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We need to get you better.

All this hoopla isn't necessary.

All we need are Ocean County voters

at the next Freeholder meeting.

Radicals and strangers from New York

aren't going to convince these guys.

I am not a radical and

I am not from New York.

I am a middle-class, Jewish

homosexual from New Jersey.

How about you, sweetheart?

I'm a straight, white, Anglo-Saxon,

ex-Protestant, atheist cop.

You okay with that, sweetheart?

I am. That is very hot.

It's an opportunity to change the world.

Laurel, this can be your legacy.

It is not a local story, Mark.

It's an outrageous miscarriage of justice.

I'm giving you the opportunity

to cover this nationally.

Yes.

Okay. Well, you know what?

If your editor doesn't see

how important this story is,

then he is an idiot,

or a closeted homophobe.

Yes, you heard me.

We need more entenmann's.

Hey, you got room. You can pull up.

Why don't you get out of our town?

Just get out of here, you lesbian b*tch!

Get the hell out of here! Get out!

A**holes!

You goddamn dyke!

You okay?

Yeah.

Hello?

What?

I'm coming. I'm coming.

Go!

Laurel? Laurel? What happened?

All of sudden she was so confused.

She didn't know where she was.

And I didn't know what to do.

She's gonna be okay.

Patients only.

Laurel?

I love you!

I love you!

What's going on?

The cancer spread to her brain.

And her lymph nodes.

And the side of her neck.

Jesus.

The doctor said that...

That we're not trying

to cure anything anymore.

That we're just trying

to buy a little time.

I...

I thought we had a few years.

I had myself convinced.

Oh, God.

So the meeting's tomorrow?

Yeah.

Steven's got all kinds of

big things in the works.

Protesters. Speeches. And who knows?

He might shoot himself out of a cannon.

Wrapped in a rainbow flag.

Now, if we win,

I hope I'm still around to see it.

Hey.

Hey, don't talk like that.

They're gonna get you all sorted out

with this radiation thing.

I have a very sensitive bullshit meter,

and it's ringing off the hook right now.

I expect the truth from you, partner.

Okay.

I'm worried about Stacie.

Yeah, you know.

She's trying to accept it.

She's had so much to

deal with. She's so young.

It's not fair.

Life's not fair.

No, it isn't.

Sorry I never told you

the truth all those years.

You know maybe I...

maybe I wanted people to

think we were into each other.

It was just easier. You know, for me.

Maybe I thought

you wouldn't want to be my friend.

I should have known better.

I have no regrets.

Justice for Laurel!

Justice for Laurel! Justice for Laurel!

Everyone! Energy! Energy!

Justice for Laurel! Justice for Laurel!

Justice for Laurel! Justice for Laurel!

All right. All right.

Hi, sweetie. Are you one of us?

No, I'm not.

Do you wanna be?

I can make it happen.

Come on, guys.

The more of us show up at this meeting,

the more they know the

department's behind her.

And if they say yes,

then my tax dollars go to her girlfriend.

Yeah.

The same way your wife gets

your pension if you die.

Yeah, but she's my wife.

The chief says it's a political issue

and we can't take sides.

What's political about a cop

getting screwed out of her pension?

Who's coming to the meeting?

Oh.

Don't put yourselves out.

She'd back up any of you in a heartbeat.

And she's dying!

But, hey, you know, she's a dyke

so who gives a sh*t?

Cowards.

Well, now we know for sure.

Dane Wells is a fag.

Why don't you just back off?

Why don't you just let me know

when you're gonna come

out of the closet, Julio?

Dane?

I just wanted to say that

I think you're doing the right thing.

Well, show up for Laurel.

I can't.

I'm sorry.

We never had this conversation.

You have the power!

You have the power!

You can do this!

It's out of our hands.

It is in your hands.

You have the power! You have the power!

Ladies and gentlemen, please sit down.

Please sit down.

Please.

You can do this!

You have the power! You have the power!

You can do this!

This all came out in

the shower this morning.

I got this.

You're so professional.

- I try.

- No, it's good.

You did good.

- Ready?

- Yeah.

I know I'm the type of guy who scares you.

I'm a big, loud, gay Jew.

You don't scare me.

Laurel Hester

gave the citizens of Ocean County

justice for 23 years.

And now she's asking you to

give her justice in return.

You have the power.

We don't have that option.

You do!

The Domestic Partnership Act

gives you the option to grant benefits.

You have the power. You have the power!

You have the power! You have the power!

You have the power!

This is not a local crowd.

They've been shipped in here.

No. I see some locals.

Please! Please!

You have the power! You have the power!

It's in your hands. You have the power!

Ocean County cannot afford to do this.

Actually, we can afford it.

The question is, who tells us

how to spend the county's money?

That is for us and our

constituents to decide.

Oh, no, no, no, no, no. No!

Shame! Shame!

Shame on you!

- Yes?

- Hello?

Father John Thompson-Quartey,

Saint Mary's episcopal church.

Point Pleasant Beach.

Laurel and Stacie have been to my church.

And now I've heard that some of you believe

that Laurel Hester's relationship

with Stacie Andree is

not sanctioned by God.

And that is why you are

taking this position!

No. No. Father...

Would you like to hear what Jesus

actually said about homosexuality?

I will tell you what he said!

And I quote.

That's right.

Jesus said nothing on the subject!

But he said plenty about compassion!

Please.

Well, Father,

there are definitely Old

Testament verses that...

You want to get us sued here?

Don't cut me off.

Look, ladies and gentlemen.

I understand this issue.

My uncle died of lung

cancer. It's terrible.

And I have always tried

to do the right thing,

but we need to look at the total picture.

Please. Please! Please! I am begging you.

I am begging you. Do this for Laurel!

You can do this. You have the power.

You have the power!

You have the power!

You have the power! You have the power!

Hey, get off your knees.

Listen to me! Listen

to me! This is a circus.

It's gonna backfire.

It's political theater. And you know what?

If you think you can do better,

there's the mic!

Unless you're afraid they're

gonna think you're gay.

You have the power! You have the power!

You have the power!

All right! All right!

Hello, Detective Wells.

Hello.

Gentlemen.

I was born and raised in Ocean County.

I'm a piney.

Or a constituent,

as Mr. Johnson would like to say.

I'm straight, by the way.

I also happen to be Laurel Hester's

partner on the force.

We've worked together

for many, many years now,

and I can tell you from

first-hand experience

that she is about as fine an officer

as Ocean County could hope to have.

Now, Laurel, Stacie, and I

could solve this problem real quick, okay?

I could go get a justice of the peace,

take him to Laurel,

and we could get married.

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