The True Stories of Dream Fairies: Bloom

by Heather Lynne Shida

  Chapter Twelve: Summer Solstice

  Realization dawned on Bea as she heard her mother mention the fire. That was why her mother was acting so strange and her father was so concerned. The main attraction at the solstice was the fire. Long ago, dream fairies would go to even greater lengths to celebrate the solstice. Back then a large bonfire would be set and the fairies would dance and sing. Then fairies would pair off and they would run towards the fire and jump over it. With the help of the female fairy's wings and a bit a magic from the male, the two would work together to make a safe leap over the flames. If a couple did a good job of this leap, it was considered good luck for their future. This ritual was still somewhat followed today. The fire was a magic fire that shifted colors as it sent tickling flames into the sky. It wasn't even really hot. Bea knew because as a kid she had played around and even in the fire. As the night wore on couples could be seen making the leap across the completely innocent flames. The crowd would gather and watch and cheer. When Bea was younger she remembered thinking the couples were funny for trying so hard not to touch the flames, when it was actually kind of fun to run straight through them. The last few years, Bea had watched some of the older kids at school pair off and make the leap. Bea had to admit that she hadn't really given much thought to ever making the leap with one of the male fairies on the island. It seemed almost silly to think about. But, here was her mother, wanting to talk to her about just that. Bea tried to brace herself for the awkwardness that was sure to follow.

  "So, you know, do you think, is there anyone you were thinking about, to you know, do the leap with?" Mrs. Featherstone's face had flushed and Bea tried not to laugh at her.

  "To be honest mom, no," Bea hoped this kind of response would make her mother relax, but it seemed to have the opposite effect.

  Her mother's forehead wrinkled up as she said, "What about Curtis?"

  Bea laughed through her nose, loudly. She hadn't meant to be so rude, but the idea of Curtis and her pairing off and leaping across the summer solstice fire was enough to send her into fits of uncontrollable laughter. She tried to stop herself from doing just that as she looked at her mother's confused expression.

  "No, mom. Don't get me wrong, I love Curtis. But he's my friend. That's all."

  Mrs. Featherstone gave a knowing smile and pressed further, "I know. Your dad and I just always assumed you two would figure out sooner or later that a good friend makes a great partner. You sure you both haven't ever given it a thought?"

  "No mom. I'm really positive that we are just friends. I don't know how to explain it, but I don't think. . . I really know for sure that Curtis doesn't see me in any other way. You know?" Bea wanted her mother to really understand what she was saying, but Bea didn't even think she herself understood what it was that she was thinking.

  "OK, well, that's fine. You are still young. I am sure you will find someone later during training who will be a good match for you. I just wanted to talk to you in case there was someone and you were thinking of leaping the fire this year. Your dad and I wanted to, you know, say it was all good." Mrs. Featherstone was so hopelessly awful at these kinds of talks it actually made Bea feel a little sorry for her.

  "Don't worry mom. Thanks for thinking of it." Bea could tell her mother still felt a little uncomfortable and so Bea tried to steer the conversation into something more fun. "So, did you and dad leap the fire?"

  Mrs. Featherstone smiled. "Yes, in fact we did. He's older than me, by a few years. You know, your aunt? Well, she and I were classmates. We weren't really close friends, just classmates. But your dad had come back to see his family during his years in training and one summer he just sort of grabbed my hand and had taken me to the flames. We didn't quite make a good leap. I was taken off guard and our timing was off. He used his magic before I had made full use of my wings and, well you know how clumsy I am, and we sort of did a dive into the fire. Everyone had a good laugh. But some of those silly older fairies kept whispering that our union would be doomed. Pretty ridiculous if you ask me."

  Mrs. Featherstone had slowly brought the two of them back to Curtis, Catherine and her father. Bea was relieved to be back with them and watched as her mother and father left them to enjoy the festivities.

  "What did your mom want?" Curtis asked as the three of them started walking around the park.

  Bea laughed. "Wanted to know if I was going to be leaping the fire this year."

  Curtis gripped Bea's wrist in an overly dramatic way as he said playfully, "Are you going to Bea? Are you going to leap the fire?"

  Bea laughed again and said very clearly, "No."

