Avalon Isn't What It Used To Be

Chapter 31: Thanksgiving

I woke up the next morning to male voices downstairs, and rolled over to see the bed devoid of a handsome human. I got up and took off the chain-ring, and floated to my closet to change.

"Where's Ri"? I heard Rob from downstairs and paused. I fixed my strap and quickly flew to the door frame to listen in.

"Sleeping", I heard a familiar clink of a coffee cup being set down on the counter. "I think yesterday wiped her out", Owen chuckled.

"I really didn't mean to scare her like that". 

"I know you didn't", Owen assured. The kitchen downstairs was silent for a moment. I floated  out from the frame to make my way downstairs, but instantly stopped and drifted back as Rob broke through the silence. 

"Hey-uhm... Is it weird? You know. Her being so... small"? Rob asked uncomfortably. 

"Ah", Owen paused, "Weird? Yeah, I guess so. I don't know how to explain it though. I feel like it should be weirder than it actually is. But honestly, I seem to forget about it for the most part".

"Really", Rob chided skeptically.

"Yeah", he chuckled, "Why"?

"I was just checking. I just wanted to make sure you weren't like... under a spell or something".

I scrunched my nose as my head drew back disapprovingly in reaction to that comment, as Owen responded with a spirited laugh, "Oh Jesus, Rob. No".

"Well, how did you guys even go about it anyway... did you think she was human at first too"?

I drifted down to the floor hiding behind the door frame listening intently. I understood Rob's curiosity all too well.

"No, actually. Long story short, I scared her," he laughed. "She fell off a rock and into the pond. And then I pulled her out". He chuckled reminiscently, "From there, it started as a friendship. Just learning about the others world.. and then..." he trailed off.

And then?          

"And then"? Rob verbalized the words as I thought them.

"Well, this branch nearly hit me, and she got hurt trying to stop it". Owen sounded as if he was animating it.

"A branch"?

"Well, more like a limb. I would've needed to go to the hospital. And then I had this tiny unconscious girl in my hand, and I had absolutely no idea what to do... it scared me half to death".

I heard a thud before Rob spoke with palpable sarcasm to convey his confusion, "And that's when you realized you were going to marry a fairy"!

"Oh, no", Owen scoffed, "I mean, I knew I cared about her, but I didn't realize I really  liked her until Christmas".

"So—But like—how", Rob stammered, asking for elaboration.

"Ask a specific question, would you"? Owen said dryly.

"Okay, you love her right"?

"Y-es". Owen's said slowly in confusion.

"So, How  did that happen"?

There was a momentary pause before Owen answered.

"Alright", he laughed. "Well, we hung out nearly every day. And you should have seen her during Christmas. She was brighter than Christmas-Lit Lane, and it was so cute and innocent. We were making a gingerbread house and she got so into it! Well, anyway, I took some photos of her, and when I looked through them... I realized how gorgeous she was—spare me okay?—", he said harshly, most likely to stop a sarcastic comment before Rob could verbalize it. "She was fun, and thoughtful, and brave", he said before trailing off.