Lost In Purple

Chapter 91: Has Normality Returned? (Epilogue)

Hello friends. I had major writer's block this time around. We're getting close to ending this story and I'm trying to wrap up the major loose pieces, which has proven to be a little difficult. Hopefully things will get easier within the last few chapters. Hopefully this chapter doesn't disappoint.

Johnny's POV

Man…I'm stuffed, but Melanie's not. She keeps chipping away at the macarons and madeleines, unable to put them down as each flavor dances around her taste buds. It's as if she's about to cry again, but those are the only things keeping her happy right now.

"Everything alright over there? I've never seen anyone become so emotional while eating," I question.

She groans before looking at me with the largest puppy eyes ever. She then speaks with her mouth full. "N-No…I'm gonna be so fat…"

My first reaction is to pluck that last madeleine out of her paws. "No no no no no no no no, we can't have that! I can't be the cause of you inadvertently hating yourself; I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

She leans forward in her chair and tries her best to swipe the dessert from me. I let her take it back though; If she's happy to be swallowing expensive desserts like this, then I don't care what happens to her.

"I have to eat it all though…You paid a lot for this," She responds meekly.

I lean back, cross my leg, and rest my arm atop the chair. "You don't have to eat everything."

"B-but," She says before swallowing her last bite, "It's disrespectful if I don't."

"Says who? If anything, eating it all means that you haven't been given enough," I remark.

Melanie then lazily pushes her empty plates off to the side and slumps down so that her head rests on the table. She closes her eyes and keeps her arms in her lap, whimpering from the pain she must be feeling. There literally wasn't a single bite wasted; The Consommé was consumed, the Chicken Fricassee is no more, the Magret de Canard was inhaled…everything no longer exists.

"No, please…I can't take anymooooore," Melanie groans.

"Really? No more macarons or Madeleines? No more water for you either?" I inquire as I lean forward and boop her on the snout.

Her head flops onto its side. I'm guessing that's a still a no.

"Aaaaaah, I see your Madame is all done!" Our waiter beams.

This causes Melanie to immediately sit up and try her best to remain in an upright position. She frowns and lowers her head, embarrassed that she acted like that in a place like this. Honestly, I would be alright if she continued being herself; It was adorable, but…you know…social stigmas keep her from doing lovable things like that.
I rummage through my suit pockets and take out some more tip money. Melanie winces like she did the first time I did this, but she doesn't know that this is how we become 'the good customers' in high society. I hand it over to the waiter and watch as his smile widens.

"Everything was perfect. Give my compliments to the kitchen and be sure to split all that with the staff," I smirk.

"Merci monsieur! We appreciate all you do for us! Before I leave, do either of you need anysing else?" Our waiter says while placing those dollar bills on a platter.

I see Melanie silently shake her head, so I respond accordingly. The waiter then excuses himself, wishing us a wonderful rest of the night, and continue enjoying our time together. This was a dinner that was paid for in advance so we will not be seeing him again unless we come back another day.

"So how was rich people food?" I ask Melanie while leaning back in my chair.

"Rich peo- Oh…Um… It was good, but I can't say that it tasted any different from normal food. It was just… you know… prepared differently," She replies nervously.

"Heh, don't be afraid to speak your mind. I actually agree with you; All of it was missing that Evelyn or Melanie touch…Damn, I never thought I would prefer homemade food over Michelin rated food," I marvel.

Melanie tries to hide her grin, but fails. "I-I might be biased because of Mom though."

"Who wouldn't be?" I respond.

She knows I'm right. Which reminds me; She needs to know that I was right about bringing her here. There was no trouble from anybody, not even our waiter. He actually seemed happy to serve someone like Melanie. She was likely a much-needed break from all the stuffy and snobby rich folk that walk through here on the daily.

"Sooooo…Let me hear you say it," I tease.

"Wh-What?! What are you talking about?" Melanie asks with lowered ears.

"Mmmmmmm, I'm not letting you off the hook this time, princess. Come on, just say it. Maybe cup your hands around your snout so that the other tables can hear," I reply.

She crumples up like a piece of paper and pulls her tail into her lap so that she can hold onto it.

"Nooooooo," Melanie groans quietly.

"Mel?"

"No."

"Mel?"

"NO."