  "Well, that's good to know, because I know I won't be and I would hate to be the only one," Curtis gave Bea a gentle squeeze as they continued walking slowly amongst the crowds. Bea's and Curtis' eyes met for a moment and Bea knew that she was right when she had told her mother that she and Curtis were nothing more than very best friends.

  Curtis took his sister's hand in his free one and the three of them set off amongst the stalls. Bea saw Laura and the four of them huddled under a large decoration of glowing stars and glittering flowers. Bea passed around some of the treats she had bought earlier.

  "Wow, I haven't had one of these in years," Laura said with a smile as she popped one of the buttery butterflies into her mouth.

  Bea was ready to add her reply when she saw in the distance three fairies get out of a pod that had just arrived. Bea could recognize Veronica's wings from any distance, she was sure of it. Bea assumed that Veronica must have arrived with her little sister and her father. Bea didn't really know much about Veronica's family. Her little sister went to prep school with them. She was easily a few years younger and Bea had never really even seen Veronica speak to her at school. Of course, Bea had never made it known that her and Steven were related while at school either. Bea took notice that, again, Mrs. Iverson had not come to the festivities. Nearly everyone knew though that Mrs. Iverson was a flier and that she either had the misfortune or had actually volunteered to be on duty during major events like this. Now, as Bea gave it a little thought, she realized that she had never seen Mrs. Iverson. Bea was a little surprised to find that she was feeling something similar to pity for Veronica as she had such a busy mother who could not attend the solstice with her family. Bea shook her head to rid herself of such a thought and turned back to her friends.

  "Looks like Veronica came for the solstice after all," Bea said as she gestured her head in Veronica's direction.

  Curtis and Catherine did nothing to hide their complete dislike of Veronica. However, Laura paid little attention to them as she laughed and said, "Yeah, Veronica is full of it. She is always talking big and not really living up to it, you know?"

  Bea nodded her head, but felt like Laura was really talking to wrong group of people. Did Laura not know that Veronica had made it her daily mission to torture and harass Bea, Catherine and Curtis? Whatever slights Veronica had made to Laura; they had to be minuscule in comparison to their lives.

  Suddenly a great deal of commotion erupted in the center of the park. A small circle had been cleared and the fire had been started. Everyone cheered as the magical fire danced to life. Bea watched as the younger fairies stuffed their sweets into their pockets and ran at the fire.

  "So, um, Bea, your parents are here, but is Steven back?" Catherine had asked as magical flames reflected in her big round eyes.

  "Yeah! I hate it when he comes home," Bea said with a sneer. She imagined her brother was somewhere in the crowd since her parents had already arrived. Bea's mind was filled with all the solstices of the past when her brother had caused her trouble. It was almost a ritual that he had caused her to trip and stumble through the fire and Bea was happy that she had grown up enough to no longer run through the flames just to avoid the embarrassment of Steven making her fall.

  The crowd around her cheered and Bea's focus was brought back to the fire. A couple had just made the leap and were smiling and h
olding hands on the other side. Bea turned and found that more of her classmates had gathered near them. Suddenly she felt someone standing behind her. She turned and looked up to see Johnathan Woodsburough smiling down at her. He was taller than she remembered, or maybe it was because she hadn't ever really been that close to him, but now that he was right behind her she found herself feeling very small as she returned a smile. More cheers from the crowd as another couple made the leap and Bea was finding it hard to hear the conversation around her. Bea was certain that nearly everyone on the island had to be here now, the crowd was so thick. They still had a good view of the fire though and laughed as some young male fairies did some somersaults through the flames as they changed from blue to red. Bea was just about to grab Catherine and Curtis and suggest that get away from the noise, when she felt an unfamiliar hand in hers. She turned and was surprised to find that it was Johnathan's. His hand was big and warm and Bea was confused why he was there. She wanted to ask him but found the noise of the crowd making it impossible to talk. Johnathan leaned down and brought his head and mouth to her ear.

  "You look pretty," he said in a barely audible whisper. He didn't move away and the crowd cheered again as an older couple landed deftly after their spectacular leap. Bea felt Johnathan's grip tighten as he whispered again, "Sorry."

