My Aerobics Instructor Ch. 04

Pamela and James flew back to Seattle later that afternoon, but Kathleen and I decided to stay for another couple of days. That evening, Kathleen and I walked along the beach and I told her my whole story: Gerald, Frank, Whitney, Sherry, Michelle, Reagan, Nanja, everything! I was terribly nervous, just as I'd been every other time I'd told it to somebody I loved; but just like the rest of them, Kathleen completely accepted it and I knew then beyond the shadow of a doubt that she loved me unconditionally and with all her heart. Since homosexual marriage is not legal in Washington, Kathleen and I exchanged our own wedding vows right there on the beautiful Maui beach. It was the most beautiful moment of my entire life; I only wish I had a ring to give to her. The next day, we flew back to Honolulu to catch a flight back to Seattle. It was then that I realized that I had to go back to Detroit and lay my past to rest for good; and I guess if I hadn't been convinced by now that Kathleen was my soul mate, I was about to be. Kathleen had gone to the ladies room and when she returned, the first thing out of her mouth was:

"Honey, we need to go to Detroit. You have to put your past to rest for good. And that's the only place you can do it. Besides, I wanna meet Gerald and Frank."

My eyes again flooded with tears and I took Kathleen in my arms. Eleven hours later, the Northwest Airlines Boeing 747-400 touched down at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. I had called Gerald in mid flight and he told me that he and Frank would pick us up at the airport. He also added that he had a surprise for me. Kathleen and I stepped off the jetway and walked hand in hand down to baggage claim. Gerald and Frank were waiting at the bottom of the escalator and I made the introductions. Once that was done, I asked what surprise he was talking about and he merely said that it was waiting for me in the car. He and Frank collected our bags and we walked out to the passenger pick-up area. As I passed through the automatic doors, I saw the three most beautiful sites I think I'd ever seen: Gerald, Jr., Monica and Whitney. Junior looked especially handsome, all decked out in his Second Lieutenant U.S. Army uniform. I bounded across the sidewalk and in less than three steps I held all three of them in my arms, vowing to never let them go again. Gerald, Frank and Kathleen came out and I introduced the kids to Kathleen and told them exactly who she was. They all smiled and welcomed her with warm hugs. As I watched them hug Kathleen, I saw tears in Kathleen's eyes.

The next day, I bought Kathleen a beautiful ring, slipped it on her finger and planted a deep kiss on her right there in the jewelry store. The two clerks were both gay and they applauded and cried. Then we drove up to Mount Clemens, which is on the far northwest edge of Detroit and out to the Oak Lawn Cemetery, which according to the paper, is where Sherry and Michelle were buried. After about twenty minutes, Kathleen located the stones. They were right next to each other under a large oak tree. I placed a single rose on each stone. Reagan's body had been cremated and her ashes had been taken back to her home state of Arizona to be spread in the Colorado River. I knelt before Sherry and Michelle's stones and said the Lord's Prayer for each of them. Then I stood and took the love of my life by her hand.

"You ready to go home now?" I asked.

"As long as I'm with you, then anywhere is home." Kathleen replied.

The Michigan sun was setting as we turned away from my past and walked forward into our future.

THE END