“Books are time travel and space travel and mood-altering drugs.

They are mind-melds and telepathy and past-life regression.

How people can stand here and not sense the magic in them - it's inconceivable to her.”

― Toni Jordan, The Fragments

I woke with the dance of the shadow of fig leaves across my face as the sun shone happily, scaring away the cold and the misery. I blinked at the light and sat up, surprised I was curled up in such a weird position.

“Why did I sleep there?” I looked at the bed, seeing the indent of a body that had been there. My eyes widened and I gave a small gasp. “Oh! Did he stay all night?”

I recalled the moments leading up to curling up in bed and glanced at the place I’d thrown my phone. There was a slight indent in the wall but the bulk of the damage had been contained to my phone. I picked up the four pieces, the broken case and the splintered screen that wouldn’t light up despite pressing the power button with enthusiasm.

“Well…that’s what you get for chucking a hissy fit.” I muttered. “Yeah, you broke your phone…that’ll show him.” I groaned and stood up. “I suppose I was due for a new one…I hate picking out new phones.”

I left my phone in its broken state in a pile, dressed and went downstairs. I had slept in and was running a little late. Rob looked up at my approach.

“Good morning Bethany St James. Query, did you sleep well?”

“Yeah…once I got to sleep.” I paused. “I suppose you heard what was said?”

“I did.” Rob’s eyes blinked in unison at shutter speed.

“You won’t saying anything, will you?” I whispered.

“No.”

“Thanks.”

“Young lady,” Bastian called from his place at the grill and I could smell a blend of herbs and spices that made my stomach growl, “we have a bone to pick with you.”

“Perhaps this is a conversation best left until after closing time today.” Faelan remarked, clean and collected. I was envious of his control.

“Oh no, she might sneak off again and get herself into trouble.” Bastian waggled his tongs at me.

I put my hands on the back of a chair. “I’m sorry I made you all worry. I’m sorry my little…visit to Ilanard got so out of hand.” I looked at them all. “I really am sorry.”

“Faelan did not tell us much,” Rafael said quietly, hand grinding some beans with fluidic motion, “but he did say enough.”

“Yeah…” I sighed. “I am sorry…” I felt the easy prick of tears and knew I was more fragile than I was willing to admit out loud.

“Here,” Bastian handed me a plate, “nothing ever looked so bad on a full stomach.”

“Or with a warm drink.” Rafael presented me with a wide mouthed mug of tea.

“Thanks.” Before I knew it, tears were trickling down my face. I wiped them away and sighed. “I’ll get it together. I promise.”

“Having it all together is overrated.” Eustace said, coming down the stairs. “We’re a mess of hang ups.”

“Amen to that.” Rafael said quietly.

“Speak for yourself,” Bastian snorted, “I am a model of well adjustment and contentment.”

“Someone slap the werewolf for me.”

“Ow! Faelan!”

I laughed, feeling the sorrow roll off my shoulders. It was nice to be home.

I ate my meal quickly and enjoyed my cup of tea. I took my dishes to the sink and washed up, knowing that it wouldn’t be long before the front door was opened. Rob had already opened the gate so Rafael was working fast at serving the takeaway coffee and food. I slipped my apron around my neck and tied it around my waist, nipping out to the other side of the counter. I glanced at Faelan who was working steadily. He sensed my gaze and looked up.

“Hey,” I blurted, “I just wanted to see how you were.”

“I am,” he paused, “dealing with it.”

I grimaced. “You must think I’m a real hypocrite.”

“Why?”

“For telling you to talk to your mother despite you being uncomfortable about her being married to Asher when I’ve got my dad and all my issues with him.”

Faelan was quiet. “Despite the similarities between our two families…they are very different. I…appreciate your words and your encouragement. And I hope…I have not…hurt our…friendship?”

He looked at me with faint timidity in his eyes. I knew we were both thinking about the kiss.

“Not at all.” I said, making the decision then and there and smiling.

“I am glad.”

I leaned on the counter. “Do you think you will visit Elvan?” Faelan paused in his mixing. I waved my hands. “Sorry, too soon.” I cleared my throat. “Well, as long as you feel up for today.”

“I feel very refreshed and rested.”

“You slept okay then?” I asked without thinking about the implications of the questions. I was just imagining him propped up against the bedhead and hoped it hadn’t given him a stiff neck.

“Very well. Your mattress is very comfortable.”

My smile froze on my face and I hoped, for a split second anyway, that Faelan’s answer had gone unnoticed…then Bastian’s tawny head leaned into frame and he raised an eyebrow.

“Well, well…”

“Uh…”

“Faelan…I may have to kill you.”

“You’re just jealous.” Rafael called and I cringed.

“Isn’t it time to open the doors?” I blurted and darted away.

Business was booming, the sunshine inviting people to be more adventurous about leaving their homes and we worked efficiently to serve them as best we could. Faelan seemed much more relaxed in the kitchen than he had been and I even heard him joking around with Bastian and Rafael. It pleased me to see him so content and happy after the tumultuous events of Ilanard.

My visit with Aunt Jo involved me telling her everything that had happened and she was a good listener.

“I’m going to try to visit Bronwyn sometime or at least, lend her some more books.” I leaned on the bed and looked at my aunt’s impassive face, the beeping of the machines letting me know she was still alive because she lay like the dead. I imagined the golden lanterns rising and sighed. “It’s a lovely ceremony…but I’d rather you woke up and we could delay it for another…oh forever.” I picked up my bag. “Hey, I broke my phone in a fit of pique…so if you need me, come visit, yeah?”

I sighed and left the room, nearly running straight into Dr Ishani.

“Oh, hi.”

“Bethany,” she grasped her clipboard, “how are you?”

Hrm, that was a loaded question.

“Pretty good,” was my light hearted reply, “you know, all things considered.”

“The nurses tell me you visit your aunt almost every day.”

I knew she was praising me but I still hadn’t found the cause of her coma and didn’t think I deserved it.

“She looked after me a lot when I was little.” I deflected the praise. “It’s the least I can do.”

“Well, on that note…” Ishani sighed and glanced at her phone. “Sorry, an ambulance just got called in. Listen, maybe we could catch up sometime in the next week or so?”

“Yeah, okay.” I nodded and watched her hurry away. “I wonder what that was about…”

Glenwilde didn’t have any phone stores for me to browse and I didn’t have a laptop or computer at the café. I could have used Aunt Jo’s but didn’t really think to do so as Rob always handled the payments, ordering and digital side of things. I would normally have ordered a new phone on my old phone but seeing as it was as good as landfill, that wasn’t going to happen.

“Maybe Jet might have an idea of what I could use.” I murmured, walking up the road towards Gary’s front door. To my astonishment, Jet was performing manual labour! He was perched on a ladder, clinging with a death grip on the fifth step while Gary held the base. Jet was plucking oranges from their stalks. “Harvest time at the Dunn farm?” I asked cheekily.

“I thought Faelan might like to make marmalade.” Gary said. “Debbie, my late wife, used to make it. It always saved these oranges going to waste. My goodness, there are a lot of them. Just look at the colour of this one.” It was such a dark, rich orange it was almost red and its scent was so tangible I could almost taste it.

“Pops, don’t let go.” Jet ordered then looked down at me. “Bethany, catch.”

