The journey turned out to be more enjoyable than I had expected. The presence of cowgirl beside me was a constant source of joy, particularly when she made all sorts of silly faces. I found myself unable to contain my laughter, occasionally bursting out louder than intended. This caused my mother to glance over her shoulder several times, likely curious about the source of my amusement.

Our trip ended when my father slowed down the van, turning onto a road marked by a sign that read, 'Welcome to Hopeland.'

"Hopeland?" I whispered. "What kind of place is that?"

The cowgirl, overhearing my whisper, perked up with excitement before answering. "It's super fantastic! I hope you get to stay. You'll make lots of friends and have so much fun!"

My father stared at the sign, obviously confused by the direction my mother was providing him. "Old Cheney Road. Is the right place?" My father asked.

"Turn here, it's the pink and teal building on the left," My mother said, consulting the map in her hand.

"Oh, nicely done. You've arrived at a girl's paradise," Pirate Boy said, suddenly appearing behind my chair, still wearing his warbonnet. His comment made me laugh unexpectedly, causing my father to glance over his shoulder.

"Would you please be quiet? My parents might start thinking I'm crazy, talking to myself."

"A little bit of crazy means you're anything other than ordinary," Pirate boy said. "Your parents will be alright."

The cowgirl shot a serious stare at Pirate Boy, touching the brim of her hat. "You better behave. Don't think I've forgotten what you did."

Meanwhile, my father pulled into a handicapped parking spot, looking at the building in front of us. "Pretty fancy building for a children's hospital, don't you think dear?"

"It's just a new coat of paint and a few extra buildings, nothing special."

Pirate Boy slipped in between my parents to also gaze at the building. "The colors are too girly for my taste," he whispered.

His comment caught me off guard and I burst out laughing. To my parents, it seemed like my laughter came out of nowhere, as they were unaware of Pirate Boy and the Cowgirl sitting next to me.

"What did you find funny?" My mother asked.

"Oh, nothing. I just laughed at something I remembered."

"Care to share with us what you remembered?"

I found myself mumbling, scrambling for an idea to support my earlier statement.

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

Then Pirate Boy whispered a suggestion, "Just tell her that you were in the bathtub and suddenly saw bubbles popping out of the water."

Without hesitation, I repeated the words Pirate Boy had suggested. "I was just remembering when I was in the bathtub earlier, and how the bubbles were popping out of the water."

"Oh Lord! When did you become such a little piggy?"

Immediately, my father joined the conversation, coming to my rescue from any further questioning. "Leave him be, Martha. Boys will always be boys."

"Fine, but we're going to have a talk about this kind of behavior later."

"Let's get him to the appointment and move on."

I felt a big sense of relief, grateful that the conversation with my mother had come to an end without further scrutiny. It was a close call, and I felt relieved to avoid any further questioning that might have led her to think I was acting unusually. For a brief moment, we all shared a silent chuckle over the situation.

Suddenly, breaking the silence, Pirate Boy playfully snatched the cowgirl's hat and vanished. "Hey, wait! I'll be back," Cowgirl said. "This little runt needs an ear pull."

She quickly faded away from her seat, seemingly chasing after Pirate Boy to retrieve her hat.

My father opened the doors of the van and pulled out the ramp from beneath it. "Just wait here a moment, Sammy. Your mother and I need to have a quick talk."

My parents moved away to a discreet distance, likely to discuss something about me or our next steps. Their quiet discussions about how best to handle things concerning my care, suddenly irritated me. Simply because I was never included in the conversation.

While they talked, Pirate Boy and the cowgirl reappeared in the van. The playful atmosphere returned as Pirate Boy handed back her hat. She quickly took the hat from his hand, placing it gracefully on her head.

"It's time to get to work," Cowgirl said. Both stepped out of the van, positioning themselves in front of me.

"Sammy, we will see you later."

His statement felt like a farewell, suggesting that their presence was temporary, perhaps destined to fade away. "Will I be able to see you again?" I asked.

"We have other kids who need us. But don't worry, you're in good hands here."

"It was great playing with you!" they both said, mounting their invisible horse and galloping away. Pirate boy cast a glance over his shoulder, smiling at me one last time.

"Be strong." He whispered.

After they disappeared, a deep sense of solitude enveloped me. The previous day, Pirate Boy had appeared out of nowhere, bringing light and laughter into my day. The cowgirl had shown up to stand by my side, defending me against mockery. And then there was the girl who had given me the best five minutes of my life, playing basketball – a joy I thought I'd lost forever.

Now, as I faced the daunting reality ahead, a part of me yearned for their companionship. Their presence had been a source of strength and happiness, helping me confront my challenges with a braver heart. In their absence, the challenges seemed more intimidating than I ever imagined.

━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━

I gazed at my empty cup, feeling disappointed that my tea had run out. The storm outside was relentless, pounding against the windows with such force that a sudden draft snuffed out the candle lights.

"I think it's time for more tea, don't you agree?"

Makayla, snug in her blanket, stood up from the couch, carrying her cup to the kitchen. "Pirate boy, the cowgirl, and lollipop girl, do you think they were manifestations of the Godmother herself?"

I paused, taking a moment to ponder her question. Preparing tea was a ritual I cherished deeply. "To be honest with you, I never quite figured that out until the end. But perhaps you should hear the rest of the story. Let's continue after I've brewed some more tea."