Dinner is cold, which means that Peggy is late. Very late. So late that the once steaming plate of meat and potatoes has turned into a pile of cold mush. This isn't an entirely new occurrence, though. Peggy is almost always late. And it's almost never her fault, Angie understands, but Angie would be lying if she didn't feel the least bit annoyed.
“Peggy better have a good reason for being late... again” Angie murmurs underneath her breath.
She should be used to it by now. Angie understands why Peggy would come home late, sometimes covered with cuts and bruises. It's part of the job. The job Angie isn't allowed to know everything about. But that doesn't mean it doesn’t hurt Angie when she doesn't at least receive a phone call when Peggy knows she’ll late for dinner or when she will miss one of Angie's performances.
And even though it hurts Angie, she'll always be understanding when It comes to Peggy.
Though, Angie can't blame Peggy entirely for her tardiness this time, it has been raining a lot the past few days. And even more so in New Jersey where Peggy is. The roads are slick and slippery and difficult to drive over if you aren't cautious. And even though Peggy is sometimes reckless during her missions, she's always careful on the drive home. No need to rush, Angie is always there waiting.
Angie decides that she no longer wants to wait. It's almost ten and Angie has been waiting for over three hours. She stands up from the table and looks over the now cold meal. She wants to clean up but decides against it. Peggy should see that Angie spent hours in the kitchen cooking Peggy's favourite meal.
Angie eyes the bottle of wine and pours herself a glass. She fills it almost to the rim and drinks the red liquid in one go. She almost pours herself another glass but decides it might not be a good idea to get drunk when she's angry; it never goes well when she does.
Angie leaves the glass on the table and walks out of the dining room. She stops when she reaches the door and looks back at the table. She’s angry and upset, but there’s a third emotion that is new to her. She’s disappointed. Maybe this was the last straw. Maybe after tonight she will no longer be as understanding as she was before.
“Happy anniversary.” Angie whispers.
She’s tired, in more ways than one, and she decides to go to bed. She’s halfway up the stairs when there’s a knock at the door. She makes her way down the stairs and toward the door. Peggy must have forgotten her key and that is why she is knocking.
Angie expects to see Peggy standing there, apologizing for forgetting her key, apologizing for being late, but instead she doesn’t see Peggy. Standing before her is Mr. Fancy or as he likes to be called, Mr. Jarvis.
He has a somber look in his eyes and Angie knows instantly why he’s here. She can’t bring herself to ask the question she already knows the answer to.
She falls into Jarvis’ arms and begins to weep. In any other situation, Jarvis would be awkward and have now idea how to handle a crying Angie, but tonight he’s understanding and he just holds her.
“I am so sorry, Ms. Martinelli. I am so very sorry.” It’s all he can say.
Angie remembers her emotions from earlier, but they’re all gone now. She’s numb now and Angie would give anything to feel something.
She would give anything just to see Peggy one last time.
---
“Peg, are you sure you want to drive in this weather? Don’t you think you’re better off staying here in Jersey. I can get you a nice room for the night, maybe a room we can share.” Howard says, wiggling an eyebrow.
“As tempting as that might sound Howard, and it doesn't sound at all tempting, I’ll have to decline. I’m already late to my anniversary dinner with Angie. You remember Angie?” Peggy shoots back. She knows he’s only saying this to annoy her and that his words have no real value, but she can’t help but feel slightly annoyed. And some of that annoyance is reserved for herself. She knew tonight is her one year anniversary with Angie, but she still had to have the meeting and in New Jersey of all places.
And it was just her luck that it has been raining non-stop.
“Of course, how could I forget? I can’t believe she chose you over me.”
“Trust me Howard, you never had a chance.” She flashes a cheeky smile at Howard and he laughs.
The two colleagues and occasional friends make their way down to the underground car park. They recount the details of the meeting they have just attended. But her mind, like during most of the meeting, is elsewhere.
Her mind always makes its way back to thinking about Angie. Peggy knows that Angie is angry with her. She doesn’t have to see her face to know that. Of course Angie’s mad. Peggy’s late for their anniversary dinner, even Peggy is angry with herself.
It's one thing to miss a few random dinners, but their anniversary is an entirely different thing. Anniversaries are, for a reason Peggy doesn't really understand, important to Angie.
Luckily for Peggy, she has never been late for a birthday, holiday, or even an opening night. This was the first major milestone in their relationship that Peggy has been late to, but that still doesn't make the situation any better.
