The first holiday season they spent together was also the crescendo in their relationship.

Sometime around Christmas, Billy had gone down to Ohio to visit his mother in siblings.

Unbeknownst to Mary Jane, who remained up in Chicago with her own family, he excitedly

told his mother and sisters that he had met a nice girl, that he wanted to marry as soon

as possible.

The family was happy for Billy, happy that something was finally giving his life some

meaning after having such a rough course up to that point.

Before the New Year was out, he returned to Chicago to reunite with Mary Jane.

On New Year's Day, without any place to be except inside from the cold, Billy and Mary

Jane got a room together at the diversity arms hotel.

They spent the afternoon eating, drinking, and talking together about whatever came to mind.

Both of them were visibly nervous, not just because they were alone together in the

hotel room, but because they genuinely felt that way about one another.

As the afternoon progressed, Mary Jane got into bed, and for the first time, they slept

together.

By then, they had been together for close to six months.

It wasn't as if there hadn't been any chemistry between them, or that they hadn't wanted

to have sex.

The moment had simply never presented itself in the right way.

Beyond that, Billy had never pushed her, though he'd definitely talked about it.

It was clear that their presence in each other's lives was about more than just a physical

connection.

...