by Linda Palmer
“Thanks. I’ll owe you big time.”
“What you’ll owe me is fifty dollars.”
The moment I got off the phone, I began to tear around my room grabbing toiletries from my oak dresser and clothes from my oversized closet to wear tomorrow. I also packed my best PJs and got out of my worst ones, changing into jeans, UGGS, and a hoodie. Snagging my just-in-case coat and my can’t-live-without-it cell phone and charger, I tucked the latter into my zebra bag and hauled everything to the den, where I stared out the front window.
My reflection revealed a normal eighteen-year-old girl with excited blue eyes and long blonde hair. As looks went, I was passably pretty on a good-hair day, though a little short. I seemed to have stopped growing at five-foot-three, which would mean a lifetime of watching my weight, since I had a six-three appetite just like my big brothers.
Exactly twenty-eight minutes later, an SUV pulled into our drive. I turned off the living room light, locked up, and ran out the door and down the steps. The moment my feet met the sidewalk, they both flew out from under me. I landed on my butt. Nate bounded from his ride and jogged over.
“Damn, Leeloo. Are you okay?” He slipped his hands under my armpits and lifted me to my feet, which put me forehead to Adam’s apple with him. I saw he wore a hoodie just like mine with our high school’s mascot on it.
“Yeah, sure, though I might miss my tailbone later.” I could see that Nate struggled not to laugh and punched him in the gut just on principle. “Don’t you dare.”
“Wasn’t gonna.” He gathered up my scattered stuff, deliberately took my hand and led me across the grass to his silver Explorer, which sat in the drive, motor running. Just as he opened the passenger side door, thunder rumbled again. Anna, who sat in the back seat, buried her face in Sparky’s furry back and shrieked.
Changing my plans, I had Nate toss my gear into the front seat and then opened her door and scooted inside. “So you don’t like thunder much, huh?”
She sniffled in reply.
“I used to hate it, too. Then Dad told me it was just faerie drums. Sometimes they get a little loud. Faeries do like to party.” I tweaked her nose. “But you knew that. You were at one today, though we didn’t have drums at ours.”
“Technically, it was yesterday,” said Nate as he settled in behind the wheel.
A glance at his dash clock confirmed that. “So it was. Did you have a good time in our Faerie Garden?” I asked Anna to distract her from the weather.
“Uh-huh. Did you?”
“Yeah,” I said with a sigh. “I love parties, and I’ve always wished I had wings. I can’t think of anything more exciting than flying. And wouldn’t it be fun to grant wishes?”
Anna nodded.
I noticed that her eyelids drooped, which gave me hope that she’d sleep once we got to her house. By then Nate had his SUV on the road, wipers swishing to keep the windshield clear of what was definitely sleet. I saw right away that he drove with care, approaching intersections as if there might be ice. Thirty minutes after he picked me up, Nate killed the engine by a single-wide mobile home in a park full of them. I realized that Anna’s eyes were now closed and her head had lolled to one side.
I reached out to touch Nate’s shoulder. “She’s out.”
He turned in the seat to look at us. “Figures. Sorry I dragged you over here.”
“I don’t mind.” To prove it, I hopped out the door and got my stuff. Nate gently maneuvered Anna out of her seatbelt and then took her to the trailer. The sight of him carrying little sis nearly took me to my knees. He did it so tenderly. I suddenly missed my own big brothers.
When we got to the front step, Nate turned to me. “Key’s in my jeans, right pocket.”
I tried to retrieve it.
“Other right.”
Embarrassed, I gingerly slipped a hand into the correct pocket and pulled out the key. I then unlocked the door, stepping back so Nate could enter the trailer. The first thing I noticed was Anna’s Christmas tree, which dominated what was a pretty small living room-kitchen area. Fragrant and green, the pine branches were loaded with homemade decorations, ranging from a string of popcorn to what I recognized as dried and glittered Play-Doh ornaments. Since I’d crafted those in kindergarten, I easily imagined all the fun Anna and her mom had making them at the table just big enough for two I saw to my right.
