Fairytale Come Alive (Ghosts and Reincarnation #4)(117)

She was moved fully into Prentice’s arms; she wrapped her own around him and held on while shoving her face in his neck.

She heard Sally ask worriedly, “Why is Elle crying?”

Sally’s worry made Elle cry harder.

“She’s happy, baby,” Prentice answered, his hand running soothingly up and down Elle’s back.

“Happy?” Sally asked, now sounding confused.

“More like mental,” Jason muttered, sounding amused.

At Jason’s mutter, Elle giggled through her sobs.

“Is Elle laughing too?” Sally asked, now sounding really confused.

“Yes, baby,” Prentice answered, sounding like his son.

“Girls,” Jason mumbled, “totally mental.”

Elle’s tears subsided but her laughter didn’t and she held onto Prentice but twisted her neck to look at the children.

She wished she was the kind of person who knew how to say the right thing, something strong, something momentous, something that would mark this occasion in a happy way for them all forever.

But Elle wasn’t that kind of person.

So she just smiled.

Jason smiled back.

Sally rushed forward again and hugged Elle’s legs.

The little girl tipped her head back and asked, “Can you make a chocolate cake so we can celebrate?”

“No, lass, we’re going to dinner to celebrate,” Prentice replied as he shifted Elle to his side.

Jason was now smirking. “Elle might want to do something with her face.”

Elle’s hands flew to her cheeks, exclaiming in feminine horror, “My mascara!”

Prentice tipped his head down to look at her and Elle saw he was grinning.

“Just wipe it all off, baby, we’re going to be late,” he ordered.

“I’ll do a touch up. It won’t take a second,” Elle replied, swiping at her cheeks, hoping she wasn’t making it worse.

“Just wipe it off,” Prentice repeated.

“It won’t take a second,” Elle repeated too.

“Elle –” Prentice started.

“Pren, it won’t take a second.”

“Can I come?” Sally asked excitedly.

Elle extricated herself from Prentice’s arm and caught Sally’s hand, answering, “Of course, sweetheart.”

They walked to the stairs as Prentice called, “Do it in a hurry.”

Elle looked down from her ascent of the stairs and repeated, yet again, “Pren, it won’t take a second.”

As she and Sally turned out of sight, she heard Jason say, “I don’t get it. She looks prettier without all that gunk.”

Elle slowed their gait so she could hear Prentice reply, “I know, mate.”

“So why?” Jason asked.

“She’s a woman,” Prentice sighed.

“Seriously,” Jason said, “totally mental.”

Elle giggled as she entered her rooms, Sally’s hand in hers and she led Sally to the bathroom so she could do a touch up.

* * * * *

Dinner ran long, mainly because Prentice felt the need (and acted on that need) to tell everyone they encountered that Elle was moving, permanently, to the village.

And at this news, everyone they encountered behaved like it was Christmas and their birthday all rolled into one and they all decided to sit down and chat for awhile and some of them sat down and chatted for a long while.

By the time they got home, it was well past Sally’s bedtime and the little girl was drooping. Elle didn’t even take off her shoes before she saw to getting Sally to bed.

Sally was so tired she didn’t want to be read a book. After Elle got her to brush her teeth and change into her nightgown, Sally just curled up with a somehow equally exhausted Blackie in her arms (though, Elle figured Blackie’s exhaustion had something to do with the decimated toilet roll in Jason and Sally’s bathroom) and snuggled into her pillows while Elle tucked her in.

“Elle?” Sally whispered after Elle turned out the bedside lamp, leaving only the glow of the nightlight.

Elle sat down on the bed and pulled Sally’s heavy hair away from her neck, answering, “Yes, honey.”

“Will you teach me to make chocolate cake?” Sally asked.

Elle’s breath caught in her throat.

There were women who wanted to own seven hundred dollar shoes.

And there were women who wanted to run nations.

At that moment, there was nothing more that Elle wanted in the world than to teach Sally how to make chocolate cake.

Somehow, Elle managed to reply, “Sure, Sally.”

“And how to walk in high heels?” Sally went on.

Her throat threatening to close, Elle forced out, “Of course.”

“Hurrah,” Sally cheered sleepily.

Elle leaned down and kissed the girl’s temple before she got up and made her way to the door, thinking that Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty got it wrong. They should have bypassed the handsome prince and went direct to the broody-hot architect who designed the castle and also happened to have two beautiful children.

“Elle?” Sally called when Elle hit the door to her bedroom.

Elle turned to face the room. “Yes, Sally.”

“Thank you for making Jace happy again,” Sally whispered and Elle felt her breath escape in a rush as her heart stopped beating.