His Guiding Light

Upon hearing that, her eyes swelled with pride, and tears. She kissed his check and said, "I've been wanting to hear you call me that for years."

The newlyweds honeymooned in Vienna, exploring even more of the city and sights, and feeling right at home. Over the years, they had three children who were loved profusely by both sets of grandparents.

The new products they developed performed very well in the marketplace. They performed so well, that one of the mega-corporations that they competed against eventually purchased a share of MCDI to sign an exclusive marketing and reselling agreement with them.

The large sum of money from the sale was used to fund the charitable foundation which Gabriella started, but was later taken over by Cassie. Sam said that he would only agree to give her the money for the foundation if he could name it. He named it the Walk on Water (WoW) Foundation because like Zach, he genuinely thought his wonderful wife could walk on water, and he thought that it would be a good name for a charity.

Within a couple of years of the agreement, and cash windfall, Sam handed the company over to Zach to run. He had earned that right over the years and had helped to not only grow the MRI servicing business but to help manage the growth of many new products as well.

Alas, they lost Sam in his 75th year. He had an aneurysm one night, and he didn't wake up, but he and Gabriella were together when he passed, which is how he would have wanted it. After Sam died, Cassie began helping her mother with the foundation, and eventually took over its day to day management.

The foundation's primary focus was on helping Houston's homeless and abused women. It built a new, larger building to help and house those women in need and their children, trying to turn their lives around. They repurposed the old building into a Montessori school serving kids from birth to sixth grade, which allowed the women to pursue their education or skills training. Mindy was hired to run the school.

Like the earlier charity did for those first eight graduates, the foundation helped clothe and feed the women that came through its doors, while they worked to get the skills necessary to stay off the streets or out of abusive relationships. They also got them started in their new lives by helping them get a reliable used car, some work clothing and helping them get set up in a new place of their own or one to share with another graduate.

The model was so successful that it was emulated in several other cities. Now, Cassie was being celebrated for her running of the WoW Foundation that her parents started.

Lisa could always cajole a few of her colleagues and students to come out and play for a good cause. To make up for the hurt that Gerald had caused, and that she and others enabled, she felt driven to write encouraging articles for the Houston paper, lauding and applauding the efforts of the town's musicians, and rallied the patrons to also provide positive feedback and encourage the development of youth programs to support budding musicians. She continues to receive nice letters from those that appreciate her kind words, including former conductors that had performed there.

Mindy sung at the charity celebration that evening for her friends and rarely turned down an invitation to do so. Her eldest daughter was one of those playing the violin that evening. Bella was playing, also. Her mother, Melody, ended up marrying Cassie's younger brother Tom, and they were incredibly happy together.

After the speech, applause and thanking many people for coming out, Cassie had finally worked her way towards where her husband and mom were talking. But of course, they were always talking. She was quite sure that he loved her mother more than even her brothers did, and that was saying a lot.

She asked, "Mother, why is it that whenever I'm away from Zachariah for more than a few minutes, you are always next to him when I return?

She replied, "Because I thought I lost him at one time, and I'm never going to allow that to happen again."

Zach replied, "You'll never have to worry about that, Mother, because ever since Vienna, when she saved me from my isolation, Cassandra has had my heart. No matter where I am, I will always come home to her and my family."

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To everyone that got this far, thank you. I started out writing a story where Gerald dies in the gas explosion while Daniel is Zach's twin & alibi, but I ended up writing a feel-good story which included a wonderful woman/mother like Gabriella. It's weird the way the keyboard will take you some days.

I know that some of you will feel that his retribution or intended punishment of Gerald was too severe. Again, this is a work of fiction. Some of you will think Lisa wasn't punished or punished enough. I disagree. Being with Gerald for so long was, in a way, its own punishment. Also, having to help care for someone as petty as Gerald, who is wheelchair bound, for a year would be pretty tough.

Also, forgiving Lisa allowed Zach to pursue his relationship with Cassie free of any ghosts of Lisa.

Thanks again.

Want to read something really good? Take a look at look at dtiverson's Jacob's Ladder. I've probably read it four or five times and it always brings a smile to my face.

Stay safe out there.

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