Once upon a time, Pansy Peachblossom the forest fairy, was strolling through the glade of oaks she liked to lunch in, when she came upon a most surprising scene! It was a long table, covered in a floral tablecloth, with a most tempting repast of food! There was a mixed green salad, potato salad, fruit salad, two types of chili (one with beans, one without), BBQ hot dogs, hamburgers and veggie burgers, garlic bread, and chocolate chip cookies!

“What shall I do with all of this?” Pansy said in awe, as she looked at the spread before her. Despite being hungry for her aforementioned lunch, she’d never seen all this “human food” before, so she wasn’t sure whether it was edible, and even if so, whether it would agree with her. (More on this later! *grin*)

Alas, her hunger got the best of her, so Pansy flitted all along the table, sampling a fairy-sized portion of some of the dishes. No sooner did she finish her chocolate chip cookie crumb than she heard a stir in the trees behind her. Quickly she flew up into her favorite oak tree just in time to escape being seen by a troop of Boy Scouts! They were enjoying a weekend camp-out in these woods and were very hungry after fishing in the creek, catching bugs and taking a nature hike.

As Pansy watched the boys at lunch, suddenly she became aware of at least one item from lunch that did not, in fact, agree with her — the chili beans! Unfortunately, she began experiencing a lot of flatulence, which was surprising and embarrassing all at the same time. “I never pick the right one!” Pansy cried, realizing that she should have eaten the bean-less chili.

Although she tried to keep her gas quiet, the boys closest to her oak tree perch heard the sound, and giggled about it as boys do. Then they went back to chowing down. One boy, however, was more curious than the others and actually climbed the tree to find the source of the noise. His name was Spud, and he was a cute, freckled redhead with kind green eyes, slightly crooked teeth and slightly too-large ears. Pansy found herself smitten by his innocent good looks, so she didn’t fly away as he climbed nearer to her.

When they finally met, high in the leafy limbs of the tree, Spud was as dazzled by Pansy’s sky blue eyes, flaxen hair and iridescent wings as she was by his appearance. Within a few minutes to chatting, they realized they were both in love. And coincidentally, they both spouted the same cliche at the same time: “Love means never having to be something you’re not!”

Despite coming from two separate worlds, Pansy and Spud accepted each others’ differences and decided that they would make their relationship work, no matter what. Pansy transformed herself into a butterfly (not too difficult, since she’s a fairy anyway), and Spud put her carefully into his bug jar, hoping that no one would notice his butterfly was actually a fairy in disguise). And so, he brought her home after the camping trip, and she lived in his house without any of the rest of his family knowing about it.

Fairytales can come true — it can happen to you! If you’re young at heart! (*insert music here*)

However, that’s not the end of our story. Several months after coming to live with Spud and his family, Pansy got a letter from the Fairyland Express Mail Service. It was marked “priority” and from the handwriting, it looked like it might have come from her arch-rival, Dahlia Pruneblossom. Anything you could possibly think of that Dahlia could be jealous about, she found it! And Pansy was the one whom Dahlia went after the most. 🙁 She really seemed to enjoy sabotaging other fairies’ happiness, Dahlia did. Hence, Pansy became anxious when she saw the letter.

“Should I open it?” she mused, turning it over in her hands. Suddenly she thought she heard a faint ticking sound coming from inside the envelope. This struck her as strange, because how could someone fit a bomb inside an envelope? Then again, this was no human-sent missive, but rather one from the Land of Fairy, where everything is on a much smaller scale. So, to be on the safe side, Pansy flung it out Spud’s (conveniently) open window as hard as her little arms could fling. It was a propitious act, because as soon as the envelope hit the ground, it exploded and burst into flames. To humans it would have sounded like nothing more than a “pop!” but to Pansy’s ears it was more like a detonation! Thank goodness she got rid of Dahlia’s malicious missive before it caused any harm. Or rather, before it caused any harm to Spud or Pansy….

Because, a few inches away from the charred spot of ground where the envelope exploded, was a half-melted metallic bracelet. And on the bracelet were the initials “D.P.”

