Shasta Summer

by Teresa Geering

  Her eyes began to feel heavy and she closed them.

  She was woken by her mothers’ scream. Startled, she couldn’t think where she was for the minute. As she sat up, the sleeves of her dress covered her hands again and the top of the dress slid over her shoulders. Her mother was clutching her father's arm and looking at her wildly.

  “My God, George, what’s happening? She’s shrinking before our eyes.”

  Shasta felt nothing at all, except she was suddenly aware that she was reverting back to her old self. The first thought in her head was I will have to go back to school.

  Full of concern, her parents both tried to cuddle her at once.

  “Do you feel alright, darling?” asked her mother worriedly.

  “I think so, Mummy,” said Shasta immediately returning to being a little girl once again.

  “Are you sure?” asked her father yet to be convinced and suddenly realising he had his little girl back again.

  “Yes, Daddy. Please don’t fuss. I’m fine.”

  “Obviously the spell of Shasta is broken once you leave the village, so it looks like we have our little tom boy back again, then,” George said, secretly pleased.

  Iris, unable to take it all in instantly, went to the cases to see if there was anything suitable in Summer’s case for her to put on. How strange - she had instantly reverted back to her daughter’s given name again. Luckily she found some shorts and a tee shirt in the boot of the car for her to change into. They were a bit grubby but would do until she got home. “Sit in the car and put this on, sweetheart, while we pack up the remains of the picnic things.”

  While she was getting changed, Summer (for she thought of herself as 'Summer' once again), started to think about what had happened. She wasn’t sure if she was pleased or not, and would she change back into Shasta on their next visit to Auntie May? Oh well, she had the rest of the journey to get used to the idea.

  The journey passed rather quietly, her parents quietly discussing all that had happened since they had left. By mutual decision it was agreed that nothing would be said of the magical village of Shasta. Besides, would anyone believe them? Even Summer was having difficulty remembering all that had happened.

  “Can I go and see my friend Holly when we get back, Mum?”

  “Providing it isn’t too late, darling. You will have to get used to going to bed early again,” said her mother, still trying to get used to her young daughter. The resilience of children, she thought.

  When they arrived back, the first thing they noticed was a sold sign in the garden of the house next door. They knew it would be going up for sale, and property around them was very sort after, but even so this appeared to be a very quick sale.

  Whilst George unloaded the boot of the car and carried in the cases, Iris opened the front door and walked into each room, opening the windows to allow some fresh air in. Then she walked out to the back garden. Firm in her resolve, she sought out Giles, her gardener, to explain what she wanted done. The uniformity of the flowerbeds began to grate on her instantly.

  Giles had been expecting her and was trying to hide behind the willow tree. He wasn’t in the mood for her Ladyship today. He wanted to get home for a nice cup of tea and a smoke on his pipe, which wasn’t allowed here.

  “Where are you, Giles. We’re back and I’m making tea. Would you like some?” called out Iris.

  Giles was so shocked he showed himself.

  “Ah there you are, Giles. Would you like a nice cup of tea?”

  “Yes, please, Mrs Backer.” He was completely thrown by her pleasant attitude. He knew where he was when she was laying the law down to him, usually about a weed he had missed.

  “Tomorrow I want to make some changes to the garden, Giles.”

  Inwardly he groaned, What did the old dragon want now, he wondered.

  “In Shasta, where my sister lives, there is no uniformity of flowerbeds at all. Everything just grows together in cottage garden style and that’s what I would like here. I know you have spent endless hours getting it to look as perfect as it does, and I also know that you dislike it intensely. Therefore I will leave it entirely up to you how you do it. I do want variety, though, with lots of highly scented flowers. You can also change the shape of some of the flowerbeds, if you like. When you have finished your tea, you can go early. It will give you an opportunity to think about what you would like to do.”

  Leaving Giles in the kitchen speechless with his tea untouched, she made her way upstairs to unpack the cases.

  Giles was still standing there when George came in for his cup of tea. Seeing the look of shock on Giles’ face, he said with a grin, “Iris has told you, then?”

  “Are you sure that’s your wife, George?” he asked jokingly. They had a relaxed informality when Iris wasn’t around.

  “Oh definitely, but I agree the change in her since visiting her sister is amazing. I think you will find her much more accommodating with the garden in future.”

  “I look forward to that, then. I’m off home to redesign the borders. Can I really please myself?” he asked, still a bit uncertain.

  “You have a free hand by the sound of it, Giles, so treat it as if it was your own.”

  Unable to believe the change of events, he walked up the road to his own house, whistling. Then realised in his excitement he had left his bike behind. Well, he thought it’s not far to walk and it will be quite safe in the shed.

  Arriving home without his bike, his wife who did cleaning for Iris occasionally when she was arranging a dinner party, rushed out to meet him.

  “Where is your bike? Are you alright? What has Lady Muck done now? She can’t have been back more than an hour.”

