Alternate Ending 3

Alternate Ending 3
(Original Story Lead In):

"So what about the bra?" I asked? "It is physical evidence that proves her existence?"
"It is much more probable," the shrink began, "that you went out and bought it subconsciously as part of your fantasy and somehow managed to block it from your mind. It's the only reasonable and plausible answer."
This seemed to be a sticking point so I thought it best to just agree with him and move along. Once I did, I was deemed fit to return to my meager existence of life as I knew it. I agreed readily with the shrink because he could not touch those dreams that were locked up in my head. Those were mine and I kept and cherished them.


I still go to conventions and I haven't changed my routine very much while there. I go to panels, talk with friends, and just hang out. I sit in the bar and have a drink. I will grab a table that has two chairs and make sure that the other chair is left unoccupied. I leave a rose at the front desk at each hotel for Trista. I don't know if they are ever picked up or not but I leave them anyway.

It's been a while, maybe a few years since that weekend and I was doing my usual routine at a convention and toasting the memory. I was sipping my third or fourth drink of the evening when suddenly there was a flash of light and the seat in front of me was filled with a shape. In a few moments the form stabilized and Trista was there.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey," I answered as I looked upon her image and then added, "I missed you too."

"And I have missed you," she said as she leaned closer and placed her hand upon mine. When her hand touched my own it was like someone had opened a floodgate and the warmth that it contained washed over me.

"Thanks for the roses," she said, "I have all of them."

"You're very welcome. I just wanted to do something nice for you."

"That's what I like about you, so honest and simple. Your heart is so open."

"For you it is always..." I allowed my words to trail off.

She let her hand trace the outline of my face. "So silly and yet so sweet."When her hand returned to mine she said, "I've watched you sit and have these drinks late at night."

"You have? Why didn't you come to me earlier then?"

"Rules. There are only certain things we faries are allowed to do. Actually I m breaking a quite a few right now by coming to you."

"TristaÂ, I don't want you to get in any--"

"Hush," she said and placed her fingers to my lips. "I am here because I want to be here. I wanted to see you."

"Well in that case then, I guess I won't argue," I said and felt my self satsifying grin stretch fromn ear to ear.

"Good, we never have argued and I don't want to start one now. Besides you would lose anyway. "

"I see we still have that snarkyness streak in your possession after all this time."

"You seem to bring it out in me," she countered and smiled that grin that drove me crazy--the one oh so innocent and yet oh so evil mixture that only she could do.

"Glad to know I'm good for something besides entertainment," I said.

"Entertainment? Where did that come from?" she asked.

"You know us mere mortals. We must be amusing with our daily lives as compared to you fairie folk."

"Ah I see," she said, " is that what you really think?"

Her question and serious tone of voice caught me off guard.

"Well I don't know."

"It's actually quite the reverse," she said emphatically. "We can't expeieirnce the same joy that you do. We have in a way beome immune to it after so long of a period of time."

"Trista I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

"Of course you didn't," she said sincerely. "But that's why I have been keeping my eye on you."

"Oh?"

"You see, ever since we were together. I have been grounded so to speak because I behaved abnormally when I left you the...ah...item."

"Item? Oh, you mean the bra."

"Yes. That is against the rules. You see why obviosuly."

"No," I said adamantly. "If it wasn't for the bra, I would have questioned the entire..." My voice trailed off as I saw what she meant now.

"That's exactly the reason," she said. "It can have an adverse affect on humans and cause emotional stress. It's not supposed to seem like it was real but rather just a dream of something that might have been."

"I see," I said. My voice reflected dissapointment.

"But I'm glad I did. And the way you have kept that time in your heart is what convinced me."

"Convinced you of what?" I asked.

"I'm staying this time--with you"

"What?"

"I'm staying," she repeated

"Trista, I'm so glad to hear that but...can you do that?"

"If I give up my immortality, I can."

"That's a lot to give up," I said.

"Well a woman has to do what she must," she said and smiled. "Beides, you're worth it
and I only have so many bras."

"I don't know what to say," I said.

"That's a good start to a relationship. Let me do all the talking and we'll get along just fine."

"Snarky," I said.

"Yes, it comes from years of expierince and of course genetics as well," she proudly stated.

"By the way," I began, "now that you brought it up, seeing as how you were immortal, how old are you anyway?"

"Don't you know you should never ask a womans age. Shame on you."

"Well I was just curious...it doesn't really matter."

"And you may keep that curiosity to yourself young man unless it deals with a more physical nature as to where I am concerned."

"Well then, shall we adjourn to the fourth floor?" I asked.

"We can't go there anymore honey," she said looking sadly at me. "We have to--"

"Trista this hotel has six floors."

"Well then," she said, "don't you need to work on that undergarment collection of yours? Hmmmmmmm....."


THE END