Persephone’s Fall – Page 49
“I do,” Hades says, and after a moment more, “God, Seph… is this real?”
And I smile. I smile because I know he means it. He means it when he says he loves me. He means it when he says he’ll help me. Here in this alley, we’re saying our real wedding vows, the ones that matter.
I can see my reflection in his eyes. The Persephone I see there is some new woman I’ve never seen before. Some combination of all of those I’ve seen reflected before. But this one wears an expression as beautiful as it is unexpected. She’s smiling from ear to ear. Ecstasy and understanding and hope clearly printed on her face.
Life, love: It’s all there before me. It’s like the drop, in a way, and yet so much more. Where there I found only a final answer, here I see no end of possibilities. Maybe some are good, maybe others are bad, but for the time being I’m content to take my chances. I’m content with my choice.
Hades wants to know if it’s real. “It is,” I say, and oh how I want to prove it. I’ve never wanted anything more in my life, and I laugh out loud. I’m shaking. Hades is shaking, and laughing, and I can’t wait one moment more. We’ve wanted this so much, and at long last we can admit it. At long last we can accept it.
When we kiss, it feels like falling.
The End
