Chapter 7
It was blissful, like floating on a cloud. The sky was clear and a soft blanket of snow covered the ground. Jo was above it all, looking down, giving her
approval. It was perfection, just as a Christmas Day should be, with no anger, or resentment, or disappointment to ruin the day�s festivities. It was
the kind of day she had longed for but it began to blur and recede and she tried to bring it back but it just kept fading until only darkness prevailed
and a loud banging could be heard. Jo thrashed her head from side to side and woke with a jolt, only the banging didn�t stop. Memories from last
night came flooding back as she felt the form next to her. Brian slept curled on his side with a look of contentment on his face. She eased herself
from the bed not wanting to wake him and took her robe and went to the front door.
She looked out the front window and noticed that it was still flurrying and they had gotten a good five inches overnight, a white Christmas. She smiled
as she thought that it was something else she had hoped for this year. The pounding on the door started again and Jo unlocked the door and opened
it.
"My God, Jo, it�s freezing out here." Sam bellowed as he stamped into her foyer shaking the snow off his coat. "You�re not dressed?" He eyed her
attire and unkempt appearance distastefully. Jo didn�t respond totally taken back by his arrival at her front door. "We�re expected at the club in 15
minutes. Don�t you remember?" He removed his gloves and went into the living room. He gave her tree a quick glance and turned to wait her reply.
"I�m not going Sam. I had no intention of going today. I thought you realized that the last time we spoke. It�s over." Jo went and fluffed the pillows
on the sofa to calm her nerves at his untimely arrival.
"Over? What do you mean over?" Sam came and took her by the arm and turned her body towards his. "Look, I know I was a bit out of line but you
and me, well, Jo, we�re expected. We�re a couple. Everyone knows it." He leaned forward to kiss her and Jo turned her cheek and wrenched herself
from his grasp.
"No Sam, not any more. I am sorry to bow out here at Christmas but we can�t be together any more. I want to settle down, you know marriage, a
family, a house. Are you willing to give me all that?" She waited as she watched his face fall knowing full well what his answer would be. Silence. "I
knew this would be how you would react. You can�t commit and I want more than to be just window dressing for you." Jo took a deep breath before
she dropped the rest. "Besides Sam, there is someone else and I love him."
"Not this again. Is this that �friend� you mentioned a couple of weeks ago? You hardly know him. How can you be in love?" Jo could see the whole
conversation was agitating him.
"One doesn�t question when it comes to matters of the heart. I know that logically it makes no sense, but love isn�t logical." He eyed her disheveled
appearance again and then noticed there was a glow about her he hadn�t seen when he came in.
"You slept with him didn�t you?" Sam looked down the hallway but it was dark and the door to the bedroom was closed.
"And if I did, it�s no concern of yours." She stepped in front of him blocking the hallway.
"How could you?" His voice rose and he muttered an obscenity under his breath.
"Before you start calling me names, Sam, take a good look at yourself." He went to protest but she stopped him. "Think about your own behavior.
You want me to play your little game so you can sleep around behind my back. That�s not a relationship Sam and I won�t be a party to it. You�re
free." He looked lost. He had no idea what hit him, let alone try to react to the words she just threw in his face. She saw his confusion. "Look, it�s for
the best Sam. Better to walk away now before we really hurt each other." He looked like he had the wind knocked out of him. When he finally found
his voice, he sounded desperate.
"You can�t do this. It�s Christmas, We have commitments." His voice became whiny like a child in the middle of a tantrum. Jo waited to see if he
would stomp his feet as well. "Where is this guy?" He started towards her bedroom but Jo stood her ground.
"He�s not here." She said sternly. There was no point in getting Brian involved.
"Don�t lie Jo, just looking at you I can tell you left him to answer the door." He tried to walk past her but she refused to budge.
"The only thing injured is your pride Sam. You don�t love me. All you�re concerned about is how it will look to your family and your associates. It�s
always been about appearances Sam not about feelings. Somewhere along the way you lost sight of us and what we should be." He looked defeated
and Jo walked towards the front door. "Be honest with yourself and then with your family. Tell them we�ve both moved on." He hung his head as he
followed her.
"I hope you know what you are doing." He turned up the collar of his overcoat. "You�re sure about this?" Begging was foreign to Sam but he took a
stab. "I could try Jo. You want marriage. I could try."
"You wouldn�t be any good at it Sam. It wouldn�t be enough for either of us." She kissed his cheek. "I�ll be fine. Goodbye Sam." She watched him
walk down the steps towards his car. His head was bent and Jo felt a twinge of sadness.
