Chapter 3 Dottie
Chapter three
Dottie
Istare through my windshield, gazing at the tidy path leading to the home of my three adopted brothers.
Walking into that house cements my decision to be here.
Anticipation, exhilaration, and trepidation flow through me in equal measure.
But I committed to Toto. I want to help her, and I’ve missed my brothers immensely.
Granger is good about returning my messages, and I can usually get through to Nick every couple of months. But Leo, the tech genius and inventor, can be harder to pin down.
Auntie Em and Uncle Henry had no idea what they were sending me into all those years ago.
Fable Forest is like no other place on earth.
When a tornado hit our house in Kansas, leveling the farm and destroying the only home I'd ever known, Granger, Nick, and Leo offered to take me in via some distant connection.
Though none of us are related, I think of them as my brothers because it was like finding family from the second we met.
I've never heard the full story, but Granger refers to the three of them as orphans of Fable Forest. He claims they wandered into the Land of Oz and never left.
I moved here in the summer before my senior year of high school.
It's a hard age to be new anywhere, but holy shit.
I walked into Emerald City Preparatory School on my first day, and it was like being thrown into a viper pit.
I also met Toto. This place holds some of the best and worst memories of my young adulthood.
Now, I’ve returned, and I'm not sure what I'm walking into this time.
The farm stretches beyond the horizon. I assume Granger is out there somewhere, tending to his crops with the care of a doting parent.
He can grow food from anything. Regardless of the soil type or time of year, his green thumb is like magic.
While Granger sells produce directly to restaurants and stores in Emerald City, his main goal is to provide food assistance for those in Fable Forest who need it.
To my right, Nick's wood shop door stands wide open. His latest project—a small sofa frame that I assume is intended for a Munchkin family or a Quadling—sits half-finished in the center. Contrary to popular belief, the citizens of Oz aren’t much shorter than the average non-magical human, but they prefer smaller furniture to maximize space in their homes.
Beside the small sofa is an enormous armchair made from rich, dark wood mixed with a gleaming metal inlay.
Based on the size and depth, I suspect this is an Ogre's purchase.
The farm is on the border of Oz, so Nick entertains a variety of customers who inhabit both Fable Forest and the neighboring town of Screaming Woods.
Leo's workshop takes up the other half of the shed. If he only knew how talented he is, he could make millions, but he prefers to tinker for fun. Or so he claims. I'm sure the shed contains dozens of gadgets and inventions that will never see the light of day.
A low whistle resonates loud and clear through my back window, and a familiar voice calls out, "Why is your car so packed, Dot Dot? You moving in for good?"
The glint from Nick's bionic arm momentarily blinds me as it catches the early evening sun.
Another of Leo's incredible inventions. Nick lost his arm in an accident the year before I arrived.
Leo has tinkered with the settings of his prosthetic over the years, allowing Nick to perform any task he could with his original limb.
"I’m prepared for any occasion," I say, getting out of the car to greet him with a big hug.
Nick grins and helps me with my bags. "Look what the wind blew in," he calls out as we walk into the house.
Leo pops his head out of the kitchen. His beard is bushier than the last time I saw him, and his thick mane of hair is wavy and wild.
"Again?" His gruff voice holds the tiniest trace of humor.
I call that a good day for my grumpy brother. Leo is half-griffin, although Granger once told me that he got the non-magical half. I'm not sure if Leo was born angry with the world, but he's the one I worry about the most.
"It was a tornado named Toto that landed me here this time," I say sarcastically, hugging him and sitting at the table.
I run my hands over the smooth, familiar wood.
Nick built it, of course, and it's my favorite piece in the whole house.
Memories of nights playing games and laughing together in this spot flood over me, and a welcome warmth settles deep in my heart.
"What do you have in here? Bricks?" Nick asks, setting my luggage down at the entry to the hallway.
"Shoes and books," I respond primly.
"You still reading love stories?" Nick teases as he joins us at the table.
"You still pretending you didn't sneak any of them when I lived here?" I tease back, and his cheeks redden slightly.
"How long are you planning to stay?" Leo eyes my suitcase, although I don't think he'd care if I planned to be here forever.
"Long enough to help Toto. But I'm... between living situations right now. Everything I own is in my car," I admit.
Nick and Leo exchange a glance.
"I'm fine," I assure them.
"We'd give you money, but our currency won't do you any good," Nick says ruefully.
"You can stay here as long as you need to," Leo growls.
To anyone else, it might sound like he doesn't mean it, but I know better. He's worried. And that makes him mad at the world.
My heart swells with love for these men. They paid for everything when I lived here and even found a scholarship to send me to the most expensive private school in Emerald City. I haven't paid them back for that yet, and I'm not about to add to my tab by taking advantage of their kindness.
"I'm grateful, but no need. I'll only stay for a few days while I figure out my next move."
Leo grumbles, and Nick eyes me knowingly, so I attempt to change the subject.
"Eventually, you guys will find wives and have little Nicks and Leos running around. I don't want to be Great Aunt Dottie, who lives in the barn with her cats because she couldn't make it in the real world." I wiggle my eyebrows. "Any good prospects in that department lately?"
Nick snorts. Leo glowers, raising his eyes from the table to look at Nick for a moment. My gaze darts from one to the other as something unspoken passes between them.