Peggy knows no gift will make up for her being late, but the ring in her glove box might soften Angie a bit and be more open for forgiveness.
It's not really an engagement ring, but it's also not not an engagement ring. Peggy feels it's too early for a proper proposal, but the ring with the beautiful cut emerald - to match Angie's eyes - might show Angie that even though Peggy might seem an ass, she's still serious about their relationship.
Even so, Peggy's lucky that it's still early enough to buy Angie a bouquet of roses and a bottle of their favourite peach schnapps.
With the roses and schnapps placed carefully in the passenger seat, Peggy begins to drive. Slowly and carefully at first, but she soon quickens her speed when she notices the time. It's 7:30 and she still has two more hours until she reaches home.
Peggy thinks if she drives just a bit faster, she could make it home in just under an hour and a half.
With the speed limit being 65, she makes her way up to 75.
The rain's still falling but not as hard as before, still the roads are very slick. Peggy's determination help her have control, but still she's careful.
It's her lucky day because there isn't much traffic. Just a few cars and trucks here and there, but not enough to slow her down.
She zooms past them and has a few close calls with some of them, but of course it's not her fault.
With only 45 minutes left until home, the rain starts to pick up. Yes, it's her lucky day.
The wipers are going full speed, but they still do very little with the rain coming down so hard.
Peggy thinks she should stop and pull over to wait for the rain, but she decides against it. She's so close to home, and who knows when the rain will stop.
Peggy battles with herself by slowing down and speeding up. She knows to drive safe but she's too anxious to get home.
The inner turmoil distracts her from the task at hand. She doesn't see the other car coming from the left side of the intersection.
---
Peggy's standing in the foyer, the only sound she hears is the ticking of the grandfather clock next to her which reads three o'clock.
She doesn't remember how she made home but that doesn't matter. All that matters is that she is home.
She makes her way up to the bedroom with eerily silent footfalls. Peggy takes no notice that the stairs don't creak when she walks up them. And the normally noisy wooden floors of the corridor don't groan when she walks over them. These alarming things go unnoticed by Peggy because all she's focused on is Angie.
The door of their bedroom is open and Peggy slips right in.
The first thing that Peggy notices is that Angie is curled in a tight ball and that she looks smaller than normal. The second thing she notices is that Angie is crying. She's sleeping but even still, she's crying.
Peggy sinks down and touches her lover's forehead. Angie shivers at the touch.
“Peggy, I miss you.” Angie says, sounding like a small child.
Peggy's worried. This isn't upset-because-you're-late crying, this is something entirely different.
Peggy doesn't want to wake Angie, deciding that Angie might calm down if Peggy climbs into bed with her.
Peggy leans forward and place a kiss softly on Angie's forehead. Peggy almost doesn't notice Angie shivering and shrinking down into a smaller ball but she does but decides to ignore it.
She makes her way to the en suite bathroom to wash her face and to do her nightly routine. She raises a hand to the bathroom light switch but notices that nothing happens when she touches it. She thinks that maybe the bulb is out but even with her hand directly on it, the switch does nothing. In fact, she can't even feel it on her skin.
Her attempts at turning on are fruitless and her attempts to turn the handles on the faucet are met with the same results.
Peggy begins to panic. Any attempt to interact with the things in her bathroom go unsuccessful. She finally looks up at the mirror above the sink and Peggy finds herself with a ghastly result. Peggy doesn't have a reflection.
Peggy thinks it a trick played by the lack of light. There's more light in the bedroom so she returns and goes directly to the mirror of the vanity. There is enough moonlight that Peggy can see fairly well, but she still can’t see her reflection.
She yells for Angie but she is met with no response. She yells again and again, but still nothing.
Peggy turns and runs to the bed. She attempts to shake Angie awake but she can't touch her. All attempts make Angie shiver and curl into herself.
Peggy stops and takes a few steps back. She begins to wonder about what is happening to her when she feels as if she's been hit by a car. And that is exactly what happened to her, she was hit by a car.
The memories flood back to her at full speed. She was driving fast, too fast she knows, but so was someone else. She was half way through the intersection when another car came speeding through and hit her directly in the driver's side.
The car rolled but the world was standing still. Glass and broken metal were all around her but that was not what she could see. Her eyes were open and all she could see was the face of the woman she loves.
She could feel the burning metal and the smell of gasoline and the sickly sweet smell of the peach schnapps burned her nose.
