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Epilogue - Dance With Me

"If music be the food of love, play on." - Wm. Shakespeare

Zelgadis was usually indifferent when it came to hospitals. If he had to go, he didn't complain, but he didn't particularly enjoy going.

Today was different.

Today everything was going to change…

… he hoped.

Zelgadis patted his jacket pocket before entering the hospital room, reassuring himself that its contents were still there. They were.

"Hey there, gorgeous," he said as he crossed the threshold. He approached the lone occupant of the room, who lay propped against the pillows, reading a book. At his entrance, Lina's face lit up. She closed the book and set it on the bedside table.

"Hey there, tall, dark and incredibly handsome."

"That's nice of you to say so, but we both know I'm average height."

"Come here, goofball."

They embraced, Zelgadis lightly at first, wary of Lina's fragility, but the little redhead surprised him by giving him a hug fierce enough to make him gasp.

"Feeling better, are we?" Zelgadis asked, pulling back to look in Lina's face.

"Much." She beamed.

"Good, good…" Zelgadis patted his pockets again, feeling equal rushes of anxiety and exhilaration. Lina caught the movement and jabbed her own finger at the pocket before Zelgadis could react.

"What's in there?"

"It's, well… it's… for you."

"For me?! I love things for me!"

"Yes, you do…"

"I do! Okay, what is it?"

Zelgadis took a deep breath.

"Lina, there are some things I want to say-"

"Fine, but give me whatever it is first."

"What?! No, just wai-"

"If you were lying half-dead in the hospital, I totally wouldn't hold out."

"You're not half-dead-"

"No, but I was, and that counts. Come on, please?"

"I can see you're recovering just fine. You're back to your old, stubborn self."

"Yes, and to celebrate, you should give me my present."

Zelgadis looked at Lina and thought about trying to argue further, but he felt himself melting in the radiance of her smile.

"Okay," he sighed. Lina threw up her arms and squealed happily. She clapped her hands.

"Out with the goods, mister," she said.

"There's actually a couple things for you…" Zelgadis reached into his pocket and pulled out a plastic-wrapped CD case. "The album was released today. I saw it on the way here."

"Ooooh, my favorite artist! Thank you!"

"The next thing is kind of a two-part gift." Zelgadis pulled an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to Lina.

Lina opened the envelope and took out its contents. She stared at the airplane tickets in her hand.

"Washington?" Her eyes switched from the tickets to Zelgadis's face.

"I really think you'd love it out there," Zelgadis replied, launching into explanation mode. "It's away from here, away from all this, and it's a beautiful place. I've always loved it there. I… I know you wanted to go to Jullien. I'll understand if you want to stay for that, but… Lina, I really hope you'll choose to come with me."

"Come… with you?"

"Yes, there are two tickets there. I want us to go together."

"You're crazy to think I'd want to spend one more minute in this city, even for Jullien, but…what about… your life here?"

"Doesn't matter."

"Your family?"

"Don't care."

"…A… Amelia?"

"Lina, you're the one I want. You asked me once to run away with you, and there is nothing I want more than to start a new life with you."

They sat in silence, eyes locked, hearts fluttering like tiny birds, pulses thrum-thrumming along like the melody to a classic love song, every nerve ending on edge, pulled taut like guitar strings.

"And," Zelgadis continued, voice hushed, hand reaching into his pocket for the final gift, "Lina…"

Lina broke their mutual stare when the box in Zelgadis's palm was opened and her attention was directed to the small diamond ring nestled in the fabric.

"Please say you'll start this new life with me. Will you marry me?"

"Yes," Lina breathed without hesitation, her voice barely above a whisper. "Of course."

If we could, for a moment, imagine what Fate would be like as not just an idea but as human, we might see a bitter old codger of a man, hardened by years of dismay and disappointment. We might see a fickle young child, petulant, wanton in desires and actions.

We might, however, see a gentle but strong woman, working ceaselessly against the chaos and entropy of the universe to give Her children a chance at happiness, at wonder, at love. This wise woman, with eyes of kindness and a smile like the sun, would surely find herself grinning at the joining of these two souls.

The End