Mirror Mirror

Epilouge

 Sorry for taking this long to post the last piece .... Thanx to everyone who read this story, and stuck with me till the end...,mistakes and all :)  You guys ROCK!!  This last part is dedicated to you all. 

The mirror still hung there, grandly, as though none of this had even happened, but they knew, and they would not leave it there to hurt anybody ever again.  Sarah was not taking any chances, and she told them so.  Letting go of Jarrod for a moment, she slipped the talisman off her neck, and, after running her fingers over it for one last time, she wrapped it tightly in the palm of her hand.  They each brought their right hand over hers, and with no second thought, no delay, they cast it into the mirror.  As it sank into its depths, the glass broke, and this time, there was no sound.  This time, when the glass fell, the pieces disappeared before they hit the ground.  This time it could not rebuild itself.  This time it was destroyed, and when the last piece vanished, it took the frame with, and all it left as a reminder, was the empty space that they now faced.

Staring at the empty wall, the four friends, laughing and hugging at the same time, could hardly believe it.  The nightmare was finally over.

Later that night, they spoke about what had happened.  Thank goodness that the girls would not remember anything.  They would wake up in their beds, none the wiser and this would all seem like a bad dream.  The only person this was bound to affect, would be Mickey.  They vowed never to make her feel unwelcome again.  They would treat her as the friend she had proved to be, and the decent person she was underneath.  Sarah, more especially, because she knew, that it was partly her to blame for what had happened to the girl. Yes, Sarah had realized it, if not too late, that beauty was only skin deep.

Lacey had found a good man in Stephen.  He was all she had been dreaming of, and more.  She knew that she could rely on him no matter what.  Now all she had to do, was call her folks back home, and explain her decision to them.  She would not be returning there for some time.  Exploring this new life with Stephen was going to be her only priority for now.

Sarah too, found that she appreciated both the men in her life more.  Stephen would always be there for her, Jarrod would love her till the end of time, no doubt, and Lacey, her new friend...well...Lacey had just hit the jackpot with Stephen. 

Jarrod was glad that even after finding out how they had set her up, Sarah was not mad at all.  In fact, she seemed more grateful than ever.  Her heart had made up its own mind in that department.  It seemed that when she was around him, it brought out the best in her, even when she was at her worst.  It was the best feeling in the world to be surrounded by so much love.

Stephen watched the three of them as they spoke, the playful teasing, the uninhibited laughter.  He had found a whole lot more than he had lost.  He could never forget his past, his parents...those memories would be with him forever.  With friends like these, though, it would make living with them a whole lot easier, not to mention easing the burden of loneliness.

He was definitely going to be a whole lot busier, now that Lacey had decided to stay.  He could not wait to see where that road would lead him.

Stephen helped Lacey to her feet, and, taking her hand in his, they turned to leave.  “See you guys later.”  Stephen called as they made their way to the door. 

“What’s your hurry?” Jarrod asked half-heartedly, while staring into Sarah’s eyes.

“I have some catching up to do myself.”  He grinned, scooping Lacey in his arms and opening the door.

“Goodnight.” Lacey chuckled.

“Goodnight.”  Sarah mumbled, not even looking up.

 As the door to Sarah’s apartment closed, so did the last chapter of their old lives.  Things would never be the same again for any of them.  What they had been through could only make them stronger.  Stephen popped Lacey into the front seat beside him.  Looking up at Sarah’s window, she smiled. 

The light went out, Stephen started up the engine, and away they went, to a new life that was waiting, like the dawn that was about to break.

The end