Thanks for your comments, Kathy, Olympe and Terry. I appreciate them.

As for the epilogue... part of me still thinks that the original epilogue is the right choice. I put you through all that emotional angst only to tell you at the end that I'm just kidding laugh . (Okay, I admit it. I have an evil side wave

She was in such a good mood she let all the pedestrians in the crosswalk get to safety before taking off again.
- CC Aiken, The Late Great Lois Lane