The months passed and James finished the painting of Jessie, and she held him tightly as he signed his name at the bottom corner.
"Another masterpiece," she whispered kissing his cheek lovingly.
"I...I never would have done it if you hadn't been so willing," James replied.
Jessie smiled at hearing his voice again, wrapping her arms around him. "That's music to my ears James," she said at his quiet, but verbal response.
Since the fateful night he had told Jessie he loved her, he had pursued regaining his speech with vitality, and most of it had returned, he spoke more slowly now, and some words and syllables he still had difficulty with, but simply hearing her James' voice once again was the best thing Jessie could ever have hoped for.
"James James! Da letta! It came!"
Jessie gripped James' shoulder in anticipation as Meowth bounded into the bedroom waving a small white envelope. James tensed as he slid his finger under the seal, and tore the paper open, gripping the folded letter apprehensively.
"Go on James, what's the worst that could happen?" Jessie assured him as he unfolded the elegant white paper and read the script somberly.
"T...They..." he stuttered dropping the letter in utter disbelief.
"Aw damn. I'm sorry James, you can't expect to be accepted the first time," she said consoling him.
He turned and looked at her practically, a devious smirk coiling the corner of his mouth. "Actually, I can! They accepted me Jess! They're going to display my painting!" he cried wrapping his arms around her lovingly.
"They did? They are? James that's wonderful! When are they doing it?" she asked.
James kissed her swiftly on the nose and smiled. "Next weekend, they're having a big party and unveiling a few new paintings, mine included! Jessie this is my dream come true! I'm somebody!" he said his emerald eyes sparkling.
Jessie gazed at them, smiling at him. His eyes were quite possibly the most beautiful she had ever seen, and they gazed with such love and adoration at no one but her, and she treasured it. "I'm so happy for you, and maybe when you're a famous artist, kids will be learning about you in school, great artists to be will study your technique, but no one will duplicate it and you wanna know why?" she asked resting her forehead against James'.
"Why?" he asked closing his eyes.
"Because no one puts such love into their paintings, no one on earth is better at it than you, you're the best artist in the world James," Jessie assured him.
James pressed his lips against Jessie's, kissing her lovingly. "It's only because I think about how much I love you when I paint," he answered.
"I love you too James," Jessie said.
"What do you say we, uh, ditch the furball for tonight and have a nice candlelight dinner to celebrate, just the two of us?" James suggested, running a hand through Jessie's styled hair.
"Sounds great to me James, I'll go get ready," she said kissing him quickly before heading to her room to change.
"So, ditchin me eh?" Meowth piped up angrily.
James grinned smugly. "I don't want you there for a reason, and you'll find out later, now if you'll excuse me, I have a date," he said brushing past the feline into the bathroom.
"Hmph! I swear, love does funny tings ta peoples minds," Meowth mused and sauntered to the kitchen to fix himself a tuna melt for dinner.
-
James sipped his glass of water, nervously fingering the slight bulge in his left pocket, waiting for the dessert he had ordered for he and Jessie to share to arrive.
"Oh James, this is the best restaurant I've been to in forever! Thanks so much for taking me!" she piped cheerfully as a lavish looking slice of white cake was set between them.
James smiled at it, the object reflecting exactly what he was thinking about. "Welcome Jess, anything for you!" he replied happily.
Jessie smiled at him using her twice shortened nickname. It just seemed so incredibly familiar and affectionate, and she liked it. James was a true gentleman at the meal's end, picking up the check, and offering a walk in the park just outside of town. "I'd love to James," Jessie replied taking the arm he offered to her.
He led her to a spot he'd picked out a few days beforehand and stopped, staring at the small lake at the center of the park. The bright full moon reflected of it dashingly, illuminating both his and Jessie's face with silver light, making them both look immortal. He sat on a small flat rock, still warm from the day's heat, bringing Jessie with him, his arm draped affectionately about her shoulders.