He tossed me an orange and as it landed in my hands I felt the strangest shrinking sensation. It was as though I was Alice and had taken a bite of a piece of cake while in Wonderland. I shrank in size until I was standing on the pavement and the fence I could reach over was suddenly so high that I could barely see the house beyond. A pair of eyes looked at me from beyond the fence and a hand reached out an orange to me. I felt my hand being squeezed.

“Go on,” I heard Aunt Jo’s voice urge, “take it. He won’t bite.”

I inched forward and let the boy put the orange into my palm. It was so big I had to let go of my aunt’s hand to hold it with both of mine.

“Thank you.” I said shyly.

“Bethany?” Jet called and I blinked, staring at the orange. I looked up, returning to my original size. “You looked like you were on another planet just then.”

“I…I’d forgotten.” I shook my head. “We’ve met before.”

“Uh…yeah…we met last month and you only saw me a couple of days ago.” Jet clambered down the ladder.

“No, I mean…we met when we were young…like really young.”

“You haven’t been here for ten years.”

“Yeah…and it just occurred to me that, well, if you were at your pop’s place a lot…”

“He was.” Gary chuckled.

“And I was at my aunt’s house a lot…we should have crossed paths.”

Jet shoved his hands in his pockets. “I told you, I was never good at making friends. I don’t do social.”

“You gave me an orange.”

“What? Now?”

“No, when I was little.” I smiled at him. “You handed it over the fence. The smell of the orange…the way it feels in my hands…my goodness…it’s like a time machine.”

“Memories are like that.” Gary picked over the oranges in the large crate. “They return to you a place that you thought long forgotten in the mists of time…and dump you in the emotions you thought you’d long outgrown.” He patted Jet on the back. “Would you carry these up to the café?”

“I’ll help.” I grasped a handle of the crate and with Jet’s help, we stumbled up the road together.

“I don’t remember.” Jet said apologetically.

“It’s okay. I do.”

Jet nodded. “What did I look like?”

“Two big eyes peeking out from behind the fence.” I laughed.

“That sounds about right.”

“Aunt Jo was with me. She must have said hello and asked about the oranges and you offered one to me.”

“Wow,” Jet shook his head, “sorry…I really don’t…”

“I told you, it’s okay. I do.” A customer opened the gate for us and we staggered through with the crate. “We’ll go up the path and through the side door rather than lug this through the café.”

“Hey,” Jet’s voice was strained, “how did you go in Ilanard? I came by yesterday and Rob said you were still there. I know he doesn’t have emotions and I’m useless at reading people but I thought he seemed worried.”

“It’s a saga worthy of its own two hour coffee break.” We stumbled through the side door and got the oranges into the cool room. “Maybe after closing?”

“Yeah, okay. Did you find the…” He nodded at me, implying the word rather than saying it.

“I did.”

“That’s good.”

We left the cool room and let Faelan know about the oranges.

“We will need jars for sealing the jam in.” Faelan looked at Rob. “Apart from the cherry jars, are there others in the cellar?”

“At the last stocktake, there were twenty nine sealable jars in the box marked, ‘jars’, in the cellar.” Rob announced.

“Wanna carry some jars?” I asked Jet.

“I dunno. Is the cellar creepy?”

We had to be careful bringing the jars up from the cellar so it took us a while. By the time we were done, ‘House of Figs’ had closed for the day. Faelan poured us large glasses of lemonade and we drained them gratefully.

“Are you going to start the jam now?” I asked him.

“Actually, before we do anything,” I turned and looked at Bastian who was standing at the long table with a much more stern expression than I was used to seeing on him, “we’d like to talk about some things.”

“Okay…” He patted the chair and I sat in it, Jet sitting next to me and all the guys, including Eustace, taking up position nearby. “Is something wrong?”

“First things first,” Bastian leaned forward on the table, “have we or have we not missed your birthday?”

I gulped and looked at Faelan.

“I think I may have broken confidence.” He winced. “I did not realise it was a secret. From Jo’s testimony and the bookings at ‘House of Figs’, birthdays are to be celebrated.”

“Ah.” I sighed. “You haven’t missed it. I’m turning twenty one in two days.”

“Out of all the bookings for birthday celebrations at ‘House of Figs’, only two have been for twenty first birthdays.” Rob quoted.

“That’s because twenty one year olds usually celebrate with loud parties with a ridiculous amount of guests and copious amounts of booze.” Jet looked at me. “That doesn’t really sound like ‘House of Figs’ style.”

“Yeah, not Aunt Jo’s cup of tea either.” I shrugged.

“Query, what does Bethany St James want?” Rob asked.

“Oh man…we could go wild!” Bastian chuckled.

“No thanks. I don’t want a party.” I insisted. “Besides, who would I invite? You all know my mum died early this year and I’m not really on speaking terms with my dad. And as for friends, apart from Casey, I don’t really have any who aren’t already at this table.”

“Friends,” Rafael said in a dark tone, his eyes drilling into his cup of coffee, “are you sure that’s what you want to call us?”

“Huh?” I was staggered at the transformation from the kindly Rafael that morning who had made me a cup of tea to the man at the end of the table who had animosity oozing from every pore of his body. “Yeah…why wouldn’t I?”

“What if one of us were to hurt you?” He lifted his eyes slightly, glittering and sharp.

“Rafael…” Faelan warned softly.

“Hurt me?” I breathed.

“Assault you? Put you in a coma?” I gasped so sharply the air nearly pierced the back of my throat. “Isn’t that what you’re doing? Trying to figure out which of us hurt Jo?”

The café seemed to darken with his dangerous, cold fury. It felt as though it was closing in around me, trying to swallow me whole.

“I…”

“And all this time you’ve been pretending to like us, to welcome us here…even as you sneak off to our worlds, looking for the evidence to blame one of us!” His tone wasn’t loud but my goodness, it cut me to the core.

“Rafael, I was just…”

“Don’t deny it!” I jumped out of my skin. Rafael pointed at Faelan. “After you left this morning, the elf told us what you suspected.”

I looked at Faelan who dropped his eyes. “I only wanted to air the misunderstanding,” Faelan glared at Rafael, “I did not share this confidence so that you could berate her!”

“Yes, it’s about time you sat down and drank your coffee.” Bastian ordered. “We agreed to talk about it, not accuse Bethany.”

I wanted to curl up like a dying leaf and blow away.

“You defend her? This girl who pretends to care like Jo but sees enemies where she professes friends?”

“Hey,” Jet’s voice barked over the top of Rafael and he stood up, “Bethany didn’t think of any of that. It was me. I’m the one who thought one of you might have hurt Jo.” He pointed at me. “You’re seriously accusing Bethany of being suspicious and conniving? Good grief, you might as well call a daffodil an insidious bird eating plant! She’s about as toxic and cynical as a baby kitten.” I gaped at Jet who kept his eyes on Rafael. “I’m the one who put the idea in her head about one of you hurting Jo. And when she found the first haiku, what other conclusion could she draw? It’s not as if you’ve all been beacons of virtue in your own world.”

“This is true.” Eustace said quietly.

“I am in agreement with that statement.” Rob nodded.

“I am hardly without fault.” Faelan breathed.

“I’m a paragon of charm, charisma and gentlemanly behaviour…but I’m also a werewolf.” Bastian shrugged and looked at Rafael. “Go on…tell us the tale of the virtuous vampire.”