It’s that time of year again sigh. Time to clean the attic. What shall I do with all of this? I guess I’ll start over there. What is that funny light? Poof, your wish is my command master. Wow a genie just popped out of that box, cool. Usually I NEVER pick the right one. Now I have 3 wishes, what shall I do first? I think I’ll wish for true love because they say true love means never having to say I wish. Wow my true love is a knight in shining armour. I guess fairytales can come true. For my second wish, I think I’ll ask for world peace. And lastly for my third wish I wish for the most precious thing in the world. Oh look at the pretty box, it’s sparkling and glowing. It’s so beautiful. I wonder should I open it?

A letter came through my letter box this morning, landing with a quiet resignation on the carpet beneath it. My name is written neatly, simply, sadly, on the front, nothing more, nothing less.

Its her handwritting.

The question is, should i open it?

I sit here, contemplating my existance, tracing the letters carefully over and over again, trying to glean something deeper from them than is really there. I look around me, his clothes, his books, his life. What shall i do with all of this? The mug he used yesterday to drink his morning coffee stares at me, the remanents coagulating insensitively, much like the love held between us. I know what the letter says, without even breaking the carefully glued seal that, for the moment, holds my world together. Untill i read it, it wont be real. The woman he is with now, her words can’t touch me, not untill i let them.

I always believed that fairy tales can come true. my prince charming came, whisked me off my feet and carried me into the sunset. I thought i was living proof that happily-ever-afters can happen. I was wrong. no matter how sunny the outlook, storm clouds always come along eventually. I should have known better. Whatever you blame it on, the man, the destination, even the mode of transport [galliant steed or rusty bicycle] something will always go wrong. I never pick the right one.

I stare at the letter one last time, wondering whether to take that step, to open the pandora’s box that holds my future within its carefully pressed folds.

I open it.

Inside is his death certificate. I feel the tears attempting to well up behind my eyes, but there are none left. I am but a shell, numb, alive but not yet awake.

Love means never having to be alone. He told me that when we first met. It seems ironic now. You can either blame the man, the destination or the transport. It was all about us spending the rest of our life together. Our destination, our honeymoon. Our transport, our car. The man? My husband.

The blame falls on none of these things. It falls on fate, on life, on luck. and now, as i sit alone, i remember holding his hand through those last hours, waiting for him to wake up and tell me he was ok.

That moment never came, just as surely as this letter did.

Holly Molly!!!! i’m going to purchase even in the event that they are merchandising. regrettably, the monkeys arrived. Monkeys hunt in packs, lions walk on my own. i’m a lion, so I stood above the gang and screamed “Who has the ability to tame a wild wind?” They charged, yet i could get my procuring completed in time! you reside for the combat whilst it is all that to procure. I moved forward to the cologne section, however the enthusiasm became long gone. hobby trumps all. I observed a bottle in a monkey’s cart. I replaced a shampoo value ticket, and watched the monkey race to snatch a bottle. I slipped by utilising him and grabbed the enthusiasm bottle from his cart. That monkeys voice trailed off screaming “fool me as quickly as shame on you, fool me two times shame on me.” as I sped to the checkout. I appeared at my fascinating hobby bottle and whispered to her “Now that i’ve got wager all that on you…” and that’s whilst that monkey swiped it back from me. My effective, effective, my effective

My Birthday

It is my birthday…i am thinking I never get what i want for my birthday…but this year is different…you know what they say fairy tales can come true.

The day of my stupid birthday…me and my boyfriend get in a fight…i tell him…Love means never having to fight. When i got home i see a bunch of presents…i ask my mom…”what shall i do with all of this”

i think to myself…i never get this much presents…i see a big one there…should i open it?

all of a sudden i hear my mom thell my dad ‘i NEVER pick the right one…’

he tells her…”this year is different…look at her face….”

The End

Annie MacGregor/Sunshine MacGillicutty

Modern Day Virginia

Annie was trying to clean out her computer room. It looked like something out of a frat house; Half empty pop bottles,an overflowing trash bin and general……….. disarray !

“Humph! (3) Love means never having to apologize to yourself I’ll clean this up when I’m in the mood!”

