The dining room was full.  Everyone was seated, waiting on us.  Aris pulled my chair out and I sat, in my usual spot to his right.  Ripley was seated to my right.  Ripley put his hand on my thigh and gave it a quick squeeze.  Is that an apology?  No.  Then what does it mean?  He didn't answer.

I got some food that I would normally chow down on, but I just didn't feel like eating.  My appetite had vanished.  I mostly just pushed the food around on my plate.  “Are you going to eat that or just keep playing with it?” Aris asked.  “I don't know,” I answered, “I just don't feel good.  I think I need to go lay down.”  I pushed my plate away and laid my head down, on the table, on my folded arms.  Ripley moved it away so that I wouldn't make a mess.  “I can take her,” Ripley volunteered, “I know that you have presents with the kids.”  “Okay,” Aris agreed.

Ripley stood up, then pulled my chair out.  He helped me up, then offered me his arm.  I took his arm but really needed more than that.  I started to fall.  He caught me and picked me up.  He took me to his room instead of Aris' room.  He laid me down on his bed and covered me up.  I changed into pajamas.  He undressed and put on a pair of gym shorts.  He turned off the bedside lamp and got into bed with me.  He pulled me close and hugged me to him.  “What's wrong with me?”  I asked, “I was fine earlier.”  “Just rest,” he told me, “It will pass.”  I instinctively turned toward him and snuggled up.  I closed my eyes and fell asleep almost immediately.

Sometime later I woke feeling a lot better.  I untangled myself from his arms and sat up.  The room was dark, but light enough that I could make out doors.  I started to get up, but he grabbed me and pulled me back to him, “Where are you going?”  “I have to go to the bathroom,” I answered.  “Okay,” he let go and pointed toward a door, “It is right there.  Come right back.”  I got up and went to the door he had pointed to.  I went in.  It was a lot smaller than Aris' bathroom, but still pretty big.  It had a shower and bath combo, one toilet and a sink with a medicine cabinet.  I did my business then was tempted to snoop, but thought better of it, since he could read my mind.

I turned off the light and went back to the bed.  I crawled in and covered up.  He grabbed me and pulled me flush against him.  “Did you snoop?” he asked.  “Nope,” I answered.  “Why not?” he asked, “I would have.”  “Because you can read my mind,” I answered.  “Go ahead next time,” he answered.  “Did you snoop on me?” I asked him.  “The first chance I got,” he answered.  “Everything in that bathroom belongs to Aris,” I told him.  “I snooped through your backpack,” he told me, “cool purple socks.”  “Those are my lucky socks,” I said indignantly, feeling a little violated.  I started to get back up.  He pulled me back down, “where are you going?”  “To snoop,” I pulled free from him.  I got out of bed and hurried back to the bathroom.  I looked through everything and the only thing I found to tease him about is strawberry toothpaste, not worth the effort.

I left the bathroom and turned the bedroom light on.  “Wait, what?” he asked, shielding his eyes.  “I’m snooping,” I told him.  I went for the only remaining door.  I opened the door and looked.  Clothes hanging up, shoes and a backpack on the floor.  I drug out the backpack.  I smiled at him.  He was laying on the bed, up on one elbow, looking like a shirtless god, “Go ahead.”  I sat down, then opened the bag and dumped it out on the floor.

“What's this,” I asked, holding up a purple velvet box.  “I was a soldier before we came here.  That pin designated my rank,” he answered.  I opened it and looked then put it back in the bag.  I picked up an ink pen to put it back in the bag.  “That belonged to my father,” he told me, “The only thing of his that I have.”  I slowed down as to be more careful.  I picked up a blue velvet bag.  “That is some costume jewelry that my sisters played with,” he explained.  I opened the bag and looked through them.  They were beautiful, necklaces and bracelets.  I carefully put them back in the bag.  I came to one final box.  It was small and worn looking, like it had seen better days.  “That box belonged to my mother.  Pictures of my family from before.  Bring it here,” he told me.  I got up and carried it to the bed.  I sat down next to him and he went through the pictures telling me who each one was.  “I was really young,” he concluded, “so I only know who they are from Lia telling me.  We used to look at them every night.”  He took the box from me and put it on the nightstand.  He turned the light back off.

“Are you going back to sleep?” I asked, wide awake.  “Not exactly,” he answered, pulling me to lay down beside him.  In one swift motion, I was laying down on my back and he was hovering above me.  He slowly leaned down to kiss me.  “Wait!” I stopped him, “what if I am contagious?”  “You are not contagious,” he told me.  “How do you know?” I asked.  “Because I gave it to you,” he answered.  I got a prickly feeling all over my body, “What?  How?  Why would you do that?”  “I sent you bad feelings just like I can send you good feelings,” he answered, “that was your punishment for screaming a profanity, for defying me.”  I just stared at him stunned.  “Would you rather me spank you or make you sick?” he asked.  I was unable to answer.  What kind of a question is that?

“How about neither,” I finally answered, “How about you treat me and talk to me like an adult so that issues like that don't happen.”  He was silent as he thought it over for a minute.  “Okay.  I will try that approach in the future,” he responded.

He got off of me and stood up, only in his underwear.  He turned on the light and grabbed his pants, “they are ready to do presents now.  Time to get dressed.”  I changed back into what I had been wearing before and waited on Ripley.  “So are you sorry?” I asked.  “Sorry about what?” he asked.  “About making me sick,” I answered.  “Yes.  I did not want to do it.  I just did not know how to make you stop,” he answered.  “Next time try explaining why.  Aris told me why, so I won't do it anymore,” I told him.  “Okay,” he agreed.  “No more making me sick?” I asked as he put his shoes on.  “No,” he smiled, “no more.”  I wondered how many other ways he has in his arsenal to make me miserable.  He didn't answer.

