The email stared back at llhaesa as if it had eyes that refused to turn away.
After reading it for what must be the sixth time, llhaesa called to Jahrae, whom she heard stirring about in the kitchen. “Jahrae, might you have a moment? I have something I wish you to read.”
“One moment, ‘essa,” Jahrae’s voice drifted in from the adjacent room. “I need to set this down first.” A half-minute later, Jahrae wandered in and came up behind llhaesa, who sat at her personal computer, reading. Resting her hands on llhaesa’s shoulders, she began to read the email in front of her.
Jahrae read aloud over llhaesa’s shoulder:
“…I have lived with my partner for five years. I first arrived to visit her as a friend, here under authority of a six-month visa.
Once we were together, we got along so famously that we wished to live together. My partner, we will call her X, worked for a state agency. I was a student who chose not to return to school in my home country. I took a chance and stayed.
Six months ago, an agent of ICE showed up at our door, asking for me. Not wishing to lie, I informed her I was the person for whom they inquired. She detained me, brought me to a government facility. My partner contacted a lawyer, who facilitated my release, pending a hearing. They obviously did not consider me a flight risk.
The latest word from my attorney is that I will be sent home, unable to return to this country for ten years, and separated from my partner, who cannot afford to give up her job and move away.
In short, we are at wits end, and do not know what else to do, excepting write to you. You are also an alien in this nation, yet the government permits you to remain. Can you be of assistance? We are desperate.
Thank you so much for your time!
Elaine
‘Essa, what is she referring to?” The writer’s request left Jahrae puzzled and with many questions, but she read only the latter half of the email.
“In this country, if you fall in love with someone who is a citizen of another country, you can marry them, and they can legally live here. Well, that is true for some who fall in love, anyway.
For others, namely same sex partners, no such ability exists. If I were American, and you French – and not a diplomat, I might add – the government authorities would not allow you to live here with me; you would be deported.
“How is this so, ‘essa? Alicia is president, and she is a lesbian!”
“She has tried to change policy, but it requires legislation that Congress to date refuses to pass.”
“This… is inexcusable. What you seem to be telling me though is that even as an Ambassador, I have no ability to influence change in this country.”
“Well, you do, J’har, as do I, and think we need to act. Since she is out on personal recognisance, we should meet with the writer and her attorney. I have no wish to further jeopardise her status.”
“This world has strange ideas about those of us who have same sex partners.”
“That they do, but then again, we had, and despite changes, probably still have in some ways, our gender inequities.”
“So too do they! Do you really think you can change this world, ‘essa?”
“I do not recall you asking me this question on Arrhazon, so you must have believed I could effect change there, and we both ultimately did. Well, I will not run from the challenge of this world, J’har. This is the birth world of our children, and there are people here I care for. It is worth the effort; whatever it takes.”
“Spoken like the ‘essa of old, I think.”
“Is that what you were after, with the directed prodding prior to the show at Sugarhouse, and now with this? You thought I was losing my edge?”
“I would never doubt you, or doubt your ability, my love. To be honest, I feared your attention diverted somewhat, yes, that you regret the harm you believe you caused me, and so you fear others being placed in harms way yet again.”
Jahrae began to administer a deep shoulder massage to llhaesa, who audibly and pleasurably sighed approvingly. “You have magic hands, my fire hair wife. Might you continue that for say… an hour?”
“Perhaps! Seriously, ‘essa, can we broach the subject of immigration with the president? Surely Alicia will hear us out?”
“I agree that is our course for now, though I suspect Alicia will ask me to take their plight to the people, this to prod Congress into approving enacting legislation.
First, I wish to meet with this person.”
“When?”
“That depends on where they are located. I can get there easy enough, but first we must work through email.” Llhaesa began to type a response, stating simply she wished to travel to the email author’s location and chat.
A reply returned almost immediately; apparently, the person was currently online.
I would love to meet with you, but cannot travel, accept by car. I am in Colorado; will you be playing here soon?”
Elaine
Llhaesa wrote back giving her a different email address to use, then quickly logged off the personal computer and signed in on the Arrhazonan Athenaeum interface, a secure connection. The expected new email arrived, and llhaesa wrote back sharing the connection as now secure and untraceable. “Please provide your exact address, if you are able, we can meet tonight at 7 pm, Mountain Time.”
The Colorado Springs address came back and llhaesa so informed Jahrae, though her attorney could not make it on such short notice. “Meeting time is four hours away, though it will take but minutes for me to get to Colorado Springs. Finding a place to set down will take longer. I will have to mask this flight, Jahrae, given the proximity of a military installation.
Jahrae, you cannot come with me, not as Ambassador, you must not be involved in my actions.”
“I know, ‘essa, though I will be with you in spirit. I could fly out with you and remain in Chekresu if you wish.”
“No, I would rather you remain here. Besides, the girls will be here shortly, and we cannot take them off to Colorado on a school night.”
Three hours later, llhaesa was off for Colorado, Elsrensia accompanying her, meeting the requirement that two be on board who could fly the craft. Llhaesa found a location outside the city to set down in seclusion, and making her way to the main road, used her mobile to summon a taxi. Elsrensia stayed aboard Chekresu in case someone spotted the craft.
