“This would never have been such a disaster if you’d told them about your fairy blood,” Melusine said gently.
“I know, Mom, but I never thought it’d happen. Since my wings hadn’t released at puberty, I’d accepted that I’d never fly. Now I’d be happy if they disappeared forever just as long as I could have the love of Inigo and Beverley once again.”
“Your wings have released so you need to move on. I’ll teach you all about flying and diminishing in a little while and Inigo and Beverley will see how it works. But right now Beverley and Inigo likely have questions they want to ask.”
Beverley just shook her head. Hyacinthe noticed she hadn’t eaten anything and had taken only a few sips of her tea. Inigo was either hungrier or coping better. He’d finished his tea and was munching on his second slice of bread.
Inigo swallowed then said, “Maybe you could give us some background on this whole fairy thing. I haven’t believed in fairies since I was six and my sister was four and the tooth fairy forgot to leave her money when she lost her first tooth. She was pretty much broken-hearted and Mom was apologizing all over the place and it was mighty easy to work out what had happened, even for a six-year-old.”
“As with so many other myths and legends, fairies are based in truth. Maybe at some distant past time there even was a tooth fairy. But over the centuries fairies have interbred with humans so that now it’s rare to find a full-blood fairy. When my mother was a child, her parents searched everywhere to find a fairy mate for her, even traveling to Europe. But there was no single, male fairy of a similar age to her and they only found one other full-blood, young female. But my parents were a perfect example of happy mixed marriage.”
The soothing sounds of her mother’s voice telling a story she’d heard many times and knew by heart helped Hyacinthe relax somewhat. She managed to eat her bread and drink her tea, even pouring a second cup for Inigo. She was starting to look forward to her very first flight. But she would still give up her wings in an instant to have Bev and Inigo reconciled to her.
The conversation wound down and Melusine jumped up from the table.
“Let me change this top and then we’ll fly,” she said, leaving the room.
Hyacinthe looked down at her underwear and called out, “Can you bring me some clothes, too, please, Mom?”
Very soon Melusine was back with a long, flowing skirt and halter top for Hyacinthe and wearing a halter top herself.
Beverley looked up for the first time and asked, “How does this work? I mean, if there are half-fairies or quarter-fairies or whatever flying around, why haven’t people noticed?”
“We diminish. I’ve never done it, though as a child I tried and tried,” answered Hyacinthe.
“Watch, Beverley.” Melusine stood in the center of her kitchen, arms and wings outstretched. She held the pose, standing quite still, and gradually her body began to shrink. When she was the size of a tiny child she flew up onto a chair, stood there, and diminished farther, becoming no taller than a cell phone.
Then gradually, she grew again until she reached her normal size. “That’s why. People think we’re a bird or a bug or something, if they do see us. Although there are so few fairies around now likely it’s not a problem. Come, Hyacinthe. I’ve waited all your life to take this flight with you.”
Hyacinthe was excited and terrified. Her body was such a maelstrom of emotions she couldn’t think anymore. But she did want to fly. For so many years wings had been what she wished for at every birthday, on every shooting star.
So she stood beside her mom, stretched out her arms and wings and did as she’d done so many times before. Diminish, she thought. And this time, this time she could feel her body compacting, growing smaller and smaller. Suddenly the world seemed so much bigger. The refrigerator was huge, Inigo unbelievably tall, the table a mountain. She knew instinctively when to stop and hesitantly flapped her wings thinking, fly. And she flew. It was amazing. She glided and swooped and fluttered. She soared across the room and buzzed around Beverley’s head, hoping to make her dearest friend smile. She perched on Inigo’s ear and lightly flicked it with her wings, and then she glided all around the room, swooping and diving.
Her mom joined her and they played aerial tag, buzzing around like a couple of children. Joy flowed through her as she rose to perch on the curtain rail, then dropped to spin around inside the sink. The feel of the air flowing under her wings, the lightness, the freedom, was amazing. It was the most fun she’d ever had in her life.
But I’ll give it all up in a heartbeat if Beverley and Inigo will love me again.
Chapter Four
Beverley couldn’t sleep. She’d paced the floor, she’d taken two showers, she’d even pulled all the food out of her pantry, cleaned the shelves, and put everything back in order by size. It’s much too early but I’ll go to work. Being with the plants will soothe me.
She knew she was being immature, maybe even irrational, but she was terribly hurt by Hyacinthe’s actions. Okay Bev hadn’t believed in fairies. Well, still didn’t believe in them really, even though she’d seen Hyacinthe and Melusine with her own eyes. But Hyacinthe should have told her first.
Oh dear. That was her problem. She wanted to be Number One. Wanted to be king pin, the center of the universe. Logically she knew Cinthe loved them both equally, but Bev’s insecure, childish inner self still wanted to be special. The best. The preferred one.
