The Virgin Ceremonies Ch. 20

"Tom was different," she said. "We could watch him, and we knew his family would support his education and yours. We don't know anything about this boy."

"Oh, please, you don't care about education," Ginny said. "You just want to introduce me at parties."

"You--! You are so disrespectful to me!" Diana said. "But the fact is, your father is a very important man, and having his daughter happily married would be far better for his image than her running around with fast food workers!"

"Diana, your argument sounds disingenuous," Nana said. "You're making restrictions for Brent that you would not make for Tom. But I do agree Ginny should focus on her education. Let's get to the point here. Under what circumstances are you willing to allow Ginny and Brent to date?"

"What? No circumstances, Mother, none," Diana said.

"Now you're being unreasonable. Get creative. I'm sure if he was worth a billion dollars, you would accept him."

"Oh, fine, yes, but he's not, is he?"

"Then negotiate," Nana said. "Ginny? What's your counteroffer?"

"I don't know. There's nothing she would accept."

"Not true. She would accept a billion dollars."

"Is that what this is?" I asked in disbelief. "Let the bidding begin?"

"Be quiet, Brent," Nana said. "You've made your case well enough. Let them negotiate."

I closed my mouth.

"I agree with him," Ginny said. "The fact that there is an actual number that would make you accept him is offensive, like I'm property you're selling off to the highest bidder."

"How about this?" Nana said. "Diana, you said you wanted Ginny to focus on her education. I agree that's important. What if she finished another year in school without seeing Brent? Would you let them meet again after a year?"

"A year? Of course not. And I'd have no way of knowing she wasn't sneaking around."

"Her grades would prove it. A year of perfect scores."

Ginny sat up a little straighter. "I could agree to that."

"And then you'd be distracted again. How ridiculous," Diana said.

"What if I maintained my grades?" Ginny came back.

"A fair counteroffer," Nana said.

Diana scoffed and bit down. Her eyes narrowed. "You want to earn the right to date him? You really want to?"

Ginny looked nervous. "Yes. What's your offer?"

"Six years," Diana said.

"What?" Ginny said.

"Finish your Bachelors with perfect scores, and then finish law school, and then pass the bar. If you still want to see this boy again in six years, I will reconsider it."

"Six years?" Ginny said. She sounded like she'd been gut punched.

"I agree," Jonathan spoke up. "That's fair. But only if he too has made something of himself. He said he is motivated to improve his situation. Let him prove it. If he is moderately successful in six years, and the two of them still want to date, we'll consider it then."

"Six years?" I said in disbelief. "Six years of probation and a performance-based maybe?"

"It's not right to put these conditions on us," Ginny said.

"It's something, Ginny," Nana said. "Do you have a counteroffer?"

"Three years, not six," Ginny said. "I'll finish my Bachelors, perfect scores, but not law school too."

"No," Diana said, sitting back in her chair, folding her arms. "He would distract you during law school. Six years. If you still want to see him again after all that time, so be it. But one B, even one, or one call to him, one time, one visit, and that 'maybe' becomes a 'never.'"

"This is so unfair," Ginny said.

"Ginny?" Nana said. "Another counteroffer?"

"I don't know. What other choice do I have?"

"None," Diana said. "And during the next six years, I will arrange dates for you. And you'll go on them, give them a fair chance."

"What?" I said. "This is ridiculous."

"Brent, quiet," Nana said. "Ginny must make this decision herself, and you must accept it."

I shook my head in protest.

Ginny took a breath. "What if you let Brent and I stay together now--"

"Out of the question," Diana said.

"Let me finish!" Ginny said.

"Let her finish, Diana," Nana said. "She listened to your proposal. Listen to hers. Go on, dear."

"We can be together right now, and I'll continue on in school, all the way through the bar, and if my grades slip, then and only then do I take your deal, six years until I can see him again. Can't I at least prove I can earn this? Or, or at least a year with perfect grades, then we can be together, and if they slip, same deal, Brent and I will take a break until I finish school. But no arranged dates. That's not negotiable."

"Are you done?" Diana said.

"Diana," Nana said, "negotiate in good faith with your daughter. Do not dismiss her counteroffer. Consider it, as she considered yours."

"I have negotiated in good faith," Diana said. "In fact, Virginia, you should be on your knees thanking me profusely for even entertaining this. You wish to be with this boy? The price is six years, perfect grades, not one moment of contact. Then you will be 24 years old, and if you wish to throw your life in the toilet, I will watch it swirl down the bowl. And, yes, there will be arranged dates."

Nana looked at Ginny. "It seems that's the final offer. Will you accept it?"

"Ginny..." I said.

"Be quiet, Brent," Nana warned me.

I tried to meet Ginny's eyes, but her head was down. Her eyes were watering.

"Ginny?" Nana said. "Do you accept your mother's terms? Think carefully before you answer."

She looked up. "Don't do this to me, Mother, please. I'm begging you. Don't take him away from me."

Virginia scoffed. "This is the thanks I get? So be it, the offer is rec--"

"I accept!" Ginny said. "I accept."

