"Damn." Daphne sets down her mug with a thump and looks at me. "You did say you were the first boy born in your family in forever."
"Gran, why didn't you tell me this a long time ago?
"I was worried. The Sidhe are dangerous. I didn't know your life had gotten so hard. It used to be you saved people once every week or two."
"It hasn't been that way for so many years I've lost count. Okay, let's say I believed this crazy story. Why am I still paying this debt? I've saved so many people it has to have balanced the scales by now."
"Could be. But the Sidhe told Ronan they wouldn't weigh the deeds against the debt until they were petitioned to. Honestly, Nicky, they couldn't care less about you or the trouble they've caused you. They'll never end it unless you convince them to weigh what you've done against your great-grandfather's offense."
"And how do I do that?"
"Well, to start with, you'll have to go to Ireland."
Sixteen
"What do you mean I have to go to Ireland to talk to some make-believe fairies?" I had started this conversation with a willingness to suspend my disbelief, but now it seemed completely ridiculous. "How about this instead, I drive down to Florida, go to Disneyland, get cozy with Tinker Bell, and ask her to tell her peeps to lay off."
"I know it sounds silly in this day and age." Fiona was patient in the face of my disbelief. "But these stories are embedded in Irish culture. My grandparents talked about the fair folk and left baked goods and milk out for them certain days of the year. Is it so hard to believe there's a grain of truth in those stories?"
"Nicky, listen." Daphne leaned over to place a hand on my arm. "You've thought you were cursed for years. Is this any different than finding out some new age witch put a spell on you?"
"I guess not. That doesn't mean I am buying this, mind you. I guess it means I'm desperate enough to try anything, though. I have enough in my savings account to swing a flight to Ireland, but why do I have to go all the way there, and what do I do when I get there?"
"My Da told me quite a bit about the fair folk. He read everything he could about them after his experience when he was a boy. I believe they were the main reason he moved to America when he turned eighteen. By the time I came along, he no longer believed in them himself. I think he'd decided the entire thing was a dream he had while unconscious. He remembered the lore though, and I ate those stories up when I was a lass. The Folk aren't Gods. You can't close your eyes here in Indiana, speak or pray, and expect them to hear you. You have to go where they live. The Folk who created this debt, they live under a hill near where my family's old farmstead was."
"But how can they live there?" I simply could not wrap my head around any of this. "Are you saying I could go to this hill, dig a deep hole and find them?"
"No one knows exactly how their world connects with ours. No, you can't dig a hole and find them. All the stories say it's magic connecting the two worlds."
"Just because it's called magic doesn't mean there isn't a scientific explanation," Daphne added. "A hundred years ago, cell phones would be called magic."
"This is nothing like cell phones." I don't know why I couldn't let it go. I don't know what I'd been expecting my Gran would be able to tell me about my curse. It wasn't some damn fairy tales, I can tell you that.
"No, not like cell phones. But maybe they live on a different plane of existence or something. Aren't there scientists who believe we live in a sort of multiverse, different universes all layered together like a cake, or an onion, or some other kind of layer-y thing?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I guess so." I didn't like it, but Daphne had a point.
"So, let's continue as if we believe in the Sidhe," Daphne says. "Fiona, what do we need to know?"
"Well, first off, unless you are ready to get their attention, it's best to use a term such as 'fair folk' when speaking about them. To do otherwise is to risk drawing their attention when you don't want it."
"But I want their attention. Why should I avoid it?" I am already frustrated with this conversation.
"Because all the stories about The Folk share a common theme." Fiona left the table briefly to put the kettle on the stove. We were out of tea by this point. "They scared the dickens out of people. No one in their right mind sought out the Daoine Sidhe. Some of the lesser kinds of fairy might be appealed to for aid or blessing. But, according to legend, the Sidhe were fierce and unpredictable. They did not care for humans. They might grant a great boon for the smallest of favors, or kill a man for the most trivial slight. A smart person avoided them altogether."
"Right. Fair folk it is." Daphne pulled her phone out of her pocket, opened an app, and started typing.
"What are you doing? Texting the Sidhe?" I think I was only half joking.
"No, taking notes. If we're going to do this, we'll have to do it right. So, stop saying Sidhe."
"Good advice," Fiona said. "Best not to start bad habits. I don't know everything, but I learned much from the old stories. Treat their sacred spaces with respect. Don't dig that hole you were talking about. Don't pick flowers near the hill or spit on the ground or anything of that sort. People in trouble used to seek them out, but I don't know how they managed it."
"So, if we want to talk to them, we should tread carefully and treat them with respect." Daphne was still typing furiously.
"You must do that or at best you will be ignored, at worst you will incur their wrath for not behaving properly. I don't know what else I know that would help. Those are the basics. The fair folk can't abide iron or certain herbs, but I don't know what those herbs are. Don't brandish anything made of iron at them."
"I don't think I even have anything made of iron." I seem to be taking this wild goose chase more seriously. It rather worries me.
"Hates iron," Daphne mutters to herself as she makes another note.
The teakettle sings its song and Fiona goes to tend it. "That's all I know. Your grandfather has relatives near where my father lived. I'm certain they would love to have one of their American cousins come for a visit."
