Brighter Days

 Another lonely evening, another plate of cold noodles. There were times Howie felt as if his life was one big miserable Groundhog Day. And he didn't like it.

 As usual, his friends kept him in the loop concerning Lucia and her continuing outrages. In the past, Howie would have sighed and let the waves of their combined bitterness wash continually over him. This time, he made a decision.

 It started with finding a new place to live. It was all based on 'out of sight, out of mind'. Lucia lived just across the street, which made it easy for her to continue her relentless attack on him. Here, in a different part of the neighbourhood, he felt she'd lose interest.

 Howie also started working out again. This helped him deal with the long days and even longer nights. Soon the phone calls changed in tone as well, as Howie's friends began to tell him of new developments in Lucia's life.

 Lucia, it turned out, needed a man. It didn't matter whom it was, either. Vinnie, a techie down the road, had begun to take an interest in her not long after the big bust-up. Turns out love had struck again for Lucia. Howie wished them all the best.

With Lucia's newfound romance she stopped calling Howie and left him to raise Madison. Sure, she sent the occasional birthday gift to her daughter and the occasional cheque but as far as she was concerned, that girl was all Howie's. Today was Madison's 13th birthday. Teenhood awaits!



The End

Visitors

 After the shock of Andrew's death had passed, Allan went often to his step-grandfather's grave and mourned for what had been and what could have been had he known Andrew for longer.

 From the Leaf-Pile in the Sky, Andrew could feel his transparent heart melt. He had not known Allan or his father Chris for very long, but they seemed like good people. He found Pam and convinced her to join him in visiting their daughter and new family.

 Pam looked around at the house and was happy to see the couch and TV hadn't changed any. But this wallpaper! Surely her daughter had more taste than this. And if Pam wasn't mistaken, that blue fellow sleeping in Kath's old bedroom was just a little too strange.

 Nobody had told Pam that her daughter had taken in a vampire kid. Her reaction upon finding out was... less than encouraging.

Personally, Andrew didn't care if Allan was a vampire, a werewolf, or a cow mascot. In his past life and then in his past ghostly visits he'd grown to love Chris and Allan. They were good people and they'd take good care of his daughter. With this thought in mind, Andrew let Pam go elsewhere (death do us part, remember?) and continued to watch over his family.