So the money was sent and I packed a bag and flew to Atlanta. Malcolm came and got me at the airport. I hadn’t seen him in five months, but the chemistry was still working. As soon as I saw him I started thinking about finding a bed. “I have to go by the laundry and pick up some shirts,” he said. We were leaning up against the rickety supports of the walkway. He ran his hand up and down my back. I ran my hand up and down his back. He touched my waist. I touched his waist. He kissed me on the mouth. November, December, January, February, March disappeared like wild geese into the stars.

“Okay. That’s okay.”

“I forgot to take them until yesterday. If I don’t pick them up I won’t have anything to wear.”

“That’s fine. I want to get your shirts. That’s great.” We walked out through the airport and collected my luggage and got into his car and started driving into town.

“Where’d you get the car? I thought you wrecked your car. Charles William said you wrecked your car.”

“I ran it into a brick wall.” He laughed out loud. “This is Aunt Gaye’s. It’s her apartment you’re going to.” He turned off an exit that led down into the neighborhoods near Georgia Tech. We went past the KA house and the engineering school and parked in the shopping center with the record store Charles William had introduced me to.

“I wish we had time to go to that record store,” I said. “They have stuff no one else ever has.”

“I have to get those shirts before the place closes and we have to get over to Aunt Gaye’s. She wants to meet you before she leaves for the weekend.”

“Oh, God. I look terrible. I’m so wrinkled. I wish I could change clothes before I meet her.”

“She doesn’t care. She just wants to show you how to feed her cat.” He turned off the ignition key and pulled me into his arms again. He put his hands on my breasts. I put my hands on his chest, then on his arms, then on his back, then on his legs. It was devastating. It was divine. It was crazy.

“Not now,” he said. “We have to wait.”

“I can’t. How long. Let’s stay here. Hold on to me. Never let me go.”

“She’s leaving this afternoon. We’ll have her place to ourselves. Let’s get my shirts. It won’t be long. We have to go on over there.”

“Kiss me again. Say you love me. I can’t get close enough to you.”

“I love you too.”

“How much. Say how much. Say you’ll always love me. Forever and ever and ever. Say you’ll always love me and you’ll never die.”