“This way.” Nate headed down a short hall with me just behind him. When we reached Anna’s tiny bedroom, he didn’t bother to turn on the light, but moved to a twin bed with the covers tossed back as if someone had sprung out of it in a hurry. I knew who that someone was.
I kept my voice low. “I’ll get her out of her clothes.”
“Thanks.” He deposited Anna on the mattress and then straightened to look down at her. “Is this bed big enough?”
“It’ll do.” I glanced up at Nate, who now had his eyes on me instead of his precious stepsister. “Good night, sleep tight?”
“Oh, uh, right. You’re probably tired after working all day.” He walked to the door, a matter of two whole steps.
“My work is play, but while I’d love to stay up, I don’t want her to wake all alone.”
“Smart thinking. See you in the morning, Leeloo.” Nate stepped into the narrow hall only to turn and stick his head back through the doorway. “What kind of name is that, anyway?”
I put a finger to my lips. “Shhh. And it’s the worst kind ever. I’m named after the love interest in a Bruce Willis movie, The Fifth Element.”
“I’ve seen it. That was the red-haired chick’s name, wasn’t it?”
“Her hair was blaze orange, and yeah, that was her name.”
“She saved her guy.”
“So she did.”
“Just like you saved me tonight.”
I slapped my hand over my mouth so my laugh wouldn’t wake Anna. “You’re not my guy, you’re Missy’s. And what Leeloo really saved was the world. Bruce’s rescue was strictly incidental and not as important.”
“It was to him.” With that grin, Nate left me.
I grinned myself, even though he hadn’t corrected my assumption that he was Missy’s guy as I’d hoped he would. Gently removing Anna’s coat, I saw that she was still in her leotard, tights, and tutu, which meant they hadn’t been washed. I removed the fluff of skirt and her shoes. Leaving it at that, I quickly put on my flannel sleep pants and my I Believe in Faeries tee, not easily done in that confined space. Then I edged around the bed and slid under the covers, sharing Anna’s pillow.
“Leeloo!” Nate whispered from the hall.
I raised my head. “What?”
“Missy and I have been over for ages.”
“Oh!” I waited for him to say something else, but he didn’t. Assuming he’d gone back to his bedroom, I settled in again. Though certain Nate’s big news would cancel any chances I might sleep, I actually did, not opening my eyes until Sunday morning. At least I thought it was morning. The room was so dark, I had doubts.
One glance out the window showed me why I couldn’t see daylight. The weather had not improved. Was it cold? I wondered, sitting up to touch the glass. Warm panes told me we’d definitely be in for a stormy day. Anna, who still slept, would not like that. I had to wonder if the trailer was partly to blame for her fear. The gusty wind did funny things to it, and though not frightened myself, I could easily believe the sounds would scare a child.
Since I needed to pee like crazy, I slipped out of bed and stepped into the hall. A quick peek up and back showed me no Nate, so I ducked into the bathroom, where I also washed my face and finger combed my tousled hair. When I opened the door to leave, I found Nate there, his bare chest right in my face. I squealed for a couple of reasons. He laughed his butt off.
Slipping past him, I saw Anna standing in her doorway. “Well if it isn’t Faerie Rose. Did Prince Nate wake you?” I glared at him before giving her a hug.
“I did not,” said Nate from behind me. “And that’s still spell
ed f-a-e-r-i-e, right?”
“Always,” I said without looking at him. “What do you want for breakfast, Miss Anna?” I figured I’d impress Nate with my culinary skills before he took me home.
“Nate promised we’d have McDonald’s every single day.”
Now I looked at him. “Oh, he did, did he?”
“I don’t cook.” Nate stepped into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.
“Will you come with us?” Anna yawned and rubbed her sleepy eyes.
“We’ll see.” I went into her bedroom, stopping just inside the door. Details hidden by the night were now better seen, and I finally noticed them. “Oh, Anna. I guess I’m not the only faerie fan. Who painted your walls?” I thought that the local artist we’d contacted about murals for Festivities might’ve done them; sadly, he’d been too pricey for us.
“Mommy.”
My jaw dropped. “Really?”
“Really,” said Nate, who’d joined us again. “Dad keeps telling her she should give up being a teacher’s aide and paint for a living. Maybe she will now that they’re married.”
