Chapter 13
My potential future wife possibly had an alcohol problem. She’d steadily got drunker throughout the evening, and I’d put it down to first-date nerves. That was until I’d decided to call around to her house with a bunch of flowers this lunchtime to say thank you for a nice evening. My intention had been to make a good impression before we went out again tonight. However, when she didn’t answer the door, I looked through the window and found her basically unconscious on the sofa, with an empty bottle of vodka and a three-quarters-empty coke bottle at the side of her.
Making myself small, I once again snuck through the letterbox and into Zara’s home. An alcoholic would have bottles stashed everywhere if TV dramas were anything to go by, so it was time for me to do some reconnaissance around the rest of her dwelling. If she was unsuitable, I needed to know sooner rather than later. It was now Friday and the voting of the new leader of the dell was just a few short days away.
The house had fallen back into some untidiness. It appeared Zara just didn’t put anything away, but rather threw it on the floor. Clearly, she didn’t know how or care enough to use her vacuum cleaner and the same went for a duster. She owned the items, but that was as far as her housekeeping seemed to go.
I didn’t find any more alcohol though, and neither were there empties in the bin. I even searched around her garden, especially in the shed, but I found nothing but spiders and their webs. Therefore, it didn’t appear like she had a major drinking problem. Perhaps it was the beginning of one though. Maybe she did it for a boost of confidence? Who knew? All I knew was that I needed to get to the bottom of what was going on and fast.
While she was asleep, I tidied. Firstly, I did a quick kitchen clean, drinking the milk she’d left out. Was this just laziness, or was she aware she had a Brownie visiting her house? I felt the former thought was more likely. I went upstairs next. I was able to make her bed, hang clothes, put some in the laundry basket ready for washing, and then I moved to the bathroom where I quietly cleaned the place up. At least she kept her toilet clean; otherwise, that might have been a step too far for me. Toothpaste splatters I could handle, skid splatters: absolutely not.
* * *
As I returned to the living room, I decided tonight I had to move things along, second date or not. I needed to reveal my true self and see if Zara could handle the fact I was Fae. Better I found out now, than later.
It was time for me to go home and work on my speech now, and then I would spend some time walking around the dell, canvassing ready for votes. Dornan Oak could not win.
I stared down at my current date. She really was cute. But I’d better stop admiring her and get out of there before she woke up and freaked out.
* * *
Back at the dell, who should be the first person I bumped into but Dornan himself.
“Huh, look who it is. The man who thinks he can beat me to rule the dell. Better pull your pants up if you’re going to insist on even attempting to give me any competition.”
Immediately he said the words, my mind went back in time, my cheeks flaming with embarrassment.
“Well done, Boone, on winning scholar of the week,” Araethnie announced. Every week we had a get-together of all of the dell and there would be a prize giving for the young ones. Usually, Dornan won every week—mainly through cheating and bullying—but this week I’d really enjoyed the subject of our domestic studies exercise, and had put extra effort into my essay on ‘how best to clean and tidy a dwelling’.
I went up to collect my prize, ￡5, which to me was a huge amount.
“Thank you,” I told Araethnie, and then I did what I’d seen Dornan do each week and look out confidently at the crowd, even though inside me my little heart was thudding in my chest with nerves. “Everything I do is for the good of the dell,” I said. The crowd cheered and then I left the small stage and walked back to my friend Seeley and his family. I didn’t have a family of my own. I’d been found abandoned at the edge of the dell as a baby.
Seeley’s mum squeezed my shoulder and smiled down at me. “Very well done, Boone. We are so proud of you.”
I held my hand out with the five-pound note in my palm. “This is for you,” I said. “Towards my keep.”
“That is very kind, but I’m not accepting it,” Pippi said. “Go treat yourself. Share it with Seeley if you like, and both of you enjoy some sweet treats or something.”
I grinned at Seeley, and he grinned back.
* * *
As soon as the huddle ended, I walked in the direction of the shop. Seeley had gone home as he had homework to finish. Pippi had told him no treats until it was finished.
“Not only did you steal my money, but you had the nerve to steal my little pitch I give to the crowd,” Dornan said from behind me.
“S-sorry,” I said, turning to face him. “I didn’t realise that was your thing. I just thought it was what had to be said. I’ve not won before.”
“Yeah, I know. But it’s okay cos you won’t win again either,” Dornan warned. “Will you, Boone?”
His face told me all I needed to know. If I ever won again, my life would be made hell. Dornan Oak was a lot bigger than I was.
“Lessons in how to hang washing,” he mimicked, from the part of my essay that had been read out to the crowd, and then he rushed me, knocking me to the ground.
“Please, no, what are you doing?” I protested as he pulled down my trousers and boxer briefs.
“Showing you I know how to display things too,” he said. “Let this be a warning.”
And so it was that a group of women headed for the shops came across me hung upside down from a tree with my bare bottom exposed to all.