Grow a brain. And a backbone, she told herself sternly. But she hadn’t slept and had no more security and self-esteem than she’d had yesterday or the day before. Actually that was a lie. When she’d been with Hyacinthe and Inigo yesterday morning she’d been secure and happy. The happiest she’d felt in a long time. And she’d been one of a team, not the center of the universe.
Bev sat cross-legged on her bed. At work she liked to be invisible, quietly caring for the plants she understood so well. They never criticized her, or told her she was fat and ugly. Instinctively she always knew if they needed more water, more nutrients, or to be shaded from the sun.
But so contrary was her nature that she expected her friends to think she was special and to treat her preferentially. Underneath everything, she’d still hoped Hyacinthe would love her best. That was not just unrealistic, because Hyacinthe had always treated her and Inigo equally, but it was also grossly unfair to Inigo, who was a good man and had been more patient with her than likely she deserved.
Yesterday she’d been perfectly happy as one person equal with Inigo and both of them sharing even-handedly in Hyacinthe’s love. She loved Hyacinthe, therefore what did it matter if Cinthe was one hundred percent human or only seventy-five percent?
I’ll go and dig up the west garden bed and get it ready to plant the new seedlings. Some good, hard labor may help me get my head on straight.
****
I’m in love with a fairy. I believe in fairies. God, I hope no one finds out or the men in white coats will be along to take me away and lock me in a padded cell. But it’s true. Insane but true. I love a fairy.
And more than that, I do believe I’m coming to love Beverley. Not in a sexual way, but as a friend. Now I know why she hides herself away at work. I can even see where her insecurities come from. She called herself fat and unlovable. Whoever the asshole was who gave her all those hang-ups about her body needs a punch in the nose. There’s nothing wrong with her body. She’s not fat, not ugly, just not skinny. She’s got good muscle definition from the work we do. Those stick-thin models would never be able to lift ceramic planter pots! She never complains when she gets stuck with the hard jobs. That’s what I’ll do. I’ll go dig the west garden bed for her.
Inigo looked at the clock. 5:00 AM. I’ve got time to get it done before she arrives at eight. I’ll do it as a gift to her, to show her I care and want her to accept her place as an integral part in our threesome.
He jumped out of bed and grabbed his clean underwear before heading for the shower.
****
<
br /> Hyacinthe had set her alarm clock for five, but was awake by then anyway. She wanted to fly around the Botanical Gardens, to view all the trees with her enhanced fairy vision, to explore her workday environment from the air and see it with fresh eyes.
Her mom had reminded her about the key points to remember when diminishing and growing, the necessary hints about flying and pacing herself, but Hyacinthe was sure a trip around the gardens was not too much for her first outdoor solo venture. Besides, she would dress in clothes that would be suitable for flying without drawing undue attention to herself should she need to appear as her normal self. It would be an adventure!
****
Dawn was just beginning to lighten the sky when Beverley pulled into the Botanical Gardens staff parking lot. The staff lot was around the side, not near the public entrance. There was a small work gate with a punch-code entry for staff use, although during the day they usually entered and exited via the public gate.
She was surprised to see a large truck pulled up right beside the gate. The tailgate was down and two men were carrying plants out of the gardens and loading them into the truck.
“Must be for a convention or something,” she murmured to herself. The Head of Horticulture, James Jewel, sometimes hired out full-grown potted trees and pots of flowers in bloom to decorate stages and pavilions for events, and the staff always went to set them up and make sure the plants were cared for properly.
Beverley parked in her usual place, clicked her door lock, grabbed her tote bag, and walked over to the gate, looking hard at the men to identify them in the faint light. Strangely neither of them were colleagues. Who are they? Then she remembered Inigo talking about rare plants being stolen. Silently, she dropped her tote under a bush and walked so that the truck was between her and the two men. She sharpened her ears to hear any conversation they might be having, but there were just a few quiet grunts. Both men reappeared, carrying a huge pot between them. Several times they had to put it down and stretch their backs before picking it up again.
That’s the Alcantarea imperialis. It takes twenty years for that to flower then it dies. James will go ballistic if they steal that. It’s due to bloom in the next few months!
Beverley stepped into their line of sight and asked, “What the hell are you doing with the Alcantarea imperialis? And who are you anyway?”
“Fuck!” swore one.
“Time to get outta here,” added the other, dropping his side of the pot and racing for the truck cab.
Beverley was closer to the driver’s seat than he was, and she jumped into the cab, grabbing for the keys. She slid them out of the ignition, but then both men were wrestling with her, grabbing the keys and pushing her out of the truck.
The driver gunned the engine and his tires spun. Beverley grabbed hold of the open window and chinned herself up the side of the cab, trying to climb back in.
The driver attempted to steer with one hand and push her out the window with the other. His tires were still spinning and his companion was screaming at them both. The driver then remembered to take off the parking brake and with a lurch, the vehicle began to move. But by this time Beverley had pulled herself far enough through the window to grip the steering wheel with both hands and deliberately turned it in a circle so the truck couldn’t leave.