Ever since she had returned from the local ER, after having a little mishap in her yard, she couldn’t seem to focus on any of her chores…… She couldn’t seem to focus on anything except the strange event that had happened to her:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Aj9Evnw9_dDBD2U4BNQ_CQzty6IX?qid=20070803104141AAi6uVg&show=7#profile-info-w4CmRMDdaa

Annie knew that what she had seen and heard was more fanciful than any of her countless stories that she wrote every day on YA. The doorbell rang and she went to get it…….

“Jakie! Hi, sweetie. Come on in.” LIttle Jake Rawlings was one of her neighbors. He considered himself the resident authority on Sunshine MacGillicutty, Marshal Matt Dillon………. All of the Gunsmoke Gang. He loved Annie’s stories and came over nearly every day for ” Sunshine Storytime.”

Annie had shared her experience with him:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AgOPm1HdI9ZoG.bqvZBcZUbty6IX?qid=20070804104454AAYvbb0&show=7#profile-info-d11beb9dbe4d078345e0f4632d56c6d9aa

Jake:”Miss Annie…….. I’ve been doing aLOT of thinking.” Annie smiled as she looked at his intent expression. “I think all of this really DID happen. You know….. You’re the one who always says, (4) ‘Fairytales can come true.’ Maybe one came true for you.”

Annie and Jake sat down on the couch. Annie held out her hands…..”Which one has the chocolate kiss?” Jake chose the wrong hand.

Jake:(2) “I NEVER pick the right one!!” Annie laughed as she gave him the candy.

Annie: ” Jake. (1) What shall I do with all of this?”

Jake held her hand and led her back to the computer room.

Jake:” It’s time for Sunshine MacGillicutty to step in!” He very sweetly pulled her chair out for her and she sat down. Then he pulled another chair over, next to her.

Annie just sat there.

Jake:”Come on, Sunshine…. Start writing.”

Annie:”Jake, I told you.l I can’t do a thing until the little gerbils in my head start spitting out their thoughts.” Jake giggled….. He loved the image of little rodents running around in his crazy neighbor’s head.

Just then the alert light went on, indicating incoming mail.

Annie clicked on……… She and Jake leaned forward to read it. “WHAT??? !!” They turned to look at each other so quickly and excitedly, they banged heads.

It was email from someone named …… MATT !!! It had a link.

Annie:”(5) Should I open it?”

Jake stuck his hand on the keyboard and tried to do it himself!!

Annie:” Whoa, buckeroo. Let’s read the whole message,first. ”

Dear Sunshine,

Yes, that was me that you saw. I can’t explain this to you anymore than I can explain it to myself. Our once parallel worlds, separated by miles, years and logic, are somehow converging.”

Annie leaned back in her chair. Jake put his head on her shoulder and said he was scared. She put her arm around him ……. “Me,too, baby.” Then she clicked on the link. Up popped a picture of U.S.Marshal Matt Dillon and Sunshine MacGillicutty. It was a picture of how she had always imagined Sunshine would look. It was a picture of……..

HER!!

“(3)Love means never having to second guess the one you love; Having complete and utter trust in eachother”, declared Lucy, while still unpacking the suitcases she and Simon had hauled in the night before, too tired to unpack and sort out at that late hour. Now, Simon was at work and Lucy was busy folding clothes and seperating the dirty ones in a frenzy of nervous energy, while relaying the details of their trip to her brother.

He brother Viggo, who lived across the street,was watching her unpack, without bothering to offer any help, leaning on the doorway with a steaming cup of coffee in his hand.

“So, what exactly has Simon done to lead you to second guess his actions? If you didn’t want the guy to throw beads to a half naked lady, shaking her t*ts, you shouldn’t have gone to a Mardi Gras with him. You knew how it was going to be before you went there, it’s not like this was your first Mardi Gras”, Viggo said the last words with a raised eyebrow, recalling the trip on which Lucy had joined Viggo and his buddies with her own sorority sisters during a Mardi Gras in their college years.

