Marc Struthers is a career nurse in the US Navy, and he hates the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. He lives with Adam, who’s also in the Navy, and they share a room and bed. Although they often make love, Adam claims he isn’t gay.<br><br>One night while on shift, an attractive female doctor tries to seduce Marc. When he rejects her advances, she reports him as being gay.<br><br>Despite Marc’s commitment to the Navy and his job, his military career is in jeopardy. The admiral who must hear Marc’s case is from an older generation. Can Marc wait for DADT to go away as so many promise, or will he be discharged?

Military Emancipation

In their private backroom, the staff embraced each other. It was always hard to lose someone. Marc filled them in on the estranged son and left out Nick’s coming-out confession. He let the tears flow.


At the end of the shift, Marc biked home and trudged through the front door. Adam watched TV.


When he lifted his eyes to Marc, Adam asked, “What’s wrong?”


Marc threw himself into Adam’s arms and confided the day’s events. Adam took Marc to a quiet dinner and then a long walk on the beach, something that always calmed Marc.


Marc wanted to say special words to Adam, but his sentiments didn’t make it to his tongue. Too much family and social indoctrination wouldn’t let him say, “I love you,” to another man.


Autumn took deep breaths of relief with the potential demise of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. The recent magazine article on it kept circling her mind.


Adam, Marc, and she strolled along the sidewalk to Steve’s apartment a block away, carrying food for the birthday party.


Chapter 5