An Unconventional Happy Ending
Her black coat seems to shine as the sky lightens with the coming dawn.
This is part of a Choose Your Own Adventure story, Through the Black Door. Go back to the first chapter. Or return to the previous chapter. Check out the chapter guide!
Asha, now young and resplendent in her beauty again, looks at you, the faerie horses, and her colleague Lionel.
Then she turns and walks out the church door.
You gape and rush after her. “Wait. We’re not lovers anymore, but surely we could still stay in touch?”
Asha halts her step and glares at you. Her glossy raven hair whips around her shoulders like a shield. “What? Do you hope against hope that our feelings will rekindle?”
You try to hide the hurt you feel at her words. While you may not “love” her anymore either, it’s a deep loss to be torn apart from someone who used to be your everything.
Fate has truly been cruel, granting you and Asha wish after wish, only to end in even more anguish than before.
You might have been happier living as secret lovers with Asha, even in a homophobic environment. While you would have to keep your love a secret, at least your love would still be real and sincere, not like the strange, painful resentment that lingers between you now.
You sigh. “No, I’m not such a hopeful. But we were friends, once. I hope to keep in touch. We don’t have to be strangers.”
Asha’s brows furrow. “Or we can cut things off completely, and start with a clean slate.” Nevertheless, she relents. She scribbles down her number and address on a slip of paper and hands it to you.
Though her expression is cold, the simple trust of this gesture suggests that there is hope for you yet. Perhaps not as lovers, but as friends.
With conflicting feelings in your heart, you watch Asha stride away. Shi Lei, her colt, and Lionel join you outside of the church.
“What are your next steps, Isabelle?” Shi Lei asks. The black mare actually sounds kind, even sympathetic.
On impulse, you say, “Did you ever have a lover, Shi Lei? Who is Qi Xiong’s other parent?”
The black mare seems genuinely surprised at your question, though not offended. “Lovers I had, but I now prefer to travel with just my son. He was born from one of my lovers.”
The colt glances away. It must be awkward for him to hear his mother discuss his parentage with a stranger. You press on, because you are too curious now. “Who was the lover who gave you your colt?”
Shi Lei looks amused. Her black coat seems to shine as the sky lightens with the coming dawn. “Does it matter? I had a lot of lovers, so unless I was determined to find out, I have no idea who gave me my child. But I don’t really care. All I know is that my son is mine, and I will never let anyone take him away from me, not even his other parent, whoever they may be.”
You are awed as you consider this. Lionel also takes his leave at this point. When he is out of earshot, you ask, “Shi Lei, did you blackmail or bribe him into helping you?”
The black mare snorts and tosses her head. “No. He helped us because he wanted to, because his conscience prompted him to do the right thing.”
By the obstinate look in her eyes, you can tell that you won’t get any more information out of her.
Then you peer at the foal. He is silent as he bends down to chew some grass.
Shi Lei is probably waiting for you to bid them farewell too, but…
“Can I come with you?” you blurt out. At her startled expression, you elaborate, “I’m lonely. My parents both passed away a long time ago. As for Asha and I…our wounds are too deep, and we need some time and space before we can really connect again, even as friends.” Watching Asha leave had hammered home just how isolated and friendless you have been all these years.
You continue, “Shi Lei, I know we haven’t exactly been friends, either, but — it would be comforting to have a familiar face around me. And I can help you take care of your colt, too.”
Maybe you sound erratic and pathetic, but you’re telling the truth. It’s wearisome to have to wander through life alone, where you get nothing more than casual, meaningless dalliances.
Even when you lost your memories, you felt an emptiness that you could not name. Now you know that the emptiness was from Asha. But even after reuniting with her, that emptiness remains and has turned into an ache.
You look at the elegant black mare now, and her little colt, who has lifted his head from the grass to stare at you.
Shi Lei nudges her son with her muzzle. “Qi Xiong, what do you think? Should we take Isabelle with us?”
Qi Xiong appraises you with his young, dark eyes. Then he says, “She may, but she has to swear allegiance to us first. Who knows if she’ll ever want to take revenge on us.”
You sigh, feeling a bit miffed and sad that he would still suspect you, even after you had gone through the trouble of breaking into the church, and defying your former lover Asha, just to free him. But you make a vow to never knowingly harm Shi Lei or Qi Xiong, and promise to be loyal to them.
Once again, you hope you won’t regret your decision. But you truly don’t want to be alone anymore. You may have started off as enemies, but for now, you are allies. Over time, perhaps you will become friends, even chosen family.