While he was bethinking some images from that specific Mardi Gras adventure, wearing a wide smile on his face, his easily distracted sister was holding out a whole bunch of bead necklaces with a perplexed expression, “(1)What shall I do with all of this? It was fun when we gave some away and collected some as we joined the crowd on Bourbon Street, but now the idea of bringing all those beads home seems so silly”.

Viggo rolled her eyes and retorted dryly, “I’m sure you’ll find a use for them, like decorating your christmas tree with the beads”.

Lucy clapped her hands like a little girl and chirped, “What a great idea! I’ll go ahead and place them in the box that contains the christmas decorations. That reminds me, I have a gift for you!” She scooped out a folded T-Shirt from the bottom of one of the suitcases, which carried the letters that spelt ‘New Orleans’ on the front with a picture of the French Quarter underneath it. She had made it a tradition to bring her brother a local touristic T-Shirt from every place she went on her travels. She held it up for him to admire.

Viggo reached out and took his T-Shirt, giving a ‘Thank You’ peck on his sister’s cheek. Then he looked at the size and rolled his eyes for the second time that day; “Luc, you do know I’ve been working out, my biceps and deltoids are a bit more grown since last month, and I believe I had specifically asked for an XXL instead of an L size, before you guys left?”

Lucy groaned, “(2)I NEVER pick the right one!!! Last time it was the wrong shade of design on the Sierra Mountains T-Shirt, and now it’s the size”.

Viggo smiled at his sister’s deflated expression and walked over to give her a hug. Then his eyes caught a glimpse of a turquoise ribbon in the bottom of Simon’s suitcase.

Following her brother’s gaze, Lucy noticed it, too. Without a word, she reached out and took out a rectangular box wrapped in shiny purple paper and decorated with a pretty turquoise ribbon. That was the signature style of the jeweler that custom designed pieces, right outside Memphis. Simon must have ordered something in advance and picked it up when they spent a few days in Memphis on their way back from New Orleans, to visit Graceland.

She looked up at her brother with her big brown eyes shining,

those eyes, in her excitement, looking as huge as saucers. “(5)Should I open it?”, she whispered.

Apparently Simon was planning to surprise her, but the poor guy was too tired when they arrived late at night to dig out the box and hide it, out of Lucy’s reach, and in the morning he had to rush to work, so now Lucy was standing with the gorgeously wrapped box, all giddy with anticipation.

Viggo was actually kind of curious, too, so against his better judgement he said, “Go ahead, but make sure you hide it back in exact same corner of his suitcase all wrapped again, and when he comes in, tell him you didn’t get a chance to go through all of his suitcase yet, and that you needed to do the laundry, so he will not suspect your snooping”.

Lucy held her breath as she carefully unwrapped the shiny purple paper. She opened the box, took one look inside and let the air whoosh out of her lungs. She could feel the tears filling her eyes, and threathening to run down her cheeks, as she held out the most beautiful piece of necklace she had ever seen. It was an expertly crafted white gold rope chain with a magnificent pendant in the shape of a mermaid. Simon knew howmuch she loved mermaids, in fact it had become her nickname in close family circles, that, and the fact that she was an excellent swimmer who practically preferred water to land.

On the beautiful long curly hair of the mermaid,

there was a little emerald stone placed as a flower and she was holding out a conch shell in her hand that had a little piece of tanzanite embedded in it.

Now the tears were running freely down her cheeks as he looked up at her brother and said, “This is the exact replica of the picture of the mermaid I had drawn for him and had sent him when he was on a business trip. He had it ordered according to my design with my favorite stones embedded in it”.

Viggo wiped a tear off his sister’s cheek and replied, “Well, apparently (4)fairy tales can come true. Now, you need to put it back and remember to act surprised and delighted when he presents you with his ‘surprise gift’. Oh, by the way, what were you saying about second guessing again?”

Lucy laughed as she cried, and tenderly placed the necklace back into the box. As she was rewrapping it with the shiny purple paper and placing the turquoise ribbon on it, she giggled, “I was saying love means never having to second guess the one you love, to trust him completely”. Then she gingerly placed the box back into Simon’s suitcase and flung herself into her brother’s arms with a squeal,”This is true love, Vig, this really is it!!!”

THE END