“It is not my conduct that is under scrutiny,” Rafael said coldly, “Bethany treated us as friends.”

“And do you know how hard it has been for me?” I blurted. “In no time at all you’ve all become so important to me, sharing your lives, the backgrounds of your stories…imagine how wretched I felt with clues leading me towards the possibility that one of you hurt Aunt Jo?” I swallowed. “I hated it, sneaking around…asking about your worlds…I’m just trying to find the other clues.”

I stared at the tabletop and sighed.

“In full disclosure,” Rob said quietly, “I knew of Jo hiding haiku clues in our individual worlds. The file was backed up in my IDV and then the memory deleted so I only came across this information recently.”

I looked at Faelan. “I suppose you heard me and Bronwyn talking about it?”

“Amongst other subjects.” Faelan nodded. “After learning of it, I shared the same concern as you, Bethany, that one of us might be responsible for Jo’s coma.”

“I bet you have a list, don’t you?” Rafael seethed. “Starting from the least likely to the one you suspect the most. Did you check Jo’s neck for bite marks?”

“I did.” I confessed.

“Ah, I suggested that too.” Jet insisted. “If you’re going to get angry with anyone, it should be with me.”

“As one who has yet to be exonerated,” Bastian gazed at me with yellow eyes, “perhaps you can tell us the whole story now?”

I nodded. “I owe you that much. But can I please say…when I first met you all…I was terrified. I mean, I didn’t know what kinds of books you came out of or the stories of your life…and Aunt Jo’s coma was unexplainable. When Jet made the remark that one of you might have caused it, and he did say that it could have been by accident…I did my best to dismiss it…but after I found the first haiku…” I took a deep breath and sat up. “Okay…from the beginning…”

I explained it all as best I could and Jet helped by using his phone to accurately relay the haikus.

At the end the atmosphere was quiet and introspective.

“And that’s that, I guess.”

“Do you really think these haikus Jo left, are clues to her attacker?”

“I’m not sure anymore.” I looked at Rob. “She did say to Rob, something about my being able to save the world, if I could figure it out.”

“I really wish it was likely that the statement was allegorical.” Faelan mused.

“I can confirm that Jo was in earnest when she spoke those words. She did not banter them about lightly.”

“This is why you showed interest in my world?” Faelan asked.

“And snuck in without you knowing.” I cringed. “I thought your reluctance might have had something sinister to do with it all. I hoped Aunt Jo would leave the haiku somewhere nearby.”

“It was my own demons that closed my mouth and gave rise to your suspicions.” Faelan said softly.

“Woah,” Eustace looked up, “there were demons in Ilanard?”

I had to laugh softly.

“Bethany asked to visit my world,” Rob looked around the tale, “and I took her.”

“Reluctantly and with no true consideration to your safety.” I insisted.

“Your life was also in danger.” Rob returned it.

“You had no idea things were going to escalate as they did.”

“I just dragged you without thought or reason,” Eustace grimaced, “exposing you to mortal peril.”

“Yeah but you got a dragon egg out of it.” Jet shrugged. “I think Bethany would say it was worth it.”

“It was, yeah.” I agreed.

“So,” Bastian considered what we’d said, “Jo has left haikus in our worlds…so I presume that means there must be one in mine and one in Rafael’s?”

“Well, it seems to be that there are five.” I looked around and grabbed the chalkboard we used for ‘House of Figs’ specials, scribbling quickly on it. “I got the first one in the dragon world and it was labelled, one of five.”

“The one you received from Infinitus was four of five.”

“Yep and the one from Ilanard,” I dug around in my pocket and pulled it out, “is two of five.”

“How does it read so far?”

“Enchanted I was.

Friend or Fiend? Take care.

Too trusting was I.

The folly of man.

The pride…the fall…then nothing.

Bones groan in despair.”

“I’m missing the next one but the one after reads…

Seed of creation.

Earth, metal, water, wood, fire.

Elemental borne.”

I looked up. “That’s all I’ve got so far. Does it mean anything to any of you?” They either shook their heads or had blank faces. I sighed. “I guess I’m missing some key verses.”

“Did Jo visit either of your worlds?” Jet asked.

“She visited Alte Fedhe.” Bastian confirmed.

We all looked at Rafael. He held his cup.

“Well?” Bastian urged.

“I know she visited once.”

“Just the once?”

“That I know of.” Rafael lifted his head. “It was not with permission…and I ordered her back here…but whether she listened…”

“Now that we all know about the clues,” Rob looked at Bastian and Rafael, “it might be better for you both to keep your eyes open, to coin a human phrase, for these haikus. It would save putting Bethany St James in danger.”

“The trouble is,” Eustace glanced at Faelan, “we’ve already seen that Jo was capable of hiding the clues in places we wouldn’t look.”

“Her hiding place was effective in Ilanard.” Faelan admitted.

“I never used to look where I was going.”

“And she asked you to put it in your IDV and then delete the memory.” I turned to Rob.

“Jo certainly made sure they were in places you would encounter.”

“I would happily have you visit Alte Fedhe,” Bastian declared, “I am more than capable of keeping you safe should the need arise, however unlikely, but would you allow me the honour of searching it myself to minimise the risk?”

“I feel terrible to ask, after keeping all this from you.” I said, staring at the table.

“You did not ask,” Bastian said calmly, “I offered. Perhaps we did not truly take the alarming situation of our presence, coupled with your aunt’s condition, into full consideration. You have been attempting much of this on your own.”

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“Not all on my own,” I glanced at Jet, “I have had help.”

“To what end?” Rafael asked and we all looked at him. “What will these clues show? That one of us isn’t to be trusted? Are Bastian and I now the only ones you suspect?”

“What would you have me do? Cast you all out because I have my doubts?” I demanded weakly. “I could have pulled the books from the shelves and locked you in your worlds. And I admit…I wanted to…cause I was scared. But I’m glad I didn’t. I love ‘House of Figs’ and how it feels like home. I never wanted to leave. I told my dad…” I closed my eyes, willing myself not to cry. “I told him what I wanted for my birthday was to go back in time and to have never left Glenwilde. I could have been here, have met you all…and not have all these blasted clues to try to work out.” I braved a look into Rafael’s face. “You haven’t exactly been easy to get along with and it’s probably my fault…and I’m sorry you feel like I was only pretending that I was glad to have you here. I like you all…and I haven’t had family like this in a really long time...”

My tears trickled down my cheeks and I sniffed them away, sure I was puffy eyed and red rimmed. Someone slid a napkin down the table and I grasped it and dotted at my face.

“I don’t want any of you to go,” I said when I’d pulled myself together, “but if any of you want to leave, if you don’t feel like this is a safe place for you…”

“I am not going anywhere.” Rob said firmly.

“Me either.” Eustace smiled at me with his bright blue eyes glistening with empathy. I squeezed his hand, knowing that sharing in my grief was another sign of him growing up.

“‘House of Figs’ is a haven for me as I exist between worlds.” Faelan nodded.

“Who would make the elf’s life miserable and cook the meat if I weren’t here?” Bastian chuckled. “And as for your concerns, I welcome your scrutiny,” he winked, “as close as you dare to make it.”

I chuckled and shook my head then we all turned to Rafael. I held my breath.

He lifted his eyes and for a moment, the briefest moment, I saw a dash of hope before it was swallowed up by despair.

“I will stay,” he said softly, “if you will have me.”