  Before Bea could really register what was going on she had been pulled forward by Johnathan. They stood in front of the flames and Bea's heart leapt up into her throat. He wasn't really making her do this, was he? Why?

  The flames were so much brighter than Bea remembered them as they flashed every which way. Bea couldn't really make out the crowd around her. The two seemed to be standing there for what felt like forever and the crowd was clearly getting restless wondering if they would indeed leap. The cheering got louder and rhythmical as people chanted and clapped to encourage the young couple to make the leap across the flames. Johnathan didn't bother leaning down this time to whisper as he chose to use his full voice as he screamed over the crowd, "On three? One, two, three!"

  Bea squeezed her eyes tight shut and gave a lurch forward hoping her wings would help her and Johnathan over the flames, Johnathan, who was so tall and big. Would she be able to help him make the jump? How much magic ability did he have? Would he be able to get them safely across to avoid embarrassment? But before she could even think about it further she found that her feet had met gently with the earth again. The crowd's cheers rang in her ears and she felt Johnathan's hand leave hers. She turned to look up at him but found that he was already being dragged away by his friends. They slapped him on the back and punched his arm as one of them said, "Good one! I did not think you would do it. You proved me wrong! You win the bet, I owe you a bag of those sparkling star things!"

  Bea felt her face flush. She looked around her, trying to find Catherine or Curtis in the crowd. No one was paying any attention to her anymore as another couple had already approached the flame and seemed ready to make the leap. Bea hurried out of the way and ran to the row of stalls to hide amongst the trees. The minute she was away from the crowd and noise her mind seemed to fill up so suddenly with thoughts and feelings that she felt like she might explode. The surprise of what had just happened had completely worn off and Bea felt a red hot anger burning her throat.

  Had she heard right? Johnathan had dragged Bea over the fire as a bet? She had seen other boys do this in the past. She had watched as girls turned pink with embarrassment to find themselves being pulled suddenly from the crowd. She remembered thinking at the time that the boys were being silly, like Steven, and she had felt sorry for them. She had never even thought that something like this would happen to her. And Johnathan! Johnathan, who she thought was better than all of his stupid friends. He had been the first one to be nice to Curtis. She couldn't help but find herself incredibly angry with him for what he had done. But then Bea remembered his whisper. He had said sorry before dragging her forward. He had also told her that she looked pretty. Bea felt so angry and confused that she felt like literally pulling at her hair. Unknowingly she found herself pacing back and forth in front of one stall in the very back when a familiar voice broke the silence.

  "You know that doesn't count."

  Bea stopped in her tracks and focused her eyes on the voice she had just heard. Bea hadn't realized that she was over by the stall that her father had religiously dragged her away from year after year. Mr. Featherstone had always sneered and pulled on Bea's hand a little harder than necessary when she had begged to see the stall more closely. He had told her that there was nothing there to see, and that he would be very disappointed in her if he ever found out that she had come here on her own. Bea had done as her father had told her. As a younger fairy she had been tempted a few years to see what was at their stall, but after being forced to ignore the existence of the stall, every single year, Bea found herself not even taking it in as part of the surroundings of the solstice. Now she found herself standing before it, facing James. Was this stall his family's?

  Bea blinked a few times and tried to get her brain to focus. "What?"

  "The leap, it doesn't count. It's such a joke, an embarrassment really. It should be a real fire, not this fake, stupid magic display . . ." James voice trailed off. He was mumbling and seemed to be having a hard time finding the words to express his ideas. As usual he had started off defiantly, with determination and then succumbed to his own shyness. For a brief moment he had stared right at Bea, but now he could do nothing but stare at his feet while his hair fell forward to cover his face.

  Though Bea had been plenty angry before thinking how wrong it was that Johnathan had dragged her to the leap the fire, she found herself feeling suddenly protective of Johnathan as well as the fire.

  "What are you mumbling about?" Bea glared at James, daring him to look up at her, hoping to get a chance to be challenged so that she could let go of some of her anger. But she was completely caught off guard when three more fairies came out of the darkness behind the stall that James was sitting at. They too had robes like his and they all came to stand behind James. Bea realized that this must be his family. She tried to remembered what her father had told her about the Zephyrs and realized that the male fairy that had moved right behind James, must be his brother who was a little younger than Steven. He didn't look anything like James. He was stocky and muscular and his hair was a very pale blue. He had it cut short in a funny way that made it all stand up.