"Meeeeeeeeeel."

"John pleeeeeeease! I can't help that I'm paranoid!" Melanie argues.

"No…no, I don't think that was what I wanted," I say while scratching my head.

She finally loses her immaculate posture and leans forward to hold her head in her hands. Why is it so fun messing with her like this? "…You were right. I was a stupid paranoid emo girl that freaked out over no rea-"

"No no, that's not it either," I say, interrupting her self-degradation.

With a lot of theoretical pain, Melanie finally says, "You were right, there was nothing to worry about with you around."

It's as if god's rays shine down from the heavens and let me bathe in divinity. I've been dreaming of getting to this point with Melanie. She's learning! She's adapting! She's finally enjoying being around me; I saw it firsthand the moment she inhaled all her food without a care in the world.

"It feels so good to hear you say that," I sigh happily.

"Yeah…," She grumbles.

I grasp the underside of my wine glass and swirl the last remaining contents of my aperitif. "Lighten up, Mel; All I want to hear is you saying you had a good time."

"I did, but…it was still hard for me to do something at this magnitude," Melanie confesses.

"Mmm, well then maybe you still a few more practice runs. You'll actually be wearing some sort of smoking hot dress too," I grin before taking a sip.

"Oh my god, so I am under dressed!" Melanie worries.

I have to keep myself from spitting everything out. I was trying to compliment her, yet here she is focusing on something we've blatantly stated is not an issue. Honestly, I shouldn't be shocked. Who else can I blame except for myself?

I make sure to swallow correctly before opening my mouth and grabbing her hand. "No no no, you're not underdressed, but rather…inappropriately dressed. You've got more of a casual style rather than a formal style, and that's entirely my fault. But I would rather you wear what Melanie Everett would wear, not what some random hag wants you to wear."

Melanie exhales. "O-Ok, ok…"

"Hey, I want to see the scary, badass Melanie. You can only do that with…what you've going on right now. As much as I love seeing you in a dress, I'd rather people begin to understand that this is what a scarer would wear. You'll make a whole new trend when you join the big girl scarers," I reassure.

She smiles before watching me finish my aperitif. Once I gently set my wine glass down, I push myself to my feet and walk over to offer my best friend my hand. She happily takes it, rising so that she can wrap her arms around my body. I think I've finally gotten used to her doing that because I don't even hesitate to throw my hand around her head. I push her into me a tiny more and look over the table and seats to make sure we have everything.

"You got your purse? What about your newfound confidence?" I ask.

"Mmph-Hmph," Melanie muffles as she buries her face into my suit.

"Good," I add.

And with that, we begin our trek out the building, taking in the extraordinary atmosphere this place offers. The soothing clinks and clanks of cutlery colliding with plates, and the ringing of multiple glasses purposefully knocking into each other as people make their toasts. Melanie and I can also occasionally listen in on a few conversations for a split second, taking in the calm voices of several customers before walking out of earshot. However, the airwaves are soon replaced by the excited babbling of children.

"See? SEE?! I told you, it's that Johnny Worthington guy! Mom! Dad! Look!" A small grey monster spouts, grasping onto the back of his chair and bouncing up and down on it.

Dang, I haven't been scaring for very long and here I am already having the next generation call out to me. The little monster, gray and with a small pair of wings, reminds me of myself when I when his age, getting all giddy and looking at scarers with sparkling eyes. The child sitting next to him, of whom I can assume to be his sister, does the exact same thing as him and causes their parents to suddenly stop berating her brother. Their eyes have traveled up to observe my gargantuan presence only to then dart all around the place due to their uncertainty of what to say or do next.

"Benjamin, sit down! Wh-Why are being so uncontrollable today?" The mother growls through her teeth.

Melanie lets go of me so that she can nervously clasp her hands in front of her. Knowing that she's giving me a chance to acknowledge these two children, I approach their table at the front of the restaurant and kneel down between the two children.

"That's quite alright ma'am, I just wasn't expecting to find such young, enthusiastic fans of mine at a place like this. The two of you must be big scaring fans," I smile.

"Oh yes yes yes! We learned all about it last year in class and we've seen you all over the TV!" The little girl beams.

"Yeah! Everyone knows that you're one of the best new scarers! S-Some of my friends are wanting to become a scarer like you," The little boy blathers.