But even with all her senses aware of the chaos around her, all she could see was Angie's face. And to see anything else would be forfeiting Angie and that was something Peggy would never do.
With the memories finally fading away, Peggy finally realises one thing; she died. She's dead and that is why she can’t see herself in the mirror and why she can't touch anything. And that is why Angie is crying; she’s mourning.
Peggy wants to comfort her but she can't do that if she's a ghost. Is that what she is now? A ghost? She supposes she is; it's the only word that makes sense.
Peggy closes her eyes for just a moment and when she opens them again she surprised to find that once moonlit room is now filled with sunlight.
Angie is gone from the bed.
Peggy thinks about Angie for just a moment and then finds herself transported to the kitchen.
Angie is there but so is Howard and Mr. Jarvis. Howard is holding Angie, or Angie is holding Howard, either way, both of them are crying into each other's shoulder. Jarvis distracts himself by making tea, but even he has tears coming down his face.
The three sit in the breakfast nook in silence before Angie brings up the subject of a funeral. Howard decides he'll make the arrangements and that he'll pay for everything.
They finish their tea and Angie walks the two men to the door. Howard and Jarvis hug Angie goodbye and before he leaves, Howard pulls out a small, purple velvet box.
“This was in the glove box. It's the only thing left from the accident.” Howard says, placing the box into Angie's hand. Howard promises that he didn't open it and he presses a small kiss onto Angie's forehead.
The door closes behind the two men and Angie is left alone with the box. She hesitates in opening it, but when she does she begins to son again. She recognises the ring. She fell in love with it just a few months ago when she and Peggy were out shopping.
Peggy would have bought it then and there, but it would have felt less special if she did. So when she saw that their anniversary was just around the corner, Peggy went back alone one day to buy it and decided she would wait until their anniversary to give it to Angie.
Angie holds the box to her chest and then she pulls the ring out of the box and puts it on the ring finger on her left hand.
She whispers a soft ‘I do’ that breaks Peggy's heart.
---
Days go by, though they are only moments to Peggy, and finally it's the day of her funeral.
Everyone she has ever known is filing their way into the church. She sees her parents sitting in the front, people lining up to give their condolences. Her brother stands next to them with his wife and their young daughter. Peggy hardly knows the girl, but that was because she, along with Peggy's brother and parents, lives across the ocean in London.
The girl is maybe four years old, and she just stands next to her father holding his leg in comfort.
Jarvis and Howard are in the back of the church, near the entrance. They greet the incoming people and direct them to their seats. Many of the people in attendance are people she knows from her time in the military and a few others from working on the New York SSR office.
Even Colonel Phillips is in attendance. He hugs Howard longer than he normally would and then finds a seat near Peggy's parents.
The normally rambunctious men that are The Howling Commandos are quiet and sad amongst themselves.
All know Peggy and are devastated by her untimely death, but all grow silent when they see Angie walk by.
Most of them knew the relationship that Peggy and Angie had. Most knew by assumption, but even still they respected it because of their love for Peggy.
Even Peggy's parents just wanted their daughter to be happy and they saw that's exactly what Angie gave to their beloved daughter.
The funeral is nice. Everyone Peggy expects to talk does so and they all share their favourite stories about Peggy. When Angie talks, she chooses her words carefully and makes it seem that she and Peggy were just friends, but of course their relationship was more than friendship.
The funeral ends and they all make their way to the cemetery for the burial. Once Peggy's coffin is in the ground, people begin to disperse and make their way back to Howard's house for lunch.
Once everyone is gone, the only person left is Angie. During the past few days, or moments for Peggy, she has been silent. Quietly observing everyone, but now she's screaming.
“Angie I'm right here. Please look at me.” Peggy yells to a crying Angie.
Of course Angie can't hear her, and Peggy knows that, but she still continues to scream. It would be at this point where a person would lose their voice, but Peggy screams on.
Howard returns to Angie and places a hand on her shoulder.
“Come on, Ang. I can take you home if you want. You don't have to see people if you don't want to.” Howard's says.
“Thanks, Howard. I don't think I can deal with people anymore. At least not today.” Angie replies.
Angie and Howard walk back to his car and he drives her home.
Once Angie is home, she goes upstairs and crawls into bed. She weeps silently unknowing that Peggy is standing over her. Would it comfort her if she knew? Still, Peggy just watches. Each sob creating another crack in Peggy's heart.