  "No one is going to listen to what you have to say, bro, if you don't enunciate," and James' brother finished off his last words with a hearty slap on his brother's back. Bea tried to find James' face beneath his hair to catch his reaction, but never saw it.

  The fairy who was clearly James' father stepped from behind the stalls and approached Bea. Bea didn't know what to do. Part of her was telling her to run away like child, but a much bigger part of her was insanely curious about this family. Mr. Zephyr was James' brother only older. The two looked so alike they could be twins. But while James' brother's hair was a pale blue, his father's hair was slowly fading away to white all around his face. As he spoke, Bea noticed how the two of them had a very similar voice. Deep and clear, he spoke with so much force that Bea felt her body jump. "Who do we have here, James?"

  James didn't look up as he said quietly, "Beatrice. Beatrice Featherstone. "

  "Oh my! Really? Well, that's wonderful!" Mr. Zephyr had moved forward and grabbed Bea's hand into both of his as he shook it enthusiastically.

  "Look at her Emma! She is a vision. You've grown up so fast it seems. Ah, I knew your father, Beatrice. Well, now it seems so long ago, but still like yesterday." As he spoke he continued to grip her hand and shake it with his words. Mrs. Zephyr had stepped out from behind the stall as well and she gently placed her small, thin hands on her husband's. James clearly took after his mother. They were both tall and thin and she had that strange, dark hair like his. Hers was so long and straight and it had a way of sparkling and dancing ev
en though there was no light shining on her in this secluded part of the festivities.

  "Now Jack, let's leave the poor girl alone. We don't want to frighten her." Slowly Mr. Zephyr let Bea's hand drop as he took Mrs. Zephyr's hand in his instead. Bea's eyes darted back and forth between the Zephyr's. She shifted the weight in her feet and was ready to walk away when James lifted his head and stared directly at her. He had been slumped down in the corner, hiding his face from her while his parents spoke. His stare was so alarming; it caught Bea and gave Mrs. Zephyr the chance she needed.

  She gently pulled on Bea's hand and continued, "Now Beatrice, I wonder have you bought any of the sweets from the stalls?"

  "Yeah, I did. Like I do every year. Why?" Bea felt her face flush slightly as she admitted her childlike love of the treats of the solstice.

  Mrs. Zephyr had reached behind her and grabbed a small glass jar. Inside it where small, round balls. They all looked like the color of sunlight, such a rich deep golden hue. Mrs. Zephyr took one out gently and held it out in her palm.

  "This is a true solstice treat, Beatrice. Please take it."

  Bea looked down at the treat. It seemed so completely not extraordinary. The color was brilliant, but that was all. Bea took a moment to stare at it and as she did she thought of her father and his warnings all these years to not come to this stall. Was this really all he was trying to keep her from?

  Mrs. Zephyr seemed to be reading her thoughts as she spoke in a slightly angry tone, "I imagine your father has told you not to come here. He would have done that. They all would have done that. But don't worry, this won't hurt you. This is what dream fairies are meant to eat, the natural food of the fairies from long ago. Please, take it."

  Bea looked at Mrs. Zephyr's face, which had replaced her stern look with a gentle smile as she pushed her hand towards Bea. Bea reached out and grabbed the sweet. "Thank you," she said rather awkwardly. She held the small golden ball in between her forefinger and her thumb. She stared at the rich golden color shift as she turned the ball around.

  "Go on then, it won't hurt you," Mrs. Zephyr said with another smile.

  Bea looked to James for some kind of reaction or sign, but he had turned his head down and was staring at his feet again. Bea was ready to pop the sweet into her mouth when she heard her name being shouted over the noises of the celebration. Just then Catherine and Curtis rounded the corner that led to the secluded area where the Zephyr's stall stood alone. Without thinking, Bea stuffed the golden ball into her pocket and ran towards them. As she left the Zephyrs behind her she turned and saw James staring at her across the distance.

