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Authors: E. Lynn Harris
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said. He hadn’t anticipated any problem, though, because the current president had worked with Raymond at the University of Washington and was one of the first people to call with congratulations.
“Once we get a date for your confirmation hearing, our office will make your travel arrangements. Will your partner be going with you?”
“I hope so. His name is Trent Walters. And I’m certain my parents and younger brother will be attending as well,” Raymond said.
“They must be so proud of you,” Lisa beamed.
“Yes, they are pretty excited, especially my father,” Raymond said.
“That’s it for now. You’ll be contacted when the FBI has completed its research. Of course, they will want to talk to you about any questions that might arise during the investigation.”
“Okay,” Raymond nodded.
“We’ll work on getting an endorsement of some kind from the NAACP and the Association of Black Lawyers,” Lisa said.
Raymond smiled, thinking how happy he was about being a member in good standing with both organizations.
He had been a member of the NAACP since he was nine years oldwhen his parents gave him a membership for his birthday. Raymond didn’t realize then what an important gift he had received.
“Do you have any questions?” Lisa asked.
“How long is the confirmation process?”
Lisa laughed to herself and said, “That’s a good question. It could be a few months or a few years. But let’s remain hopeful. There is a lot of pressure on Congress to give either a timely yea or nay on the president’s appointments. No matter what, I’ll keep you posted.”
“Thank you. I will appreciate that,” Raymond said.
Lisa stood and extended her long and narrow hand with a simple gold band on her middle finger and smiled. “It’s been a pleasure meeting you, Raymond. I look forward to the day when I can greet you as Judge Tyler.”
“So do I,” Raymond said as he shook her hand.
It had been a long day for both Raymond and Trent. Raymond told Trent about his meeting with Lisa, then Trent told Raymond about a big project in South Africa he wanted to be assigned to. But since Brenda Taylor, the other African-American in his office, was project leader, Trent thought it might prevent him from a spot on the team for this dream assignment.
“I didn’t know your office had the ‘one is enough’ rule,” Raymond teased.
“I didn’t either, but then I’ve always been the only one,” Trent said. “Doesn’t the project leader have a say?”
“Yeah, and Brenda’s cool, but you know how
we
can sometimes be our worst critics.”
“If this Brenda is as cool and smart as you say, then you’re on the team,” Raymond assured him.
Dog-tired, Raymond and Trent decided to retire earlier than their usual 11:30 bedtime.
Wearing a white, hooded, terry-cloth robe, Trent was pulling back the comforter on their bed when Raymond, wearing only a lime-green striped towel, walked behind him and kissed him gently on the neck.
“I’ve got something to ask you,” he whispered.
“Now, you know you don’t have to ask,” Trent joked as he turned to face Raymond.
“Would you marry me?” Raymond asked.
“What?” Trent could not believe the question. His soft laugh sounded like a cough.
“I’m not asking you right now, but this is a question that might come up in my confirmation hearing. Would you marry me? I mean, if it was legal.”
“I … I …” Trent stammered. His face was coolly composed and unreadable. Just as he was getting ready to explain his hesitation, Raymond’s private line rang. His hesitation wasn’t because he didn’t love Raymond, but all he could think of at the moment was his mother. He could hear her sigh with a loud sound and tell Trent how his father would roll over in his grave at such an event. Trent couldn’t think of getting married without his mother’s blessing. And he was sure Raymond felt the same about his own parents’ response.
“Hello,” Raymond
“Once we get a date for your confirmation hearing, our office will make your travel arrangements. Will your partner be going with you?”
“I hope so. His name is Trent Walters. And I’m certain my parents and younger brother will be attending as well,” Raymond said.
“They must be so proud of you,” Lisa beamed.
“Yes, they are pretty excited, especially my father,” Raymond said.
“That’s it for now. You’ll be contacted when the FBI has completed its research. Of course, they will want to talk to you about any questions that might arise during the investigation.”
“Okay,” Raymond nodded.
“We’ll work on getting an endorsement of some kind from the NAACP and the Association of Black Lawyers,” Lisa said.
Raymond smiled, thinking how happy he was about being a member in good standing with both organizations.
He had been a member of the NAACP since he was nine years oldwhen his parents gave him a membership for his birthday. Raymond didn’t realize then what an important gift he had received.
“Do you have any questions?” Lisa asked.
“How long is the confirmation process?”
Lisa laughed to herself and said, “That’s a good question. It could be a few months or a few years. But let’s remain hopeful. There is a lot of pressure on Congress to give either a timely yea or nay on the president’s appointments. No matter what, I’ll keep you posted.”
“Thank you. I will appreciate that,” Raymond said.
Lisa stood and extended her long and narrow hand with a simple gold band on her middle finger and smiled. “It’s been a pleasure meeting you, Raymond. I look forward to the day when I can greet you as Judge Tyler.”
“So do I,” Raymond said as he shook her hand.
It had been a long day for both Raymond and Trent. Raymond told Trent about his meeting with Lisa, then Trent told Raymond about a big project in South Africa he wanted to be assigned to. But since Brenda Taylor, the other African-American in his office, was project leader, Trent thought it might prevent him from a spot on the team for this dream assignment.
“I didn’t know your office had the ‘one is enough’ rule,” Raymond teased.
“I didn’t either, but then I’ve always been the only one,” Trent said. “Doesn’t the project leader have a say?”
“Yeah, and Brenda’s cool, but you know how
we
can sometimes be our worst critics.”
“If this Brenda is as cool and smart as you say, then you’re on the team,” Raymond assured him.
Dog-tired, Raymond and Trent decided to retire earlier than their usual 11:30 bedtime.
Wearing a white, hooded, terry-cloth robe, Trent was pulling back the comforter on their bed when Raymond, wearing only a lime-green striped towel, walked behind him and kissed him gently on the neck.
“I’ve got something to ask you,” he whispered.
“Now, you know you don’t have to ask,” Trent joked as he turned to face Raymond.
“Would you marry me?” Raymond asked.
“What?” Trent could not believe the question. His soft laugh sounded like a cough.
“I’m not asking you right now, but this is a question that might come up in my confirmation hearing. Would you marry me? I mean, if it was legal.”
“I … I …” Trent stammered. His face was coolly composed and unreadable. Just as he was getting ready to explain his hesitation, Raymond’s private line rang. His hesitation wasn’t because he didn’t love Raymond, but all he could think of at the moment was his mother. He could hear her sigh with a loud sound and tell Trent how his father would roll over in his grave at such an event. Trent couldn’t think of getting married without his mother’s blessing. And he was sure Raymond felt the same about his own parents’ response.
“Hello,” Raymond
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