“I can’t imagine ‘House of Figs’ without you.” I insisted gently. “I know we might not always get along…but you’re a part of this place. I trust you.”

He closed his eyes. “You should never become so familiar with a vampire that you trust them,” he said surprisingly then he looked at me, “however…thank you…for the sentiment.”

“And with that poignant moment,” Bastian lifted his long leg up and over his chair and stretched in his white shirt, “I am off. Goodnight, farewell and I will keep an eye out for your haiku.” He bopped Rafael lightly on the shoulder with his fist. I expected Rafael to stumble from the friendly blow but he was rigid as stone.

“I also, take my leave.” Rafael bowed and followed out after him.

“Phew.” I sagged. “That was a saga.”

“Bethany, again I apologise,” Faelan blurted, “I only wished to save you the risk of searching for these haikus.”

“I’m glad it’s all out in the open.” I admitted. “As scary as it was, it kind of put it in perspective. I mean, apart from the first one…the haikus don’t really sound like they’re identifying an attacker.”

“It also cleared the air a little with Rafael’s attitude.” Eustace rolled his eyes. “I’m going to check on the egg then practice making coffee.”

“I am going to prepare the oranges to make jam.” Faelan stood up.

“Query, do you need me for anything, Bethany St James?” Rob asked.

“I need a new phone.” I cringed. “I kind of…broke mine.”

“Query, were your due for a new phone?”

“Yeah.”

“Query, what are your primary requirements?”

“Oh, um…I guess the most important thing is a good camera and just the usual email, texting blah, blah, blah stuff.” I shrugged. “I mean, how am I going to ignore my dad if I’m not getting his messages?”

“Query…I do not understand.”

“It’s okay.” I sighed. “I’m just being unfunny about an awkward situation.”

“I will compile a list of possible replacements.” Rob went upstairs.

I sighed and turned to Jet.

“So…did you break your phone in Ilanard trying to take snapshots of elves?”

I put my hands on my hips. “If you must know, I got angry at my dad, I threw it and it broke.”

“Oh.” He cleared his throat. “Sorry.”

“Yeah, me too.”

We sat quietly, hearing the light sounds of Faelan prepared to make marmalade.

“Seems a weird kind of retaliation.”

“Huh?”

Jet looked at me. “You got angry at your dad and broke your own phone.”

“Yeah…I guess that’s a good metaphor for hate.”

“Huh?”

I shrugged. “Aunt Jo said there was a saying, that harbouring hatred for someone was like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. It was a quote from someone, I don’t know who…but I guess in a modern context, chucking my phone and breaking it did nothing to punish my dad but I’m the one without a phone.”

“I dunno,” Jet leaned on his arm, “what if he tried to call you back straight away after being disconnected? He might have gotten angry or worried…wouldn’t that teach him a lesson?”

“Saying it out loud just sounds petty.” I shook my head and stood up as he did. “Besides, he’s too much like me.”

“How so?”

“Avoids confrontation.” I walked Jet to the front door. “My mum and dad met in Glenwilde and got married here but I knew mum was never satisfied with being in a country town. She idolised the city and had ambitions to go there. Eleven years ago, she made the decision to leave Glenwilde and dad, even though he said in the beginning that he didn’t want to go, did so to make her happy.” I pulled a face and rubbed the back of my neck. “I may have…belittled his attempts to provide for us, to make enough money to keep me in private school and give us, what he thought was, the best life imaginable.”

“By the time your new phone arrives, you will be more rational and objective. Don’t try to fix it right away. Wait and get some perspective.”

“Huh, that’s pretty wise.”

“The only good piece of advice I got in school for when I couldn’t handle the…crush of it all.” Jet shuddered.

“Hey, if we were in Glenwilde together, did we go to the same school?”

Jet shook his head. “We lived in a city outer suburb of the lower socioeconomic variety. Big schools…lots of kids…not a lot of tolerance for ‘oddballs’ when there were so many troublemakers from broken homes.” My heart ached at the scathing term I was pretty sure he’d been called before. “When I got suspended or we moved…or mum got a new boyfriend, she used to drive me up here or, when I was older, she’d stick me on the train.” He looked at the rooftops he could see from the veranda. “I think I’d have liked going to school here rather than in the city.”

“There’s only one school here, or there was.” I folded my arms. “We might have ended up in the same class.”

“Well…I am older than you…but I repeated a couple of years.” He shrugged. “Might not have in a smaller school.”

“We would have seen each other in the school yard.” I pointed out.

“Yeah, me sitting alone on a bench and you, surrounded by your friends on the monkey bars.”

“Is that how you see me?” I gaped. “Little miss popular?”

“You don’t alienate people like I do.”

I leaned on a post. “I dunno…you fit in here, don’t you?”

“With fictional and fantasy characters?” He snorted.

“I’m pretty normal.”

“Well…that makes you the oddest of them all.”

I laughed. “Yeah, I suppose it does.” I glanced over my shoulder. “Did you want to make marmalade with us?”

“I’ve got a game tournament soon.” He excused.

“Can’t be late for that.”

“Nope.” Jet nodded and headed down the stairs, his hands stuffed deep into his pockets.

“Hey Jet?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks…for saying what you did…for defending me.” I felt a little bashful. “I mean, I’m not sure I liked being called a kitten or a daffodil…the implication being I’m a bit naïve and whimsical…but…thank you.”

A lopsided smile appeared on his face. “I guess…I finally got something right then. See you tomorrow.”

“Bye.” I waved and went inside. Faelan, Eustace, Rob and myself made marmalade, flavouring each jar separately, experimenting with different additives before cleaning up for the night. Eustace and Faelan made two separate sleeping spaces in the lounge room although Faelan insisted he wouldn’t require much sleep at all.

I said goodnight and went to my room, curling up in bed. I caught sight of my broken phone and sighed.

“I guess I don’t really know what it was like between mum and dad all those years.” I murmured. “Was it an empty marriage, like between Bronwyn and Cadeyrn? Did their intimacy dry up? Did dad ache for someone to listen to what he wanted?” I sniffed. “Jet was right…people are messy.” I rolled onto my back and sighed. “Twenty one…ugh…”

If I thought I could get away without celebrating my birthday, I was fooling myself. Thankfully it was on a day that ‘House of Figs’ was open and I was able to be happily distracted waitressing before heading off to the hospital. Dr Ishani wasn’t on that day so the conversation we were going to have would have to wait. I headed back to ‘House of Figs’.

Rob had been very thorough in whittling down my choices for a new phone but I still hadn’t been able to make a decision about it. I knew which one I wanted but I wasn’t sure my budget allowed for the extravagance.

I couldn’t avoid it forever, though. Eventually I’d have to make a choice.

To my delight, when I returned to the café, I was told that my ‘essential services’ coffee and free muffin incentive was taking off. Faelan made sure there was plenty of choice so that the workers could pick from a whole range of sweets to go with their coffee. Rafael wasn’t stingy with the coffee either and I was relieved that he didn’t seem as standoff-ish as he had been the day he’d confronted me.

I wasn’t sure what was going on inside his head but I could see that my suspicions had hurt him and the ground we’d gained since meeting had withered away. But he was still there and I hoped, over time, that we’d come to a tolerant understanding. I wasn’t sure we would ever be friends but I did admire his skill and liked his humour. I wasn’t lying when I said ‘House of Figs’ wouldn’t be the same without him. I’m glad he believed me.

