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Maya opened the door of the silver Porsche, sliding into the seat before turning to smile at the person in the passenger seat.
“I’m so sorry I was late getting out,” Maya practically panted, slightly out of breath from the sprint she’d made across the car park. “Claire called me into the office about the LGBTQIA+ club just as I was leaving the classroom.”
“It’s okay, bambina,” Carina reassured, smiling at the rosy hue that had overtaken Maya’s cheeks. “You’re only five minutes later than you said you would be.”
Maya plugged her phone into the aux cord, readying their usual playlist, before reaching for her seatbelt. “I know, but you know how I feel about lateness.”
“I think everyone in the school knows how you feel about lateness, Miss Bishop,” Carina teased.
“Punctuality is important, Miss DeLuca,” Maya retorted.
Carina furrowed her brows, a playful pout on her lips. “It’s DeLuca-Bishop as soon as we leave that building, Maya. You know that.”
“Of course, it is. I’m sorry, my beautiful wife, Mrs DeLuca-Bishop.” Maya reached her hand over, linking their fingers and giving Carina’s fingers a gentle squeeze.
“You’d better be” Carina pointed the finger on her free hand at Maya before pulling the car out of their usual parking spot and beginning the drive home. “So, how did your meeting with Claire go? Did she approve of the club?”
“She did!” Maya beamed. “I already have 6 kids who are interested in joining, and I have so many plans for what to do. I want to schedule some events that are relevant to queer history, and also make sure that they know about all the helplines and support groups that are available for them.”
Carina smiled at Maya’s enthusiasm. “I think that’s an amazing idea, bella. When are you planning on running it? I’ll schedule a day of working late to catch up with my marking or plan some lessons.”
“Well, about that…” Maya trailed off. “I was sorta hoping that you, my gorgeous, kind, selfless wife, would do me the honour of being the second staff member to help run the club.”
“Cosa?” Carina glanced over at Maya quickly, noticing the puppy-dog eyes she was shooting in her direction.
Maya turned slightly in her seat. “School policy is that there must be two staff members present at clubs at all times, and so I’m going to need a co-lead for the club to definitely go ahead. I think it's really important that it's run by queer teachers, but I know the others have their own clubs, and I just think the kids will feel more comfortable knowing that the teachers who are running the club can relate to them. It’ll help foster that safe place that we always talk about being so important.”
Carina could swear she could feel her heart melt at Maya’s words. This was a side of her that very few people got to see, and it was one of the things that Carina loved most about her. “Of course, I will, bambina.”
“Really?” Maya almost gave herself whiplash with how quickly she turned her head. “You mean it?”
“Assolutamente.” Carina nodded. “I know how much it means to you, and how much it is going to mean to the kids that join it too. If I can help you in any way, you know I always will.”
Maya looked at her wife in awe. They had been together several years, and yet, Carina still managed to take her breath away. She was always willing to show up for others, and she was Maya’s biggest cheerleader. “I love you so much.”
Carina switched off the car as she pulled into the driveway of their shared home. “Ti amo tanto.”
While Carina was upstairs getting changed into comfier clothes, Maya situated herself at the dining room table, surrounded by several clipboards and the entirety of her highlighter pen collection.
Maya thrived on organisation, and one thing that had drawn her to proposing the LGBTQIA+ club in the first place was the excitement of being able to tailor sessions that didn’t have to follow a specific curriculum, and ones that gave her the freedom to talk about something she was so passionate about.
She was so enthralled in writing all her ideas down that she didn’t hear Carina entering the dining room, and only looked up when Carina wrapped her arms around Maya’s shoulders and planted a kiss on her temple.
“What do you think of these loose ideas for things to cover?” Maya asked, handing Carina one of the clipboards with her colour-coded notes on. “Purple is for historical events, blue is for important figures to talk about, and yellow is for different resources that are available.”
Carina took the clipboard from Maya’s hand, smiling at the very detailed plan that Maya had managed to put together already. “I’m not exactly an expert in running clubs like this, bella. I’m just a biology teacher.”
“And I’m just an English teacher, but I mean, what is your perspective as a queer person?” Maya explained. “Would you have found this sort of stuff useful when you were growing up?”
“I think it’s definitely a solid starting point if nothing else,” Carina said, nodding in agreement. “Do you want each session to follow a rigid plan or will you just present topics for discussion?”
“I don’t want it to feel like there is a schedule or deter the kids from speaking about things if they don’t think that it fits with any agenda,” Maya stated. “I was thinking I could split the sessions into two and have the first half be the bits I want to teach them about, and then leave the second half open to any conversations that they want to bring up. I feel like it’ll change as the weeks go on, and I don’t want to be so caught up in a rigid plan that the club loses the freedom that it’s supposed to be about.”
Carina moved to sit in Maya’s lap, putting her hand behind her neck and pulling her in for a kiss. “Do you know how much I love you?”
“I think you’ve told me a couple of times,” Maya smirked, trying to regain the breath that Carina’s lips had just stolen from her.
