Jodi Picoult - Sing You Home

The psychologist nods. “That’s about right.”

“Then maybe you can explain something else to me,” Angela Moretti says. “How come most gay people have straight parents?” She turns around and walks back to her seat while the psychologist is still trying to find a response. “Nothing further.”

Angela Moretti really doesn’t want Pastor Clive to take the stand. “Your Honor,” she says, “if Mr. Lincoln is a character witness for Max Baxter, there’s no need to qualify him as an expert in his field. The study of Max Baxter is not an academic discipline.”

“Pastor Clive is a religious leader and scholar,” Wade argues. “He’s traveled all over this country preaching the word of God.”

“And you know the one place he can’t preach it? In a court of law,” Angela replies.

“I think I want to hear what he has to say,” Judge O’Neill says.

“Of course you do,” Angela mutters.

The judge scowls. “I beg your pardon, Counselor?”

She looks up. “I said I’m a Jew.”

“Well, I never would have made that assumption, given the fact that your last name comes straight from Federal Hill. But thanks for sharing,” he adds. “It puts some of your earlier objections in a much different light. Attorney Preston, you may call your witness.”

When Pastor Clive walks in from wherever he’s been sequestered, accompanied by a sheriff, the gallery reacts. The members of the Eternal Glory Church call out hallelujahs and amens; the Westboro Baptist group starts clapping. For his part, Pastor Clive ducks his head humbly and walks down the aisle.

He asks to be sworn in on his own Bible.

“Please state your name for the record,” Wade says.

“Clive Lincoln.”

“What do you do for a living?”

“I’m the pastor of the Eternal Glory Evangelical Church of God.”

“Do you have a family, Pastor?”

“Yes,” Pastor Clive says. “I have a wonderful wife, and God’s seen fit to bless us with four beautiful daughters.”

Three of them I know-they’re fresh-scrubbed preteens who wear matching dresses and sing with Pastor Clive on Sundays. The other one sits in the back during services and doesn’t say a word. Rumor has it she hasn’t accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. I can’t imagine what a personal embarrassment that must be for someone like Pastor Clive.

I guess we all have our crosses to bear.

“Do you know the plaintiff in this matter?”

“I do. Max joined our congregation about six months ago.”

“Are you familiar with Reid and Liddy Baxter as well?” Wade asks.

“I’ve known Reid for fifteen years. He’s a business whiz, frankly-he’s managed the church’s finances for over a decade. We may have been the only nonprofit that made money during the recession.” Pastor Clive rolls his eyes upward. “Then again, we just might have had Someone looking out for us in the stock market.”

“How long have you been the pastor of this church?”

“Twenty-one glorious years.”

“Pastor, what does your church teach about homosexuality?”

“Objection,” Angela Moretti says. “I don’t see how this testimony furthers his understanding of the plaintiff’s character.”

“Overruled.”

“We believe in the word of God,” Pastor Clive says. “We interpret the Bible literally, and there are multiple passages that state marriage is meant to be between a man and a woman, for the purpose of procreation-and many others that directly condemn homosexuality.”

“Can you elaborate?”

“Objection!” Angela Moretti stands. “The Bible isn’t relevant in a court of law.”

“Oh, really?” Wade says. He gestures to the King James Bible the clerk keeps on his desk for swearing in.

Angela Moretti ignores him. “Your Honor, Mr. Lincoln’s interpretation of Bible verses is a direct melding of religion and justice-which violates the very principles of our legal system.”

“On the contrary, Your Honor, this is entirely relevant to the best interests of the pre-born children, and the sort of home in which they wind up.”

“I’ll allow the testimony,” Judge O’Neill says.

A man in the back of the gallery who’s wearing a shirt that says CLOSETS ARE FOR CLOTHES stands up. “Go fuck yourself, Judge!”

O’Neill glances up. “Motion denied,” he says drily. “Sheriff, please remove this man from my courtroom.” He turns toward Pastor Clive. “As I was saying, you may proceed. But I’ll limit you to choosing a single verse as an example. Ms. Moretti is right about one thing: this is a trial, not a Sunday School session.”

Pastor Clive calmly opens his Bible and reads aloud. “Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable. And if a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. I know those are two verses, but they’re practically on the same page.”

“How would you and your congregation interpret those passages?” Wade asks.

“I don’t think it’s just me and my congregation,” Pastor Clive says. “It’s spelled out to anyone who reads it-homosexuality is an abomination. A sin.”

“For Pete’s sake,” Angela Moretti says, “I object. For the hundredth time.”

“I will give his testimony the weight it deserves, Counselor,” Judge O’Neill says.

Wade turns to Pastor Clive. “I’d like to direct your attention to the pre-born children at the root of this case,” he says. “When did you learn about them?”

“Max came to me for counseling, very upset after having a conversation with his ex-wife. Apparently, she is now living a life of sin-”

“Objection!”

“Please strike that from the record,” the judge says.

“Max’s ex-wife wanted to get custody of these pre-born children so that she could transfer them to her lesbian lover.”

“How did you advise Max?” Wade asks.

“I told him that this might be God’s way of trying to tell him something. We discussed what sort of family he wanted his children to grow up in-and he said a traditional, good Christian one. When I asked him if he knew anyone like that, he immediately mentioned his brother and sister-in-law.”

Liddy, I think and feel a pang in my chest.

What if I suggested we raise the babies together? We could tell Wade, and he could tell the judge, and then all of a sudden the biological father-me-would be added to the equation. Then I wouldn’t be giving the babies away; I’d be keeping them for myself.

Except that Wade’s made a whole case about me not being ready to be a father.

And Liddy.

Even if she was willing, I couldn’t take her away from everything she’s got. The money, the home, the security. How could I even come close to measuring up to Reid?

Reid, who’s never done anything but help me and who gets, in return, a brother who sleeps with his wife.

Yeah, I’m the perfect father. A real, upstanding role model.

“Reid and Liddy have been praying for children for years,” Pastor Clive says. “They’d recently considered adopting through the Snowflakes agency. When Max came to me, I thought that maybe God was offering us a different solution, one that would benefit everyone involved. That perhaps Liddy and Reid were the best parents for these particular pre-born children.”

“How did Max react?”

“He was cautiously optimistic.” Pastor Clive looks up. “We all were.”

“Thank you, Pastor,” Wade says, and he sits back down.

Angela Moretti starts talking before she even rises from her chair. “A solution that would benefit everyone involved,” she repeats. “Is that what you thought?”