Hanging upside down, gripping the steering wheel with all her strength, blood rushing to her head and boots scrabbling for purchase on the outside of the truck door, Bev felt as though time stood still. She wasn’t sure whether she had been hanging on for seconds or much longer. But she was very pleased to hear sirens getting louder and louder. Her head was swimming, and the driver had taken both hands off the wheel to punch her face, but grim determination kept her holding on.
The vehicle stopped, the passenger door opened, and the passenger was pulled out. Beverley turned her head just enough to see Inigo deliver a rousing punch to the man’s face and drop him on the ground as flashing lights surrounded them and police yelled through megaphones. Gratefully, she let go of the wheel and allowed her body to slide to the ground.
The next half hour was a total blur for Beverley. Paramedics put ice on her face and massaged her shoulders. Police took statements, asking the same questions over and over. All she wanted to know was how Inigo had arrived at the crucial moment.
Finally, she was allowed to leave the ambulance and was surprised to see Hyacinthe standing with Inigo and James Jewel. James rushed over to shake her hand.
“Beverley, we’re so proud of you. The police have been tracking these people for months and always seemed to arrive everywhere too late. And our Alcantarea imperialis! They had our Alcantarea imperialis!
Beverley’s head ached, her face hurt, her shoulders were sore, but one thing she was sure of. The moment she’d seen Inigo and Hyacinthe standing there, she’d known why she couldn’t sleep and what really mattered to her. She was sticking with Hyacinthe and Inigo. She loved them. There was nothing like a near-death experience to make a person realize what was most important in life!
****
James had given the three of them the day off work. Beverley wasn’t quite sure why, but she wasn’t going to say no either. He’d also assured her she’d be getting a bonus for her morning’s adventure and a personal thank you from the Managing Director. It appeared that today, at least, she was the center of the universe. But all she wanted was Hyacinthe and Inigo. They meant far more to her than anything else.
An hour later, they were lying on Hyacinthe’s bed, Cinthe and Inigo teasing her about the smell of the liniment on her shoulders and making gentle, sympathetic jokes about the huge, purple bruise on her forehead.
“How did you get there, Inigo?” she asked.
“I decided to go in early and dig the west garden bed as a gift for you. Instead, I got to punch the bad guy in the nose.”
“And I wanted to fly through the garden and look at the plants. I had to hide behind a bush to grow again and saw your tote bag there. So I used your cell phone to call the police,” added Hyacinthe.
“That means we are attuned to each other. We do all think along the same lines,” said Beverley as she realized how true her thoughts were.
“Absolutely. And right now I’m thinking a little oral sex shouldn’t put too much pressure on your shoulders. So how about Hyacinthe sucks you and I’ll suck her?” suggested Inigo.
“Sounds like a plan,” replied Beverley, sliding down the bed.
“Now relax, Bev, and leave everything to me,” said Cinthe.
Bev closed her eyes as Hyacinthe trailed her small hands across Bev’s body. With her eyes shut, she couldn’t tell if anyone was paying attention to her flesh as Cinthe lifted her shirt up and gently brushed her palms across Bev’s breasts, then tweaked a nipple.
Bev gulped. Cinthe always seemed to know exactly how much pressure to exert to bring the greatest pleasure. Bev felt the bedding being pushed away and heard the thump as it landed on the floor, and then the bed moved as Inigo shuffled his position. It was amazing that she could work out so much of what was happening even with her eyes shut.
Despite the pain killers, her head was still aching fiercely, and she hated to think what her face would look like by tomorrow once the bruising came out. But right now she could relax knowing she could trust Inigo completely. Even though he was touching Hyacinthe, not her, his body was a warm reassuring presence on the bed, and Bev could sense Hyacinthe’s pleasure at his hands and mouth on her, as well as Cinthe’s pleasure as she touched Bev.
Bev opened her eyes again and watched as Cinthe slid down her body, licking a wet slippery trail to her cunt and then sucked her clit. With her head on the pillow, she watched Inigo as he lifted one of Cinthe’s legs up over his shoulder so his mouth could reach Cinthe’s pussy. Bev shivered, imagining Hyacinthe’s delight at his touch.
Bev closed her eyes again and smiled, reveling in the delicate teasing strokes of the woman she loved, and the reassuring presence of a man she respected.
They were a team. It was as a team that they’d stopped the plant thieves. She might have been the one to grab the steering wheel of the truck, but it had been Cinthe who’d called the police, and Inigo who’d punched the other villain. They’d all separately and without talking about it, been at the same place at the same time.
Now they were all in bed together, and very soon there’d be orgasms all around.
They belonged together, and would stay together.
That was Bev’s last coherent thought as Cinthe bit her clit and Bev exploded into release. A climax made perfect because of Cinthe’s love for her and for Inigo. Equally and jointly. Just how Bev wanted it to be.
The End
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Blooming Love Page 4
