Re; Artemis Jump

6th May

Southeast Development, Dunstan, Luna

It's always annoying when you arrive at a door, but both of your hands are full. Cursing, I bent my knees awkwardly so that I could place the takeaways on the ground, and reach into my handbag. I took out the key to Jamie's apartment, and put it in the lock. The key doesn't fit quite right, so I have to jiggle and shake it a bit before I can turn it to unlock the door. That's one thing we need more of on the moon. Locksmiths. Locksmiths make the keys, don't they?

Jamie's apartment is located six floors up in the lunarscraper she lives in, and the elevator is busted, so the takeaways are already a bit cold by now, but it should be fine. We can just warm them up in the microwave. That should work fine. I make my way through the now open door, and then kick the door shut behind me. I make my way into the living area. As usual, Jamie must've heard me arrive, but she doesn't make any indication that she did. She just continues sitting on her couch, bundled up in a blanket, watching the television.

"Congratulations, Miss Representative."

Jamie turns around with a big smile on her face upon hearing that, "it isn't decided yet…"

"Come on," I say as I walk towards the couch. I drop my handbag on a little hall table that's placed at the opening to the living area, and I slide out of my shoes.

"You were in second place with more than seventy percent of the vote counted when I left my apartment," I continue, "there's no way you don't finish in the top three."

I kiss her, then drop down onto the couch, visibly making the petite Jamie rise.

"What did you get us?"

"Italian. Pizza," I reply.

"Flavour?"

"One Pepperoni, and one Hawaiian."

"Hawaiian?"

"What's wrong with Hawaiian?"

"I mean nothing really," Jamie replies, "I just don't like pineapple on pizza."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Are you sure? I think you should at least try a piece."

I take a piece out of the box, and hold it close to Jamie's mouth, "come on, take a bite."

"No. No!" Jamie leaps off the couch with a squeal.

I chase her around the apartment a couple of times until I catch her, by which time most of the pineapple pieces have already fallen off.

We heat up the rest of the pizza, and then return to the couch, both snuggling under the blanket. In about an hour or two's time, Jamie Zhu Hai will most likely be confirmed as one of the three representatives to the State Assembly from the electoral district of Dunstan. If she is elected, that means she'll have to go to Artemis probably more than once a week for debates in the Assembly. Even though it seemed likely that Jamie might get elected, we weren't really certain until now. Because of that, I haven't talked to Jamie about something I probably should've already.

"Are you planning to move to Artemis after your elected?"

Jamie's wide smile vanishes the moment I say that. She looks at me, with her eyes blinking for a time. And then she sighs loudly.

"Is that what's been bothering you recently? I was wondering what it was."

I stay silent but nod, even though I think that was a rhetorical question.

"You know, as a representative under the new form of government," Jamie went on, "I'm expected to also hold a position in the district's judicial administration. For that, I need to be in Dunstan for at least some of the week. Even if that wasn't the case, I only have to be in Artemis for a couple of days a week. And even if that wasn't the case, it wouldn't matter because I love you."

"And I love you."

I reply before I can think about it, but I think that's how you know that it's true beyond a doubt. Afterwards, though, I find myself in shock. That's the first time that Jamie has said that to me: 'I love you'. This is such a special moment. And I feel like so stupid now for not thinking through everything Jamie's new job entails. Of course, she would have to be in Dunstan a lot of the time. True, she might be in Artemis at times, but Dunstan is her home. I feel like an idiot for not realising what that means until now. How do I describe how I'm feeling right now? I think blessed is the right word. Yes, as of right now, I feel blessed.