Day 0 — Ontario, Canada: New Millennium, New Rules/Big Day, Bigger Night
Wednesday, June 27th, 2001, 11:21 a.m.
Unveiled 31-year-old Hailey Elle Lockwood and Sasha Marie Pleshette-Lockwood joyfully pranced past their applauding guests, amid a shower of rice and congratulations. They could already feel their hearts pounding with newly wedded bliss as they hopped into the limo. Once the door shut with both brand-new wives in the back seat, they threw their arms around each other and made out like teenagers. It was the happiest day of what was now their shared life.
They'd known each other, dated and been steady girlfriends for seven years, in their hometown of Juniper, Minnesota. At the advice of the Juniper Institute of Lesbian Lovers and Organization of Frisky Females (J.I.L.L.O.F.F.), and the handbook the girls received upon becoming a couple, they shacked up following year one. After three years getting the hang of living together, they agreed that they were ready to get married. There was only one problem: their sex organs were identical, and it was still the 20th century.
Hailey and Sasha were all but complete opposites. And yet, everywhere they looked, they found love. Once their union was official, they looked forward to bumping the theory that opposites only attracted trouble. They'd generated far too much happiness, despite their numerous differences. Hailey was down-to-Earth, sensible and type-A, whereas Sasha was flighty and unpredictable. Hailey'd earned a business degree and wrestled her way up the corporate ladder. Sasha had dropped out of college a short ways in, deciding to be a multi-medium artist. Hailey crunched numbers, fought deadlines and listened to inspirational audiobooks to and from work. Sasha kept a home studio in which she whipped up occasional mistresspieces. Her stereo blasted hip-pop, opera and heavy metal, whichever she was in the mood for. Hailey enjoyed her single genre of music—classical—but not at work. And to list but one more difference, Hailey did not experience creative work blockage. Nor resort to the use of artificial hallucinogens to break said blockage.
Of all the things that distinguished them, what caused the most anguish in their dating life was this. While both wanted to get married, Hailey was very upset and indignant ever since she'd learned same-sex marriage was illegal. Neither particularly wanted to be a mother, but both harbored desire to solidify their bond in matrimony. Sasha tended to be easygoing about such things, more a roll-with-the-punches gal. The way she saw it, some things were just the way they were. And they had to accept the nature of the world they were presented with, flaws and all. The fact that Sasha wasn't as angry over this injustice in turn made Hailey angrier.
"Why does this not bother you?" Hailey'd wanted to know one day. "Do you really deep down not
want
to marry me? Is that it?"
"Sweetheart, of
course
I wanna marry you," Sasha'd calmly told her. "I love you more than anything in the world, and I want that world to know it! I...I just don't think we should put our energy into being upset about something we have no control over. Babe, I just...I just feel stuff like energy's at a premium. Y'know, we only have so much every day, and if we use it on negativity, we'll just make ourselves miserable. I mean...of course I think we should have the same rights as straight people. At the same time, no one's telling us we can't be together as girlfriends. It's not like we can't share our love and lives at
all
. I love you
so
much, and I'll walk down that aisle with you the
second
we can. And I'm sorry this hurts you, but until people wake up...what can we do about it?"
Well, get out there in the streets and
march
, for one, Hailey told her. She wanted them to make a trip to New York and join the Pride Parade. So beginning the next year, they did. And while Hailey'd remained up in arms that day, she (didn't want to but) had to admit Sasha's tranquil demeanor and tactful words made it easier to be rational. And to come up with ideas like the Parade. So they took vacation time to sink their teeth into the Big Apple. From 1997 to 2000, they made the journey for the last week in June, took part in the Parade, and spent the meantime enjoying the buzz, the sights, the glam, the lights, the Broadway shows, the shopping, the pizza...
oh
, there was a lot of pizza. No wonder, they thought, it was one of the things this place was known for.
Finally in 2001, their wish became a reality, in the Great White North. The girls lived just a little ways south. So when vacation time came around again, the opportunity had to be seized. The trip was considerably shorter than that to NYC, while including customs and passports. It was worth it. They knew their Proud marching New Yorkers would want them to do this, and were convinced the Parade would survive without them. They took two weeks' holiday this year, to follow up Canada with a honeymoon to Ireland, one place both had always wanted to go. Thank heaven there were so many destinations, even such opposite women could agree on one.
Inevitably, for all their differences, the girls found a few things in common. Like a love for pancakes, which meant a disproportionate amount of meals savored at IHOP. Another, amazingly enough, was an aversion to the touch of velvet. Yet one more was a personal insecurity workaround: the wearing of sunglasses. Allowing a peek into their naked eyes made both feel their hearts and souls were also naked in a way, thus vulnerable. And in their proverbial books, such fragile nakedness belonged in a private setting.
Which brought them to their
other
,
vast
ly valued and shared interest.
6:33 p.m.
The Ontario Quality Inn at 180 Bay Street, Sault Ste. Marie may not have been the most orthodox location to celebrate a wedding night. But the two dress-clad, unveiled women who were now the Lockwoods were so happy to be married, they didn't care. And approaching the front desk to book a room, they received an enormous additional treat. When they showed and told the receptionist they'd just wed, he arranged to give them a complimentary suite so they could spend more money on their honeymoon. Naturally touched, the girls frolicked on up to make the marriage of
ficial
ly official.
Both radiated ecstasy all over, including their very special organs. They raced frantically to the appropriate floor, looking wildly about for their suite. When they found it, they had to squelch enthusiasm just enough to get the key in. Hailey handled this task while Sasha hopped on her toes in zealous wait. When the key finally found its way in, Hailey flung the door open, and in they flocked. The suitcases hit the floor. The newlyweds beelined to the bed,
seized
one another with vehement passion, and tumbled in.
It was as if the girls' bodies, hands and mouths were magnetized. They fought to breathe through the noses as they rolled over each other, emanating hot, hungry moans, pawing at one another—Hailey with bare hands, Sasha with fingerless lace gloves. Within mere minutes, their bodies began to heat and sweat through their dresses. When at last broke the first mesmerizing kiss, each heaved desperate breaths and blinked until her beautiful wife's face was back in focus.
Puff.
"God
, I love you so motherfuckin' much, Mrs
.
Lockwood!
" Sasha gushed.
Huff, puff.
"
I love you more, Mrs
.
Pleshette-Lockwood
," gasped Hailey back.
And so commenced kiss-a-thon two, during which the wives remained stationary, and unhanded one another to unfasten and yank off their shoes. Comfier, they resumed snuggle mode without breaking lips, and massaged each other's legs and ankles with their soles. Sasha broke this liplock, substituting with a cheek nuzzle to grasp another breath.
"