Dragging my gaze from his flannel sleep pants, I turned my attention to a hillside castle, a flying dragon, and a brilliant green forest with the head of a friendly giant sticking up from it. I could’ve been standing in the middle of faerie land, an illusion further enhanced by the size of the room and the garden that was Anna’s bed with its flowery bedspread and matching curtains. “You’re going to move to Nate’s house when your mom gets home?” She’d definitely miss all this.
“Uh-huh.”
“And Ginny, that’s her mom, is going to paint her new room just like this one. Want to eat with us before I take you home?”
Since I couldn’t shift gears that fast, it took me a sec to realize I’d been invited to breakfast a second time. “Sure. Now would you please leave so we girls can get dressed?”
“Gotta teetee first.” Anna shot out of the room.
“Her mom won’t thank you for spoiling her,” I told Nate.
He shrugged. “She’s only little once.”
True words, those. For a moment I got lost in memories of when I was her age.
“What are you thinking about?” Nate asked.
“Barbie dolls. I played with them until I started dating.”
He hooted.
“I’m serious,” I said, pretending to be hurt.
His smile vanished. “Sorry.”
I gave in with a gotcha! laugh. “Actually I put away my faerie Barbies when I turned twelve, which was still a little old. Didn’t have a real date until I was sixteen.”
“So how’d you spend your spare time in the interim?”
“Lessons. Gymnastics, violin, a couple more. I can tap dance. Want to see?”
He crossed his arms over his chest and waited. Resisting the urge to smooth his bed head, I did a little number that made my boobs bounce, something I didn’t realize until too late. I tried to pretend it hadn’t happened, but Nate’s avid stare told me otherwise. “Ta-da!”
He clapped.
Anna came flying out of the bathroom, her gaze shifting from one to the other of us. I didn’t explain the applause, knowing she’d ask me to dance again, something I wasn’t going to do. I urged her into her bedroom, shutting the door behind us.
After dressing in the clothes I’d brought, I helped Anna put on jeans and a Disney princess top, carefully setting aside the leotard. Figured I’d take it home after breakfast and wash it, myself. I tackled my face and hair next, using the full-length mirror on her wall. Unfortunately, a banana clipped mess was all I could manage without the products I hadn’t packed. “Do you want a French braid?”
“Uh-huh,” said Anna, falling back on her favorite answer.
So we took care of that before brushing our teeth and walking to the other end of the mobile home, where Nate patiently waited on the couch. He stood when we got to him. Naturally I noted how good he looked in his long-sleeved camo T-shirt, holey jeans, and Nikes.
The three of us went outside, hurrying through the sprinkles of rain to the SUV. The sultry air felt unnatural, even for an Arkansas December. A glance at the dash told me two things. It was eight-thirty with an outside temperature of sixty degrees. I once again thought of the weather reports I’d recently heard.
If the guy on TV was wrong and we did have tornado-producing storms, I did not want to be in that trailer. Especially at night, when we could be caught sleeping. Though North Little Rock undoubtedly had a warning system as efficient as Little Rock’s, it would only sound after a tornado warning was officially announced. We’d have to leave the trailer to take shelter, which meant things could get scary and even dangerous.
Nate drove us to McDonalds, expertly negotiating back streets. I guessed he’d driven this route many times. “How long did your dad and her mom date?”
“A year. She was hard to land, but I wouldn’t let Dad give up.”
“Memories of a bad marriage?”
He kept his voice low when he answered. “Memories of a good one, I think. She’s a widow. And there was the money thing. Dad owns a construction company, so we have plenty. She doesn’t…er, didn’t…and thought people would assume she was marrying him for reasons besides love.”
“How’d he win her over?”
“He told her he didn’t give a shit—” Nate flicked a rearview mirror glance at Anna. “Er, crap—”
I glared at him.
“I mean flip what people thought.”
“That’s so romantic.”
He looked at me and grinned. “So F-a-e-r-i-e Indigo is a sucker for a good love story. Why am I not surprised?”
I deliberately gazed out my window. “I just like it when two people who are meant to be together find each other. The perfect in-fae-tuation.”
