“Her name is Serenity,” Noel says from behind him. “We need to thank her, she will be singing at the children’s hospital tomorrow. Michael, I have never seen anything like it before,” she says excitedly. “For someone whose name means peace, she turned into a tigress protecting our boy!”
“Serenity? Why was she here, Mother, and for that matter, Why are you here? Does Dad know where you are?” he fires his questions, one after the other.
Noel stands up to her son and snaps her fingers. In a moment the shop changes to a warm cozy living room. Gone are the costumes and tables and in its place a lovely leather sectional with an enormous fireplace. The ceiling has large cherry beams running across it, giving it the feel of a family lodge. A large Siberian husky comes into the room and stares at her with his ice blue eyes.
“Not you too?” Noel asks. “Sometimes my gift calls and I have to follow the lead.” She wraps her arms around herself, “I was meant to meet her, and our boys need her. She may need us soon.” Noel sits in the corner chair, closest to the fireplace staring into the flickering flames. Time has gone so quickly and it’s hard to believe her time as a guardian is close to ending. She has been searching for her replacement and today she found her!
“Leave us, son.” a deep voice resounds through the room and soothes her aches and pains, pushing the vision away. Michael sighs looking at his father, then takes the dog with him. She looks up and love fills her eyes, her body responds at the sight and smell of him. He stands tall at six foot four, muscular like a large lumberjack. Home her heart whispers, he is her home. He has been her home for five hundred years and she wonders how much longer they will have.
“A thousand years will never be enough, my love.” He says drawing her to her feet. Nick holds her tightly against his body and spins them away to the sanctuary of their log cabin, nestled in the North Pole. Later, after their need is quenched, she lies next to the fireplace beside her husband and tells him of the girl.
“Nick, I have never seen anything like this before. Her eyes, they were lit from within. She had the mark of the Winter Queen! I thought that was only myth?” He rubs her bare shoulder with his white scruffy beard, sending chills over her body. “Seriously, Nick. What can it mean?”
“I will consult the book. For now, let’s enjoy our time together. Soon, I will be too, busy, to even think straight.” His hazel green eyes sparkle with mischief as he rolls her on top of him. Her laughter rings through the night and all worries fade away.
Chapter 3
Michael stares at the frown on Sincere’s face and struggles not to laugh at him. He turns the tub faucet off, and tests the water temperature, before plopping him in the water.
“I will say it again, son. Listen to me, No, you can’t keep her. It’s illegal and we don’t even know her.” He tosses a couple rubber boats into the water and watches Sincere struggle not to cry.
“I know!” His cherubic face lights with excitement once again. “We can go visit her and watch her sing! She said she will be singing at the hostile, Saturday. Can we please?” he begs.
“Hostile, oh you mean hospital. Sure, buddy. We can take some gifts for the children while we are there.” Michael thinks about the young woman. She was breathtaking, with long blonde hair and blue eyes. He imagines the look on her face when she receives the gift of thanks his Mother sent. Sincere splashes his boat and draws Michael back to reality, bath and bedtime.
Serenity stares stupidly at the delivery man. He hands her a large wrapped box, asks for a signature, and smiles when she signs it, then slowly closes the door. “Who is it?” Bailey calls asks walking in from the kitchen holding her Chinese take-out. Serenity is holding a box, wrapped in brown paper and tied with a string. She walks over and carefully places the box on the coffee table, then opens the card and reads it aloud.
“Please accept this gift from our family. Your kindness healed a child’s heart. We will not forget it. Wear it well. Noel.” Her stomach drops when she opens the box and finds the dress from the shop! The boots and crown are tucked away and sitting on top of the tissue paper, is purple, velvet box with a pair of diamond drop earrings inside.
She sits hard on the small couch and stares at the card. “It can’t be!
Bailey rushes over and whispers, “Oh my stars! Serenity it’s gorgeous. It’s perfect! Put it on right now! We can get your pictures posted early!”
“Bailey, I can’t accept this! I didn’t pay for it! It would feel like stealing!” Serenity says holding the card.
“Stealing my fanny!” Bailey snaps back. “Mama said to never look a gift horse in the mouth, now get moving or do I need to cut a switch?”
Serenity laughs, at her sister’s southern drawl. “Oh my Lord, Bailey. I have never been so mortified in my life. You know my temper, but the old hag deserved it! That little angels heart was so hurt, Bailey. I could feel it. He actually believed that he was a sin. I would have punched her right in her ugly nose, if I could have gotten away with it. Then to top it off, his father walks in the shop in the middle of it all!” Holding her head in her hands, Serenity wants to die just thinking about it.
“You always