“Remind me later to tell you a few more times,” Carina whispered, placing a lighter kiss on Maya’s lips.
“Would you be open to sharing your coming out story with them?” Maya asked after a few quiet moments had passed between them. “I think I want to share mine, but I don’t want you to feel like you have to share yours.”
“I wouldn’t mind sharing it. I’m not ashamed of any part of it, and it might help them to hear how people can have different experiences.” Carina nodded.
“I just want them to know we get it, y’know?” Maya looked at the hand she had wrapped around Carina’s waist, suddenly very interested in her fingers. “I know that everyone’s story is different, and there are so many factors that come into it, but if they can recognise even a little bit of themselves in us, maybe it’ll make them feel less alone. Less like there is something wrong with them or like they need to change to fit what society tells them they should be. I don’t want them to feel like they have to label themselves or have their identities figured out either. This group is going to be for everyone, no matter where they fall on the spectrum. I want everyone to feel welcome.”
Carina placed a gentle hand under Maya’s chin, tilting it until their eyes locked again. “You have a very big heart, Maya DeLuca-Bishop, and I love how much you care about this.”
“I just think that it would have been a saving grace when I was growing up,” Maya murmured shyly. “To have a place where I didn’t have to pretend to be someone I wasn’t, and to be surrounded by people who understood that not everything is as black and white as we are taught it is.”
“It’s going to mean a lot to the kids that come, bambina.” Carina stroked her thumb across the dimple in Maya’s chin that she loved so much.
“I hope so. I do have something I want to talk to you about, though.” Maya trailed off nervously.
“What is it, bella?” Carina quirked her brow.
“I don’t want them to know we’re married.” Maya’s voice was barely a whisper. “I’m not ashamed of our marriage, and I’d scream about how much I love you from every rooftop in Seattle if you asked me to, but we kept our maiden names for teaching for a reason. It was about keeping a part of us that belonged only to us. It was never about the name itself, and it was never about hiding our marriage; it was about holding on to the people we became when we finally chose our own path. I spent so much of my life feeling like I was living in someone else’s shadow, and being Maya Bishop at school was one of the first times I felt like I was just me. I want to walk into that classroom and be the person that I’m proud to be still. I don’t want that to change.”
Carina could have sworn that she felt her heart break at the look on Maya’s face. Although she had come so far in her healing, it was clear that she still struggled to voice her thoughts for fear of the repercussions.
“I don’t want them to know either.” Carina agreed, snuggling further into Maya’s embrace.
“Really?” Maya looked up in surprise.
“Sì.” Carina nodded. “My papà always expected me to be a doctor. He had a whole life planned out for me before I could even begin to think about what I wanted for myself. But when I chose to become a teacher, when I earned that degree, when I walked across that stage as my name was called out, that was mine, not his. I was the one who worked for it. I was the one who earned it. Not wanting them to know about a marriage isn’t about being Miss Bishop or Miss DeLuca; it is about everything that those names came to represent when we decided our own paths. The women we became when we stopped living according to what our parents expected of us. Anyway, they are still our students at the end of the day; we don’t have to give them the same information we would our friends.”
Tears brimmed in Maya’s eyes as she looked at her wife in awe. “I don’t know what I ever did to deserve you, but I am so thankful that I get to share not only a surname, but my whole life with you.”
“You changed me for the better, Maya DeLuca-Bishop.” Carina smiled as she cupped Maya’s cheek.
“And you did the same for me, Carina DeLuca-Bishop.” Maya closed the small gap between them, connecting their lips in a kiss that cemented everything.
Maya walked around the room, triple-checking that everything was in place. The room she had been assigned to run the club was currently only used once a week, meaning she had been given a bit more freedom in how she could set it up.
The desks had all been pushed to the sides of the room, and the clear space in the middle had been filled with an assortment of chairs and beanbags. There were a variety of inclusive flags tacked to the wall, and Maya had scattered out some pamphlets for the students to help themselves to as well.
She had pulled the blinds closed so enough light could still trickle through, but so that people couldn’t see in as they went past, wanting the space to be a sanctuary for whoever walked through the door.
At the front of the room, the interactive whiteboard showed a message welcoming everyone to the club and inviting everyone to get comfortable.
Carina walked into the room, having knocked lightly at the door, and she couldn’t fight the smile on her face as she saw Maya pacing around the room muttering to herself. She’d seen how much work Maya had put into the club over the previous weeks- all the sleepless nights and late-night research about how to create an inclusive space; she truly had given it her all.
“Hi, bambina.” Carina stood in Maya’s path, stopping her in her tracks. “Are you okay?”
Maya sighed, a slightly forlorn look on her face. “What if no one shows up? What if I’ve forgotten to do something? What if-“
“Woah, bella. Breathe,” Carina interrupted, reaching for Maya’s hand in an effort to stop her spiral. “You’ve already got 6 sign-ups, and I’ve heard students in my classes talking about it, too. It’s all going to be okay, prometto.”
