japan, Goki and Odate, sitting on a blanket holding hands. As men who had born with the word “male” written on their birth certificate, dating was straightforward for them, but Jorgi’s birth certificate said “female.”
With tense, stiff shoulders, Jorgi picked out a blanket and settled. Two blankets away sat Pizzazz with Kimberly, the lesbian couple in their circle. They sipped mulled wine and laughed together. Why can’t it be as straightforward for me as it is for them?