He fingered his pocket yet again and drew in a deep breath. "Jessie, there's something I've been meaning to tell you for a long time now," he said slowly.
"Go ahead James, just don't strain your voice," Jessie said as James tenderly took her hands into his.
"Jessie, I love you more than anything, I'd jump from the highest building in the world if I thought it would make you as happy as you've made me," he said.
"James, you practically saved my life, and loved me more than I've ever felt, except from my mom, and I always loved you," Jessie promised him, "and I always will."
James smiled. "Which brings me to my point, Jessie, I've been so afraid to ask, because I know how much you want to be happy, and I didn't know if I could, but now that I know for sure, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to be a part of you Jessie, I want to take you places and show you things, I want to be your best friend, your lover, and the other half of your soul, but to do that," he paused, reaching for his back pocket, and drew a small black object from it, "I want to be your husband too. Marry me Jessie, complete my soul."
Jessie took the box and opened it, tears of joy already gathering in her eyes as she gazed at the ring. It was a perfect clear diamond in the shape of a just as perfect white rose, the stem forming the band. James removed it, and lovingly slid it onto her finger, kissing the back of her hand lightly. "Yes James, I will marry you," she replied embracing him.
They cried together, cried for the love they thought they would never find, the love they thought dead, but found still alive, yet dormant in each other. They knew that they had completed their mutual shattered souls, brought about by hardships and sorrow through most of their lives, and it took the same kind of person to empathize and sympathize with their situations. They knew also, that they would be eternally happy, James had finally found something that truly made him happy, and if her James was happy, Jessie was too.
James' painting was displayed just a few short days after, and it gained the acclaim of many of the great artists who had come to the event at the museum James had chosen with Jessie's help. Jessie and James stared at it lovingly, their fingers intertwined, listening to the conversations that sprung up around it.
"Well, I think it's a comment on society today, see how this angel is dying in the front? It symbolizes morals and how they've been killed too!"
"No that can't be it! Who chooses an angel for morals? It's obviously the history of the world!"
"You're insane."
"No no really! Look, it shows how the people have gone from angels, to these devils in the back!"
"Preposterous!" The two men continued their conversation as James smirked.
Only he and Jessie knew the true meaning of the painting, it was the symbol for their life, the turmoil of their childhood, killing the angels that had once been them. The demons in the back had been defeated, however, the night Jessie had found the painting, realized instantly what it meant, and they had given themselves to one another, body and soul. Their personal demons had been defeated, and now that they had each other, their lives would forever be complete.
-
"James something is definitely wrong," Jessie said kicking the scale. James poked his head into the bathroom warily, Jessie had been quite moody lately and he feared seeing what the scale read. Jessie saw his timid expression in the mirror and rolled her eyes. "I'm not gonna hit you James, come in here," she said. James smiled and came in wrapping his arms about her waist, the hand he wore his wedding ring on entwining with the same one Jessie wore hers on.
She sighed happily as he kissed her lovingly on the neck and nuzzled her cheek affectionately. "I'm sure it's nothing, come to bed Jess," he encouraged.
Jessie kissed him back lightly on the lips and nodded. "Alright James," she said.
"Perhaps youse two shoulda laid off a while ago," Meowth said, who had been sitting in the doorway the whole time.
"Who asked you?" James asked.
"No one, I'm just sayin' is all, youse two is gonna be closa dan eva now!" he mused sauntering away.
Jessie and James exchanged nervous glances and dashed out the door.
"Meowth! What on earth are you talking about!?" Jessie screeched.
"Nothin'! But don't expect me ta baby sit!" he called back as the pursuit grew hotter.
"Baby sit? What?! How do you know?!" Jessie shot angrily as the chase continued to the darkened backyard.
The two humans' shouts grew quieter in the bird's ears as he grew tired of his perch, lofting into the night sky deftly. It trilled victoriously as its shadow crossed the moon, a bright streak of hope across the darkness, and the Nightingale sang at Midnight one last time.
The End
