Lilly watched Pearl looking from face to face. She saw a smile form on her aunt’s face as she approached an older woman with a fringed shawl around her shoulders and a long stemmed pipe in her hand. Opened arms drew Pearl into the loving embrace of her mother. Pearl motioned Lilly to join them, “I know you two have met before, but possibly, you don’t remember your grandmother, Sylvia.”
An air of youth played about Sylvia’s smiling eyes along with ancient wisdom. She took Lilly into her warm embrace and stepped back with tears in her eyes. “I see Avery in you,” she said and hugged her once again. Tilting her head, she looked puzzled for a moment, “I don’t remember your hair being red.”
Lilly quickly told her she had disguised herself to avoid her former husband. Sylvia nodded, “We know about disguises here. They can be valuable. I’m sorry you had to use hair dye for your disguise. We have easier methods.”
Before Lilly could ask a question, a young woman drew near, took her hand and pulled her gently. “Granny, can I introduce Lilly to everyone?”
Sylvia took a toke on her pipe and put up a hand. “Wait a minute. Lilly, this is your cousin Lotus. She is going to bring you around and introduce you to everyone.
“But,” Lilly started to protest.
Aunt Pearl touched her shoulder, “Go ahead Lilly, there will be time for a visit later.”
Lotus introduced Lilly to the smiling people who were her relatives. She could see a strong resemblance to her dad in many of them. Her dad had worn blue jeans and T-shirts most of the time. His relatives dressed in delicate fabrics that shimmered silver and green with the slightest movement. Glancing at their shoes Lilly smiled at the fanciful designs and bright colors encasing their feet. Her heart beat with excitement when her second sight caught the soft silvery light moving around and through her family. These beautiful people were her kin. She belonged here. The high cheekbones, pointed chins and huge liquid eyes of green, blue and gray smiled at her. ‘I have found home, this is my true family.’
A tall man stood in the center of the room and clapped once. He held his hands out for a moment and the room grew silent.
“Welcome to our sister, Pearl, our dear niece, Lilly, and her friends. Many moon cycles and much starlight have passed since we have had you in our company. Thank you for your visit and for bringing friends along. We will feast, dance, sing and celebrate. Later we will speak of mundane matters.”
A young woman, holding a carafe half as tall as herself, made her way from table to table filling goblets with a strong sweet liquor. Steaming bowls of gumbo were served over mounds of rice along with crusty bread. Platters of sweet potatoes and catfish were passed around the table. Lilly thought her stomach might burst.
After dinner, Lotus took one of Lilly’s hands and one of Roland’s and headed for the door. They followed the bayou fairies across swinging bridges, down a winding path to a separate island. Palmetto leaves rustled as the fairies stepped lightly through the night. They arrived at a clearing with soft tropical grass beneath their feet and a canopy of stars overhead. Clouds scuttled away quickly as a welcomed breeze drifted across the island. The crescent moon rose over the Cypress trees like a silver smile streaming a beam of benevolent light on the Faery kin below. Lilly smiled back at the moon and hugged the magic of the evening to herself.
Aunt Pearl called her name and waved with a silver flute. Roland and Lilly walked closer to the musicians and Pearl put the flute in her hand. Lilly thanked her, looked around and saw half the family playing musical instrument. Those who were not playing music danced, swirled, jumped and twirled with an abandon unseen in the human world.
Lilly put the flute to her lips and danced as she added her music to the jaunty tune. She spotted a young man sitting near a tree tuning a mandolin. Next to him, propped on the side of the tree were three instruments: a banjo, a fiddle and a guitar. Lilly approached him and with a lift of an eyebrow and a swiftly pointed finger acquired the guitar for Roland.
A fiddle player beckoned them and scooted over making room among the musicians. Lilly placed the flute to her lips, closed her eyes and inhaled the early spring air, pungent with the scent of the Dark Bayou. Music flowed and filled the clearing with the magical essence of life. Dancers, light on their feet, whirled in the Faery circle. Silver hair glowed in the starlight, green eyes flashed and lithe bodies danced with total abandon. The hours passed like minutes. When Lilly put the flute aside, a smiling man with silver braids tugged on her hand and led her into the dance.
Breathless from the ecstatic dance, she took a break and joined a group sitting on a log nearby. Pearl approached, sat next to Lilly and put an arm around her waist. Lilly put her head on her Aunt’s shoulder and whispered, “For the first time since my childhood, I know the joy of being with my true family.”
“Yes, I am experiencing that same joy. I have been embraced by my mother and my wonderful niece is back in my life.”
The heavy white blossoms of the night blooming flowers gently folded their petals as the sky turned a pearlescent gray. Lilly breathed in the scent of water hyacinths pushing through masses of lily pads floating in the monochrome palette of the pre-dawn light.
Roland joined her on the swampy shore of the island. They stood together silently watching the pink flow of the sky burst into golden splendor on the horizon. Roland relaxed into a huge yawn and Lilly joined him. With
