courthouse and got hitched. she and ann are are defining their relationship at a very prominent time in american sexual politics especially in the state of massachusetts taking the lead in same-sex relationships and courts and all of a sudden couples are getting married in the courthouse. well. i don t think that cara would ve gotten married just because she didn t feel like a piece of paper was that important. but ann really wanted to have the same last name as brianna. reporter: in the years that followed, there were happy times with brianna the little girl who meant the world to them. a day before ann died, they attended service at the reverend lori souder s serene church and everyone seemed so contented, fresh from a vacation. when i stand at the pulpit and i look around and it s like they re here. they ve returned. i knew they were away in florida and they were full of light. reporter: when suzanne cordes saw them, after the service,