It was still light out, given the time of year. Llhaesa made her way from the clearing to the two-lane road that lay approximately three tenths of a kilometre away. The taxi arrived five minutes later, the driver quizzical about why she called from such an out of the way location.
“I just arrived in a space ship and needed a lift into town. There is no room to park a space ship in the city,” Llhaesa replied, the comment drawing an intended hearty laugh from the driver, who pronounced that “a good one, a good one!” and dropped the subject.
The taxi dropped llhaesa off in front of what was originally a sizeable single family Victorian, now converted into a duplex. Elaine and her partner lived on the second floor of what appeared to be a freshly painted white structure. Each unit had separate ground floor entrances, with an outer aluminium storm door. Five minutes before their scheduled meet up time, llhaesa pressed the button triggering Elaine’s door greeting.
Several seconds passed before she heard footsteps descending the inner stairs, followed by the lock on the door clicking and the inside door swinging open. Llhaesa waited as Elaine opened the outer door, and then spoke. “You must be Elaine!”
Elaine was short, not quite a third of a metre shorter than llhaesa. Petite with hair almost jet black a la Jahrae, Elaine wore hears in a butch cut, no more than an inch in length. Wearing Bermuda shorts and a solid green tee shirt, looking up at llhaesa, she extended her hand and warmly confirmed her identity, adding in an accent llhaesa suspected was Irish, “And I’ve zero doubt you are llhaesa.”
“I am!”
“Won’t you please come in?” Elaine held the door as llhaesa passed through, llhaesa thanking her for the courtesy. Shutting the doors behind her, Elaine led llhaesa upstairs, where her partner Cindy waited in the kitchen. Another introduction ensued before the three settled into their living room. “May I get you a beer? Water? Soda?” Cindy asked.
“I’d love a beer, but since I am pregnant, unfortunately, water will do. Thank you!” llhaesa replied.
“Oh, that is right; I had forgotten about the story of you being pregnant. How are you feeling?” Elaine asked.
“Now? I am doing great, much better than in November and December. And hopefully, in another few weeks, Ahrella will find her way out.”
“Is that the name you’ve chosen?” Cindy asked.
“Yes it is – Ahrella T’srha.”
“May I ask how that is spelled?” this was Cindy inquiring again.
“A-h-r-e-l-l-a Ahrella and T-apostrophe-s-r-h-a T’srha.”
That is a beautiful name. Are they common names on Arrhazon?” Elaine inquired, her voice reflecting her love of the names.
“No, not at all. Ahrella is my middle name, and I know of no one else with the name. T’srha is Jahrae’s middle name, and the Arrhazonan mythological goddess of light, and again, I know of no one, other than Jahrae, currently on Arrhazon who bears the name.”
“There might be those who start a trend here; you folk are quite popular.”
Llhaesa blushed, the comment momentarily taking her aback. “That is kind of you, though I hope that popularity is for the right reasons!
If I may, would you mind sharing more detail on your current immigration situation?”
“Sure! Elaine and I met on the internet several years ago. We were posting on a lesbian message board, and started emailing, mostly talking about stuff that happened there. Over time, the email became more frequent, the exchanges more detailed and personal.
There were strong bonds of friendship, and so I invited her to come over and spend a week here in Colorado, though I did not think she would take me up on the offer.”
“Ah, but I did!” Elaine interjected, before continuing with the story. “When I arrived, we found that we both had a warped sense of humour, similar interests – and an attraction to each other. By the third night, we slept together. Now I did leave that time, but I returned again for two weeks six months later, and by the end of those two weeks, I could not bear to leave.”
“And I could not bear to have her leave!” Cindy finished this part of the story. “Ever since, I have lived here, but always with the fear of being discovered hanging over my head. “Were same sex partners able to marry, we would have married long ago, but we cannot.”
When authorities showed up, it ripped both of us to shreds, destroyed our hope for the future, as it attempts to end our life together. We are told that this is the law, and there is nothing they can do.”
“To be honest,” llhaesa took a turn sharing her thoughts, “I do not know what I can do to assist, but please know I will do everything within my power to effect change to stop your deportation.
Jahrae and I will speak with the President, and I will address the matter at concerts – in case you have not heard, I tend to go on political rants. M’traliel and I play in Denver in two weeks, and both of you should plan to be there. We will get passes to you in the coming days, along with instructions on which entrance to use.”
“That is more than we could hope for, llhaesa, and it was so kind of you to come out here to meet with us, especially in such an immediate way. Thank you.” Llhaesa’s thoughtfulness and willingness to assist touched Elaine, and tears began to appear and slide down her face.
Llhaesa rose and hugged her, and then pulled Cindy into a group hug. “I have to leave – Elsrensia waits with Chekresu, and I cannot have her sit there all night. Hope is a good thing; hope helps us get through rough patches. Be optimistic.
It was a pleasure meeting both of you!” Llhaesa then phoned for a taxi, and after a few minutes a horn called from outside. Both Elaine and Cindy escorted llhaesa to the door, and waved as llhaesa climbed into the taxi, on her way to Chekresu, home, and a new cause for which to advocate.
