Finale: Part XVI

Guard·an an·gel. Noun: A spirit that is believed to watch over and protect a person or place.

1:02p.m. Standing in the checkout line to purchase a case of catnip that was on sale.

Another year and an half had sailed by since Lisa had last seen Jackson altogether.

She matter-of-factly didn't even believe whether to label him dead or alive.

Nevertheless, just as she so desperately anticipated, things went relatively smoother for her after returing home. Meaning that true happiness eventually latched itself tightly to her life again without any disturbance.

Lisa felt normal.

She read her five selected novels, hated the first but loved the ensing four. And to kill two birds with one stone, she settled on giving back to the community by taking in a neglected animal. Her newest condo companion, a lively and clever black-coated kitten, was dubbed "(The) Victor." Though Lisa kept the true reason of naming him as such covertly to herself.

Furthermore, Lisa had stumbled into the path of Cupid's golden arrow. His name was Spencer Goodfellow, and he was the head veterinarian running the very animal hospital Lisa had gone to with the purpose of adopting Victor. He was quite the amazing catch too—tall, nicely built, slick blonde hair, medical smart, and passionate-hearted—all compacted into one person. Spencer was also the first man who solely fascinated Lisa since Jackson—yet obviously by entirely different causes.

Within another seven months of dating each other, Spencer was invited to move in with her to live there permanently. And it wasn't long after that stage in their relationship when the shining engagement ring appeared onto her left hand.

Lisa never thought life could become this grand, especially with her luck...or the lack of it actually. Things in fact couldn't be better. And she also had never expected letting go of her few lingering thoughts over Jackson would, per se, be this easy than before.

However, on occasion, perhaps once or twice per year, she would feel a rather strange sensation hover her home late in the afternoons when she'd be alone, waiting for Spenser to be done with his shift. It was like the walls of the condo themselves were watching her. At times, even Victor would leap window to window purring loudly, sensing there had been something outside to keep a sharp eye on. But Lisa wasn't fearful of this—distant presence for it wasn't lasting—because in reality, it was rather fleeting. As a child, her mother had always favored to tell her stories regarding protective angels that were assigned to everyone once they were born.

Again, Lisa's belief in these mystical gaurdians did not flourish considering the darker events overlapping her past, though nowadays she was definitely more grateful and tolerant of the idea of being looked after (checked up on) by some unseen figure. Maybe she had a private watchman after all. Maybe in a way, everyone was assigned their own "stalker" from birth.

The wedding ceremony finally took place the succeeding summer, outside in a public garden on a beautiful pond shoreline. A pair of white swans glided across the watery jade surface as their minister concluded his final words of blessing. In result, the crowd joined together to celebrate the couple's union into the long hours of the night.

The revelry of their reception eventually faded out and was over with. Lisa and her charming husband sat beneath candlelight afterwards, clawing at wrapping paper and shuffling through cards of mirth. But when Spencer reached for the last white envelope in the gift basket, he mused, "This one doesn't have anything written on it. Maybe it's a secret million dollar bill." He chuckled, handing it over to Lisa so she could take a look for herself.

Growing curious, she tore into the paper seal and pulled out the small card hiding inside of it. It was rather bland in camparison to the others piled aside them, with its blank ivory cover and the tiny blue swirls stamped in the corners. Then after flipping it open, Lisa froze suddenly recognizing the original penmanship. Nothing had been written really except for the short and simple phrase:

Good going, Leese. Let freedom ring.

-J

And that was all Lisa needed to know. Nothing more, nothing less.

Self-security was guaranteed, closure was granted, and fair contentment was seemingly found on both ends at last.

Well, that's all for now, folks. Drabbles are meant to be quick to the point. And as much as I appreciate the darkened chemistry written between the characters as I metioned before, in this personally story, I thought it'd be more fitting for Lisa to gain the happy ending she hoped for. I think she sort of deserves it.

Thank you all my followers a hundred times time over! It was a great pleasure of gaining your attention. Possibly in the future sometime I'll consider writing another.