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April detected the feelings of apprehension that swirled in Scout’s mind. She placed the hanger back in the wardrobe and said, “Maybe some other time.”
Scout felt terrible. April had been cautiously excited to show Scout her latest labour of love. She noticed the flash of disappointment that crossed April’s face before she could hide her feelings from view. It was only for a moment, but it was long enough to make Scout suck up her fear of change, and to allow April to introduce her to something new.
“Take that back out, please April. Show me how it’ll look.”
“Are you sure, Scout? It is not a permanent change but it will take me about thirty minutes to weave into your existing strands.”
“How long will it last for?”
“As long as you want. I can take it out whenever you like.”
“I’ve got nothing else to do. There are no monsters on the radar and Briella is asleep. How about you?”
“I wouldn’t have shown you if I didn’t have time to do it now. There is no way I would give you time to think about something like this. You would talk yourself out of it before you gave it a chance.”
Scout laughed, “I can’t get over how well you know me.”
“You are not hard to read, Scout. Your feelings might be complex, but you like to keep things simple. No surprises.”
Scout harrumphed. She’d always thought of herself as a complicated creature. It was a kick in the guts to realise she was actually quite simple to read. “Where do you want me?”
“Over there,” she pointed to the bench separating the kitchenette from the living area. April collected a bar stool from another section of Scout’s new house. It was carved from wood with a green leafed cushion tied to the seat for comfort and a high back to support the upper body
She placed the chair on the laminated surface and placed a magnifying glass in front. “Sit with your front resting against the back of the chair, Scout. That will give me easier access and allow the hair extensions to fall naturally.”
Scout did as asked and took a couple of calming breaths. She could feel the tension in her body and with a few reassuring words to herself, felt her body relax.
“That’s great, Scout. This shouldn’t hurt, but if you feel me pulling a little too tightly on your strands of hair, don’t be afraid to let me know. I would like this to be a pleasurable experience for you.”
Scout couldn’t see that happening. She didn’t enjoy being touched by another, so couldn’t understand how someone playing with her hair could be considered pleasurable. Scout was pleasantly surprised. April had a gentle touch, and it was almost relaxing having her massage the strands of hair before threading the tip of the extension and weaving it in. Although Scout’s sleep had been restful and restorative, she felt her eyelids begin to droop.
“You okay, Scout?” April asked.
“Yeah. Feeling a little sleepy,” she answered in a surprised tone.
April merely smiled, feeling immensely pleased with herself. Knowing people, and fairies, better than they knew themselves was one of her many talents. While Scout was under the assumption she was happiest when she was alone, April knew that deep down she craved small doses of intimate interactions with others. A conversation that only occurs between two close friends. A hug of friendship. A burst of laughter so intense, it causes pain in the abdominal region. A person who is willing to give up half an hour of their day in the pursuit of making another feel happy, as April was doing for Scout.
“Talk to me so I can stay awake,” Scout said tiredly.
“What do you want to talk about?”
“How often are you and Briella going to come and stay?”
“I don’t know,” April confessed. “The staff at Starlight Investigations feel we have already overstayed our welcome. They are happy with us making day trips to chill out together, but don’t want us having extended visits.”
“How did Rochelle and Toren manage their relationship?”
“When they weren’t working on a case, they made sure the time they had together wasn’t wasted on frivolous things.”
“Like what?”
“Sitting around all day watching the television, or playing game consoles. They lived in the minute and for each other. It didn’t hurt that Toranthian had a friend who owned a helicopter. He spent a lot of time flying them from one area to the next so they could ensure they weren’t shirking their duties to the humans for their own pursuits.”
“Why don’t you have a boyfriend, April?”
“We’ve discussed this before.”
“Tell me again,” Scout pleaded.
“I am immortal. Humans are not. End of story.”
“What about Liam and Callum? A couple of hot guys with gorgeous personalities.”
“They are colleagues and off limits.”
“Hmmm. That tells me a few things.”
“Oh really?”
“Yep. You like one of them but are afraid of taking the first step. What I can’t work out is why. Rochelle and Toren were together for five centuries. That is not something that can be kept hidden from the authorities, so I am guessing they turned a blind eye to the relationship. That being the case, why would you not pursue your own happiness with one of the Gatherers?”
“I do not wish to pursue a relationship with Liam or Callum. I am not afraid of what the Starlight Investigations team or our Queen has to say on my choice of partner. I have simply not met anyone I like enough to take the risk of getting hurt.”
“That’s a lie, but I’ll let it go. It is none of my business anyway, whether or not you are dating. You are a beautiful woman, April, both inside and out. I’d like to see you happy.”
“I am happy. I don’t need a relationship to complete me.”
“That is not what I meant,” Scout said defensively.
“I love my life, Scout. Be assured that I am content and wouldn’t change a thing. There, I’m done. Come, take a look.”
April picked up a compact that lay to her right. She opened it to reveal a mirror under the lid and foundation in the base. Pointing the mirror towards Scout, April waited anxiously for her reaction. The look on her face was priceless.
