All the
girls looked up to see Van Helsing walking out of the front gates,
Arene in his arms. She was no longer wearing the rags Dracula had put
her in, but jeans, a white blouse and a vest. Her hair was pulled
back again. She was smiling and talking to Van Helsing. The girls all
smiled and ran up to him. He gently helped her onto the ground and
some of the girls helped her up. Nicola walked over to Gabriel.
"How
is she?"
"She can't really move her legs right now,
but she'll be walking by the time we get to Rome." He smiled as
the other girls starting talking to her.
"I'm gonna miss
you guys," Arene said. "Keep in touch?"
"You
bet," one girl said. "Where are you headed?"
"Rome.
I'm gonna live in the Vatican."
Most of the girls had to
laugh. The same girl who had spoken up at breakfast spoke
again.
"Does the Vatican have computers?"
Arene
laughed.
"I
don't know...but just in case."
After a quick exchange of
home, E-mail and LJ addresses the girls started on their way.
Suddenly Arene felt herself being hugged by someone else. She turned
around and immediately burst into tears.
"Nicola!"
she said, hugging her friend with what might she had. "Oh my
God, I thought I would never see you again. I thought you would have
already left."
"Not without saying good-by to
you..." Nicola said, beginning to cry again. "I hear you're
going to Rome."
Arene smiled.
"Yep,
I'm gonna live with my father and Godfather."
Nicola
looked at her.
"Godfather?"
"Carl."
"Ah...
well, I'm gonna miss you," she added.
The two exchanged
addresses and good-byes until Van Helsing put his hand on his
daughters shoulder.
"Come
on, my child," he said in a gentle voice. "It's time."
He
lifted Arene into his arms and they mounted on their horse just as a
cab for Nicola pulled up. Nicola smiled and started to leave.
"Hey!"
Arene shouted and Nicola turned around.
"Kudos."
"You
too," replied Nicola, smiling.
With that the two girls went
their separate ways but their hearts did not. They would never forget
the day they met... or the two men who had brought them
together.
End