~*~*~*~*~
Brian woke to the sound of voices. At first he was disoriented but then the memory of the snow and kissing Jo and then the way her body molded so
perfectly to his brought the previous hours into clear perspective. The voices grew louder and Brian grabbed his boxers and listened at the door. The
man�s voice was tense and Brian was worried that Jo could be in jeopardy. He opened the door to try and see anything, but they were in the living
room and out of his line of vision. He weighed whether he should offer any assistance, but hearing Jo deny he was even in the apartment made up his
mind. He closed the door leaving it cracked and continued to eavesdrop on the conversation.
Jo leaned back against the front door. She could hear Sam�s car as the tires screeched on the slippery road. She looked out the front window and
watched as his car fishtailed down the street. A lone tear ran down her cheek and she brushed it away. She felt sorry for him and hoped that some
day he would be able to let go and give himself to someone and learn how loving someone and having them love you back could be the most
exhilarating experience in your life.
"Jo?" She opened her eyes to see Brian standing in front of her. "He didn�t hurt you did he?" She shook her head and Brian took her in his arms.
"Are you having second thoughts?" Jo looked up into his eyes. When you caught hold of them, you couldn�t let go. They just held you spellbound.
"No," she lowered her eyes. "I won�t deny that it scares me, but I can�t ignore these feelings running through me either. I never felt like this, not
even at the beginning with Sam. I look at you and I get all twisted inside."
He lifted her chin and brushed the tear from her cheek. "I won�t hurt you." His body was warm even for the lack of clothing and Jo rested her head
on his bare shoulder. "I think our gift this Christmas was a new beginning. We both embarked on a journey to find a new path and along the way we
found each other." She raised her head and he tilted it up pressing his lips to hers. "I give you my heart and all the love inside. Merry Christmas, my
love." Tears began to fall again and he scooped her up in his arms and carried her back to the bedroom.
"Brian, what are you�"
"I think we should share our Christmas presents again." Jo laughed as they fell on her bed and Brian pulled the blankets over them.
~*~*~*~*~
It was the Christmas she had yearned for. At first she said no, but Brian insisted, one more guest was no problem and he wanted her with him. So
after they �exchanged� Christmas presents again they had a light breakfast then showered and headed to Brian�s house.
There was a house full of people, grandparents, and cousins and aunts and uncles and Jo sat with a smile on her face and drank it all in. It had been
so long since she spent a Christmas like this. They welcomed her with open arms and Brian was never far from her side the entire day. Whenever
she felt her confidence wane his hand was on the small of her back or at her side. His words of encouragement whispered in her ear carried her
through the day. The food was simple but ample as his mom directed them all with platters to the buffet table and the conversation was typical of a
large family with everyone talking at once. At one point she just sat and watched as the people around her passed platters and bowls and laughed
and goaded each other. She could feel her eyes smart and Brian leaned over and covered her hand with his.
"Hey," she turned and Brian could see tears threatening to fall.
"I�m okay. It�s just," Jackie watched them and smiled at Jo. "This is so much more than I expected this year. Thank you." Brian kissed her cheek,
which caused his brother to let out a soft whistle, which his mother admonished him for.
And later as they lay in her bed curled up together she let it all run through her head like a movie. There was a small grin on her face and it took
Brian kissing her cheek to bring her out of her reverie.
"Where were you?" He asked as he pulled her close to him.
"Just thinking back to today. It was so wonderful." She leaned up and kissed his mouth. "Thank you for making this the best Christmas in a very
long time."
"Well it�s not over yet." He reached for his jacket and pulled out a long narrow box.
"Brian?" Jo frowned as he handed her the gaily-wrapped box. "I don�t have anything for you."
"I have you, Jo. I don�t need anything else. Open it." Jo looked at the package and her heart fluttered in her chest. She slipped the ribbon off and
loosened the silver paper on the black leather box. She looked up at him and he nodded. She lifted the cover to find a silver charm bracelet on a bed
of black velvet. Jo removed the bracelet to find six small charms hanging from the links. The first was a coffee cup, then a tree, a pair of ice skates,
some music notes, two silver bells and last one was a heart.
"Brian, it�s beautiful." She fingered each charm and suddenly the significance of each dawned on her. "You�they�re�oh my God�"
"You figured it out." He grinned as she went back and looked at each one again. "It not only represents this Christmas for you, but it�s every time
we spent together."
"The heart?" She questioned.
"That�s was my own idea. It represents my love for you. I plan on adding more to that bracelet." He put the box on the nightstand and pressed her
back against the pillows. "I love you and I plan on loving you for a very long time." His body covered hers and Jo wrapped her arms around his neck
as his mouth covered hers.
As a light snow fell on the city that night, Jo and Brian slept curled together as the street light bounced off the silver bracelet on the table. And years
later as their grandchildren sat at their feet on Christmas Jo would tell the story of each charm and how she and their grandfather had met.
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