"It will help. I have money in savings, but it would be nice not to wipe it completely out for this trip."
"Oh, Nicky, you don't have to pay for it." Gran came and kissed me on top of my head before she sat back down at the table. "My father stopped believing in the fair folk, but I never did. Especially not after you turned eighteen and I saw what happened to your life. It was clear to me The Folk had chosen you to discharge my father's debt. I'd hoped you would never have to speak to The Folk, they are dangerous, I can't stress it enough. However, I did put some money aside, just in case."
"Now, Gran, I can pay for the ticket myself."
"Nonsense. You will let me help. None of this is your fault and I am going to help you."
Soon after the awkward conversation, the bread came out of the oven and Granddad came in with the brisket. We put aside weird conversations to enjoy a wonderful home-cooked meal with two of my favorite people in the entire multiverse. Then it was time for our hosts to leave for their Euchre night. Before we left, Fiona handed me a check for more money than I could possibly need and gave me a tight hug.
Daphne chattered all the way home about the two of us going to Ireland. She spoke of booking flights online and taking a gift to the cousins we would be staying with. The more she spoke the quieter I became.
I wasn't certain if the Sidhe were real or not, but I knew one thing. If they existed they had to be very powerful to influence the entire world to get me in the right place at the right time to help people in need. Gran was right; they had to be incredibly dangerous beings. The only certainty in this entire mess was I did not want Daphne anywhere near them.
By the time we were standing in the hall between our two apartments, even my optimistic friend knew something was wrong.
"You've been uncharacteristically quiet. Are you worried about what will happen with the fair folk?"
"I suppose I am, in a way. Daphne, I'm going to Ireland al
one."
"What? No! I want to go with you. I have my passport...there's no reason for me not to go with you."
"Look, it's not about passports. If all this crap is real, then it's going to be dangerous."
"All the more reason to take someone with you who will have your back."
"You are important to me. I don't want you anywhere near the Sidhe."
"You are important to me as well, and you obviously need me there. You can't even remember not to call them the Sidhe!"
"It doesn't matter what I call them, you are not coming with me."
"I think you should let me make my own decision about this. I'm a grown woman and you don't get to decide what's best for me."
"You aren't going to change my mind. You aren't going and that's final."
"Fine!"
"Good!"
Stomping to her door, Daphne fumbled with the key, swept inside, and slammed the door so hard the door to my own apartment rattled. Down the hall, an elderly neighbor poked her head out to see what was going on.
"It's okay, Miss Feinstein. My friend was a little angry."
"Well, tell your friend to be more considerate. She nearly gave me a heart attack."
"It won't happen again, Ma'am."
"See it doesn't."
The rest of the evening I felt shell-shocked. I looked at flights online but didn't have the heart to book anything. As first fights go, the short one I just had with Daphne was a doozy. I wasn't certain if she would ever forgive me for it. The memory of the smile on her face disappearing when I told her she wasn't coming with me was etched into my mind. I kept seeing the moment over and over every time I closed my eyes.
The most stupid thing about the entire mess is I want nothing more than to have Daphne by my side when I go to Ireland. We've gotten so close in such a short time I can hardly imagine taking this journey without her.
Late into the night, I toss and turn in bed trying to decide if I was being smart or being the biggest fool in the multiverse.
Seventeen
I awaken too early, feeling tense and unrested. Try as I might, I cannot get back to sleep. I'm upset about the argument I had with Daphne last night. The more I think about it, the more I believe I am the biggest idiot this side of the Mississippi. Possibly both sides of the Mississippi. Possibly in several layers of the onion that is our multiverse.
It can't be too late. Daphne doesn't seem the type to hold a grudge or not give someone she cares about a second chance. I need to apologize. And grovel. Yes, some first-class groveling is in order.
A quick shower, a short drive to Square Donuts, and I'm at Daphne's door with a peace offering in hand. She's quick to let me in, but her manner is wary. No sense putting off the inevitable. I put the coffee and donuts down on her coffee table and turn to face her head on.
"Daphne, I'm sorry I was an idiot. I wasn't trying to make decisions for you, I was worried, and I acted rashly. The truth is, I can't imagine going to Ireland without you."
Then she was in my arms, kissing me, and this was no quick smooch in the aftermath of adversity. This was a kiss to write songs about.
"What changed your mind?" Daphne asked when we came up for air.
"You mean, besides how I simply don't want to be apart from you for so long?" I mean it. I'm tired of being patient and careful. I'm done with playing it cool.
This earns me another kiss equally as heart-stopping as the last.
"Yes, in addition to that."
"Daphne, since you have come into my life, I have experienced something I've never known. I'm always saving people. I'm always the guy who shows up at the last minute to stop someone choking or drag someone from the street. I always wondered who would be around to save me when I needed it. Now I know it's you. You've got my back and I can't imagine facing the fair folk without you there by my side."
There was more kissing then. Quite a bit more. It might have gone beyond kissing, but we both remembered we had things to do. I'm certain if the Sidhe exist, they will be there no matter when I arrive, but the thought of having this superhero weight off of my back for good has made me impatient.