While their parents silently freak out on the other side of the table, I gladly humor the children and go with the flow. I'm guessing many scarers aren't interested in conversing with their fan base and this is catching them off guard.

"Well thank you for the encouraging words, little one. I'll be sure to remember them when I'm back on the scare floor next week," I reply.

"Ooo ooo, mommy, do you have a piece of paper so we can get an autograph?!" The little girl divulges.

She shakes her head as the father holds his head, embarrassed beyond belief. Okay, this is getting a little out of hand. I'd love to spend some time with my fans, but this is a place of class. We don't need to cause a scene, so I save them any further trouble.

"Now now, little one, you are at one of Monstropolis' finest restaurants. Let's lower our voices and act like the sophisticated young monsters you are. Please understand that your parents did not bring anything for me to sign, so what I'm going to do is give your parents my business card," I explain while carefully pulling that exact card out from my suit pocket. Seriously it's like a bottomless pit in there. "Once you two manage to get my rookie scare card, send them to me so that I can sign them among other things and send them back to you. Does that sound alright to you two?"

The two monsters nod as I look at both of them.

"Th-Then can we get a picture? My friends won't believe that I met you if we don't," The little boy adds.

"Oh, are you sure I'm not too scary for them? They very well might run away after taking one look at this horrible face in the photo," I joke.

The little boy shoves his fists into his hips and confidently puffs out his chest. "They won't do that, they're brave like me!"

"Well then, we can take as many as you'd like. Oh, and ma'am, make sure to get my good side. I want to look just as good as your dashing children," I respond while grabbing the child's mother's attention.

The mother, now understanding that no harm has been done, laughs as she rummages through her bag to pull out a phone. She takes a second to go to her camera, allowing me to twist my head slightly to the side and put on the most photogenic smile I can muster. After the mother encourages her children to get closer and smile, a couple flashes burn my retinas, confirming that they now have proof of meeting me. Here's to hoping I look as good as I think I do.

"Let us see, mom!" The little girl spouts.

When her phone turns around, the three of us see a crisp photo that ended up being exactly how we imagined it being. The two little monsters admit how much they like the photo and give me an endless amount of appreciation for stopping to see them.

"It was my pleasure, little ones. Now, I'll leave you all to enjoy your dinner. You two, make sure to listen to your parents and be polite, alright," I respond, standing back up and slowly heading back to Melanie.

"Yes sir!" The two monsters say while waving goodbye and calmly sitting back down.

The family then begins excitedly talking amongst themselves, in disbelief that they actually met a scarer in a place like this. I don't doubt them; Meeting a scarer is a much greater thing than meeting a famous musician or politician after all. Their reactions were the same as the ones I had when I was a kid.

As I leave my fans behind, I notice that Melanie isn't where I left her. I have to take a glance in all directions before finding her at the front of the restaurant, still standing with her hands clasped. She looks at the floor, cautiously swinging one of her feet from side to side, trying her best to find a way to be entertained. Lucky for her, the entertainment has returned.

"You didn't have to take refuge all the way up here you know. They would have been fine with meeting you too," I mention after arriving at the entrance and stomping closer to her.

"O-Oh, no. I know how long you've been waiting for something like that to happen, s-so I just took a step back," Melanie replies.

I grab her hand and hold it tightly. "Well, isn't that thoughtful…Glad to know that you're still alright with all the attention I get."

"John I'm tired of this, where have you taken me now?!" Melanie complains as I drive past the mansions of my childhood neighborhood.

"Oh don't tell me you're uncomfortable here as well," I shiver at the wheel.

"No! I just wish I had an idea of what was going on for once in my life!" Melanie argues, crossing her arms.

I just need her to outlast the suspense for a little bit longer and then she'll be in the clear. We'll be too busy working and living for me to create any more surprises for her, and I know she will appreciate that.

Every mansion we pass on the wide tar street has quite a distance from the next. They all have complex shapes and are of complex sizes that leave the mind unsure of what the interiors look like. Flower bushes, hedges, fountains and massive trees decorate the exterior, nearly taking the attention away from the countless windows, arches and balconies that make the buildings more than just simple living spaces. Accompany all that with the bright and comforting streetlamps that delve the neighborhood into a soft orange glow, and all that's left is a feeling of pure suburban tranquility. After the past four years of being away from this, I can say that I really missed this kind of atmosphere. There's no more worry about random street parties or fireworks or…anything. It's just good ol' Thornberry.