"Ginny!" I said.

"I'm sorry," she said, looking at me, her tears slipping down her cheeks. "It's something. It's hope. We can do it. I can do it. It's only six years."

Diana's chin lifted. Her smirk was plain on her face. She was looking right at me. "Now, boy, get the fuck out of my house."

"Oh, Diana," Nana said. "Have a modicum of sympathy for your daughter. Allow her to say her goodbyes."

Diana stood up. "Say them outside. I want him out of here."

"Ginny, escort him out and say your goodbyes," Nana said. "Come along, Diana. Let's find your sister."

Ginny wiped her face with the sleeves of her Christmas sweater. She didn't look at me, just climbed up and walked. I followed. The butler held the front door for us as we passed through.

Outside, the sky was dark. Colin was leaning against my car, formerly his. He was supposed to be my backup, not that he was much use in a fight, but he had promised to keep the engine running. He waved at us.

"Ginny, yoo-hoo!"

She waved back, wiping her nose. "Hi, Colin."

"Are you coming with us?" he asked.

"Colin, can you wait in the car?" I said.

"Oh, guess not," he said. "Love you, Ginny. Sorry the jailbreak failed. Stop by for a cappuccino sometime."

He got back in the car and watched us discreetly from the window. I could see Diana in the shadows of the curtains in the house. Ginny finally looked at me, digging her palms into her eyes.

"I can't stop crying," she said. "Is that your car?"

"Yes. I pawned a lot of stuff, bought it from Colin. In case you wanted to, you know, run away."

She gave me a sympathetic smile. "Beau."

"Six years? You're really going to agree to that?"

"What else can I do?" she said softly. "Maybe we really can just wait it out, you know? I'll study hard, all through school, and then pass the bar. You'll become an amazing barista, work on your art, maybe enroll in school somewhere, and then they won't be able to say no. I know I can get perfect scores. I know I can. I'm motivated now. Six years. It's not so long."

"It's long," I said. "Especially because it's not even a yes. It's a maybe, and if you think your mother will shrug and give up in six years, I don't think you know her as well as I do, and I've only just met her."

"Beau," she said, rubbing her face, "what do you want me to do?"

I stepped closer, taking her hand, holding it. "Run away with me."

"And quit school? See the world?"

"Yes!" I said sincerely. "We can drive, just drive, settle somewhere else, find some other school to go to, take out loans, study together all day, make love all night. The world can be ours tonight, right now, if you get in this car and leave with me."

Ginny looked from the car back to her giant house. "I can't."

"Ginny, please. I'm begging you."

"Listen, just listen. If I do everything, and in six years they say no to me again, I will run away. I don't care, I'll do it. But if they keep their word, we can have everything, a life together, a family, and all of this, whatever we want. We can make our own future."

"All of this?" I said in confusion. "I don't want any of this. I only want you. We can make our own future today! I'm promising you freedom tonight. They're telling you maybe you'll be free in six years."

"Brent, I can't go against my family."

"You can. Is money so important to you?"

"It's not about money."

"It is. I'm trying not to say it, but I'm thinking about it all the time. It is about money. It's like you don't know how to live without it, this security blanket. I have lived without it, Ginny. I swear, it's possible. It's scary, yeah, but it's life, and it's yours, not theirs."

"Brent, please. Is it so impossible for you to wait for me? It's just six years. I'll wait for you. Tell me you'll wait for me."

I'd lost. I knew it now. All I could do was surrender to her will and give her the choice. She had to make it herself. I reached into my pocket and took out the small envelope I'd prepared. I handed it to her.

"If you want me, I'm in this envelope. If you want me in six years..." I shrugged. "You know my number. But you realize this is it, right? Once I leave, you have to decide what you want to do, open the envelope or wait six years and pray for the outcome you want."

"Brent, please tell me you'll wait for me. Don't make me wonder. I can't do six years in prison if you're not waiting for me afterward."

I touched her cheek. "It'll take me a hundred years to get over you. So, yes, in six years I'll still be waiting for you. I hope you still want me."

"I will," she said softly. "I'm not going to date any other guys."

"Unless your mother finds someone new for you."

"Brent, I'm loyal to you. Be loyal to me. Don't fall in love, please."

I chuckled. "Way too late for that."

"You know what I mean."

"I do," I said.

"Can I have a hug goodbye?" she said.

I opened my arms to her. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around my waist. I held her tightly. She sobbed out against my chest. I felt her nails digging into my flesh through my clothes.

"I don't want you to go," she said softly, sniveling. "I hate this so much."

"Me too."

She looked up at me. "I love you, you know?"

"I love you too, you know?" I said.

"Can I kiss you goodbye?" she asked.

I broke the embrace and took a step back. "If your mother sees, she'll make it 10 years."

Ginny lowered her head. "Is this really the last time we'll see each other?"

"I hope not," I said.

"I could find a way, sneak out and meet you in a few months."

"And risk losing me forever? Are you brave enough?" I asked.

"I don't know."

"I know," I said. "Goodbye, Ginny."

She wiped her eyes one last time. "Bye, Brent."