"That," Cassandra said, wiping her eyes as she hugged the sisters after the reception, "was so beautiful. Do you think that helped you?"
"Definitely," Angela said. "I feel it brings closure to what is now in the past."
Dustin took Angela's hands, and helped her out of the wheelchair, as Mary-Sue folded it and took it back into the house.
There were hugs all around for the marriages and the rededication ceremony. Extra hugs went to Angela (from those who may not have known about the accident) to express their relief at her survival.
"I almost hate to leave you now," Angela laughed, as she took Lilith's hands, before she and Dustin left for their honeymoon.
"And to think you were only too glad to before," Lilith replied, "and that led to something that made us—both of us—see the light."
As Dustin and Dirk came to collect their wives, Angela took Lilith in her arms. "I love you, Lilith," she said, as tears welled in her eyes.
Remembering Dirk's words the night she stayed with his family, Lilith smiled and said, "I love you, too, Angela—I really do. Never again will a day go by that I don't say that to you at least once." For she knew if it slipped her mind, the accident would take its place as a not-so-subtle reminder.
Then she cried again—almost as much as she had when she realized Angela might be dying.
"Now what's wrong?" Dirk asked, smiling, putting an arm around his wife's shoulder.
"Now I love her as much as I hated her before," Lilith admitted, smiling through her tears, "so much that I hate to leave her."
Dirk just laughed and kissed her on the cheek. "You see? Isn't this better than what you had before the accident?"
"Much better," Lilith replied, fingering her pendant half. "You could offer me all the simoleons in the world, and it still wouldn't be enough to even scratch the surface of what Angela means to me."
"Well, don't worry," Dustin said, smiling, as they managed to tear the sisters apart, "if I know Angela, she won't let a day go by without at least attempting to get in touch with you somehow."
'I sure won't," Angela laughed, "except, of course, while we're on our honeymoons!"
"Well, of course I don't expect you to try then," Lilith laughed, as she kissed Dirk on the cheek. "We have other people we need to focus on!"
They finally headed on their way—Angela and Dustin in one direction, Lilith and Dirk in the other. But they couldn't resist one last look back, if only to wave and blow kisses to each other.
Darren, Cassandra, Daniel, Mary-Sue, and Brandi all smiled as they saw their children—and stepchildren—off. But the newlyweds weren't quite out of sight before one last chorus of "I love you!" echoed throughout Pleasantview. And they meant it, too…
Is this the end....?