“But- What if I fail?” Maya’s voice cracked as she looked at the floor.
“Maya, the fact that you even proposed the club in the first place is already a success,” Carina reassured. “There’s never been an LGBTQIA+ club in the school’s history, and not only did you propose the idea of starting one, but you pitched it so well that it got approved. That’s already a success, bambina, and even if there’s only one student that shows up, it’ll still be a success.”
Maya looked at Carina, a single tear rolling down her cheek. “Thank you.”
Before Carina could say anything else, there was another knock at the door.
Glancing at the clock, Maya realised that it was time for the club to officially begin. As she made her way towards the door, she could feel her heart hammering in her chest. Reaching for the handle, she took a steadying breath, while Carina shot her a reassuring smile and a nod of encouragement.
When she pulled the door open, Maya couldn’t believe her eyes, blinking in quick succession to make sure she wasn’t imagining things. Lining the corridor was a group of at least 12 students, double the number she expected, and so much more than she had hoped for.
“H-Hi, everyone.” Maya swallowed, trying to clear the lump that had formed in her throat. “Please, come inside.”
Carina watched the students steadily trickle through the door, and she couldn’t help the pride that overcame her as they kept coming. She’d always had faith in Maya, but she was glad that things were already off to a great start.
There was a flurry of noise as the students got themselves settled, some sitting on the chairs on offer, some opting for the floor, and others leaning against the scattered desks. Despite a lot of them not being in the same classes, or even in the same grades, they already seemed to have formed a camaraderie which made both Maya and Carina smile.
“Welcome to the school’s first-ever LGBTQIA+ club,” Maya’s voice echoed above the chatter, instantly putting an end to it. “It is an honour to be leading it alongside Miss DeLuca, and I’m so glad that you’re all here.”
Carina smiled and offered a small wave from where she was standing in the corner, simply content to watch the magic unfold.
“As you will see, we’re both wearing name tags with our pronouns underneath.” Maya pointed to the sticky label on her shirt. “If you feel comfortable enough, I would love it if each of you could write your preferred name and pronouns onto a tag, so that we can all get to know one another.”
“Our preferred name?” One student spoke up from the back of the room.
“Yep,” Maya nodded. “Even if you’re known by a different name outside of this room, we’d like to know what you want to be called.”
“Just like that?” Another student asked.
“Just like that,” Maya affirmed. “No questions asked. I promise.”
A few students looked over at Carina, who had now made her way to Maya’s side. “We want you all to feel welcome here, and the first step in doing that is making sure that we’re addressing you correctly. If you don’t know your preferred pronouns, just write a name; if you have multiple pronouns you don’t mind, write them all down. We want to get to know you all. The real you.”
Murmurs echoed throughout the room as the students began to make their way over to the table that had the tags and pens on. Maya watched fondly as a few students crossed out the names they’d instinctively written, and changed them for the name they wanted to be known by. She shared a knowing look with Carina, and nodded her head. This is what she’d wanted.
“Hey, Miss Bishop,” a voice called out. “What are these badges and lanyards for?”
“That’s what I was getting to next…” Maya stepped closer to read the name on their name tag. “Spencer.”
Spencer beamed at the use of their name, a slight blush making its way onto their cheeks. “They look really cool, Miss.”
“I’m glad you think so.” Maya smiled, patting them lightly on the shoulder. “Each of you is going to be given a lanyard, and you can choose pronoun badges from the bowl to add to them. Same rule as the sticky tags, as many or as few as you want, but they will also be available every week if you ever want to change them.”
“I wasn’t expecting this,” a small voice spoke out. “This is amazing.”
“We also have flag badges.” Carina held another bowl up. “Now, we know not all of you may have decided where you fall on the spectrum yet, and that’s more than okay, but if you’d like them, then they’ll also be here every week. And again, you can change them any time you’d like.”
As most of the group flocked towards the badges, Maya spotted a student still standing, staring at their empty name tag.
“Hey, is everything okay?” Maya spoke softly, not wanting to startle them.
“I- I don’t know what to put.” Their voice was barely a whisper.
Maya hummed, stepping slightly closer. “Because you don’t have anything in mind, or because you’re scared to share your truth?”
The student looked at Maya, surprise in their eyes at the fact that Maya had been able to read between the lines. “How did you know?”
“It can be terrifying when you’re finally given the permission to be yourself for the first time,” Maya remarked. “When you can stop pretending to be the version of you the world expects, and you can come into the person you’ve always dreamt of being.”
The student let out a hum as they looked back at the name tag. “I’ve always thought of the name I’d like to hear when people are talking to me, but it feels like it’s been a secret for so long that I can’t write it.”
“What would happen if you did?” Maya asked.
“I feel like I’d be betraying everyone that is trying to shape me into the person they want me to be.” The student wiped beneath their eyes, a few tears trailing down their cheek.