  "There you are!" Curtis screamed as he grabbed Bea by the wrists and the three of them found themselves back in the noisy festivities of the solstice.

  Catherine's face was lined with worry as she looked at Bea and asked, "Are you OK? We looked everywhere for you after you and Johnathan made the leap."

  "Yeah, I don't even really know how I wound up over there. Sorry for freaking you guys out. I'm fine." Bea forced a smile as she tried to calm her friends who were both staring at her with great concern. Then she realized that it was not because she had been found speaking to the Zephyrs that her friends were both looking at her in such a strange way. It was obvious that they were both going crazy wanting to talk to her about Johnathan and the leap.

  "I thought you said you weren't going to leap!" Curtis said in an accusatory tone. But his smile gave him away as he continued, "How was it? When did you two decide to do that? I had no idea. I mean, Johnathan though, he is nice . . ."

  "No!" Bea had to cut Curtis off before he got any further. "No, you have it wrong. I had no plans to do that at all. He just showed up out of nowhere and made me do it. I guess it was all part of a bet or something."

  "No way!" Curtis shouted out indignantly. "I don't believe it!"

  Bea felt herself cringe as she thought how strange the events of the past few minutes had been. She felt her embarrassment from the leap take over her again and her hands grew sweaty as she thought about how angry she had been when she had watched Johnathan rejoin his friends triumphant in his bet.

  Catherine's expression had changed slowly. She had approached Bea with a look of what Bea had mistaken for concern. She now realized as she looked from Curtis to Catherine, that what she was really feeling was anger. Why was Catherine angry at Bea for leaping the fire with Johnathan? And now, as Bea watched her friend's features soften into her usual smile, Bea knew that for whatever reason Catherine had been mad at her, that reason must have been gone now. Bea's mind was racing as she tried to focus her thoughts. Was Catherine jealous of Bea? Did she like Johnathan?

  Curtis continued to press Bea for details of the leap, but it was obvious that Catherine's mind was elsewhere as her eyes kept scanning the festivities as though she were looking for someone. Just then Bea saw her brother approaching them across the grassy park.

  "Hey there, Bea!" Steven was being awfully friendly, and that always made Bea nervous. Bea was positive that her brother had seen her leap with Johnathan and was about to overwhelm her with rude comments. She tried to ready herself with some witty retorts but she didn't get her chance to speak as Catherine had suddenly spoken.

  "Steven! When did you get home?" Catherine's face was flushed and her voice had been a little louder than normal. Bea felt her thoughts stumble.

  "Ah, a few days ago. Pretty excited to come home. Might be the last time, you know." Steven was speaking in such a casual tone that if Bea hadn't been staring right at him as he spoke she might not have thought it was him.

  "What are you talking about? The last time?" Bea declared.

  Steven turned to his sister with that familiar, annoying look in his eyes that in some strange way set Bea's mind at ease. "You know what I mean, sis. I'll be going on to my job and not to mention that you will be done with school this year, so mom and dad have to leave the island." Bea thought for a second. She hadn't even given herself a chance to think about this, but she couldn't deny that her brother was right. This most definitely would be the last solstice on this island. And though she really didn't care to lose the time with her brother, she couldn't help the nostalgic feeling that crept through her as she looked around her with different eyes. If this was going to be last solstice here on this island then she would definitely have to take it all in. Her thoughts were interrupted as Steven spoke again, in his strangely casual tone.

  "Your family will be leaving as well, right Catherine?"

  Catherine gave a nod as she replied shyly, "Yes. They will be moving back to the Main Island."

  Steven nodded his head approvingly and continued, "Just as my parents will be doing. Good to know we will still be seeing each other after all. Well, I am going to walk around. Would you care to join me?"

  "No!" Bea replied incredulously. But then she looked at the scene again. She saw Curtis shaking his head sympathetically at her. She saw that it was clear that the invitation made by her brother was for Catherine and Catherine alone.

  Steven had held out his arm and was pleased to find that Catherine had taken it and the two of them slowly strolled away from a startled Bea and a slightly angry looking Curtis.

  "OK, what just happened there?" Bea said as she turned on Curtis.

