After siblings Amy and Larry Wheeler burned off the initial passion they had for one another, their relationship changed in quiet, subtle ways.
Larry's love for his sister grew deeper, he came to accept her engagement to Chuck Knaub. Breaking the couple up was the reason he'd begun the affair with his sister. But Amy persuaded him that, not once, had Chuck broached the question of using her trust fund to help him out of his delinquent loans. That had been Larry's main concern; if Amy believed Chuck loved her for herself, and was willing to work out his financial problems without her help, then Larry was prepared, now, to believe it.
At the same time, Larry filled an important gap in his sister's life. Larry was a much more creative and vigorous lover than Chuck. Because Larry was her brother, that meant they could never marry and have children; knowing this, and taking precautions, the siblings could make love with wild abandon, free of future obligations. They could keep their sexual escapades to themselves, and usually found a way to meet once or twice a month.
Both Larry and Amy knew their liaisons would have to end one day, but neither wanted to talk about it in detail.
Then Chuck and Amy set a wedding date (Amy's 22nd birthday, as it happened), which put her into a quandary. More than anything else, she wanted a loving husband, a solid, stable marriage, and children. She couldn't have those things if she were off fucking her brother every other weekend. Sooner or later, the secret would get out. Even if they avoided going to jail, the scandal would follow them for the rest of their lives.
Turning it over and over in her mind, Amy came to a unenthusiastic conclusion; the time to end the affair had come.
The wedding was set for a Sunday in October, and New England was in the grip of Indian summer, the last gasp of warmth and sunshine before the days grew short and the air turned cold. Amy called Larry and asked him to meet her in the summer cabin, where he had first made love to her in the dark.
"Saturday?" Larry asked, when she phoned him. "That's the night before your wedding. Are you sure?"
"I was thinking of a birthday present," Amy replied coquettishly. "Last chance."
"All right," Larry said, understanding. "Are we staying over?"
"If we're out of there early."
"Right."
Amy, as she planned, arrived at the cabin first. She brought champagne, a pair of Cornish game hens, Larry's favorite salad, ice cream, candles. She spent hours dusting and cleaning, priming the heat and hot water, making the bed in the master bedroom. She finished at four, a full two hours before her brother was due to arrive.
Amy took a long, luxurious bath with aromatic oils, and when she was ready, dressed with care.
Larry arrived promptly at six. When Amy opened the door, the first thing he noticed was that the cabin was lit with hundreds of sweet-smelling candles, and that his sister had selected a flowing Oriental dressing gown, her fine, soft black hair piled high on her head.
"Amy," he said, "this is wonderful."
"I want you to remember this to your dying day," she said. "Because this is the last time we'll be together."
Larry's face fell.
"I knew it wouldn't last forever," he said. "But no one will ever love you as I do."
Amy kissed her brother gently.