He stood up ready.  We made our way to the back porch for a smoke.  They were all outside waiting for us.  Ripley lit me a cigarette, then one for himself.  “How do you feel?” Aris asked, putting his arm around me.  “Better,” I answered, even though I still felt a little uneasy about the situation.  “Are you ready to open presents?” he asked.  “Yes,” I answered.  I decided to put that aside, hoping that this wasn't going to be an ongoing problem.  I think that he just doesn't know how to deal with me, or maybe, women in general.  I finished my cigarette quietly, with a fake smile, pretending to listen to their conversations.

“Jade,” Aris side hugged me.  I looked up at him.  “Are you sure you are okay?” he asked.  I nodded my head yes.  I caught a glimpse of Ripley watching me intently.  Probably wondering if I was going to tell Aris.  I hadn't decided yet.  I put out my cigarette.  We all filed inside.  Aris and I waited while they all got out of their coats.  Then we went to the living room.  I sat on the couch with Aris to my left and Ripley to my right.  More like I sunk into the couch and leaned on Aris.  Now, after that conversation with Ripley, I didn't feel so great.  Aris must've sensed that something was wrong.  He lifted and pulled me onto his lap and wrapped his arms around me.  I instantly felt comforted and started to doze.

“Jade,” Aris shook my arm.  I became alert and looked around.  I must've fallen asleep.  “Are you ready to open your gifts?” he asked me.  “Yes,” I answered, feeling much better.  It was mostly gift cards and certificates.  You get what you give, right?  Theo had gotten me a brush, comb and mirror set much like Desi's, but more adult.  Lia had got me a bunch of lotion from Bath and Bodyworks.  The rest were all gift cards except for Aris and Ripley.  Aris pulled out a small box from his pocket and handed it to me.  I carefully untied the ribbon and took the lid off.  It was a beautiful ring with a diamond in the middle encircled by smaller diamonds.  I looked up at him, “it's beautiful.”  “Do you accept?” he asked.  “Yes,” I smiled.  He kissed me and I kissed him back.  He put it on my left ring finger.  I kissed him again.  I felt a tear trickle down my cheek.  “Now, none of that,” he said catching the tear with his thumb.  He kissed me again.

“Did you get mine yet?” I asked.  “Ripley said I should save them, so I did,” he answered.  Ripley handed me one of my small boxes.  I handed it to Aris.  He opened it.  He just stared at the ring for a minute.  “Well, what do you think?” I asked, worried that he didn't like it.  He looked into my eyes, “I love it,” he sounded choked up, “I accept.”  I took it out of the box and slipped it onto his left ring finger.  This time it was my turn to catch a tear falling on his cheek.  We kissed again.  “One more,” he told me, handing me an envelope.  I opened the envelope and pulled out the card.  I read the card then looked at a slip of paper inside of it.  It stated ‘One trip to the destination of your choice.’  I looked into his eyes, “Thank you.”  I kissed him again.  “Where do you want to go?” he asked.  “I don't know.  You will have to surprise me,” I answered.

Ripley scooted over next to us.  “Let me give you yours, then give him the last one,” Ripley told me.  “Okay,” I agreed.  Ripley pulled a small box out of his pocket and handed it to me.  I took the lid off of the box.  Inside was a jewelry box, another ring box.  I took it out, confused.  He took it from me and flipped the lid open.  Another ring.  It was smaller than the one Aris gave me but just as beautiful.   A single diamond.  What am I supposed to do?  Accept or decline they chimed in at the same time.  Accept what?  Our relationship It was just Ripley that time.  So I need to accept both relationships?  Yes they both answered.  “I accept,” I told him, still unsure of what to do.  He took the ring out of the box and put it on my right ring finger.  Then he brought my hand up to his mouth and kissed it.

Then I heard clapping.  I didn't realize that we had an audience.  I looked around.  They were all watching.  I resisted the urge to hide and smiled at everyone.

“Wait, I have one more,” Ripley told me.  He brought a big box to me and sat it down on the floor.  I removed the large red ribbon and bow, then removed the lid off the top of the green box.  It was empty except for a picture of a puppy down in the bottom.  I picked it up and looked at it.  There was nothing written on it.  I looked at him, confused.  “You and I are going to go to our facility in Texas to pick out a puppy in a couple of weeks,” Ripley explained, “they do not have any that are ready to adopt out right now.  That is why the box is empty.”  I smiled, stood up and gave him a hug.  Ripley, I don't have a ring for you.  That is okay.  We can pick one out on our trip.  All I have for you is a gift card.  I know.  It is just what I wanted.  Okay.  Did you already get it?  I have it right here.  He pointed to it on the coffee table.

I handed Aris the last small box.  He took off the bow, then unwrapped it.  He took the lid off and saw the key inside.  “I think it is time for a cigarette on the back porch,” Antony announced.  Everyone smiled.  We waited for everyone to put on coats and boots.  We went out the back door.  Aris looked around, “well.”  Ripley lit me a cigarette, then one for himself.  He handed the pack to Aris.  “It is a pretty key, Jade, thank you.”  “Just wait a minute,” I told him.  The drive looked clear all of the way to our cabin.  They must have done it this morning.  I took a long draw off of my cigarette.  I was nervous.  Then slowly but surely up pulls a black Hummer in the drive.  Aris just stood and stared for a minute.  Kale climbed out of the driver's side and came up onto the dock.  He handed that key to Aris.  He turned and looked at me, “how did you know?”  “A little bird helped me,” I answered.  He looked at Ripley.  He knew good and well who helped me.  He put out his cigarette, then came at me fast.  Ripley took my cigarette out of my hand.  Aris picked me up in a hug and kissed me with passion.  Everyone cheered.  I heard a “it is about time.”