  He allowed her to finish and, when she paused for breath, turned her round and guided her back into the house.

  “You will never believe what she wants in the garden now, and I have got a free hand to do it. Let’s open that bottle of wine and we’ll celebrate.” By the time he had finished relating all that had happened, they were part way through the bottle. They decided to finish the rest on the small patio in the garden which only just accommodated a small garden table and two chairs. They sat with a drawing pad full of ideas grown out of their years together, but unfulfilled because of lack of space. Giles’ wife looked at her husband lovingly; at last he could have the design of garden he wanted, albeit on someone else’s property.

  It was no wonder he was so excited, especially when he could take his pick of a garden centre at no cost to himself.

  Chapter 47

  The Backers settled back to life in their home, adjusting with difficulty sometimes as food had to be cooked and drinks did not make themselves, as in Shasta. They had only been away a month but it had seemed twice as long.

  George had reassured himself with a phone call to Henney that the garden centre in Holland was getting back to normal.

  Iris had been as good as her word and left Giles to redesign everything to his own tastes, sometimes seeking approval if he felt it was necessary. Unlike Shasta, in this garden the weeding still had to be done but Iris left that to Giles, content in seeing the garden as she wanted it. The late summer, flowers were now coming into bloom and she was enjoying the pleasure of cutting them and filling up her trug for arrangements in the house.

  Summer and her friend Holly were lying on the grass under the willow tree enjoying their favourite pastime, taking a word and making as many other words as possible from it. They used flower names which were often long and challenging, or people's unusual names.

  The family had made an unspoken pact to keep the secrets of Shasta exactly that. Iris was proud of her daughter and the way she had taken everything in her stride. Once again she marvelled at the resilience of children.

  During a phone call to May, Iris explained what had happened to Shasta who was now 'Summer' again and May didn’t seem at all surprised. Merlin had become very restless, though, since Shasta had gone from the village, but Iris decided it was probably be
tter not to say anything to Summer.

  The new neighbours had moved in next door and, as far as Iris could make out, there was only a man at the moment. Iris had seen him at the front of their property.

  It was on this afternoon, as Summer and Holly lay on the lawn with their notebooks, that the new neighbour decided to visit. Iris, going to the door, was pleasantly surprised to find a very good-looking man standing there.

  “I felt it was about time I introduced myself,” said the man. “My name is Sam Sure.”

  “I’m very pleased to meet you. Please come in. My name is Iris Backer. I was just about to take a drink out to my husband and daughter. Perhaps you would like to join us.”

  “That would be very pleasant,” Sam said.

  As he looked at her, Iris seemed to be drawn at once to his dark brown, almost hypnotic, eyes. Indicating that he should follow her, she led Sam through to the garden.

  She made the introductions to George and hurried back inside to collect the drinks. This Sam Sure was certainly a good looking man.

  Iris put the drinks on the tray and carried them outside. She had made iced tea for her, beers for the men, and iced lemonade for the children.

  George and Sam were sitting at the table.

  “Children, come and get your drinks,” called Iris.

  Summer rushed over, thirsty as always, and took the one nearest to her.

  “Hello, my name is Summer, and we’re playing our word game.”

  Interested, Sam asked her how it was played. Summer explained it to him in great detail.

  “I think Mr Sure has got the idea, Summer. Why not take Holly’s drink back with yours?” Iris said.

  “What a beautiful child Summer is, Iris.” Sam finished his drink, thanked Iris and made his excuses to leave.

  * * *

  Later on that evening, when Summer was in bed and George was loading the dishwasher, Iris was quietly tidying up Summer’s bedroom. On her desk was the notebook she had been using earlier in the garden with Holly.

  Curiosity got the better of her, and glancing through some of it, she took it downstairs with her to read later. Iris had started this word game with Summer during the winter months as she was having trouble with her spelling.

  “Would you get me a glass of wine please, George?”

  “Would you prefer red or white, dear?”

  “I think I’ll have white, and perhaps some ice to chill it please.”

  Glancing again at the notebook Iris smiled at some of the words Summer and Holly had come up with. Some were surprisingly complex.

  As George was pouring the wine, he heard Iris give a loud groan. He rushed back in, clutching her glass of wine in one hand with the tongs containing an ice cube in the other still poised ready to drop into the wine.

  Iris was holding out the notebook to him, her face white and hand shaking. Dropping the ice into the glass of wine followed by the small tongs, he took the book in his spare hand and glanced down. Summer had written two words across the top line and underneath had changed it.

  Everything went into slow motion. First, George was aware of Iris going very pale and sliding to the floor. As the glass slipped out of his hand, the contents splattered on the floor.

  He looked back at the notebook for confirmation. Summer had written just two words and had changed it into one....

  “SAM SURE” had now been changed into ERASMUS. The one word that would change their lives again forever…