by BoJenn
“Lovey?”, she said as she picked him up. “Is it you, really?”
“How much is he?”, a father inquired for his insisting child. “That one, daddy. The black curly-haired one!”, the little tyke squealed, pointing right at the one Cat was holding.
“Three-hundred dollars,” the merchant said.
Catherine didn't have the money, but she told the vendor, “I want him. I'll be back within the hour.”
The child screamed at her father, “Daddy, I want that one!”
“He’s mine,” Catherine insisted.
“M’am, you got the money or not?”, said the man selling the puppies.
The father drew out a hundred and fifty dollars from his wallet, and interrupted, “No more than that. We’ll take the little black nappy-headed one.”
“No! The dog is mine!”, Catherine insisted.
The father started to accuse her of robbing from a poor innocent child, but Cat knew these controlling accusations so well. She would not be accused; and the man would not use emotional manipulation to get his way.
“No. This dog is mine.” She refused to give in. “I’ll be back in ten minutes with your money.”
“She’s walking away! You have a sale right here and now. What do you say?” The father held his one hundred and fifty dollars in one hand, waving it in the face of the dog merchant.
Catherine turned to face the merchant. “He's my dog,” she said. “I'll bring the money. Just hold him, I'll be right back,” and she whirled around, only to bump into the strange delivery man from before.
“Oh!” Startled, she stood aghast with her mouth open. It was definitely the man who had delivered the package with the map in it.
“Why are you paying for a dog that is already yours?”, he asked. He reached into his wallet and pulled out two crisp hundred dollar bills. “Two-hundred, and not a dime more,” he said, firmly; and the merchant all but snatched the money out of the courier’s hand.
Lovey was now in Cat’s arms, once again. “Well, hello, Lovey,” Tadhg said, as he reached towards the black pup and patted him on the head. “Shall we have that cup of tea?”, he asked Catherine.
The merchant had offered no fight over his asking price. He knew the puppy was stolen; he, himself, had them taken from the breeder in the first place. He wanted no problems.
The impish child cried ferociously as the black dog was awarded to Catherine.
Together, Cat, Tadhg and Lovey left the cage and the merchant behind, and went to have that cup of tea.
“I will pay you back,” she declared, cuddling Lovey close, as they sat and sipped the tea.
“No need,” Tadhg said with a wink. The stars drifted out of his eyes again. Cat felt weak-kneed just looking at him. This mysterious man had saved the day and, now, wanted nothing in return.
“Well, I must go back to work,” Tadhg said, reaching to hold her hand and give it a little squeeze. He looked one more time into her crystal-blue human eyes. He almost cried. “Goodbye, m’am, and goodbye, Lovey, as he quickly departed.
Cat waved and yelled, “Please come visit us sometime!”
As soon as they had arrived at the manor, Lovey and Catherine had romped in the meadow of fresh spring grass all afternoon—laughing, running, skipping, Lovey’s tail just about to wag right off his little self, and Catherine, reclaiming the happy little girl inside of her.
Tadhg watched from his favorite nearby tree, the fairies fluttering beside him as they couldn’t contain their whimsical elation for Catherine.
When twilight arrived, Lovey and Catherine bounded to the porch. “Lovey must be hungry for dinner,” Catherine said to herself, with the greatest joy of his company, and the privilege to care for him.
The eventide of dusk and dawn met on the horizon with pinks, blues and grays conjoining to paint a royal picture. God’s handiwork was well displayed on the surreal vista of nightfall. Fireflies soon lit the purple haze, and a symphony of toads and crickets bellowed across the audience of Catherine, Lovey and Tadhg, who was still sitting, taking in God’s masterpiece of His master plan—all Catherine’s renewal complete on that strange spring afternoon.
That evening, Cat saw a folded note with her name addressed on the front, tilted forward where it had been set on the kitchen table. It was written in gold-leaf cursive hand, placed next to the teapot and the china cup with the pretty pink flowers. It read:
Dillows, dallows,
I give you a wink.
Turn you around.
Now, think, think, think.
A stare amazing,
a twinkle in my eye,
the stars are shining,
now don't be shy.
