Jimmy lifted the box off her lap and put it beside the statue on the table. Then he stood and picked Aggie up in his arms. Aggie snuggled in without comment as they made their way to the bedroom. In mutual though unexpressed deference to the religious holiday, Aggie and Jimmy made love in the missionary position. Vigorously, with gusto, but still missionary. They both eventually fell into an exhauseted slumber for several hours. The sun was just coming up when Aggie awoke. She kissed Jimmy on the lips.
“It’s not Christmas any more,” she whispered and tickled his ear with her tongue.
He roused and aroused quickly. Jimmy told her that December 26 was called Boxing Day in Canada and suited his actions to the words. After a hearty pillow fight, they tangled in less orthodox positions for the next hour or two. Finally Aggie left to go back to her family at the Sylvia.
By the time she arrived, Andrew had blessedly, finally gone. He left a note explaining that he had to get back to Cincinnati to pack up his things and resign from the university. He was eager to take up his new job working on the x99B nanochip. He thanked Aggie for their months together and hoped she wasn’t too upset that he had left. Angela couldn’t stop laughing as she read the note to her twin. While Aggie was glad he had gone and was out of her life, she felt a little residual sadness. Andrew had been a nice boy.
The sisters spent the day with their father and Mary, who were leaving early the following morning. Their father informed them over lunch that he had phoned Jimmy and invited him to dine with them that evening. Aggie’s emotions on hearing the news were confused. Being with Jimmy and her family was a mixed blessing. When he vanished from her life in two days, the family togetherness would eventually become a pleasant memory she supposed. Right now it was a painful vision of things that were not to be.
Dinner passed in animated conversation. Aggie was quieter than usual, but no one commented. As they left the restaurant, she pulled Jimmy back to walk beside her.
“Do you want me to come back with you to the apartment?” she asked.
“What do you want?”
Aggie thought for a moment then answered honestly.
“I’m feeling emotional tonight. Dad and Mary are leaving tomorrow. I know there’s the contract…”
“Screw the contract,” Jimmy growled. “What do you want?”
“I want to go back with them,” Aggie admitted. “We’ll be together tomorrow night.”
“Our twelfth night,” Jimmy commented.
“Yes,” Aggie agreed. She knew her eyes were filling with tears, but she couldn’t stop them. Let him see her cry.
Jimmy kissed each eyelid, leaving the tears to streak down her cheeks.
“Go with your family,” he said and patted her on the bum. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
Aggie walked numbly after her father and Mary and Angela, leaving Jimmy standing on the sidewalk. About a block away she turned and looked. He was still there, watching. He lifted his hand and waved.
The family said their goodbyes that night at the hotel. The next morning Aggie and Angela by unspoken twin consent both slept in till noon. They went out for a quiet lunch then wandered back to the hotel. Aggie buried herself in a book while Angela watched mindless television. Aggie knew Angela was depressed by Richard’s non-appearance, but her own coming disappointment overshadowed her thoughts and prevented her from offering comfort to her twin. At 5:30 she dressed haphazardly and left the apartment.
She had decided to walk to Jimmy’s again and she found her spirits comforted slightly by the brisk wind and the salty tang in the air. The day had been dreary but the sky lightened as dusk fell. Perhaps it would be a clear night.
Jimmy wasn’t waiting in the lobby of the apartment. Aggie hesitated then entered and pressed the buzzer for the elevator. As she ascended she wondered what was wrong. The doors opened to reveal an empty and dark lobby.
“I’m in here,” Jimmy’s voice called out from the living room and stifled the worst of her fears.
She shrugged out of her coat and walked toward his voice. He sat on the sofa in darkness with a drink in his hand.
“Are you all right?” she asked as she slipped in at his side, her own worries forgotten in her concern for him. He draped his arm over her shoulder.
They sat in silence for several minutes. Then Jimmy put his drink down on the coffee table and turned to face her, his hands on her shoulders holding her away from his body.
“I don’t want to let you go, Aggie,” he said seriously.
“I don’t want to go.”
“I know it’s asking a lot,” Jimmy ignored her words. “Your family is in Alabama. This is a foreign country.”
“I’d have to learn a new national anthem,” Aggie agreed. She leaned forward into his arms. “I was afraid tonight was going to be our last night. I was so unhappy.”
“You’ll have to marry me,” Jimmy whispered into her hair.
Marriage?
“Can’t we just live together?” Aggie asked. Marriage?
Jimmy tipped up her chin and teased her lips with his tongue.
“Marry me,” he repeated.
Aggie swallowed.
“Do you want children?” she asked.
“Yes,” Jimmy admitted. “Lots. Is that a problem?”
Aggie shook her head, relieved.
“What else do we need to discuss?” Jimmy continued stroking Aggie’s lips with his tongue as he spoke. She pulled back her head.
“Can I get a job here? Will they let me work?”
“If you marry me,” Jimmy teased. “You can get dual citizenship. Then you can work in both countries.”
“Do you mind if I work?”
“Mind? Hell no. We’ll need your salary to help with expenses.”
Suddenly Jimmy turned serious. His fingers left Aggie’s cheek and he held both her hands in his.
“Being wealthy can be a real pain sometimes,” he admitted. “You should think about it.”
“How rich are you?”
“About half a billion,” Jimmy admitted.
Aggie swallowed.
“That’s a lot of money. Are you safe?”
“You mean kidnappers?” Jimmy answered seriously. “I try to keep a relatively low profile.”
“This is weird,” Aggie commented. “I never thought about being really rich.”
“It has its benefits,” Jimmy offered.
Aggie smiled. They were sitting in one of the benefits right now.
“I could shop,” she smiled.
Jimmy nodded.
“We could go skiing in Gstaad.”
“That we could.”
“This could be fun,” Aggie admitted.
“Then you’re saying yes?” Jimmy asked. “A serious yes?”
“There’s one thing you haven’t said.”
“That I love you?” Jimmy laughed. “I forgot. Yes, I love you, Aggie.”
“Then the answer is yes, an unqualified yes.”
“And…,” Jimmy prompted.
“And I love you too. I have a confession to make.”
“What?”
“I think I fell in love with you at lunch the first day.”
“I fell in lust. I’m not sure when it turned into love. Maybe when I realized that I couldn’t let you go back to Cincinnati.”
“I have to go back and pack up my things. And resign my job.”
“We’ll go together,” Jimmy stated. “For now, we’re making an overdue trip to the bedroom.”
He picked Aggie up and carried her at a bumpy dogtrot through the lobby and into the bedroom where he threw her onto the circular bed.
“Open the skylight,” Aggie suggested.
Jimmy pushed a button and the cover retracted revealing a star strewn sky.
“The weather cleared up,” Jimmy commented.
“Everything cleared up,” Aggie added. “I’m ready for a preview of the wedding night, Mr. Buko.”
“I’m yours to command, Mrs. Buko.” Jimmy began to strip.