  "Don't blame me! I don't approve. Catherine has liked your brother for some time now it seems."

  Bea felt her stomach turn. How was it that she did not know this? "What? Seriously?" Bea couldn't find the words to express how completely shocked she felt at this moment. Curtis put an arm around her shoulder and said, "It's cool. She didn't even tell me until a few days ago. I imagine she felt really awkward knowing that you and your brother don't really get along so well. She and I talked about it. I told her she should tell you soon since you are her best friend, but I think she thought you would not be so happy to hear the news."

  "Well, she was right about that! This is ridiculous! Steven! He is an idiot! Catherine could do so much bett
er!"

  "I spent hours telling her the exact same thing the other night. She doesn't care," Curtis sighed in a resigned sort of way that made Bea bristle with anger.

  "You can't give up that fast! We seriously have to do something. I mean, Steven, you know, he's just so . . ." Bea's emotion was blocking her sense of speech as her hands curled into fists.

  Curtis gave a sympathetic laugh and grabbed one of Bea's hands. He pressed it into hers in a friendly way and said, "I know you don't like your brother. To be honest, I don't like him either. But, Catherine explained it all to me and it is almost like she has had these feelings for Steven for years now. I guess she got up the nerve to talk to him way back when he graduated, you know that summer before he left for training? Well, they have been writing to each other ever since."

  Bea's mind was spinning with the news. Catherine and her brother had been writing letters to each other for years without Bea knowing? And all of a sudden Bea felt as she had that day a few years ago when Catherine had been stuck in the Edge and Bea had just found out that it had not been the first time for her to go to the Edge alone, but rather part of a ritual that Catherine had for years. Why was Catherine always keeping secrets from her?

  Bea found her voice and pressed Curtis for more details. "So, why didn't they meet up at the solstice last year?"

  "I guess in the beginning Steven was just being friendly, writing to Catherine. He had always thought that it was just a friend thing and nothing more. Catherine had never really let on otherwise. Then right after the New Year something Steven wrote made Catherine think his feelings had changed and so she took a risk and wrote something too and that started it all." Curtis looked as though he had a bad taste in his mouth.

  Bea stared out in front of her at the beautiful decorations and the fairies celebrating the solstice into the night. She tried her best to stare through the crowd and find her friend. She looked for Catherine's silver dress. Bea dared her to be there and to turn around and to make eye contact with her. She was certain that she would be able to let Catherine know how angry she was just by sharing a glance with her. But then Bea got nervous and stopped her search amongst the gathering fairies. What would she say when she saw Catherine again? She couldn't get her thoughts straight. Was she angry at Catherine? Yes, without a doubt. But about what really? The fact that it was Steven that Catherine liked was probably not really what Bea was angry about. No, it was the fact that Catherine had held this secret for so long, just as before. Bea knew that her face was flushed. Everything around her seemed too loud and garish and she wanted nothing more than to rush home and cry alone in her room. Then she felt Curtis' hand squeeze hers again. He turned Bea to face him and he said in a voice that Bea knew he had always saved just for her, "Listen. Don't give it any more thought. Like Steven said, this is our last time to celebrate the solstice here, on this island. Let's have fun. You look beautiful. And I have a little something for myself that I want to do, but I need you to be with me, OK?"

  Bea felt her anger slowly melt away as she saw Curtis' pleading expression. Her interest piqued, she shook her head to rid herself of her negative thoughts and made herself smile in return. "Of course, what's up Curtis?"

  Curtis pulled Bea behind one of the sweet stalls and he let go of Bea's hand. Bea stared at her friend's face, lit up with excitement and realized that it had been a really long time since she had seen Curtis smile as he was smiling tonight.

  "OK, here's the thing," Curtis' voice was dropped to a whisper and Bea could feel her face cool with the night breeze as her anger slipped farther away, ". . . I made wings again."

  "What!"

  Bea hadn't really meant to be so loud, but her voice had easily carried over the immediate crowd and caused a few groups of fairies to turn and stare at them. Curtis dragged her further into the shadow behind the stall. He tried to give her a stern look to reprimand her for her outburst but there was no disguising his excitement.

  "Yeah, I just finished things up the other day. It's been a while and I really wanted to try again. I think this is the best pair I have ever made."

