Z-A Monday Finale: All's Well....

At eleven, with much anticipation, Wendy arrived and they ate at Arnie's, a diner on Applewood Avenue. They chose a booth away from all others, feeling just a little awkward.

“Aw, Wendy, it's awfully good to see you.”

“I wanted to see you, too. Absolutely.”

'Absolutely'! That was assuring.

“Anyhow, I want to apologize. I feel I went away and abandoned you. I was...aimless. I had some adventures and all that, went through a lot of automobiles, but I have to admit it was not the most adult thing to do.”

“Well, it's not like you went astray...and I was too apprehensive...”

“But I feel I pulled us apart. And that's awful. Anyhow, while I was away there was this accident, and it makes me approach life differently.”

“I heard about the accident. From my friend Alice. She lives in Kentucky, in Anderson. You were on the Action News or whatever. I admire what you did.”

“Anyhow, all 'heroics' aside, I want to aim for what's important. It's sort of an awakening for me. One area is my work. Three of us are acquiring the Bijou, to bring arts and music to town. We'll book acts at the auditorium, reach as wide an audience as possible. It's an attempt, anyway. The accolades will come later.”

“That's awesome, Xavier.”

Approval. Yes!

“So I want to make amends with you. More, actually. My adventures showed me it's important to account for whom you associate with. It took me the whole alphabet to appreciate that.”

“What?”

“Never mind. I've anticipated too much and appreciated too little. I mean, I'm all over America, looking, and I abandon this attractive, amusing, absolutely awesome answer right here.”

“I'm an answer?”

“You're an angel.”

An artful if a bit audacious thing to add, he thought. He touched her arm and continued.

“I just wanted to air this all out. It's not just affection, Wendy. Absence has made my heart grow, you know... It's...well...the French say 'amore'”.

“Xavier, I....I feel all that, too, although I admit I'm an Anglophile...awful with French.”

Aha! Time to advance the argument! Assemble the Army! Attack!

“So, I see no alternative but to ask: Will you accompany me, to the altar, and afterwards?”

“Are you asking....?”

“Affirmative.”

“Oh, always, Xavier, for afterwards, for always!” She advanced toward him.

Not actually the word “yes”, Xavier thought, but just as acceptable. Very acceptable...and for the last Z-A, alphabetically appropriate!