Made To Be Broken

No Stopping Us Now

“Hit me like a ray of sun
Burning through my darkest night
You're the only one that I want
Think I'm addicted to your light.”

- Halo,  BEYONCE

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 The impending phone call had been grinding Noble’s guts all evening, but he couldn’t put it off any longer. When the line picked up at the other end, the tension coiled tighter. “Reverend Bane?” Noble said quietly, voice unsteady.

“Yes.” The man answered pleasantly.

Noble hesitated, throat closing. “This is…Noble Richman. I…I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be able to help out at the rec center. My ribs were injured and I just got out of the hospital. I apologize for the short notice.”

Silence sifted through, and when Rev. Bane spoke again, the pleasantness was gone. “That’s quite all right. I’ve already found someone to take your place.”

“I…I don’t understand.” But didn’t he? Bane had seen him on his date with Jonah, dancing with a man in public. He’d seen the look in the reverend’s eyes; shock, disapproval…disgust.

“I think you do, Noble.” The man said quietly, stiffly. “Parents just aren’t comfortable with their children spending time in the company of…” He didn’t say the word, whichever word he had had in mind, and let the sentence go.

“I’ve been volunteering at the rec center for over a year now. No one has ever had a problem with me.”

“That was before.” Bane said. “If the parents found out that their small children were being monitored and attended to by…a homosexual…they wouldn’t allow them to come to the center, and that wouldn’t be fair to the kids.”

“I don’t-”

“You know that all our volunteers are from the churches. Christians.”

“I am a Christian.” Noble whispered. “You know that.”

The man sighed. “I’m sorry, Noble. I don’t know who you have been listening to, but they are leading you astray from the word of God. I do not believe a person can be both gay and Christian. A choice has to be made, one or the other.” He paused briefly. “And you’ve obviously made your choice. And as long as you choose to engage in such a lifestyle…I have to respectfully ask you not to volunteer at the center anymore.”

Noble was at a loss for words. For a moment in time, lost in Jonah’s presence, he had forgotten that outside his lover’s arms, outside his home…the world still looked on him in judgment.

“I say this in love, Noble – I strongly suggest you re-examine the word of God…and get back on the right path before it’s too late.”

Jonah stepped into the bedroom doorway and leaned against the door frame, arms crossing loosely over his chest. The tightness in Noble’s face creased his brow with a frown. He mouthed the question – ‘Who are you talking to?’

Noble just looked at him, his pulse instantly quickening at the sight of the man. There was nothing to re-examine. “When someone tells me something in love, Reverend Bane,” Noble murmured, still gazing at Jonah – whose face pinched at the reverend’s name. “They don’t have to tell me ahead of time, I’ll know it when they say it. And nothing you’ve said so far…has been spoken in love. Maybe it’s you who needs to re-examine the bible, particularly the verse that states – by this they shall know ye are my disciples, if ye have love one for another. Christ was big on the whole loving one another thing. Clearly you and a whole hell of a lot of other so-called Christians have forgotten that.” He snapped the phone closed and dropped it on the night stand.