“Mommy, tell us about grandma and grandpa again?” Nico yawns. He rubs his eyes and I kiss his forehead, making the vines in his hair glimmer. My daughter chimes in with similar pleas and I can’t help but smile.
“Of course, my darlings.” I settle into the worn chair between their beds and relax, letting my mind remember every detail. “It all started after your Grandpa Henry arrived at school...”
Henry had no idea he was magical. He never knew what he was until he accidentally came through the lake at Penderghast. He was alone and scared. Nothing had made sense, even with new friends easing him into the magical world.
His roommate, Auntie Shreya, took him to explore Penn Square. Call it fate, luck, or just coincidence, but Henry came to Maison D’Yew. While Shreya wondered the shop for new treasures, Grandpa Henry was bewitched by the girl behind the counter. Vines and white flowers played peekaboo beneath strands of brunette hair and her smile made his heart hammer. Her name was Aster.
Weeks went by and Henry thought of Aster day and night. Visits were the highlight of Aster’s days and she often checked in on Henry when he wasn’t near. Now I’ll tell you more about the next part when you’re older. For now, I will say that your Grandpa Henry was in danger. He and his twin, Atlas, were being hunted by a very evil man. Grandma Aster helped both of them as much as she could, as well as their friends. Thankfully, the bad man was defeated, and Henry was safe again.
Over the years, Henry and Aster fell in love. After he graduated, he helped Aster maintain the shop and they grew together. They were married under Aster’s parent’s branches on a cool and crisp spring morning. Fae sang and danced around them at the alter, singing soft songs of love. Grandpa Henry and Grandma Aster soon had me, a baby with pink blossoms in her hair and wood magic in her soul. I watched their love all my life and being with them made me feel loved and happy. It was as if all negative thoughts and emotions evaporated in their presence.
Because she was a wood nymph, Aster needed to root to the ground. Together they found a meadow filled with wildflowers and Grandma rooted next to a small pond. Grandpa Henry visited every day and taught me to run the shop. He would bring treats and gifts for Grandma. Snow, rain, or storms couldn’t keep him from visiting.
Henry soon became ill. It was harder for him to walk and visiting was nearly impossible. Since Grandpa became sick, I visited Grandma for him. Her branches drooped and no flowers bloomed after Henry fell ill. Months passed and eventually Henry passed away.
We buried Grandpa Henry beside Grandma Aster on a cool and crisp spring morning. After Grandpa was covered in the fresh earth, the clouds parted above. Fae sang and surrounded the grave, singing soft songs of comfort. Sun rays lit up the sky and warmed us below. The warmth encased me and my mother in a brilliant light and I dried my tears when white flowers floated down from my mother’s branches.