“But by not allowing yourself this freedom, are you not betraying yourself?” Maya prompted gently. “In this room, no one from the outside matters. You get to express yourself however you want; you get to be whoever you dream of becoming. No questions. No expectations. Just you. Exactly as you are.”
The student pondered Maya’s words for a moment before picking up a pen and writing out a name on the tag, their hand trembling slightly. “Thank you, Miss Bishop.”
“You’re more than welcome, Emerson.” Maya smiled, wrapping her arm around Emerson’s shoulder and leading them towards the badges.
Eventually, once everyone had their respective name tags and their lanyards with badges, they congregated in the chairs that Maya had set out for them, no longer scattered around the room, but united as a group.
“For today’s session, we just wanted to get everyone acquainted with one another, and share a little bit about what this club will look like,” Maya explained as she pulled her own chair over to join the group.
“We have some basic ground rules that we’d like for you all to follow, too,” Carina added as she settled on one of the spare beanbags.
“Well,” Maya interrupted, “there’s only really two rules.”
Carina tutted, “That’s beside the point, Miss Bishop.”
The group chuckled at the playful back and forth between the two teachers.
“Rule number one,” Maya began. “You must respect one another. You will address each other by your preferred names and pronouns, and anything that is shared in this space will be treated with the kindness and consideration that it deserves.”
Everyone hummed and nodded their understanding.
Rule number two,” Carina followed on. “You will be true to yourselves. We want this to be a space where you don’t have to worry about being what the world, or those around you, expect you to be. In here, you get to write your own stories, and exist as your authentic selves, okay?”
The group looked at one another, nodding their heads again as the weight of the words settled on them.
“Do- Erm- Do we have to share anything?” Emerson stuttered slightly.
“Not at all,” Maya replied. “If you just want to come along each week, knowing you’ll always be welcomed, then that’s more than okay. But we also want you to know that you can share anything you want, and it won’t leave this room.”
“What if we don’t know what our story is yet?” Another student spoke up.
Carina tilted her head slightly to meet their gaze. “Then we’ll figure it out together.”
“You both make everything sound so simple,” Spencer stated. “Was it this simple for the two of you?”
Maya and Carina shared a knowing look between them, their eyes saying more than words ever could.
“No,” Maya said. “I didn’t actually come out until well into my twenties. I had a girlfriend in high school, but my dad told me that I wasn’t allowed distractions from my training. In my brain, I began to associate distractions with negative things, and so I viewed my sexuality as something that should be kept hidden. We also used to go to church to put on this facade that we were a happy family, and I’m sure many of you know what the churches think of members of our community. My dad would always talk bad about anyone who didn’t fit his idea of a stereotypical family, and there are only so many times you can hear some talk about how disgusting they think those people are before you start to internalise it. Truth be told, even though I’m happily married to my wife, I still have moments where I have to remind myself that I am accepted and loved for who I am”
“That sucks, Miss Bishop,” Spencer exclaimed. “I’m sorry your dad was such an ass.”
“Spencer!” A few of the students admonished. “You can’t say that.”
“It’s okay,” Maya chuckled. “I appreciate the sentiment, Spencer.”
A look of relief passed over Spencer’s face, having realised they hadn’t upset Maya. “Do you think you’ll ever be able to fully accept yourself?”
“It’s definitely a journey,” Maya sighed, wanting to be honest. “You may have noticed my name tag says she/they, and that’s a part of my journey I’ve only recently begun.”
“Really?” Spencer asked, eyebrows raised in surprise.
Maya nodded. “Really. I had a lot of things to untangle as I grew up when it came to my name and my identity. There was a part of me that always felt restricted by my name, but as I began to understand where that came from, I realised that a lot of my issues were with my surname.”
“What do you mean?” One of the quieter students spoke up.
“You all know that I was an athlete growing up, and that I went to the Olympics,” Maya began, looking around the room to make sure that everyone did actually know that piece of information. “Being in the public eye like that, and having expectations placed on you, is a lot. I had to do the Bishop name proud, and it started to feel like a burden. If you’ve ever seen me in my Olympic hoodie, you’ll notice that my name isn’t plastered on the back in huge letters like everyone else’s, but instead it’s written on the inside of my sleeve. I didn’t want people to see my name and instantly have these ideas about who I should be, but I also still wanted to have some ownership over it. Maya Bishop won an Olympic Gold medal on a sprained ankle. Maya Bishop became an English teacher, despite the fact that she was unable to read very well as a child. Maya Bishop married the most incredible woman. Those are all things that I’m proud of.”
A few seconds of silence passed between the group before Spencer spoke up again. “But you’re still figuring out your pronouns?”
“I am.” Maya smiled. “I don’t mind people calling me she/her, but since being with my wife, I’ve been given the freedom to explore whether that is what I am most comfortable with. I don’t have all the answers, but I get to follow this journey and see where it leads.”
“That’s really brave.” Emerson’s voice wouldn’t have been heard had the room not been quiet. “Thank you for telling us your story.”