After closing I cleared off the tables and pushing chairs back into place. I sensed the guys gathering together behind me and began to suspect they were up to something.

“Glad we’ve got tomorrow off.” I huffed. “This was a really busy day.” I gave an exaggerated yawn. “Well…I think I’ll have a shower. See yourselves out!” I darted upstairs, hoping to avoid any surprise they might have for me. Relieved to have made it to my bedroom, not sure what it was about turning twenty one that terrified me so, I kicked my shoes off and untied the apron.

It was then that I noticed, on the chest of drawers at the end of the bed, a scroll wrapped with a ribbon and sealed with wax. I peered at it then edged forward and picked it up. It was proper parchment paper, with a light fleck through its weave. I trembled and eased the ribbon from it, pried the beautiful wax seal from its grasp upon the parchment and carefully unrolled it, beautiful calligraphy greeting my eyes.

“Dear Bethany, you are cordially invited to the celebration of the anniversary of your one and twentieth year.” I sighed and continued to read. “A formal dinner will be served at seven. Cordially yours…Bastian, Eustace, Faelan, Rafael and Rob.” I dropped my hand. “A formal dinner? Celebration? Ugh…I want to stick my head in the sand, not celebrate…not to mention I have nothing to wear.”

There was a knock on the door. I answered it warily. Rob stood beyond with a dress bag in one hand and a box in the other.

“In order to circumvent your reluctance, formal attire has been provided.”

I glared at him. “Rob…I am not in the mood.”

“Bethany St James, your closest friends would like to celebrate your existence.” Rob replied diplomatically. “Query, will you not attend?”

I pushed my hand through my short hair and messed it up. “I…I’m scared. Twenty one…I thought I’d have it all together by now. I thought it was the age when I’d finally figure out what I was doing with my life and here I am, with less certainty than ever before. I just want to ignore it.”

“Time will continue to pass though you may stick your head in the sand.” Rob said kindly. “Query, Bethany St James, when you do ‘get it together’, will you not look back on your life and wished you had celebrated?”

I closed my eyes. “Yeah…I guess I would.” I cringed. “I…it’s not going to be boisterous, is it?”

“Eustace did suggest a bouncy castle,” I moaned, “but it was too late to organise.” Rob held out the bag and box. “Attire in your size.”

“Okay…” I took them. “It’s not…backless…is it?”

“I do not believe so.”

“Alright.” I breathed out and nodded. “Tell the guys, I’ll be ready at seven.”

“It shall be done.”

I had a shower and pondered why my birthday was such an intimidating moment. I had enjoyed the party in Elvan. It had been a joyous time and I could quite honestly say it had been boisterous.

So why was celebrating my birthday so hard?

“I guess it’s because all the attention is on me.” I looked at the foggy mirror. “Everyone…watching and waiting for me to have something brilliant to say…ugh…it’s like public speaking class all over again.” I winced, recalling my humiliating fail not three months after I was enrolled in the private school in the city. I knew the teacher, sensing I was struggling to keep up with the demanding grades and schedule, had called my mum and voiced concerns about my ability. Mum had insisted I would catch up as repeating a year or dropping out of the private school would be detrimental on my transcript. I knew she wanted the best for my future…but my childhood was a bit of a shambles because of it.

“No, don’t go there.” I told my troubled reflection. “This isn’t like then. You are with people you like and aren’t expected to perform to exacting standards…it’ll be fun.”

I opened the dress bag nervously and discovered a tasteful black v-necked sleeveless lace dress inside. The back of it went across my shoulders and the waist was tapered almost to perfection to my shape. The skirt was slightly hi-lo below my knees and the slip underneath ended just above so that the burnout pattern of the lace could be seen. In the box were stockings and a pair of black heels that were an exact fit.

“I’m really hoping Rob guessed my size and not Bastian.” I murmured, checking out my appearance in the mirror. The last time I was so concerned with how I looked I was ten and dressed up as a fairy princess in stripy stockings and an oversized hat. “This is a little more grownup.”

I applied makeup that was heavier than my usual day routine and dabbed some flesh toned gloss on my lips.

“Pity I don’t really have any jewellery to go with it.” I murmured. “Oh well.”

A precisely seven o’clock, someone knocked on my door.

I brushed down my dress, took a deep breath and opened it.

“Eustace?”

He beamed at me, dressed in a blue shirt, suit jacket and trousers, his shoes shiny with polish. His hair was spiked and as happy as his mood.

“I won the short straw of accompanying you to dinner.”

I laughed. “I’ve never been anyone’s short straw before. You look very handsome.”

He chuckled and offered me his arm. “Shall we?”

“Sure.” Eustace walked beside me and I could feel him trembling. “Are you okay?”

“I’m just excited. I’ve never been entrusted with something this important before.”

“Eustace, don’t make me nervous.” I giggled. “It’s just me, you know.”

“Yeah…but I was told not to screw up.”

“I won’t let you.” I promised.

He escorted me along the passage and to the stairs and then down them. The air was filled with the scent of spices that made my mouth water. As we descended, I heard a low whistle and looked up to see Bastian standing behind the counter.

“Be still my heart.” He gushed, coming out from around it.

“I’ll go back upstairs…” I warned.

“Do you not know how beautiful you are?”

I eyed him. He wore a black silk, long sleeveless tunic with two inch wide silver Celtic detail around every hem. It was cinched across his chest, allowing the white of a high collared shirt to appear, the clasp at his neck, a silver broach in the same pattern as the detail on the tunic. His sleeves were generous, cuffed at his wrists by more black and silver and he wore black fitted trousers.

“You don’t look so bad yourself.” I confessed. “Where’d you get it?”

“Formal attire from my own wardrobe.” He bowed. “Eustace will escort you. I will follow promptly.”

To my surprise, Eustace didn’t lead me out the back where stylish dinners were usually hosted by ‘House of Figs’. Instead, he led me out the front door.

“Are you taking me somewhere?” I asked, concerned about walking too far in my heels.

“Not far.” He chuckled, leading me down the short steps at the front of the veranda and turned me towards the fig tree. “Ta da!”

What lay before me was an elaborate yet friendly picnic. The ground beneath the overhang of the fig tree was covered with several large quilts and blankets, the perimeter of the layers lined with cushions of a variety of colours and makes. It resembled the opulence of a sheik’s lounge. All that was missing was the tapestry tent but the branches of the fig tree had been festooned with so many fairy lights and lanterns that it would have been a shame to cover it up. The effect was so dazzling that it looked as though they’d created a low slung night sky with dark green foliage. Music was playing through the outdoor speakers as though a string quartet was hidden just out of sight. Several large basins surrounded the picnic space and the air above them shimmered like the road on a hot day though I couldn’t see any flame.

Rob and Faelan were arranging the cutlery and sparkling glassware and looked up at our approach.

“Bethany St James,” Rob stood and bowed, “even without emotions, it gives me great pleasure to have you attend.”

“Thanks Rob. You look rather dashing.” He wore a modern black suit, probably bought by Aunt Jo for formal events where he needed to dress the part. With his new hair and updated skin and eyes, he cut quite a handsome figure. “Did you really…organise a birthday picnic for me?”