"Nothing new on that front." Nick leans back in his chair, smiling at me. "How about you, Dot Dot? Anybody special in Kansas?"
"No." I probably shouldn't have opened this can of worms. Call it sisterly love, but the thought of these three men alone for the rest of their lives makes my heart hurt.
My love life is as dry as a desert, a fact that has not changed since my time here ten years ago.
Dating in Oz wasn’t easy as a human. I went out twice with a Quadling named Hayes, but we only kissed a few times, and he groped me over my bra once.
I showed up at school the next day with a big smile, hoping we might go further that afternoon, until I saw his black eye.
Hayes wouldn't tell me what happened and refused to speak to me again, but I knew it involved a run-in with the wicked witches and their underlings.
They made it their job to torture me—physically and emotionally—until the day I left.
It was for the best. Hayes didn't exactly get my heart racing. To be fair, only one man has ever made that happen. And he barely acknowledged my pathetic human existence all those years ago.
"Stay away from the magic folk, Dottie. Especially with the election going on right now."
I startle at Leo's abrupt comment, wondering if he read my thoughts. Laughing awkwardly, I deflect it back to him. "I don't think you're destined to be with a witch, Leo, but there are a lot of women in Oz."
"Yes, the ladies are beating down our door." Nick's sarcastic comment is followed immediately by a loud bang at the front of the house, and he grins at the timing.
"Knock, knock!" Toto's sunny voice calls out as the front door opens.
I jump up. "Hi, friend." I breathe in her vanilla and sugar scent and give her a big squeeze. "Oh, my. I've forgotten how tiny you are!"
"Short, maybe. Tiny, not so much." Toto is barely five-two and has curves for days. She wraps both arms around me, laughing in delight when I won't let her go. "Well, this is certainly a better greeting than I expected! Have you forgiven me then?"
"Forgiven you for what?" Granger steps into the front entry behind Toto. At six-five, his tall, muscular figure is imposing. He's like a super-strong basketball player, but not as graceful.
"Oh, hi, Granger." Toto tucks a strand of dark, curly hair behind her ear as she tries to get out of his way. Granger moves at the same time, and they end up bumping into each other.
"Sorry!" Toto giggles nervously, scrambling to turn around.
Granger grins down at her and gestures for her to go first. When they both move into each other's path again, he finally pulls Toto under his arm and walks her to the small table where Leo and Nick are watching the scene unfold.
Granger pulls out a chair, gesturing to it with an exaggerated bow. Toto sits, flustered and bright red.
"Hello, gorgeous!" Granger envelops me in a huge hug, swinging my five-eight curvy-assed frame in a full circle like I weigh nothing more than a feather.
I laugh, swatting him before sitting next to Toto.
Granger ambles to the kitchen and reemerges with five glasses of lemonade.
Feeding others comes so naturally to him. He's like a little Italian nonna. He passes out the refreshments and sits with us at the table. After taking a large gulp, he turns his attention to Toto again.
"Are you here because you can't live without my nuts?"
Toto chokes on her drink. "What?" she splutters.
I hide a grin despite my bewilderment at his obvious flirtation with her.
"The pecans I sold you the other day," Granger says innocently, but the look he's giving her is anything but.
It's more than that, though. If I didn't know better, I'd say he's looking at Toto like he's in love.
"She's here for Dottie," Leo interjects gruffly as he glares at Granger. He barely glances at Toto, whose cheeks are as red as Fighting Tree apples.
"Right, I am." Toto laughs nervously as she pulls a neat stack of clothes from her bag.
Granger continues to grin at her, ignoring Leo and Nick, even when the latter kicks him under the table.
The guys are acting weird today.
"Here’s the uniform, thank you so much. I know this is a horrible time, and the last people you want to be around are the Ozellas, but if I don't do this event tomorrow night, I'm Gillikin meat."
"You'll be at the Ozella's fundraiser tomorrow? That's what you're helping with?" Leo growls, eyeing Toto and me with concern shining in his stormy eyes.
"Yeah. Toto's shorthanded." I look between my brothers and Toto, noticing they’re avoiding my gaze. "What's going on?"
"Just some Land of Oz politics. It’ll be fine." Nick gives me a tight smile, his eyes tired. Even Granger's smile falters.
"Tell me," I demand.
Toto glances at my brothers before answering. "Frank Ozella is trying to rezone the land over here. He wants to build a huge complex, which will ruin Oz."
"What?" I look at my brothers, who all avoid my gaze. "What about the farm?"
"Nothing is decided yet, Dottie,” Granger answers. “Hopefully, he won't win. Hey, Toto, maybe you could make sure your food isn’t as delicious as usual. For us." He winks at her.
Toto smiles ruefully, her cheeks permanently pink from his attention. "I'm sorry I took the job, but it's the only request I've had in over a month. If I don't do it, I'll have to close, and then... I don't know what I'll do.” She hangs her head. “Somebody is sabotaging my business."
"Sabotage? Are you sure?" Nick's voice is gentle as he eyes Toto with concern.
"Who?" Leo demands, looking like he's ready to burn the world down.
Toto waves them off. "It’ll be fine. We'll get through tomorrow night, and we won't be overly nice to any of them, right, Dottie?" She looks at me for confirmation.
"Right." I nod, but no way in hell am I letting this go.