Maya couldn’t help the look of pride that overcame her as she looked out at the group of students, the moment more than she could have ever hoped for.
Carina’s attention had been on Maya the whole time, her chest bursting with admiration for her incredible wife. She had been witness to every part of Maya’s journey, and she was in awe of the person she was becoming. At that moment, Carina wanted nothing more than to reach out and grab Maya’s hand, but she settled for exchanging a proud smile with her instead.
“What about you, Miss DeLuca?” A voice interrupted Carina’s focus. “What was it like for you? If you don’t mind sharing.”
“I don’t mind, Frankie.” Carina smiled at the pride that flickered across their face. “I grew up in Italy, and while we are a lot more outspoken about sexuality in general, it doesn’t translate to the LGBTQIA+ community. I never outwardly told her, but I think my mamma always knew that I liked men and women, and she only ever cared about my happiness. My papà was not so understanding. When I introduced him to my first girlfriend, he told me that I was bringing shame on the DeLuca name, and no daughter of his was allowed to commit such a sin. He’d always had my life planned out for me, so the fact that I wasn’t fitting his mould didn’t go down too well.”
“That’s really sad,” Frankie murmured.
“It was,” Carina agreed. “But I was very lucky that when I moved away to study, I made friends with people who were part of the LGBTQIA+ community themselves. They taught me that it was okay to embrace who I was, and that I didn’t have to be ashamed. Many years later, when I met my partner, they also helped me to accept that part of me. Whenever my papà would try to tear me down, they’d be my shoulder to lean on, and they always reminded me of my worth. There’s a lot more to me than my sexuality, and they make sure that I take the time to acknowledge that.”
“They sound really special,” Emerson sighed wistfully.
Carina shared a brief glance with Maya, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “They really are.”
Maya glanced at the clock, surprised at how much time had passed them by. “Okay, everyone. This week’s session is coming to an end, but before you go, there’s a calendar on the noticeboard that tells you what topics we’ll be covering each week, which was beautifully laminated by Miss DeLuca. Next to the bowl of badges, I will also be putting a box where you can submit any themes you would like to cover or leave any notes of things you need to get off your chest. Again, these can be completely anonymous, and anything you share will be kept confidential.”
“It’s been lovely getting to know you all,” Carina added. “We hope you’ve enjoyed today, and we look forward to seeing you again next week.”
The students steadily trickled out of the room, expressing their gratitude as they left, and talking amongst themselves about how excited they were for some of the upcoming themes.
As the door closed behind the last student, Maya let out a breath that she didn’t know she’d been holding. “I- That- Did that just happen?”
Carina chuckled at Maya, walking over to her side and pulling her into a hug. “It did. You did it, bambina. Sono così orgogliosa di te. I’m so proud of you.”
“I can’t believe people came,” Maya whispered into Carina’s neck.
“I told you they would.” Carina smiled, placing a kiss in Maya’s hair.
Maya hummed, wrapping her arms tighter around Carina. “Thank you for believing in me, and for being by my side through it all.”
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
Over the coming weeks, the club went from strength to strength. They gained a few new members, and everyone settled into the community that they had built. Stories were shared, tears were shed, and an acceptance existed that none of them had ever known.
The second week saw them talking about different sexualities and where they might fall on the spectrum. Maya had prepared a presentation providing definitions of each one, and Carina had made posters to be displayed around the room.
Stonewall was the theme of the following week, and they all gathered around to watch a documentary about the Stonewall riots before discussing the impact that it still has on them today.
Both Maya and Carina particularly enjoyed the fourth week, when they got to talk about different LGBTQIA+ figures. They’d asked the students to choose someone that they looked up to within the community and share a little about them, and the results had been better than they anticipated. Each student flourished as they shared their appreciation of the people that they’d found comfort in looking up to, and it also provided more role models for everyone else to know about.
The fifth week felt different. Maya wasn’t sure if it was because they were talking about something that was so often featured in the news at the moment or because it was something that hit so close to home.
Carina walked into the room to find Maya pacing back and forth, muttering under her breath, much like she had been before the first session. Closing the door behind her, she walked over to Maya and grabbed her hand, turning her straight into her arms in a bid to stop the mounting panic she could feel.
“Breathe, bambina,” Carina whispered softly into Maya’s ear, bringing a hand to scratch lightly at her hair, something that always calmed Maya down. “Feel my heartbeat against your cheek and let it ground you.”
Maya allowed herself to melt into Carina’s embrace, calming at the familiarity of the rhythm of Carina’s heart. It was her favourite soundtrack to listen to, and one that could instantly calm even the most intense spirals.
“Thank you,” Maya spoke around the lump in her throat, lifting her head to meet Carina’s concerned gaze. “I didn’t realise I was so in my head until it was too late to stop it.”
“You never have to thank me, bella.” Carina wiped a tear that had escaped down Maya’s cheek. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Maya rested her forehead on Carina’s shoulder, letting out a deep sigh. “I don’t want to get it wrong.”