“It was the one setting we all agreed upon.” Faelan gave me an elegant elven bow, his pale blonde hair shining in the glow of the lights. He had braided it in a similar style to Asher, though I knew better than to point out the similarity. He was dressed in a black silk shirt with an open neck, a quilted green vest over the top and black slacks and shoes.

“It’s beautiful.” I looked up at the fig tree. “He’s never looked so handsome!”

Faelan put his hand out and touched the trunk, smiling. “If a tree could blush, he would do so.”

“Aw, really?” I smiled at the tree then turned around. “I can’t believe you did all this…it’s…it’s just so lovely!”

“You like it, then?” Eustace asked eagerly.

“I do. I’ve never had an outdoor birthday before. It’s always too cold. Why isn’t it cold?”

“We have flames in the basins, chasing away the chill.” Faelan gestured to them. I went closer, peering at the air above the basins. It was quite warm yet no matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t see a flame. I reached out my hand, prepared to sweep it across the top of the basin, when my wrist was caught in a cold grasp.

I looked at Rafael who had been hidden, at one with the shadows.

“Though the flame is impossible to see with the naked eye, it is real.” He let go and I drew back from the basin. “It would be a shame to mar your twenty first birthday with a painful burn.”

“Oh…right. Thanks.” I cleared my throat. “I wasn’t sure you’d come.”

“I wasn’t sure you would want me here.” Rafael admitted then glanced at the others. “However, I was persuaded…”

“I’m glad, really.” I nodded and eyed him. “If only to see you looking so…resplendent.”

He wore a suit jacket with tails that had a high collar and no lapels. Down the front ran black buttons but there was only one done up across his abdomen. The print was a lustrous petrol hue that shifted from greens to purples with a dash of aqua yet was overlaid with very fine black flocking that tempered the vibrancy of the jacket. Beneath he wore a black shirt with a large and elaborate cravat, pinned with a dark red stone in a silver broach setting. There seemed even more red on the ends of his hair but it could have been the way it was styled. There was a portion across his forehead in a smooth, sleek opaque style and the rest was scraped into a messy bun at the back of his head, shards of black dipped in red creating a deadly do. There were several strands still around his face and in one ear, he wore a long silver drop earring, studded with a black rose and dangling from the chain, two red teardrop stones.

“Just something you threw on?” I asked lightly when I realised I’d been staring.

“Is it not adequate?” He asked.

“Oh, no…I was being smart. You look incredible.” I turned around and shook my head. “You all do.”

“We could hardly celebrate your birthday in our café rags.” Eustace chuckled. “Come, sit!”

I circled the picnic to where a place had been prepared for me and, as elegantly as I could, sat on the quilt, my ankles crossed and my knees together as I reclined on the cushions. As I did so, I realised the bassinet was nearby.

“Did you bring BD?” I asked.

“Didn’t seem fair to leave him out of it.” Eustace grinned. “I made sure to put an extra blanket around him.”

Though the egg had happily survived in the ocean in an oyster shell, I made a little fuss about tucking it in. As I did so, I heard the gate open and looked up.

“Jet?”

“Hey,” he said awkwardly, “sorry I’m late.” He tugged at the black bowtie that lay starkly across the crisp white of his shirt. Over the top of it was a black waistcoat and he wore black trousers and shoes. He was draped in a generous cloak with wide lapels, hemmed in a three inch white strip of satin.

“Wow…apology accepted.” I gushed. “Jet…you’ve done well.”

“Pops made sure of it.” He cleared his throat, tucking the bag in his hand behind him. Instinctively I suspected he had a birthday gift for me but seeing that he was on the verge of running away, I didn’t want to draw attention to it.

“Come, sir.” I gestured to the picnic rug on the far side. Jet did so just as Bastian came out of the café with a large platter, filled with a Moroccan feast.

“Bon Appetit!” He declared.

Perfectly roasted lamb racks sliced into individual portions, hummus, harissa, toasted flatbreads, peppers stuff with cheese and chargrilled until it had melted inside of them, a serving of tabbouleh and a sparkling cranberry punch.

“Bastian!”

“Don’t let it go cold!”

We loaded up our plates as best we could for there just seemed too much to choose from. “Where is the cutlery?”

“I supply it with the acknowledgement that some of us prefer eating with them,” Bastian tore a piece of flatbread off, loaded it up with several different delectables and popped the whole thing in his mouth, licking his fingers, “however, in proper tradition, this feast is best eaten with fingers.”

“Okay…”

It was actually a lot of fun to not care about the right fork or holding the knife in the correct manner. There was a lot of finger sucking and happy noises as we ate. I noticed even Rob sat with a glass of punch and ate a little so that he was part of the meal. Though we were all dressed formally, there was a playfulness about being reclined on a picnic rug, eating with our fingers. All my anxieties had long since dissipated as we enjoyed Bastian’s feast.

“I am so full!” I exclaimed, leaning back. “Bastian, that was incredible!”

“Absolutely delicious.” Eustace declared.

“Aside from the meat,” Faelan nodded, “I concur.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to try it?” Bastian waved an individual rib at the elf. “Take the plunge?”

“When in Rome?” Rafael added.

“Crossover to the dark side?” Jet raised his eyebrows.

Faelan looked at the meat and I could see him considering it.

“In time,” he said slowly, “it may become necessary for me to consume meat due to my absence from the divine light of Iffah…but not tonight.”

Bastian laughed and tore the meat off the bone. “Good on you.”

“You just wanted the last rib to yourself.” Rafael rolled his eyes.

“I would have made the sacrifice had the elf wished to try it.” Bastian retorted, wiping his hands. “Now…for the gifts!”

“Oh…” I trembled, feeling my fears return. “You really don’t need to…”

“I already have.” Bastian winked and, at my confused look, gestured to me.

“This?” I pointed at the dress. “You bought me the dress?”

“I would have wrapped it but I feared it would crush.” He admitted.

“You really picked this out for me?”

“I did.” He tilted his head. “While you look stunning in it…do you like it?”

I considered the dress, simple yet elegant and surprisingly modest now that I knew who had chosen it.

“I love it.” I nodded. “It’s not the sort of thing I would have thought you’d buy me…”

“Oh?”

“Well,” I shrugged, “I dunno…I thought maybe something more like…” I gestured at him. “But for women, obviously…and a lot more…plunging.”

He laughed. “While it was tempting…I decided to honour your sensibilities. And while you would make a wondrous werewolf, the build of the women of my clan tend to be taller and broader than your slight frame.” When he said ‘broader’ his hands were more around the front of his chest than anywhere. I had a vision of an EEE cup werewolf goddess busting out of a gown that was the definition of ‘less is more’. “I could have had something tailored to your size but did not have the time.”

“This is perfect.” I insisted, relieved my birthday had been such an imminent bombshell. “It’s soft and elegant and I’m sure I’ll get lots of use out of it.” Everyone stared at me. “What?”

“Aren’t girls supposed to want a new dress for every occasion?” Jet asked.

“That’s been my experience.” Rafael muttered.

“Query, is this dress the definition of LBD?” Rob asked.

“That’s it.” I pointed at him. “This dress is perfect for almost any event…but maybe not a wedding.”

“Especially not your own.” Bastian waggled his eyebrows and laughed at my glare. “Come on Faelan, you’re next.”

“Are you going in order?” I laughed.

