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19. WHAT HAPPENED IN THE END
Cuphandle stood in the blizzard, a huddled figure at the end of the bridge under his umbrella. He stood shivering and clapping his hands together. He stomped his feet to stay warm, while his breath came in vapor puffs. He looked intently toward the spot where the snow appeared to whirl so thickly that the gate into Latchloose's new life was invisible. As he stared into the blind spot, it darkened a bit. He heard a voice yell "Stop!" and then Arthur Latchloose came striding out.
"I've changed my mind," Latchloose said.
"Too late!" Cuphandle said. "You said stop after the bell rang its last blow."
"Not true," Arthur said. "I said stop twice."
"I'll fix your wagon," Cuphandle said through gritted teeth. He yanked out his cell phone, punched in the code for Agency, and had a heated conversation with his boss.
* * * *
Arthur Latchloose waited with patient amusement while the young djinni had a heated conversation and then yelled "Darn!" while clapping his cell phone shut. "Very well, Latchloose, you win. Back we go. Now I have to spend all this time doing a new set of paperwork."
Latchloose clapped him on the shoulder. "Well done, my friend. You'll be promoted over your peers for all these heroic efforts."
"I suppose you're right," the djinni grumbled. "Maybe I can stop working for Rose Attar and move on up to the big time. Maybe I can supervise a dozen djinni who have to run around taking care of guys like you. I can live with that."
"Very well then," Arthur said, "so you'll arrange for Plan B?"
"It's already been okayed," the djinni said. "Smart choice on Plan B, by the way."
"Thanks," Arthur said. "I'm rather pleased with my decision also."
They walked back to the car, which already sat nearly buried in snow. Cuphandle said: "You won't need to ride back with me. I've arranged to put you back where we started. Meanwhile, I have to turn this wreck in and collect my frequent driver miles. So long then." They shook hands, and parted company.
Arthur blinked his eyes, then opened them.
He was sitting in his chair beside the grandfather clock in his living room at home, right where he and Cuphandle had begun their twelve-hour countdown to Arthur's new life.
He was no longer alone, but in a room full of people who were all laughing and talking at once. In the corner sat a large Christmas tree covered in cotton and ornaments. Lights of all colors glowed deep in its belly. A train set ran around and around underneath, and several small boys eagerly played with the trains.
"Here, Grandpa," said a pretty young woman of 28. She held a baby in each arm as she came near. That was Mary, his daughter. "Which one do you want to hold, Daniela or Anne-Marie?"
"I'll hold each one in just a minute," Arthur said rising with some effort. "Have a seat here while I attend to one little detail, okay?"
"Sure, Dad." Mary sat down with her two daughters, and Eddie came out from the kitchen bringing a small tray of punch glasses. He looked splendid, a clean-cut young man in a snappy red and green Christmas sweater. "How are you guys doing in here?"
"Just fine," Mary said. "Your dad has to do something to the clock over there."
"I'll just be a minute," Arthur said. He took the watch from his pocket and held it up to the clock. The intense feelings between himself and the clock were fading, but he sensed that it was glad to get its heart back. The watch slipped into its docking pod with a snick and a whirr, and would stay there for as long as Arthur owned it, which would be just under two years. As he remembered his conversation with Gretchen , he smiled to himself. He closed his eyes and saw an image of her in his mind. For a moment or two, they sat at that table again holding hands. She was delighted. She thought at him: Honey, I'm so glad you decided as you did. What a smart decision. You made everything right for all of us.
He thought back at her: I can't wait to be with you, but two years gives me just enough time to enjoy the whole new setup back here. You'll wait for me, won't you?
Her eyes shone. You bet I will. What made you think of it, Arthur?
He thought to her: I was looking at my new life, and thinking it wasn't really such a new, worthwhile thing. There would be good and bad, pain and joy, just like in this one. Mainly though, I thought of you, and the little boy with the lantern. That's when I knew what my one and only gigantic wish should be. That's when I told the djinni what I really wanted more than anything else in life was for them to make my father never start drinking as a young man.
And that changed everything, she thought.
Yes, he thought, it looks like it has sure done that. Well, I'll be seeing you soon enough.
She faded from his thoughts, as he opened his eyes and turned around to face his entire family who had gathered to sing a Christmas carol by the tree. Eddie had decided to join him as Vice President and heir apparent at the bank, and Eddie's wife Ann was busy running an accounting service from home while raising their three boys. Arthur's daughter Mary was taking college classes to become a doctor, and raising her two little girls, while Tim Woodpond was doing a darned good job, though poorly paid, what did that matter anyway? Arthur had a lot of friends in town, aside from grateful employees at the bank (which he had just remodeled at great expense to make it more modern and comfortable for them from the lowest teller on up). Today, it seemed like everyone in town was visiting to wish Arthur Latchloose an Entirely Merry and Most Happy Christmas
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