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.
Afterwards, we are just sitting and I am commissioned to string flowers into chains for them. They are watching me and counting the clouds and the leaves and the dandelions I am using. We like the yellow dandelions because they are good for jewelry, and we like the white ones because they are good like fairy wishes, dancing away on slender legs.
I can make magic, this means Ben will not complain
when I present him with a girly wreath. It is really
one of the girls' necklaces that happened too short, I will not tell him that.
I can make magic, this means telling
a story and they will lie still, inspecting
the dirt for secrets and turning over to look
at the tree again and sometimes even looking
at me. Of course the story makes no sense, and
this is why it works. 'And he took the girl and
placed her opposite the whole wheat bread, do you know
what happens next?' 'Yes', they say. 'Next comes
Mr. Jelly and kills the bad guys! The bad guys
are Dog! and Sea Lion!'
Yes, it is exactly like that.
And then we are on our backs again, and quiet.
They are tired and I am fine with just watching
for now. This is the best sort of quiet
anyway, the kind where noone needs to say anything,
and then I realize it's because the whispering trees
have sung the kids to sleep.
I am fine with just watching them.