“I have dessert to prepare.” Faelan held out a smooth, velvet box to me with a jewellers logo embossed on the lid. “Though you need no adornments to be beautiful, I felt that these complimented the dress Bastian chose.”

I lifted the lid and gasped. Inside was a pair of earrings of elegant silver curls, ending with a blue stone. They rested either side of a necklace in the same design which had curls starting at the ridges of my clavicles, meeting in the middle and ending with another curling drop and blue stone. Immediately to my trained eye, I knew this was no ordinary quality.

“Faelan,” I breathed, “this…is too much.”

“Do you like them?”

“Of course but I…”

“Then they are not too much.” He insisted, easing one of the earrings out of the black velvet. “May I?”

I nodded and he leaned close to slip the hook through my ear.

“I thought elves were above adornments of bling.” Bastian teased.

“Elves possess unparalleled craftsmanship.” Faelan said, taking up the other earring and sliding it into my other ear. “We appreciate the delicate nature of the craft rather than the ‘bling’ factor.” I twisted so that he could drape the necklace around and do up the clasp.

“Did this come from Iffah?” I asked nervously, wondering if he’d risked his life to bring me a present.

“No,” Faelan admitted, “but it was a beautifully designed piece worthy of a place in Iffah from a jeweller in town.”

I turned around, my fingers lightly dancing over the top of the beautiful design.

“How does it look?”

“On you…” Faelan sat back and gazed at me with warm, green eyes. “Perfect.”

“And you managed to make her blush…” Rafael snorted.

“I am not!” I pressed my hands to my cheeks.

“Go get dessert,” Rafael ordered, “before you cause her any more embarrassment.” Faelan laughed softly and went inside the café. “This,” Rafael picked up a box, “did come from my world.”

“Really?” The box was large and quite heavy. I had to shimmy the lid off, the base remaining on my knees. Underneath was a layer of tissue paper and I peeled it back to reveal a luxurious white coat. “Oh my goodness!”

I couldn’t display it properly and had to stand up, the box falling out of the way as I held the pristine white coat, with fur at the cuffs, the hem and around the wide mouthed hood. There was white on white embroidery in a gothic pattern that gave detail to the simple design and the entire ensemble was stunning.

“It’s the most beautiful coat in the world!”

“I am relieved you like it.” He admitted.

“Would you help me put it on?”

“Now?”

“Why not?”

He cleared his throat and took the coat in his hands, holding out one sleeve as I slid my arm through it and then the other arm, feeling as though I was getting a hug from a polar bear.

“There are hidden clasps at the front,” he leaned close and showed me how they worked, “and just like that,” he looked up and suddenly realised how close he was to my face and stepped back, “it is done.”

It was so long it came down to my calves and so beautifully tailored that it gave me a waistline despite the tendency of coats to be somewhat straight up and down. The back had a little flare to it, giving it a slightly generous girth and the fur around the collar and inside the hood was the softest I’d ever known.

“It’s stunning,” I breathed, “thank you so much.”

Rafael gave me a small, rare smile. “Well…you will never be cold in it.”

“I can’t believe the vampire covered up my beautiful dress.” Bastian muttered as I sat down.

“Oh stop it,” I laughed, “you know I’m still wearing it.”

“Yes, but underneath so extensive a coat, you could be wearing nothing at all…mmmm…”

“Someone dump ice on the werewolf.”

“That is a beautiful coat.” Faelan declared as he rejoined the party with a round tray. In the centre was a wide, flat candle beneath a frame that kept the ceramic basin above it from snuffing it out. Inside the basic was thick, delicious, melted chocolate. All around the outside of the tray were different things to dip into the chocolate from strawberries, orange slices, banana rounds, marshmallows sticks of raspberry twists, pretzels and shards of meringue.

“Chocolate fondue?” I gasped.

“After such a communal dinner, this seemed like an appropriate dessert.” Faelan set it in the middle of the picnic rug.

I leaned forward and picked up a shard of meringue. “Uh…Eton Mess?”

Faelan chuckled softly. “Indeed. I did not want another ‘fail’ to go to waste.”

I dipped it in the chocolate, being very careful not to drip it on my coat and popped it in my mouth.

“You can fail anytime.” I laughed. “I’m sorry, Rafael, I’m terrified I’m going to stain this with chocolate.” I slipped out of it and folded it gently to go back in its box.

We all experimented with the fondue, enjoying the different tastes of Faelan’s array of dipping foods. Bastian had the gall to lament that he’d eaten the last lamb rib and we all groaned.

“Chocolate coated lamb rib?” I shuddered.

“Chocolate makes everything better.” Bastian insisted.

“While I would agree with that statement normally,” Faelan shook his head, “I fear it still does not make meat any more palatable for me.”

The bowl of chocolate began to empty and I leaned back, happy and full.

“Bethany St James,” I turned to Rob in a quiet pause, “this is from me.”

I took the wrapped box and pried off the paper. Underneath was a familiar logo.

“Rob…” I gasped. “This…this is the phone…that I liked!”

“I am aware.” Rob nodded. “You seemed concerned about the cost of it along with the cost of a plan. I bought the phone outright and had it rush couriered to Glenwilde. It arrived only two hours ago.”

“I don’t believe it.” I opened the box and found the brand new phone gleaming at me. “It’s the colour I liked too!”

“Naturally.” Rob paused. “Forgive my breaking the seal but I took the sim card of your old phone, which was undamaged, and put it into this one so that, when you turn it on, you should retain all your information.”

“Oh Rob…” I swallowed. “Thank you…it’s just…how did you afford this?” I suddenly had a terrible thought. “You didn’t charge all this to the café, did you?”

“While that was tempting,” Bastian admitted, “we had an…injection of wealth.”

“Define injection?” I asked nervously.

“Eustace?”

I turned to the water dragon who grinned and handed me a bag that looked like an old world money purse.

“Happy birthday from me and BD!”

I took it, confused but didn’t grab it properly and the bag fell open, spilling dozens of pearls onto my lap, tinkling as they bumped into each other, raining onto the picnic rug.

“Pearls!”

“Yep.” Eustace beamed. “I went swimming!”

“And you found all these pearls?” My fingers scooped up the ones on my lap, their opalescent surfaces reflecting the fairy lights in a thousand different hues.

He nodded. “We kept the nicest ones for you,” I picked up a beautiful black pearl that rested comfortably in the palm of my hand, “and took the others to a jeweller who promptly bought the lot!”

“Unparalleled, was the term he used.” Rob explained. “Eustace thought you would want to keep some of the prettier ones and I am sure we could have them put into settings or strung into a necklace.”

“I…I…” Tears began to pour down my cheeks.

“Well, now you’ve done it, Eustace.” Rafael sighed.

“You’ve all done it.” I accused lightly. “You’ve all…you’ve just…Ugh…stupid tears.” I grasped a napkin and pressed it to my face, shaking my head and laughing at my outburst. “You’ve all made me feel so…”

“Query, so what, Bethany St James?”

I licked my lips and breathed out shakily. “So…worth the effort. A few weeks ago, I thought my twenty first would be the loneliest birthday of my life…and you’ve gone and made me feel loved.”

“You are.” Eustace nodded. “We all care about you.”

“Some more readily to admit it than others.” Bastian said snarkily.

I laughed and wiped at my nose. “I’m really grateful. Truly…” I shook my head at the bounty of gifts and the surrounding of friends. “I’m so overwhelmed by your gifts…”

“Oh wait!” Eustace sat up. “Jet hasn’t given you anything.”