I don't respond to Melanie this time and simply observe her with my peripheral vision. Her head moves with every house that passes us by, unsure of why we're here. Hopefully she'll realize soon that I'm taking her home.

"John, aren't we a few blocks away from your parents?" She asks softly, clearly trying not to make me jump while I'm driving.

"Yeeeees," I reply gently.

"Then are you taking me there?" She questions further.

"…Noooooooo," I say gently as well.

She scoffs and shifts her whole body a little bit in her seat to face me more directly. "Then can you please, just PLEASE, tell me?! This is getting old!"

I finally turn down the street that I've been dying to turn down. It's only a little farther until we reach a gate with a certain golden letter on it that happens to take us to Melanie's new abode. Internally, I'm afraid she won't like it, but at the same time, it's something that totally fits her. She's an introvert that should live in a faraway hidden residence.

When I see the gates inching closer, I softly hit the brakes and turn towards them so that we can read the giant golden 'W' on them. And like the smart puppy that Melanie is, she immediately solves the riddle I've given to her. "Oh my god, John, you didn't!"

"Oh, I did," I growl playfully, rolling down the window and punching in a ten-digit code that unlocks the gates.

They swing open to reveal a long stone brick driveway that continues further into the Thornberry foliage. Multi-colored trees are symmetrically placed for hundreds of meters and are placed behind flower bushes of every color. On each side of the driveway contains several statues of scary monsters holding spears and books, and there are even two ponds that connect to creeks and fields that have been, and will continue to be, landscaped. We haven't even arrived at the house and we're already within an sanctuary fit for kings and queens.

We drive past the gates, watching them close behind us in the rear-view mirror.

"John, how expensi-"

"It wasn't. Come on, you should already know this kind of stuff is pocket change for me, especially when it's for you," I interrupt.

"JOHNATHAN WORTHINGTON THE THIRD! WHY WOULD YOU BUY ME A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR MANSION!" Melanie screams.

"Because I can…And there's nothing you can say or do to return it," I say fanning the flames.

Melanie places both of her hands on the center console after groaning in disbelief and talks in a serious tone. "John we could have…you know, just gotten an apartment somewhere or a house that's…normal!"

"Normal? For you, my best friend in the whole wide world? After all these years where normal wasn't cutting it? Not a chance!" I dismiss.

I then step on the gas and send us flying down the driveway. After few exhilarating seconds, the sky opens up as the we inch closer to the entrance. The stars shine and the moons blasts us with its intense light, making this night feel more magical than it already is. When we arrive at the roundabout driveway, I park right at the front so I can do exactly what I did at Le Belle Époque: I hop out of the car, and gracefully help Melanie plant her feet firmly on the ground in the most gentlemanly way I can. It's from there that Melanie can take in the colossal house that I've purchased for the both of us to call home. The black brick stacks up to make three stories, showing off many windows and glass doors that we saw in the other mansions around Thornberry. The many roofs are steep and triangular, and even have spires that block the moons light in the sky. The walls have dark ivy combing all around, making the place look like it's been abandoned and fallen into ruin many years ago, but the lights that are blaring out from within prove it to be nothing more than a facade. Then there's the front doors, right after a stone staircase that's overcasted by columns and a balcony above it on the second floor. It's a scarer's dreamhouse…and it's all ours…it's where Melanie and I can live happily ever after.

I then dig into my suit pocket one last time and pull out a key. With one swift hand movement, I'm able to hold it front of Melanie so that she can take it out of my hand, of which she does cautiously.

"Y-You really bought this place for us?" Melanie questions, holding the key in both of her hands.

"…Yes ma'am," I reply softly, "…I know it's sudden and I know none of your stuff has been moved over yet but…It's what I've been wanting to give you for months. Like I've said plenty of times before…I don't want you worrying about anything. All I want is for you to become who you want to be…and for you to come home to a beautiful house where everything you could possibly need is ready for you."

Her eyes go from the key and back up to the house.

"No more worrying, Mel. You're safe with me."