---
Years go by for Angie and she's married now. She marries someone from her old neighbourhood. He's a tall, handsome man and he's good to Angie.
Angie moves out of her and Peggy's home just days after her funeral. She returns home and runs into her now husband. She's slow to connect with him, but she finally gives into his kindness. Peggy feels jealous but also happy that Angie isn't alone.
They have three daughters, one of them named after Peggy. Peggy is honoured and watches them grow. They grow into beautiful young women, just like their mother.
And even though Angie is older now, wrinkles on her face and a few grey hair sprinkled about her honey brown hair, she still looks as beautiful as the day Peggy met her.
And even though know she can't be seen by anyone, sometimes she thinks that Angie can see her. Sometimes Angie would stare in her direction without proper reason and smile a smile that was only meant for Peggy.
But then Angie would look away and Peggy realises that she can't really see her. Whatever Peggy is, she isn't real. Peggy is a ghost, an echo of the real thing.
She doesn't understand why this is happening, but she’d be lying if she didn't feel a little bit happy to be seeing Angie live her life, even if she's not living her life with Peggy.
---
Angie is old now, a woman in her nineties, but still beautiful. Peggy hasn't aged a day, maybe because what has been decades for Angie and everyone around her, it has only been a few hours for her.
Angie is in her bed, fragile with age and surrounded by her family. Her nieces and nephews, her children, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren are around her. They know these are her final moments and Angie knows that, too.
They all visit with Angie, some alone and others in groups. They retell their favourite stories and Angie's smile is true and bright as ever even if her teeth are false.
By the end of the night, everyone has spent their time with Angie. It's finally night and Angie is finally alone.
Peggy steps closer and Angie turns her head and smiles at her. Peggy thinks that it's just a coincidence but then Angie speaks.
“English?” Angie asks. “Is that you?”
At first Peggy is shocked but then tears of joy stream down her face at the fact that Angie can finally see her.
“Yes, darling, it's me.” Peggy chokes in response.
Angie sits up slowly. She holds out a shaky hand forward. “Help an old woman outta bed, will ya?”
Peggy is hesitant, she couldn't touch Angie before, why should now be any different.
Angie doesn't wait for Peggy to help her, she's already begun the journey out if bed. Instinctively, Peggy reaches for Angie's hand and see that she can finally touch her.
She helps Angie to her feet and steadies her. Angie stands before Peggy, wearing a cotton nightgown, but Peggy stares as if what Angie was wearing was the most beautiful piece of clothing ever.
“What’re you staring at, English?” Peggy smiles at the nickname. It has been a while since she's heard it.
“Just the most beautiful woman I have ever know.”
“You're kidding right, I'm old. Look at me. I’mma prune.”
“Well then, you're a beautiful prune.”
Angie waves her off.
They stare at each other without saying a word. Their eyes do the talking. Saying things that need to said, things they couldn't say to each other over all those years.
Peggy's about to speak again when a blinding white light surrounds Angie. When the light disappears, there is no longer an old Angie standing in front of Peggy. No, she is back in bed, her eyes closed. Now there's a young Angie in front to Peggy.
With this Angie, Peggy doesn't say a word she just flings forward and pushes her lips against the other woman's.
This kiss is hard at first and unfamiliar, but soon the lips move together in synch.
Angie's lips are warm and soft and they feel like home to Peggy. They kiss for what seems like hours but it's only been a few minutes. They break the kiss and they touch foreheads.
“God, I've missed you.” Angie says first.
“And I've missed kissing you.” Peggy jokingly replies.
It’s finally obvious to the two of them that Angie has finally died and that this Angie is her ghost. An air of uncertainty surrounds them but then a wooden door appears in front of them.
It opens and a warm, white light invites them. Peggy steps forward but is stopped by Angie. Before Peggy can say anything, Angie is at her bureau looking through an old jewelry box. Angie finally finds what she's looking for and hands Peggy the emerald ring from long ago.
“Before we go on together, I want you to do it properly.” Without hesitation or confusion, Peggy takes the ring and gets down on one knee.
“Angie Martinelli, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?”
“Only forever.”
Peggy places the ring on Angie's left hand ring finger and stands up to kiss her wife. No need for a ceremony, no words matter for what they feel in their hearts.
They break the kiss and intertwine their fingers. They step forward and walk through the door where they are engulfed by a warm light and into a place where they can spend the rest of eternity together, finally.