Arthur’s stomach swirled as Jesse’s tentative smile slowly blossomed into a real one.
“I’m happy, too.”
Not one second later, the car suddenly stopped. Both men tightened their grips in tandem, their smiles vanishing instantly as their eyes widened with worry. Seconds passed while they stayed like that—as still as statues, the car rocking ever so slightly back and forth.
And then, at the exact same time, they began to laugh.
“Good God,” Arthur said through his relieved laughter. “How wonderfully horrifying that was! I really thought that was it for a moment there.”
“Jesus Christ,” Jesse blurted out, lifting his free hand to his chest, some of his laughter fading, though his smile was still wide and happy. “I really wish Clarence had mentioned that we’d be stopping up here.”
“Ah, but it was more fun this way.”
Jesse let out a long breath. “I suppose.”
After a few more seconds of their car rocking, Arthur leaned in, and they shared a long, passionate kiss, both of them breathing blissful and contented sighs while their lips moved together. Once they parted, they looked out over the White City.
He twisted around to look back over his shoulder to see the rest of Chicago for a moment before righting himself again. He couldn't help but think about the history of their city right then. Soon, he began to voice his thoughts out loud.
“It’s incredible to think that the entirety of Chicago once nearly burned to the ground. After it happened, a part of me thought that the city might never recover. But now look where we are! Look at how spectacular the fair is! Right now, we’re the very center of innovation. Our city is a symbol of progress. Of triumph over such a monumental catastrophe.” He paused as the last word escaped his lips, the specifics of Emma’s news story and several of Giuseppe’s rants fluttering into his mind. “Or, well, it’s meant to be those things. But...” He frowned. “It’s complicated, isn’t it?”
Jesse squeezed his hand. “It is.”
Allowing for some time to let that sentiment take root in his brain, Arthur continued to stare out at the horizon. Some time passed before he spoke.
“Our city wanted to prove itself,” he finally mused. “To rise like a phoenix from the ashes of ruin. And we have in some ways. We’vepersevered. But people are still struggling. Many, if notmostpeople, in fact. People who lost their source of income, like Giuseppe. People who lost their families, like Charlotte or like you. People who are fighting to break free from the chains of convention or persecution or social norms or inequality or oh-so-many other types of prisons. I mean, we, the people of Chicago, have put together this truly magnificent fair to showcase how beautiful the city is and how far we’ve come over the last twenty-two years. But there’s still a long way to go, isn’t there? For Chicago and for the rest of the world.”
Jesse smiled sadly. He rubbed the back of Arthur’s hand with his thumb.
“I, too, wanted to soar like a phoenix,” Arthur continued. “And only now can I see how foolish I was. God, for so long, I tried to repair my reputation and somehow win my parents’ love. But even if I had managed those things, I’d have still been trapped in a life that wouldn’t have ever made me happy. Not like I am now that I’m with you. I’d have still been in the same cage that had been hindering me,hurtingme,confiningme for my whole life.” He turned and cupped Jesse’s cheek. “But you set me free, Jesse. Thank you for helping me find the courage to be myself. You helped me not only embrace who I am—in so many respects—but you helped me recognize that regardless of what my parents think or what society thinks, I am worthy of love and respect, exactly as I am as well. What’s more, Jesse, you helped me finally let myself see what it was that I wanted in life. Your love emboldened me to seize it for myself, too. And for Emma.”
Jesse’s smile turned bashful, and his eyes fell to the floor of the car.
“Oh, Arthur, I’m not sure how much I really helped with that.”
“You helped more than you know. Thanks to you, I know that I am more than my past mistakes. I know that I’m more than whatmy parents and the cultural milieu of Chicago’s high society has tried to make me into. All the happiness that I’ve found lately is because of you. You’ve made me a better man, Jesse O’Connor. And I love you.”
Jesse’s cheeks reddened. “I love you, too, Arthur.”
Arthur’s hand slipped to cup Jesse’s chin. He lifted it slightly, urging Jesse to meet his eyes.
“You’re enough for me. Don’t ever forget that. I’m sorry that you’ve spent so much of your life feeling like you areless. But you’re not less. You’re perfect. Smart and kind and clever and handsome and—” Arthur had to stop to try to rein in yet another bout of tears. “Oh, I would ask you for your hand right now if I could. I want to spend the rest of our lives together, Jesse.”
Tears sprang to Jesse’s eyes. “I want that too.”
“Really?”
Jesse nodded as one tear escaped. “Really.”
Arthur wiped it with his thumb.
“Will you, then? Will you spend your life with me? Perhaps you can move into my home. Giuseppe can, too. I was thinking that perhaps we could have you and Claire pose as a couple. Husband and wife. It would explain why you’re living with me, if she becomes my maid. Regardless of whether you’d like that, though, I want to leave Prairie Avenue. It’s a lovely enough neighborhood, but there’s nothing I’d like more than to rebuild myself and my life somewhere else with the people who matter most to me. I was thinking of Kenwood, maybe, since both you and Giuseppe could make it to the print shop from there by train. Some other families—relatively wealthy families—are settling there lately. Building new homes and such. So, I’m hoping that our large household won’t look terribly out of place there. I really think that such a location could be perfect for all of us.” Arthur leaned forward andtipped their foreheads together. “What do you say, Jesse? Do you want to spend your life with me?”
“Yes,” Jesse said, a smile splitting his face. “Of course, yes.”
Jesse caught Arthur’s mouth in a long, passionate kiss. Soon, the wheel started to move. Arthur broke away with a happy chuckle and a lovesick sigh.
And then, together, Arthur and Jesse watched the city as the wheel slowly turned.