He chuckled at my made-up word.
Though the order line at McDonald’s was long, we got to the counter in ten minutes. Nate took charge. “What do you want, Anna?”
“Pancakes.”
He shifted his attention to me. “And what’s your fae-vorite?”
I had to smile. “Biscuits and gravy.”
“They have that?” Nate scanned the menu. “I’ll be damned.”
I popped his head for the profanity.
He ducked too late. “Ouch! Sorry. Think I’ll have that, too.”
Anna, Sparky, and I made a beeline to the only unoccupied booth in the building. After bussing it myself, we sat and waited for Nate to bring the food. When he did, we all dug in. Outside, a gust of wind blew trash across the parking lot. My eyes met Nate’s. I could tell he dreaded the day.
“Maybe we should stay at your house tonight, Nate. It might feel more, um, cozy.” Did he get my drift?
A quick nod told me he did. “Would you like that, Anna? You and Leeloo can sleep in your new bed. We can even take some of your stuff over there if you want.”
She didn’t seem thrilled by the idea. “I don’t know…”
Wondering why, I tried to find out. “Don’t you like Nate’s house?”
“It’s awful big.”
“Like a faerie castle. You’re so lucky. I’ve always wanted to live in a castle.” I wiped a drip of syrup off her chin.
“You have?”
“Uh-huh. You know you’re safe when you’re in one, especially if there’s a handsome prince around. He’d never, ever let anything bad happen to you.”
She thought about that. “Or to you. You’ll keep us both safe won’t you, Nate?”
“For always and always, happily ever after. And Sparky, too.” He sounded so serious that I almost believed him even though I knew we’d lose touch when we parted ways Christmas Eve. After all, we really had nothing in common but Anna’s two-night need.
Suddenly sad, I changed the subject. “We can drop by the trailer on our way there. I’ll pack up her things and her clothes from yesterday so you can wash them.”
Nate groaned. “Shi— I mean shoot. I forgot all
about that stain.”
“When mommy gets home, I’ll have to sleep in my own bed all the time,” Anna told us. “My new daddy will be in my spot.”
“I bet your room will be so awesome that you’ll never want to leave it.”
Anna’s hesitation revealed her doubts. “I just don’t know.”
Once we’d eaten and visited the bathroom so Anna could pee, we went back to the trailer for our things. Nate then drove us across the Arkansas River, the natural division between Little Rock and North Little Rock. I stared out the window en route, noticing how the flags we passed whipped in the wind. The rain seemed to come in bursts, pouring one moment and little more than sprinkles the next.
A brick wall surrounded Nate’s gated subdivision. I saw the streets I’d seen the one and only time I’d driven through it, all of them flower names: Gardenia Circle, Daisy Lane, Petunia Drive. Nate turned right onto Magnolia and then turned again into his driveway. His house looked just the same, and Anna was right. It was big…even to me, the girl with a big house of her own.
Stepping inside his foyer was like stepping inside a magazine spread. I’d never seen rooms decorated so elegantly, which seemed odd. Wouldn’t two guys have been more comfortable in a man cave? “Did someone in your dad’s company do all this? An interior decorator, maybe?”
“My mom did it, and that’s exactly what she was. She and dad met on the job. She dumped her husband, married my dad, and had me. Then she bailed on us.”
Whoa. Hadn’t seen that coming. “I’m so sorry.”
He shrugged off my apology. “Not your fault. And it’s all good. She remarried again and seems happy enough. Now Dad has, too. Life goes on.”
I changed the subject by holding up Anna’s stained leotard. “Washer?”
“Downstairs.” He nodded toward a closed door and started in that direction.
I noticed that Anna hung back. “Have you seen the basement?”
“It smells funny.”
“Most of them do. Come on. I’ll hold your hand.” I held mine out; she slipped hers into it. Together we followed Nate, who’d descended some stairs and disappeared from view. We found him stuffing clothes in a front-load washing machine. A swift appraisal of the area revealed a laundry corner with a chute above it, a basic bathroom and, beyond that space, a no-man’s land filled with lumber, electrical conduit, and boxes—stacks and stacks of them. I could see why Anna didn’t like it.