Olivia and Lisa took their turn in front of the people and introduced who they were, getting surprised by the applause and warm welcome they received. They didn't know it yet, but the two young women in the front row cheering the loudest, were Jess and Lou, the lesbian couple they were wanting to hire.
They gave them the plans for the bed and breakfast and who it was for. Olivia avoided mentioning anything sexual in nature, keeping it focused on the love Victoria wanted to bring about and how women had a place for them to go. They were happy seeing heads nodding at the ideas presented and received another hearty round of applause when she finished.
The room took a silence and not a word was mumbled, as Olivia began introducing Victoria, telling them who she was and why she was back from beyond. By the time she was done her introduction, everyone was on the edge of their seat waiting for the curtain to open and finally see her for themselves.
"And now it gives me the greatest of pleasures to introduce, Ms. Victoria Masters."
The curtains parted and Victoria was escorted by Skylar and Chelsea, both wearing their best dresses for the occasion. They led her to the podium and explained how to talk towards the microphone so they could all hear. Victoria stood for a couple minutes looking at the people, going through them one by one as they clapped. When she finished, she smiled at them warmly.
"A lovely welcome, thank you. I see so many of you I've met before. It makes me so happy to see you again, thank you for coming. I feel so many of your thoughts and yes, it was me that touched you all those years ago. I know from how you feel, it was something that made you feel wonderful for many years after. You wondered to yourselves why you felt such a love and it was I that helped you see it, but you that wanted to enjoy it. I so happy that many of you took a chance to experience that love."
That made heads turn to look at the women, men wondering what their woman had done without their knowledge. The blush of embarrassment told the truth for some, while others kept their composure to remain unknown in what they did. As suspicion flew about, Victoria continued and took the focus of it away and back on herself.
"Dear menfolk, please, if your wife has had a chance at this love, has it made her a good woman or a bad one? Can any of you honestly say that knowing about it now will change how you feel about her? Has she not been good to you and raised families for you and kept a good home? Have they not shown you love to make you happy? Knowing they shared in a love that is unfamiliar, one most would scorn, does that make them lesser in your eyes for knowing that love?"
Victoria let her words have a chance to sink in to the men and eased many women who were on edge of feeling defensive of rebuttal.
"Ask yourselves how any love can be wrong or bad. Why must we all be forced to choose who our hearts must find happiness with, when those hearts don't hold the love like the ones we want? Those hearts belong to someone we aren't supposed to find love in and I ask why. We never really know why we love who we do, we just feel it in our hearts to want to be with them. That's what love is, that want of each other and to make them happy. I have seen many loves in my time here and after and none are as beautiful, as those that are based on a true love of each other. There is too much hate and anger towards people, I have seen it in wars and those against differences in who they are. I want nothing but love for you all to enjoy and feel it in your hearts. The love I want to share, won't take away from what you have now, it will only make it better, for both of you will be satisfied in all the ways you've truly wanted. I can sense the change in my dear friend Marlene and her lovely husband, Victor. I know their love has deepened and become stronger for them. Has it not?"
Marlene stood up and smiled at everyone confidently.
"It is true. Vic and I have learned the love that Victoria wants to share with us and it has made our relationship stronger and more loving. Both of us are happier now than we've ever been and I don't think Vic would disagree, would you, baby?"
"Nope, I totally have to agree with that. Without going into anything, Mar enjoys everything she likes and I enjoy everything I like and more. I don't feel threatened by it in any way and Mar is happier than she's ever been. I learned that there was more to her than I could possibly have imagined, yet I would never have known, if it wasn't for her learning about the love Victoria is wanting you all to know about and understand, so I'm all for it."
They took Vic's words to heart, trusting him as their town leader that he would remain the straight shooter he was and remain true to his word at all times. Joe nodded, as did Bert and Fred Bervaugh, who was the last member of the council. The financial gains that would come from voting yes were clear, but it was what their financial gains would be based on, that made them sceptical about whether it was a viable thing to allow. Rights and freedoms under the law were brought out much earlier, taking the rejection based on bias out of the equation. It was a matter of how they felt in their hearts about it that mattered.
Victoria shared her thoughts on feminine loving between themselves, using examples of women who were lifelong friends and reminding them of how the town stuck by their own and made things work, as it was still done that day. People were gaining more of a sense of pride in their town and themselves, being reminded of the things they had done in the past and those of their parents and grandparents. Victoria tried to make as many know of their ancestors and the role they played in making Markton the place that it was. The pride was obvious in them and it was harder for them to distance themselves from her. She endeared them with the strength of their love for one another and what that love meant to everyone, then refined it so it was directed solely towards the women.
The men were asked to leave then and none refused the room to Victoria. Once they had left and the doors closed, Victoria asked them all to stand and face the one beside them and hold their hands together. She had them introduce themselves, even if they knew each other, then had them hug as friends.
"Whether we are mothers, sisters, daughters, cousins or friends, we are all women and share a common bond of love for one another. It is we who sew the fabric of love into everyone from the very earliest of days and continue to do so until the day we part this earth. I feel I was blessed to have this new life with you, so that I can help you see how important it is that we must all love one another. Whatever love we share, its all good, for it promotes that love within us to share. I can sense several who are couples in this room, please raise your hands so we can see who is enjoying a deeper love together."
Jess and Lou were first to raise their hands proudly, then Olivia and Lisa raised their together as they held them, then Marlene rose and went to Chelsea, taking her hand in hers to raise it. Eyes were cast about the hall looking for others, when Annabelle from the library rose her hand and looked beside her at the other elderly lady. She nudged her and quietly chided her and she eventually put her hand up.
Olivia and Lisa were pleasantly surprised to see that and smiled broadly when Annabelle winked at them.
"Who is the lady beside you, Annabelle?"
"She's been my lifelong partner for decades, my Dolores. Haven't you my love?"