“You’ve kept me waiting a long time”

Nimble as a fox she hopped down from the barstool, turning to face me with a playful gaze. She was a slight thing, her features soft, with hair an inky black that settled like water around the curve of her neck.

And, more importantly, she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I found myself walking towards her, as if my feet had a life of their own.

Her dark eyes were wide, expectant, and I realized she was waiting for me to speak.

“I’m sorry ma’am,” I said softly, ducking my head. Her following laughter was like the whisper of chimes, and I wanted to hear it every day for the rest of my life. We stared wordlessly at each other for a long moment, oblivious to the world around us.

With wonder I realized the joy I was feeling was both mine and yet not, and puzzled at how this exquisite stranger could be so elated to see me, with all that I was, with all that I had done.

She offered her hand like a lifeline and I grasped it in mine, never wanting to let go. Her skin felt like the finest of porcelain in my touch, distracting me for more than a few seconds.

“Alice” She said simply, and I smiled for the first time in a century, free of doubt. “Jasper”

The next thing I knew I was leaving, hand in hand with an angel named Alice, towards a destiny I could finally call my own.