I came back to myself, my hatred of Dornan no doubt displayed on my face.
“I’m no longer a na?ve young kid, and I’m no longer scared of you,” I said, staring him down.
Dornan shrugged his shoulders. “Bit cheeky there, Boone. Doesn’t matter though. You’re still going to lose,” he said. “I’ll make sure of it.”
He walked away with the confident swagger he still possessed. The man had most of the fell fooled that he was a decent guy and that was what bothered me. I had to prove I was better than him at every juncture because if Dornan became leader of the dell, my life would be made a misery.
* * *
In need of a distraction and a pep talk, I popped in to see Marin before I returned home.
“You look in need of a glass of milk,” she said. “Or even a beer.”
The sound of children squabbling came from behind her. “Milk would be lovely, but if you’re busy, I’ll leave you to it.”
“I’m a mother of five, I’m always busy. You being here might just distract them from fighting with each other,” she said. “Come in.”
I followed her inside. She told me to sit in the living room and she’d bring some refreshments through.
The twins were throwing toys everywhere while they tried to find something. Sylvan jumped onto the sofa at the side of me and bounced, before running towards the arm and jumping off, pretending to land in the sea and start drowning. I went to ‘rescue’ him and got hit in the head by a large plastic doll thrown by Cassia, one of the twins.
“Cass,” Marin admonished. “Apologise to Boone right this minute.”
“Sowwy, Boone.” Cassia toddled over and kissed the top of my head. “Booboo better now.”
“Excuse the mess, Boone. The children will tidy up now, won’t you? Syl, will you help them?”
“I get Boone to do it. You pay him,” Sylvan said innocently. I came around twice a week to do a deep clean as Marin was too busy to keep on top of it all.
“Nice try, Sylvan, but I just help your mummy and daddy with the bigger jobs as they’re so busy with all of you. Mummy does toy tidying and so you can too. That’s not on my list of jobs.”
“S’not fair. I didn’t do it.” Sylvan stamped his foot.
“Look, I didn’t either, but I’ll help too,” I told him. “If we teach the little ones then eventually they can do it all by themselves, can’t they? It’s just they’re not big like us yet.”
“I big like you?” Sylvan checked.
“I think so, but I’ll need to watch you tidying to check for sure,” I told him. Marin caught my eye and smiled as her son began showing and telling the two girls how to tidy up.
Being only five, during his tidying, a toy caught his attention and soon thoughts of being a big boy were gone and he was playing alongside his sisters—most of the toys were now away though.
“Thanks for that. I tend to be so stressed out, I don’t see the logical ways of dealing with them. More the pulling at my own hair.”
I laughed, picking up my milk and taking a drink. It was cold, fresh, and delicious.
“What’s on your mind then, Boone? I’d hazard a guess at the forthcoming election.”
I nodded. “Unfortunately, I just encountered Dornan, who said he’ll make sure I lose.”
“Then we all need to keep a close eye on him, don’t we? He has to lose.”
“Dornan, loser.” Sylvan put his hands up to his forehead to make the ‘L’ shape. “I copy Daddy,” he said proudly.
I had to bite my lips not to laugh as his mum told him off.
“That’s not the only thing I wanted to discuss though. I also wanted to talk about Zara, my human date.”
“Oh, yes. How is that going?”
I explained how she’d been drinking throughout and after our date and how I’d found her unconscious on the sofa.
Marin folded her arms across her chest. “She was probably just very nervous, but see how she is on your next date and maybe you’ll just need to ask her outright. I know you’re focused on finding a partner, but don’t let yourself be distracted trying to find someone who will ultimately benefit our dell. You need your perfect person, Boone, whether that’s Fae, human, or another species altogether. Chester’s been on the council for years and has pushed his views on everyone. I know he has the dell’s best interests at heart, but I don’t like how he lectures, especially given he’s remained single himself all these years.”
“That’s a very good point. Maybe that’s why he’s scared the dell needs to expand. Because he’s not settled down himself.”
Marin shrugged. “Who knows? But you can know about Zara. It’s very early days. You’ve had one date. Anyway, alcohol isn’t the only thing that might derail any romance between the two of you. You also have to explain that you’re Fae. She’ll no doubt reach for the bottle after that one.”
I sighed. “Ordinarily, I’d take my time, but right now, I just don’t feel I can. I need to know if Zara has a drink problem, and also, if she’d be able to cope with me being Fae. Because it can give me an advantage in my campaign against Dornan, and also, I really like Zara. If she’s unsuitable I’d rather find out now, before I fall further for her.”
“It’s going to be quite the second date then,” Marin said.
I nodded.
While I drank my milk, I watched the children playing. As they finished with their toys, Sylvan cast his gaze over to me, smiled, and then showed his sisters how to put things away. It made me think of Zara. Although I loved cleaning, I wasn’t prepared to pick up after someone at every turn. Just like Syl, she might need a few words of encouragement that’s all.