In the winter of 2015, Ed Stephens and his longtime partner Rick are settling into life at Penfield Manor.But life has surprises in store. A grandson is on the way, a troubled young relative needs refuge, and a wave of intolerance in their Indiana community forces Ed and Rick to confront a question they have postponed for more than three decades: should they finally marry?
What begins as plans for a quiet ceremony soon becomes something much bigger, a joyful celebration of love, family, resilience, and a thirty-four-year commitment that deserves to be honored in unforgettable style.
Ed was on his way home for lunch after a computer job Friday morning when his phone began to blow up. Now what? He wondered. When he reached the driveway he grabbed his phone and saw text messages from Rex and Gordy. Aw geez, what did that putz of a governor do now? As he sat debating whether to read them or not, texts came in from Paul, Muriel, and even Phil Sturgis. There was a news alert attached to Phil’s so he opened that one first. Same-Sex Marriage: Supreme Court Rules in Favor, President Obama Calls It 'Victory for America.’
Ed shook his head in disbelief. He’d had absolutely no faith in a favorable ruling from the court and had done his best to ignore the whole thing. But now, suddenly, something he never thought he’d see in his lifetime had happened. He and Rick had the right to marry, not only in Indiana, but anywhere in the United States. I’ll be damned, he thought. He looked at the ring on his left hand, the one Rick had put on his finger thirty-four years earlier, the one he’d been half afraid to wear at first as he worried about what people might say. But now, but now…
That evening Ed and Rick sat in front of the computer in the study reading every article, every reaction, and seeing in the photos every bit of joy coming from people like them all across the country. Then one image stopped their scrolling, the sight of the White House glowing in rainbow colored lights. They stared at it until the screen saver kicked in and replaced it with a photo of Dwight.
“Even back in ’08 I knew Obama was the president we had been waiting for,” Ed said, breaking the silence.
“I still can’t completely wrap my head around it,” Rick said softly. He shook the mouse and the White House came back into view. “The president of the United States is happy for us. He calls this a victory. For the first time in my life I feel like a first class citizen of this country. We belong. We matter.” He whooped joyously. “How ‘bout that!”
Ed laughed at Rick’s exuberance. “How ‘bout that,” he repeated.
Rick turned to Ed, his eyes bright. “So what do you think, babe?”
“Huh? Think about what?”
“You wanna get married?”
Ed swallowed a smile and said as seriously as he could: “Are you sure you want to enter into an archaic heterosexual tradition?”
Rick shrugged. “Why the hell not?” He took Ed’s hand. “I didn’t want to when it became legal in our state because I didn’t think it would last. I was sure the decision would get overturned. I mean, it still might. I’m sure there are people out there right now shitting their pants in horror and planning its downfall. Fuck ‘em. Let’s enjoy this moment while it lasts. The president,” he added, “would approve.”
“Okay.”
“Okay what?”
“What?”
“I seem to recall,” Rick said, hands on hips, “that I did what proposing there was to do the first time.”
“Oh! It’s my turn.”
“You betcha, mister.”
Ed took a deep breath. “Well, in that case.” He got to his knee beside Rick. He reached for his hand and said solemnly, “Richard John Benton, will you marry me?”
Rick’s warm and tender smile spread across his face. “Yes.”
They reached for each and sealed the deal with a kiss.
NICK POFF lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in an early 20th century historical neighborhood. A widower, he shares his home with his cat, Jasper. He is a life-long Hoosier, a distinction with which he has a love/hate relationship.Poff spent thirty years in the radio industry in northeast Indiana as a disc jockey, copy writer, producer, program manager and music director. When technology allowed radio corporations to begin shedding programming staff, he decided to take a chance at something he had long wanted to do, writing stories for gay men such as he living in the wide open space between Provincetown and West Hollywood. This resulted in a book series about handyman Ed Stephens. Ed meets his dream man, Rick, in 1980, and through six books, Poff tells the tale of a gay couple living in a small Indiana town through the 1980’s. In 2025 he decided to add one more book, set in 2015, when same sex marriage was legalized nationwide in order to give Ed and Rick the finale he felt they deserved.
You can more about him and his work at nickpoffauthor.com, on Facebook at Nick Poff Author, and Amazon Authors.
Sounds like a good read.
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