“Cosa?” Carina wrapped her arms around Maya once more.
“Telling them about same-sex marriages and the rights that currently exist for them,” Maya explained. “They’ve been talking about the news, and their worries about their rights being taken away under the current administration. We know that this plays heavily on their minds, and they’ve come to hang on every word we say. I don’t want to cause them any upset, especially when we know that not all of them have the luxury of having same-sex marriage recognised in their home countries. You know what that’s like.”
“I do,” Carina whispered.
Maya lifted her head to look at Carina. “Our marriage means nothing in Italy.”
“Our marriage means something everywhere, bella. Whether the law agrees or not, you will always be my wife.” Carina stated, her voice not wavering in the slightest.
Before Maya could say anything else, there was a knock at the door. She began frantically wiping the remaining tears from her face before Carina grabbed her hands once more.
“Breathe, Maya,” Carina instructed. “They can wait a couple of seconds while you compose yourself.”
Maya met Carina’s gaze and followed her in a well-rehearsed exercise of taking some grounding breaths before she nodded at Carina to open the door.
The students poured into the classroom, all eager to take their seats. Over the sessions, they had organised their own unofficial seating plan, and it made Maya smile every time she watched them take their place.
“Hi, everyone!” Maya greeted cheerfully, almost as if her spiral had been completely imagined. “I hope you’ve all had a good week since we last saw you.”
A few non-committal hums and murmurs echoed out around the room.
“This week, we’re going to be focusing on same-sex marriage,” Maya began. “We’ll look at when and where it was legalised for different countries, and what rights same-sex couples have.”
“Did you see the news this week, Miss Bishop?” Blake, one of the newer students to the club, asked. “They said we’d get the final decision on whether Kim Davis had been successful in convincing them to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges.”
“If they overturn it, does that mean that same-sex marriage will be illegal in all 50 states again or just that people will be able to refuse issuing marriage licenses?” Morgan, a student who had only recently settled on their preferred name, added.
“What about people who are already married? Will this affect your marriage, Miss Bishop?” Emerson’s face paled at the realisation of what it could possibly mean.
Maya held her hand up in an effort to silence the group. “Woah, one question at a time, please.”
“Did you see the news?” Blake asked again.
Maya nodded. “I did, yes.”
“What does it all mean?” Morgan asked.
Maya looked at Carina, not entirely sure of how to go about addressing things. She wanted to be honest, but she wasn’t even sure she fully understood what the repercussions would be herself.
“I understand that you’re all worried,” Carina began. “As someone from a country that doesn’t even recognise my own marriage, I get what the fear is like, but we have to have hope. We have to believe that the good will outweigh the bad, and that we will continue to see things progressing. Even when the steps are tiny, small changes make a big difference, and there’s already been so many things that have changed for the better.”
“Like what?” Cameron, another relative newcomer, asked.
Carina smiled, pointing at the PowerPoint that was waiting on the board behind Maya. “If you let Miss Bishop give you her very detailed presentation, you will see.”
All eyes turned to Maya as she made her way over to her laptop to change slides. The room had descended into complete silence, and the students practically hung on every word that Maya said. She had known it was going to be a week that sparked some intense emotions, but as time passed on, she saw just how hard some of the students had been hit by what they were learning.
“Are you legally married to your wife, Miss Bishop?” Frankie asked.
Maya smiled. “I am.”
“What about you and your partner, Miss DeLuca? Are you married to them?”
Carina nodded. “I am.”
“Are we allowed to ask if they are female?” Emerson spoke cautiously, a slight blush rising to their cheeks. “Because you have the bisexual flag on your lanyard.”
“You can most definitely ask,” Carina smiled kindly. “If I didn’t feel comfortable answering, then I wouldn’t. Just like all of you. My partner is female, but I have been using they/them pronouns more and referring to them as my partner, as that’s what they often use, but yes, I have a wife who I love very much.”
Maya had to bite back the smirk that was fighting to take over her face, and she was certain that the tips of her ears had turned red. Maya felt her heart warming at Carina’s words. While she knew that Carina fully accepted the journey that she was on, this was the first time that she had heard her actually speaking about what her experience was like from the other side. To see the pride on her face, and to hear her talking so openly without judgement, made Maya fall even more in love with her.
“When did you both get married?” Blake asked.
“June 3rd,” Maya replied.
“Of this year?” Spencer added.
“No,” Maya paused. “A few years ago.”
Morgan looked over at Carina. “Miss DeLuca, when did you get married?”
“I got married back in 2021.” Carina smiled.
“On which date?” Frankie spoke up, a cheeky smile on their face.
Carina chuckled. “Does the date matter?”
“Yes.” Frankie nodded enthusiastically.
“I don’t think it does,” Carina smirked.
Frankie let out a groan, not amused by not having been given a solid answer.
“Okay, do we have any more questions?” Maya interrupted, hoping to redirect everyone’s attention.
A flurry of hands shot into the air.