Love has found you,
lest you miss,
the opportunity
for that kiss.
Wink, wink.
For Catherine —
Never forget,
Tadhg
Cat thought about Daniel…and then she thought about the fascinating delivery man with stars in his eyes who could almost capture her fancy, but not quite. The memories of Daniel still held that special place in her heart. She wondered if they always would.
Together, Cat and Lovey cozied up on the comfy sofa. Catherine held Lovey, as she looked at the pictures in the gold book from the special delivery package. Soon, they fell asleep right there, snuggling tightly throughout the fresh, cool night.
“Sweet dreams, my love; sweet dreams,” Tadhg whispered as he blew her a kiss.
Eleanor had just arrived to stand next to him, to applaud him in his mission’s finale. She whispered to him, “She’s human. I just wanted to remind you of this wee fact.” Then, Eleanor squeezed his hand and gave him “the look” that chided with a grin at his mischief, adding, “And, by the way, who gave the orders for you to return and bring Lovey?”
Epilogue
As the veil closed between Earth and Heaven, Tadhg and Eleanor watched Cat Dubois’restored life cast away the chains of depression to freedom. The winter had come and gone, as if only a few, short, cold days had passed, and then, magically, it was spring.
Cat Dubois, though she wasn’t alone during that blink of a winter, had foggy recollections of moments and glimpses of things and events, supernatural or illogical, that had seemed to occur; but she reasoned them impossible.
She dismissed most of her memories as mere foolishness, but she could not deny the fact that she had grown, overnight it seemed, absolutely thrilled about life and living. She had not experienced such joy since childhood.
Tadhg and Eleanor had watched her experience some of her new wonder and splendor before the veil closed: Cat was exuberant over the dog she named Lovey. She had a new life to look forward to, and planned on living it freely. All of the taunting dreadful spirits were gone; her home was fresh and clean; and she opened the windows and let the light of day shine inside the manor—and herself. She had remembered one thing, but her regained freedom from the negativity was exhilarating, and she cared not to give that negativity another thought. She threw open the windows and smiled, leaning out to feel the fresh air that surrounded her and Lovey, and their home.
However, Tadhg had raised questions about her future to Eleanor. He was empathetic and concerned that Cat would fall back into old ways. Eleanor saw through his concerns and warned him that supernatural angels, fairy godmothers and witches were capable of falling in love with humans, and the emotions he was feeling had to cease. She cautioned him that such broaches between his God-given role and those he was sent to serve, were dangerous for the humans, and for supernatural divine helpers, such as he.
Eleanor reassured Tadhg not to feel badly, as such powerful connection often occurs in watchers as they care for their human counterparts.
“The Earth’s gravity, and the design of humans, are alluring and irresistible,” Eleanor softly explained, taking Tadhg’s hand in hers. “It’s time to go,” she spoke.
Tadhg wanted Cat to find love on Earth. Leaving her would be difficult
for him. And, he knew Cat loved Daniel, in a supernatural, enduring and boundless way. Also, since Eleanor was stepping down from her post as a high-ranking watcher and seer of humans, he would be assuming her role. Then, he, perhaps, could do something to unite Cat and Daniel again—somehow.
The Earth’s time would have to be arched, and synchronicity and happenstance would bring them together “coincidentally”, but they would meet again.
Tadhg also thought of Tammy Johnson, the young girl Cat saved from an early death by her healing powers. Tammy had grown up true and strong. She was working as a teacher at a university away from Glory Town. She had fallen in love with a young man, while going to school, and married. Cat had spoken of Tammy often; and though they had not seen each other for years, Cat felt a kinship to her, as a comrade or fellow healer. Tammy also had the gift. And she would, perhaps, rise to become Glory Town’s next Cat Dubois. After all, Glory Town would need another guide to teach the lessons Cat Dubois had presented throughout her life. Tammy held, within her, an understanding of how supernatural forces worked, and how to use them. Tammy could be Glory Town’s teacher.
Tadhg knew his work in Glory Town was far from over. And so, the story continues, with the treasured intercessions of Heaven’s helpers of the humans—fairy godmothers, angels and witches.