Jamie looked around the square as the people began to gather for the performance. She had no choice in the matter, their names had been listed on the electronic billboard and broadcast over the network. Now, as she unbuttoned her blouse, she wondered if she would be able to do it, wondered if she could possibly create the excitement she needed to if she and her husband Matt were to survive.
She remembered first receiving the notation, she was at home with Matt when their network monitor flashed to life with a loud shrill. Jamie and Matt moved to the screen while their friends remained back, out of view of the camcorder. Together they watched the woman, in her syrupy sweet accent invited (invited mind you) them to report to the square for their performance. The woman then faded from the screen and the Great and True, Right Reverend William Graham VI came into view for the marriage pronouncement.
Jamie and Matt, wife and husband, along with their two friends listened to the words every religious broadcast in the world always ended with: "And in the firm and loving arms of God, may the man and woman joined in matrimony, now and forever the only matrimony, bare their gifts before us." Everyone knew a couple, in this instance Jamie and Matt, had been called to display their union before all.
It had all happened back in 2009, when the National Guard in practically every state in the union strangely found thousands of supposedly uncounted ballots, ballots that confirmed that a different candidate had won the election. Backed by the military, the first Presidential Candidate to officially lose to a black man took the office. Shortly thereafter the President appointed the Governor of the great state of California to the newly formed cabinet position of Chief of Family Values.
In the turmoil that followed the change in Presidency martial law was declared and under the strict supervision and observation of the military, California's old Proposition 8 was modified slightly and then voted as the 28th Amendment to the Constitution. After that, to be entitled to any benefits of the Government, include the right to work, all had to be married in a single union between a man and a woman. These unions were subject to public inspection and verification as part of the National Church Services.
With the abolishment of the internet and the criminalization of all forms of pornography these inspections and verifications became wildly popular and while only the elected officials and their close associated could get the close up observation points, everyone relished in these rituals. Some of the more attractive couples soon became celebrities as their marriages were called forward for inspection and verification time and time again by the National Church.
Although the rituals became a great source of entertainment for a large portion of the society, there were many who feared the call to verification. Obviously the excessively shy or unattractive couples feared the call, but it was even worse for those whose marriages were shams, where gay men married lesbians and then simply shared their love with another like minded couple. With the laws in place this masquerade was the only way the gays and lesbians could survive. Of course, with the death penalty often assigned at the penalty for failure to perform the marriage verification the ritual often meant the death toll for the unfortunate gay couple selected.
