Christmas morning in Australia. He still wasn't used to the strange birdsong here and the fact that it was summer made it seem...well, strange. These were times when he desperately missed New Jersey and the traditions he and his family shared there. Like going to Christmas eve mass, this was the first one he had ever missed. But it couldn't be helped, Ivy had been really worried about him. Receiving the cookies helped. He slipped out of bed quietly so as not to wake Ivy. Dressed in the bathroom and slipped downstairs. Not much was happening yet around Millie's this time in the morning, so he let himself outside.

Walking towards the park he let his mind wander. Just a few years ago he was having a very different kind of Christmas. A tear rolled down his cheek as he looked to the sky. He was going to have to let the past go if he was going to have a future. Ivy deserved a future and for some reason she wanted it with him. He needed to believe in a future, his past would swallow him up if he let it.

Then and there he made a resolve. Being in Australia, with Ivy was giving him a chance to work towards a future away from the past that was ever present in New Jersey. He was going to embrace that future. Heading back towards Millie's he thought of this Christmas and Ivy, he hoped she liked his gift. Ivy was up and in the bathroom when he arrived back at the room. He took her gift and placed it beside the tree on the dresser. He sat down on the bed to wait.

Ivy emerged from the bathroom unaware he had come back. As soon as she saw him she smiled. "Merry Christmas Jimmy." She sat beside him and looked at him. "You haven't been over exerting yourself have you?" "No baby. Hey did Santa come for you? Why don't you see?"

Ivy walked over towards the tree and saw a small wrapped package. Picking it up she looked at Jim. "Open it Ivy."

Removing the paper and the lid of the box she removed a thin layer of cotton batting. She then had to sit down. Nestled in cotton was an antique diamond and white gold dragonfly pin.

"However did you know" she whispered.

"I take it that is the right one then. I know you have a habit of frequenting a particular antique store in Boonton. I stopped in and asked if there was something you had been looking at. The owner told me you had been "visiting" this dragonfly for over a year. I know you like dragonflies. So I bought it for you. Do you like it?"

"Oh Jimmy.....it is beautiful. You went to so much trouble." tears were springing to her eyes.

"You're not too much trouble Ivy. You're a lot of things but too much trouble is not one of them. No tears. Smile for me, Baby." he caressed her cheek. Ivy gave him a smile. "Jimmy, I love it. Thank you so much. Now it's your turn." She handed him a small and slender wrapped package.

Opening the package he looked at her. "Ivy...when did you? How?"

"I ordered it through Barrett's. It just seemed..." she paused searching for the right words, then she looked up at Jim. "Right." Taking his hands in hers as she looked into his eyes. "Jimmy you have changed my life in so many ways. I see your coming into my life as a gift from God. I know how much your faith means to you. I wanted to acknowledge....well all of that."

Jim handed her the necklace so she could put it on him, after she fastened it he hugged her to him. "Jimmy is something wrong?"

"No baby. Everything is just....Right."