“That aren’t about mine and Miss DeLuca’s marriages,” Maya chuckled, shaking her head as she watched the hands be put back down.
As Maya made the closing remarks on her presentation, Carina was sure she could hear whispers among the students.
“Yeah, your marriage to each other”
“They aren’t as subtle as they think they are.”
“If you have any questions, then you can leave them in the box, and we’ll see you next week.” Maya’s voice interrupted Carina’s focus on what was being muttered among the group.
As everyone left, Carina noticed a few of the students looking between the pair of them, small knowing smiles on their faces, as if they’d uncovered a huge secret.
“That went much better than I expected.” Maya beamed.
“I think they might be onto us.” Carina furrowed her brow.
“What?” Maya asked, not having heard Carina from where she was standing across the room.
Carina shook her head. “I think they might have their suspicions about our relationship.”
“I don’t think so, babe.” Maya laughed lightly. “I think they are just curious kids who like to see how far they can push it.”
“Yeah.” Carina nodded. “I guess you’re right.”
As the weeks passed, they covered more important topics such as inclusive healthcare, ongoing HIV/AIDS advocacy, prevention and treatment support, and mental health disparities, and with each passing session, Carina became more aware of the fact that the group was figuring out the truth. They'd try to trip them up about what their weekend plans were or what they'd had for dinner the night before, and while Maya still maintained that they were just stuck in their curiosity, Carina knew better. She tried harder to make sure she didn't share looks with Maya that could be misinterpreted as lingering, and she stopped standing so close to her when they welcomed everyone into the room. It was all going great until one day, Carina didn't think twice about wrapping herself in Maya's hoodie on her way to the session that she was running slightly late to.
Carina’s period had snuck up on her that morning, and it was safe to say that she was feeling less than stellar. Maya had tried to convince her to call in sick, knowing that sometimes day one of Carina’s period completely floored her, but Carina had been insistent on going in because she had an important test day for her students and she didn’t want to miss a club session. In a desperate attempt to try and find some comfort, she had been reaching for Maya’s Olympic hoodie in between lessons, and had instinctively reached for it on her way to the classroom where the club was held.
“Sorry, I’m late,” Carina rushed out, barely waiting for Maya to open the door after she’d knocked before she walked into the room.
All eyes turned to Carina, and she realised a moment too late what had drawn their attention.
“Isn’t that a London 2012 Olympic hoodie?”
“Is it Miss Bishop’s”
“Someone check the sleeve.”
Carina felt tears welling in her eyes, a result of the hormones from her period, as she tried to subtly move her hand into the hoodie’s pocket.
Maya looked at the worry spreading across Carina’s face before she followed her gaze to the London 2012 logo that was so clearly on display, and realised what was wrong.
“Miss DeLuca,” Frankie interrupted the silent conversation happening between the pair, a signature grin on their face. “Did you go to London for a specific event, or did you watch a few?”
Carina cleared her throat, desperately trying to pull herself together. “I was there for a few days, and I saw many things.”
“Did you have any highlights?” Emerson asked, a small smile tugging at the corner of their lip as they continued to revel in the confidence they’d found in the group.
“Athletics has always been a favourite of mine, and the atmosphere inside the stadium was electric.” Carina smiled at the rush of memories that came to her. “I was there for what they called ‘Super Saturday,’ and it’s something I’ll never forget having witnessed.”
“Wait,” Spencer interrupted, a furrow in their brow and a mischievous glint in their eyes. “Wasn’t the 10,000 metre final run the day before Super Saturday?”
Frankie’s head snapped around at the news. “As in the 10,000 metre final that Miss Bishop won?”
Carina nervously laughed, willing Maya to try and divert their attention back to the theme for the week.
“Yes, the final I won, crazy, right?” Maya tried to hurry the conversation along. “Anyway, back to today’s topic-“
Maya was interrupted by a knock at the door, opening it to find George, the school’s admin person, with a delivery bag in hand. “A delivery for you, Miss Bishop.”
Maya took the bag, knowing exactly what was inside, and, from the logo on the front, Carina had a good idea too.
“What’s that, Miss?” Morgan asked.
“Oh, just lunch.” Maya brushed off the question.
She placed the bag onto the desk, and the separate cup holder that held the coffees next to it, not thinking anything of it.
“Why does that cup say ‘to my beautiful wife’?” Frankie pointed to the writing on the cup. “Is this from your wife, Miss Bishop?”
“It can’t be,” Emerson whispered. “Look at the other cup.”
All eyes turned to the other cup, which clearly had ‘your olympian’ written on it.
Maya cringed slightly, knowing what had caught their eye. She had asked for the nickname to be written on the cup in an effort to cheer Carina up. While she didn’t usually like being referred to as ‘her olympian,’ she often caved if Carina was sad or sick, just to see the smile on her face. And Carina being on her period was definitely reason enough to allow the nickname to be used.
