How they met…

“What are you reading?” he asked.

She showed him the cover of the book.  “HOW NOT TO KILL HOUSE PLANTS.”

“Do you kill them?”

She thought for a second and then said, “They mostly commit suicide.”

He choked on his coffee.  “How do they do THAT?”

“They stop drinking water,” she sighed.

“Not possible, unless you don’t water them.”

“You would think that was true, wouldn’t you,” she muttered, turning the page.

“What do you do for a living?” he asked.

“I sell plants.  I’m a florist.”

He choked again.

“Are you okay?  You seem to have a lot of trouble swallowing.”

He held up his hand.  “I’m fine,” he rasped.  “It’s just the things you say are…”

“Are what?”

“Surprising.”

“Oh,” she said.  “I’m very good with flowers and things but just not at home.”

“I don’t know how that’s possible.”

“Neither do I.”

“I’m in construction.”

“What to you construct?”

He stared at her.  “You’re a little different than most people aren’t you?”

“Maybe.  I think it’s just being in this place,” she said, looking around.  The energy is very different than what I’m used to.”

“You mean this coffee shop?”

“No, I mean above ground.  You know.  The earth side.”

“Right, the earth side.  As apposed to?”

“The Fairy side.”

“Are you a fairy?”

“Only half, but I was raised there.  My mom’s a fairy, but I was curious to see where my dad came from.  It’s really different, believe me.  I mean the colors, the sounds and the people, well, that’s a story all by itself.”

“How long are you staying on this side?”

She shrugged.  “I don’t know.  I guess I’ll stay until I’m bored. The birds here are nice.  Very friendly.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“About what?”

“Most of us don’t believe in Fairies.”

“That doesn’t stop us from being real, you know.”

“I guess not.”

“My ears are a little pointy, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“I actually wasn’t wondering that at all.”

“Good.  Because ears don’t make a person, do they.”

“Do you work with flowers in Fairy?”

“No one does, they take care of themselves.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“Why would you?” she asked.

“Can you do magic?”

“Sure, but it’s hard up here.  Things are…thick and heavy.”

“My name is Justin.”

“My name is Storm.  Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to nice you as well.”

“You know you’re part Fairy, don’t you,” she whispered.  “So many of you are.”

He laughed.  “I don’t think so.”

She took his hand and he froze, as pictures flash through his mind.”

“You should probably breathe,” she said, letting go.

He sat perfectly still.  “What’s happening to me?” he asked, staring at her.

“Your Fairy blood waking up.  It was put to sleep a long time ago but now you can be a whole person.”

“I was a whole person,” he said.

“You look a little stunned,” she whispered.  “Maybe I should have asked permission, before I reignited you.”

“Reignited?”

“It’s a little Fairy joke, don’t worry about it.”

“Who am I?”

“No idea but I can take you to the Hall of Records, if you’d like, and they can find out which of your parents was Fairy.”

“I’m leaving,” he said, standing up.  “I have a lot to think about.”

“Kay,” she said, watching him walk away and smiling at the young man who slipped into the vacant seat.

“You did it again, didn’t you?  You know you aren’t supposed to let people know what they are.”

“Hi Feather,” she said.  “I don’t care about the rules.  People might want to know that they aren’t what they think they are.”

“People don’t WANT TO KNOW.”

“Am I in trouble AGAIN?” she moaned.

“Not if he doesn’t report you, or try to find out who he is.”

“Did you put a forgetting spell on him?” she asked, hopefully.

“Maybe.  He left too quickly to be sure.”

“You’re the best brother in the universe,” she said, reaching out for a hug.

“You’re going to get us killed, or locked in Fairy forever,” he sighed, hugging her tightly.

“What if we stayed topside forever?”

“You mean not go home?”

She nodded.  “What if we made this place our home?”

“I don’t want to stay here,” he said, making a face.  “We’ve already been here too long.”

“Okay,” she said, firmly.  “Then let’s go back to Fairy, so I don’t get us into anymore trouble.  Oh, look,” she muttered.  “That woman in the green  shirt is almost completely Fairy, and she doesn’t have a clue.  I bet she’s a changeling.”

Feather groaned, grabbed her hand and they disappeared.