Phoenix
Epilogue
It had been a little over a month since Perry and Della had their daughter back and settled in with them. Although officially named Mae Elizabeth Street Mason, she was still Peggy, the little girl who entered their office with her doll in her hands to ask for help in finding her family.
How could they have known—or even imagined!—she was their lost daughter? However, just like a Phoenix, here she was, reborn from the ashes of the past and returned to their lives. Now that they had her home, those nine years of pain and suffering were behind them. They were not forgotten; for too much had transpired in the interim, but they were set aside, no longer material or relevant in their lives. From now on, only happiness and a bright future remained.
To celebrate, Perry had decided to take his wife and daughter to a small fair outside of Los Angeles. Upon arriving there, a large and beautiful carousel caught their eye, as though it were welcoming them. Peggy saw it and her eyes grew wide with excitement.
"Oh, Daddy, I just have to ride it! Do you think you could help me pick a horse?" she lifted her face to see him smiling at her, and gave him a smile so like her mother's that he was loathe to resist her.
He did not even try. Perry, like a knight in shining armor, helped his princess climb on.
"You're old enough to handle the reins, my darling girl," he told her, then added, "And your mother and I will be watching you from right there." He pointed to where a bench was under the shade of a tree.
When the ride started, he retreated to his wife. Together they sat on the bench in front of the carousel, content to wave at and watch their daughter enjoy her ride from there.
"Happy, my lady?"
"Perry, how can you even ask? She is beautiful, healthy, and healed, and you're here, at my side! I thought, after everything I said and did, you wouldn't want me to stay, but now I know how irrational those fears were. Still, although everything is completely wonderful, I still dread waking up and realizing none of this is real."
Perry instinctively grabbed Della's chin, turning her toward him to plant a kiss on her lips. It was light and quick, but very effective. Then his eyes warmed and his dimples appeared.
"Well . . . Well, Miss Street, do you think this is a dream?" he asked with a cheeky smile replacing the sweet one.
Della shook her head. A goofy smile fell on her mouth. "No! It is definitely not a dream!"
"Now that we agree on it, you should know something. Because of all the red tape, I was terrified something else would come up, like Michael having planned a ghostly specter to rise and haunt us once more. Therefore, you see, you are not the only one with irrational fears. However, even with that, I was terrified of losing you again. You see, my Lady, I can face almost anything except the fate of losing the woman I love and the girl we love."
She settled her head on his shoulder. "So you're happy, too?"
He laughed softly. "What was it you said? How can you even ask? I am happy too! I have everything a man can wish for! A family whom I love and who loves me! Although it is not the football team we wanted at first, I would not change what we have for anything in this world. Oh, the joy having my little princess by my side gives me!"
"Mr. Mason, I'm not so sure we can make a football team." She looked over at their daughter, still laughing, smiling, and enjoying her trip around the carousel. "However, I can assure you that there is at least one little knight in shining armor to watch over your princess. Or perhaps, another princess whom you could also ruin."
It took him a moment to comprehend. Then, as his face transformed before her, she could see the absolute wonder and delight in his brilliant blue eyes.
"Della, my love! Is it true? But—how? When?"
She bit her lip and looked off to the side, then swept her eyes back to him and teased, "Mr. Mason, I don't think I need to explain to you about the birds and the bees! But as to the 'when', I can tell you that. Remember that night in my apartment, where we collided together? Not only did our hearts beat strongly for each other again, but a little heart started beating too."
"Oh Della, my love!" Perry's voice trembled as emotion overcame him. He placed his large hand across her belly. "This time—"
He could not finish. A wave of joy so sharp filled his chest he was afraid for a second he would not be able to hold it in. And then he was kissing Della in earnest, all other thoughts banished as a new dream took root.