Carina felt a small smirk tugging at the corner of her lips, realising she hadn’t been the only one to slip up, and also knowing that Maya could no longer deny that the students knew exactly what was going on.
“Okay,” Frankie said, standing up from where they had been sitting on one of the beanbags. “You’re either married to each other, or we need to be preparing for you both to be divorced very soon.”
“Is it really that important to you all that you know?” Maya chuckled in disbelief.
“Yes.” Emerson deadpanned.
Carina couldn’t hold back her own laugh, deciding to play along. “And if I said we were married?”
“We’d say it was about time you admitted it.” Spencer piped up.
“And if we aren’t?” Carina quirked her brow.
“Then your wives should be worried about pending divorces,” Spencer remarked.
Maya and Carina laughed as Carina pulled her hand from where she’d had it hiding in her pocket, allowing the name printed on the sleeve to be clearly seen as she wrapped her arm around Maya.
“Fine.” Maya threw her hands in the air in mock exasperation, a huge smile on her face. “You’ve caught us; the big secret is out. We’re married and have been for four years. Are you happy now?”
Frankie grinned. “Ecstatic.”
“Wait!” Blake practically yelled. “Is this why you car share all the time and why you don’t mind chaperoning each other’s trips?”
“I knew you were wearing Miss Bishop’s hoodie,” Morgan stated, a satisfied look on their face.
“Is this why Miss DeLuca helps out at the club too?” Emerson asked.
“Well, I do that because I do genuinely care,” Carina interrupted the onslaught of questions. “And I think it’s a great idea for you to have a club like this available to you, but the rest of the things… yes.”
Spencer stood up straight from where they’d been leaning against one of the desks. “We’ve been compiling evidence, y’know?
“Who’s ‘we’?” Maya asked, amused by the pleased looks that the group were now wearing.
“All of us.” Frankie beamed. “There’s more than what we mentioned earlier.”
Maya and Carina shared a look before Carina raised an amused brow at them. “Do you care to share your findings?”
“Number one,” Spencer began, a finger held proudly in the air. “You always share looks with each other across the room when you think we’re not looking.”
“Number two,” Frankie joined in. “You’re always hanging out in one another’s classrooms, and you’re always sitting or standing really close to one another.”
“Number three,” Emerson spoke, a shy smile on their face. “Miss DeLuca’s computer screensaver is a photo of her and someone who looks suspiciously like you at Yellowstone National Park, and you mentioned that’s where you went the other week.”
Carina turned to look at Maya, a satisfied smirk on her face. “I told you they were on to us.”
“I guess you were right,” Maya conceded. “As usual.”
“We won’t tell anybody,” Frankie’s voice turned serious. “It’s so cool that we all get to know this, and to know that you both do understand things on a similar level to us. We appreciate everything you’ve done for us with creating this club where we can be ourselves, and we respect the heck out of both of you.”
Maya let out a shaky breath, emotion overcoming her at everything this space had come to be. “We appreciate that so much. We’re not ashamed of our marriage, but we don’t want it to be the thing that defines us and becomes all we’re known for.”
“We get it, Miss Bishop,” Spencer affirmed. “If we’ve learned anything while being here, it’s that our sexualities are among the least interesting things about us. Just because we live in a world that tries to make them a big deal, it doesn’t mean that that is the case, and that’s what you’ve taught us. In the same way you respect us, we have that same respect for both of you.”
“Thank you.” Carina smiled, a few tears brimming in her eyes. “You’re all very sweet, and it’s an honour getting to run this club for you.”
More time passed than anyone had realised, and before they knew it, the session was over.
“I’m sorry we didn’t get to this week’s theme,” Maya said, looking remorseful. “I promise we’ll cover it next week.”
“Don’t worry, Miss Bishop,” Emerson said. “This was so much better.”
As the group made their way out of the room, they shared little comments about how pleased they were that Maya and Carina were married, and expressed how sweet the way they talked about each other was. Each comment filled Maya and Carina with joy.
When the room had cleared, Maya and Carina stood for a moment processing everything that had unfolded.
“I really thought I’d be the one to mess things up, but I’m so glad you beat me to it,” Carina smirked.
“How did you manage to wear my Olympic hoodie, and it was my surprise delivery that gave us away?” Maya laughed at the absurdity.
Carina made her way over to Maya’s side, pulling her into a hug. “I guess I’m just that good.”
Maya chuckled, wrapping her arms tighter around Carina, and revelling in the few moments of peace they’d found.
“How do you really feel about them knowing?” Carina’s voice was barely a whisper.
“I don’t mind as much as I thought I would,” Maya admitted, pulling back from the embrace slightly. “I trust them all, and it’s nice to not have to hide you or our relationship. We’ve thrived on making this a sanctuary for them where they can be themselves, and it almost felt wrong that we weren’t living in our own truths.”
“I am so proud of you, Maya DeLuca-Bishop.” Carina brought a hand up to cup Maya’s cheek, placing a gentle kiss on her lips. “Now, what delicious treats did you have delivered for me?”