Because of my Gran's generous gift, Daphne suggests we find a travel agent listing online. Sure, we could find the flight information on our own, but we're in a hurry, and having an agent will make everything easier. We find one with an office in Speedway and give her a call.
The agent books us a flight for tomorrow and will put together a folder that has all the information we need to make the trip. We'll have a short layover in Washington, and we won't get to Dublin until eleven o'clock at night. Then we'd have a train trip to Kilkenny and arrive far too late to expect my cousins to pick us up at the train station. We decide to stay at a bed and breakfast in Dublin the first night and take a train to Kilkenny the next morning. The agent will take care of all the arrangements, and have a packet of information for us to pick up this very afternoon.
The travel agent was the way to go. My pixie is a smart woman.
Another phone call to Gran so she can check with the cousins about our impromptu visit, and Daphne and I reluctantly separate for the day. We both have errands and packing to do and it will go faster if we split up. She promises to have dinner with me after we've gotten our chores done and I am content.
My first stop is the bank to deposit the check from my amazing grandmother and get some traveler's checks for the trip. Maybe in this day and age, traveler's checks are old-fashioned, but recent experience has left me wary of being stuck in a foreign country with only plastic to rely on.
Next on the list is a little shop in the airport which sells gifts from Indiana. I know I could get my Irish cousins a present tomorrow before the flight, but I'd rather take care of it now and get it packed away in my luggage. I don't want to mess with it on the day we travel. The shop has everything from Amish quilts to cans of Chocola and something called 'Wicked Pickles.' The Chocola makes me smile. I loved that stuff when I was a kid, but I don't think my grown cousins would appreciate the super sweet faux-chocolate milk drink, despite the cheerful cow on the logo. I didn't even realize they still made it.
I look around and settle on two bottles of persimmon-flavored pancake syrup. My mom buys this stuff and it is delicious. It's made by a small local company, so I think it counts for a bona fide Indiana gift. It'll have to do. It's hard to buy a gift for people you don't know. Hopefully, they won't turn out to be diabetic.
Headed back to Speedway, I see a dog on the shoulder of the highway. The old dude is just sitting there looking sad and I'm worried he'll be hit by the speeding traffic of the busy highway. I can't help but pull over and stop. The poor guy stays put when I get out of the car, but he is crouched down and visibly trembling.
"Come here, boy! Come on, fella, it's all right."
At the sound of my voice, he rises and prances over, entire butt wagging in joyful relief. I get him in the car and take a look at his collar. There's a phone number. Hallelujah.
The dude who answers the phone is so happy I found his dog he shouts loud enough I have to hold the phone away from my ear. I get an address and drive Franklin to a cheerful reunion with his family.
I guess I'm even saving dogs now. Nothing against Franklin, he's a good boy, but the entire situation makes me impatient to fly across an ocean and try to put an end to my curse.
The travel agent has an office not far from my apartment building. She is organized and friendly. We go through the packet, which has not only all of our travel information, but other useful things such as a list of items which are prohibited from American air travel and another of items we cannot take through Irish customs. Daphne was right, this makes traveling a piece of cake. After I pay the cheerful woman with a sizeable check, she hands me a large envelope of everything we could possibly want.
A quick stop at Walgreens to get a new can of shaving cream and some spare blades for my razor, and I think I have everything I need. It takes me little time to pack. Whatever happens in
Ireland, I don't think we'll be there more than a week. If we are, I'll need to do some laundry.
Showered and shaved, I knock on Daphne's door, ready to take her to dinner.
"Where are we going?" Daphne asks as we get into my car.
"You like sushi?"
"I love sushi."
"Ever been to Sushi Club?"
"Nope. Is it good?"
"Oh, yes. And they have an all-you-can-eat menu for twenty-five bucks."
"All-you-can-eat? Is it some sort of buffet with sad, dried-out maki rolls slowly dying under bright lights?"
"Hell no. It's an extensive menu where you order whatever you want, however much you want, for twenty-five bucks. All they ask is you eat what you order."
"That's really cheap for sushi." Daphne continued to sound skeptical.
"It's delicious, trust me."
The drive to my favorite sushi place in the greater Indianapolis area is a short one. Soon, Daphne is looking at the boring rectangular building with the slightly gaudy neon sign. I can see as we get out of the car she remains unsure about the place.
"Trust me," I repeat as I grab her hand and lead her towards the entrance.
While the restaurant looks boring on the outside, inside is another story. The place is tastefully decorated and busy wait-staff carry gigantic platters of sushi through the packed dining area. I love this place, but don't come for dinner if you're in a hurry. It's always busy, and sushi takes time to make.
Daphne is all smiles as we look over the three page all you can eat sushi menu and make our selections. It's clear she prefers the more traditional mounds of sushi rice with delicate slices of raw fish draped over them while I am more a fan of the cooked versions wound up into maki rolls.
Her eyes light up when the colorful platter holding both our orders arrives, and we fall silent as we eagerly dig in. This place has excellent sushi and what I get for twenty-five bucks I'd pay fifty for anywhere else. They make their money by being packed with guests all the time.
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