Chapter 6
Seeley was full of it as we walked into his house and headed towards the kitchen, trying not to fall over his children. I patted heads as I followed him, finding Marin looking rather frazzled moving pots and pans around.
“Ah, help has arrived. Can you grab that pan a moment, while I switch things around? Why does my family not like the same things to eat?” She sighed. Seeley assisted while I held back in the doorway. I had one child clinging around my right leg, though I didn’t know which one.
Seeley and Marin’s children were all under the age of five. They had a son of five, twin girls at four, a two-year-old boy, and a baby girl of nine months. It was no surprise therefore that Marin looked like she’d not had time to brush her hair today. They were a model couple of the dell, given they were so fertile, and also a shining example of true love. Seeley worked hard as an electrician. As he greeted his wife with a kiss to her cheek and she instantly relaxed, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of wistfulness that I didn’t have this in my life.
“Tell me, what’s so important you barely greeted the little ones?” Marin asked, raising a brow. “I swear you’re the gossipiest of all the dell.”
“Oscar has relinquished his rule. Dornan has stated his intention to rule—” Seeley began, but Marin interrupted.
“That twat cannot be our ruler.”
“Twat,” came a little voice from behind my leg, letting me know it was five-year-old Sylvan hanging around me.
“Syl, do not repeat that. Mummy accidentally said the bad word about the bad man,” she explained. “It is better to say twit, which means idiot.”
“Or neither and just be nice,” Seeley added. “Anyway, the main news is that Boone here also put his name forward.”
“Oh thank God. Boone, you have to win,” Marin said.
“Boone not twat,” a little voice piped up.
“Okay, can you all get out of my kitchen now and let me get finished up,” Marin said with a grimace.
I swept the little rascal up from the floor. “Want to play Snap while your daddy sets the table?”
“Yes,” Sylvan squealed, beaming at me and reminding me how much I wanted my own family. I loved the chaos of my best friend’s house. It made it a home. I knew that when I returned to my own tonight it would seem quieter than ever.
Sylvan wriggled in my arms to be put down on the floor. “I get cards, Unc Boone,” he said, running ahead of me.
Yes, I coveted this life, but whether it would ever happen for me remained to be seen. I thought about the blonde woman from earlier again. The fact she’d stayed in my mind piqued my interest. I’d definitely felt a connection with her. But she was human and I was fae, so for now, I’d concentrate on enjoying dinner with my friends and not get my hopes up.
* * *
Once more, Marin’s delectable cooking had me having seconds of her gorgeous stew. “I shall pack you up a portion so that you can warm it up for your dinner tomorrow,” she said. “Now, tell me what has to be done in order that you become the new ruler of the dell.”
“A miracle must happen.” Seeley winked. “The vote takes place in a week’s time. Chester made sure to elucidate that the future of the dell rested with the new ruler, ie they expect a big family and some new blood.”
“Chester expects them to see the future then, does he? No one can know if a family is meant for them. We were blessed. Others are not.”
“At least Dornan is not coupled up either,” Seeley said. He turned to me. “You’d better get in touch with the agency and ask them to set you three dates a day or something. Morning, noon, and night.” He laughed.
“I’ve been moved to a different department,” I confessed. “It’s called Heart to Heart. Apparently, they’ll look at why my dates haven’t worked out and turn those weaknesses into strengths to find my perfect match. My appointment isn’t until Monday though, and given the contest is next Tuesday, it looks like in the meantime, I shall have to search out love for myself.”
“I have no more friends to try to set you up with,” Marin panicked, remembering how wrong some of those dates had gone.
I held up a hand. “It’s fine. I actually bumped into a woman coming out of the dating agency today, and something about her…” I trailed off.
“You had a connection?” Marin queried, looking excited now.
I nodded. “I know where she lives, so I’m going to find out more about her and see if there’s anything there. She’s… human.”
Marin crossed both sets of her fingers, and then her eyes.
I started laughing.
* * *
Feeling mightily satisfied, full of bonhomie and food, I returned to my own dwelling. It was of course clean and tidy, but maybe was a bit sparse and on the masculine side of things. I’d ask Marin for some advice. I’m sure Seeley would love it if she donated a few of her cushions and throws my way.
I sat back on my sofa imagining someone sharing my space with me. Of course, that someone had long blonde hair. I shook my head at myself. Boone, don’t get your hopes up. It’s probably going to go the same way as your other ‘romances’. Instead, I decided to focus on the potential of being the ruler of our dell. I would also gain a place in the summer court, and so attend various functions and deal with political matters on behalf of the dell. It might be good for me to have something other to focus my attention on, so I wasn’t constantly wanting to tidy up. I was sure that’s why I was so fastidious. Yes, Brownies liked to clean up, but I felt the root cause of mine being so obsessive was boredom. Sitting up, I grabbed my laptop and messaged Chester, asking if I could have access to council papers in order to aid me in preparing my speech. Then I listened to some music while I waited for the early hours to tick around so I might go explore the mystery blonde’s home.
* * *
Excitement made my body fizz as I shrunk down to my smallest size and entered the woman’s house through the letterbox. I landed on a soft jacket that smelled like fish and chips. Making myself human-sized, I looked around at the mess everywhere. Picking up an unopened envelope I saw Miss Zara Bell on the address label. My mystery woman had a name. I could hear loud snores coming from upstairs, and so softly padded over to the living room door to explore the rest of the downstairs.
It was time to learn as much as I could about the life of Miss Zara Bell.
I pushed open the living room door.