  Bea's face wrinkled up in concern. "But, won't you get in trouble again? I mean, what will they do to you? Will you be gone long like last time?"

  "Oh, yeah. I am pretty sure that they will send someone out within a few minutes of me flying. But . . ."

  Bea didn't give Curtis time to speak she grabbed both of his hands and stared at him, hard and said, "No, don't do it. They'll take you away again!"

  "Yeah, but it won't be bad. I mean, it will be worth it. I really think this will be my last chance to ever . . . and I have always wanted wings . . . to be able to fly, like you do . . ." Curtis didn't finish his thought. He just stared into Bea's face with a pleading expression that made Bea's heart melt.

  Who was she to stop Curtis if this was clearly something he really wanted to do? Was it so easy to forget the risks involved and support this crazy idea because Bea herself was not to be reprimanded? Bea felt her excitement return as she pushed aside her worry for her friend and focused instead on the thought of getting to see Curtis' wings and to watch him fly over everyone here at the solstice. Curtis knew he had won Bea over and his smile returned.

  "I'm glad it is just you and me, you know?"

  Catherine! Bea had completely forgotten about her. "Do you want me to go find Catherine though? I could you know." Bea asked eagerly.

  "No! If she was here she would just try to stop me and I don't need people getting in my way right now. I've thought about this a lot. This is something I want to do, something I have to do." He stared at Bea in a defiant sort of way as though asking her to challenge him again. Bea had no desire to change his mind. She thought again and could imagine Catherine being there and all the warnings she would have assaulted her brother with. Bea's anger at Catherine returned to help her feel confident that it was in fact better that Catherine was not there to share in this moment with Curtis. She had, after all, made her choice and that choice had not been Bea and Curtis. Bea's shoulders stiffened as she shared a smile with Curtis. "Right. We don't need her here."

  Curtis turned. He pulled a small flask out of his pocket. It was clear and the dust inside was the most brilliant Bea had ever seen. She had seen higher grade dust before in shop windows and the dust for her dress that her mother had got on the special occasion of her eighth birthday. But this dust was clearly superior to those. It seemed to pulse and breathe as it sparkled and shimmered. As the light danced across it, the dust changed color and shade at an almost dizzying pace.

  "Is that it?" Bea gasped as she stared transfixed at the flask in Curtis' hands.

  "Yep. Are you ready?" Curtis shot some nervous glances around him, but those fairies who had turned to stare at Bea's outburst had all gone back to their lively conversations with family and friends as they mingled with the ever growing crowd. Curtis popped the top off the flask and the dust started spinning together into a beautiful braided cord of light. It circled Curtis and then hit square between his shoulders. It seemed to shoot deep into Curtis' spine and Bea lost her breath as fear took over her. Curtis' face was twisted up into an expression of undeniable pain. But in an instant, as the last tail of the brilliant cord of dust had disappeared into Curtis' back, Curtis' face softened and returned to the delighted smile of excitement from before. It happened slowly, just as Bea's wings had bloomed. The dust had left a signed hole in Curtis' shirt and small wings were unfolding and growing ever bigger. The wings were inexpressibly beautiful. No fairy Bea had ever seen in her life had wings like the ones expanding before her eyes. They were almost a spastic mixture of all the things that were beautiful about various butterfly wings. There were eyes spots that had golden eyes that seemed to stare right through Bea. The wings had delicate scalloping that made them seem to dance and ripple with the wind. The colors were brilliant and glowing, with an almost neon effect. Accents of pearls and gems made them glisten and sparkle. They seemed to have reached their full size
as the tips reached out over Curtis' shoulders. Curtis gave a little shake and his smile was so infectious that Bea hadn't realized that her own look of surprise at the blooming was now replaced by a mirrored grin. Curtis didn't need words to express how incredibly happy he was. He gave Bea's hands a final squeeze and then took a leap into the air.

  Bea's voice got stuck in her throat. She wanted to call out to Curtis, to say something. But what? Good luck? Be careful? They are beautiful? You are amazing? No, Bea knew in the back of her mind what she was thinking; she knew what she should have said at that moment, goodbye.