Jet, who had been looking a little uncomfortable at my tears, stiffened.

“Oh, it’s alright…” I began, sure he liked attention even less than I did. “He doesn’t have to…”

“I didn’t really…I mean…you can’t actually keep it…” Jet sighed and held out the bag. “Uh…here.” As I took it he continued to stammer. “I didn’t really know what you’d like and I’m not that great at ideas…”

I looked inside.

“A photo album?” He nodded and I slid it out. The album wasn’t new although it still had a price tag on the back, going yellow from age. “Oh…it’s already got photos in it.” I could see the lines of colour from the edge.

“Yeah, it’s from Pop’s photo box.” Jet explained. “He doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘digital’ and it was Nan who organised them all.”

“You gave her a photo album…of someone else’s photos?” Rafael pulled a face.

“No…I mean…yes…but it’s not…”

I opened the cover and looked at some of the pictures, not really sure what Jet meant by the gift. “The orange tree was a lot smaller…when was this taken?” I slid it out and looked at the back. “About fifteen, sixteen years ago…”

“A photo album of someone else’s…old photos?” Bastian looked at Jet quizzically.

“I just thought…”

Jet’s words were interrupted when I gasped. “Oh my goodness…Gary looks as old then as he does now!”

“Yeah,” Jet shrugged, “I might have been given the name of an eighty year old man but Pops was born ancient.”

“Your Nan is here too. She’s got a kind face.” I smiled. “Wait…wait…” I turned the book around and thrust it towards Jet across the width of the picnic rug. “Who is that little boy holding her hand?”

“I’m not that little…” Jet groused.

“Lemme see!” Eustace, Bastian, Rafael, Faelan and Rob all craned their necks to see. Eustace laughed mightily. “You were tiny!”

“I was not!”

“With eyes too big for your face.” Rafael remarked.

“I grew into those.”

“Maybe he was younger than the date suggests…” Faelan offered kindly.

“Nope, that’s me…seven years old.”

“Query, was your Nan was unusually big for her age?”

“No!”

“Seriously,” Bastian looked up, “were you premature?”

“Oh stop it.” I ticked them off lightly, pulling the album back. “Jet clearly didn’t develop as fast as others around his age.”

“Well, it’s the oddest present ever,” Bastian leaned back, “but it’s good for a laugh.”

“Oh for…” Jet wagged his fingers at me. “Flick over to the birthday party.”

“Birthday party…birthday party…awwwwww.” I looked up. “You had a birthday party at ‘House of Figs’!”

“What?”

“No way!”

“I want to see what it looked like!”

“Nope,” I held the album back, “none of you can be trusted to be sensitive.” I turned to Jet. “I can’t believe you forgot you had a birthday party at the café before it was even a café.”

“Not me!” Jet exclaimed. “You!”

I stared at him. “Me?”

“Yes!”

“Are you sure?” I looked at the photo. “It’s you in your Sunday best…”

“Oh for crying out…” He got up, crossed the picnic rug and sat next to me. “Look,” he said leaning in, “there’s the table with all the flowers and the balloons. There’s all the kids around the table and there’s the birthday cake…”

“Aunt Jo!” I exclaimed.

“And who is she putting the birthday cake in front of?”

I peered at the photo, suddenly seeing a birthday party from the perspective of someone other than the guest of honour. Jet was in all the pictures in the album…but it was my birthday party.

“Oh my goodness…” I breathed. “I was so little…I could barely reach the table. I’m sitting on about a dozen cushions…” My hair was in curly pigtails and my party dress as a tiered white sleeveless number with a pretty pink sash around my middle.

“We’re dying here!” Eustace lamented. “Let us see!”

“Here,” I slipped the photos out and handed them to Eustace who, in turn, handed them to Bastian and they went around the group, “I’m in the white dress and Jet is in the blue suit.”

“You look like you’re about the same age.” Bastian shook his head.

“Okay, okay, I was little…” Jet admitted.

“No, don’t you get it?” I turned to him. “You’re a few years older than me but you were little so you don’t tower over or scare us. You fit right in.”

“I guess so.”

“Oranges.” Faelan remarked.

“Where? I missed that.”

He held the photo out and pointed at a pile of presents. In front was a pyramid of oranges, four at the bottom and one perched on top.

“You brought me oranges?” I looked at Jet.

“Haven’t got a clue.” He shrugged. “Your aunt probably felt sorry for me and asked us at the last minute if I’d like to come. We probably brought oranges cause we had nothing else. I mean, can you really see me shopping for a little girl’s birthday?”

“Not when you were this little!”

“I was seven!”

“Jo is as beautiful now as she was then.”

“Bastian, you’d flirt with a lamppost.”

“If it had a figure like that, then yeah!”

We continued to look at the photos, my head awhirl.

“You have never seen these photos before?” Rafael asked.

“Aunt Jo probably has them backed up somewhere.” I mused. “Most of my birthdays were at ‘House of Figs’ before it actually became a café.”

“It doesn’t look all that different.” Bastian sighed.

“I like that,” Faelan nodded, “it possesses an unchanging atmosphere…”

“Yeah,” I looked up at the building, “it really does.” I turned the page. “Oh…Jet look…”

There was a picture of me sitting on the swing with Jet. I was smiling. Jet was too but not showing his teeth so he looked a little pained. I looked at him in astonishment. “We did know each other.”

“It was only after what you said, about me giving you an orange, that I started to wonder.” Jet explained, tapping the album. “Nan was meticulous about her photos being organised so I just found the boxes Pop’s had them stored in and flicked through.”

“It’s incredible.” I turned to him. “You’ve given me such an amazing gift.”

“Oh…Pops only let me borrow the album. I can’t give it to you.”

“No, silly,” I laughed, “you’ve given me back a memory I’d lost.” I gazed at the photo. “I’d never have remembered this day if not for these photos. Look,” I leaned closer to him, “that dress…I loved that dress. I wore it until it was grass stained so Aunt Jo dyed it green but then I got a hole in it climbing you,” I patted the fig tree, “so Aunt Jo took off the bottom layer and turned it into a top…goodness knows where it is now but I think I wore it until it fell apart. I’d forgotten.” I shook my head then peered closer. “Wait…where did that flower come from?”

“What flower?”

“In my hair…see? I wasn’t wearing it before.”

“Maybe your young suitor presented you with a flower.” Rafael chuckled.

“We were kids!” I barked then sobered up. “But you know what, I’d like to think so.”

“Photo lasted longer than the flower or the dress though.”

“It is one element that I truly envy about this world.” Faelan said.

“What’s that?”

“The ability to capture moments in pictures.” He shook his head. “Even the memories of elves can become blurred over time or simply lost when they die. Here, they live on.”

“I agree.” Bastian said surprisingly. “Photos would be a fantastic way of honouring the moment.”

“3D holographic imagery exists in Infinitus,” Rob remarked, “however, I believe I like this form of memory capture the most.”

“Personally I’d like to forget a few things,” Rafael said darkly then shrugged, “but…it would be nice to look back on the good times.”

“Well…someone did get a new phone for her birthday…” Eustace looked at me pointedly. “Pretty sure it’s got a great camera.”

“Yes.” I nodded. “You are absolutely right. We need to get a picture of all of us together.”