Chapter 68
Her books were full of love and loss. She talked about their love and how he had swept her off her feet. She wrote about the four weeks they had spent in a Tuscany village together and her surprise when she found out he was a prince. Her total devastation when he had to go back to his family and her horror when he gave her the shells and coins then told her the truth about himself.
He had four weeks in the human world but then he could never come back. They cried in each others arms the night he had to leave and his gentle touches soothed her mind. He had put a spell on her to ease the hurt and then he disappeared forever during the night. She never saw him again but she knew he was watching over her.
When she returned to Australia she discovered the little surprise he had left her with. Her parents weren't happy about her coming back pregnant but supported her decision to keep the baby. She had gone to a well noted auction house and gave them one coin to sell, the proceeds from the sale would be enough to sustain her and her son for the rest of their lives. She was really scared that I would grow up like my father and leave her alone again.
She wrote that she was so proud of me academically and as a model son, but she found it hard to speak about her feelings for me, she had done that once before with someone she loved and was hurt terribly.
Over the first ten years of my life she began resenting me and hating him. She hated his father even more and would never speak to me about it. She had put everything in writing and maybe she meant to destroy the books before she died, but maybe she wanted me to know my heritage. But they survived, the first three books were all about their romance, eating on the streets and making love on the beach. He surfed while she watched, sound familiar? The next two were of my childhood and my grandparents who had died in a horrible accident. How sad and pathetic her life had become, one minute she was down, the next up, I understood she had been hurt terribly.
She touched on her beautiful grandchild, and cursed his mother for taking me from her safe arms. But she knew she had to bow out and leave me there, it was what she had to do in the end. I think she felt Carol had taken me from her like my grandfather did with my dad, and when Ayden was born it was a hopeless situation. She needed a peaceful existence now for her injured heart that had never healed.
I was crying when Evan read those words I should have gone to see her, but I was too wrapped up in my son to even bother. She should have come to live with us, but I doubt she would have agreed to it, she wanted peace. The five books were the important ones; they weren't in order, they just had the things she had to tell me in them.
As he read aloud to me I could hear the surf singing. I got caught up in its momentum as it crashed onto the shore, and when Evan put the last book down he held me tightly and I cried bitterly into his body.
I will pass the books onto Horse, then Spud to read.
I was in a deep sleep one night after the last book was read. He came to me, a magnificent gold fairy king, he actually bowed to me and called me son. He had things to say and he struggled when he talked about my mum. His father wouldn't let him come back to see me, but his time was near so and my dad would be the next fairy king. When his father eventually went on to his afterlife, that's when he had started watching us. He watched me from when I was small, then he watched Ayden. He felt sad for mum and eased her heart whenever he had the chance, but he still couldn't come back. He only had that four weeks as a human, there would be no more. I had brothers, four of them he told me, and a picture of them flashed across my mind. I had seen them before, they are the ones I had to put in Horse and Ayden's fairy dress painting. It's stored in the cupboard waiting to be finished but I now know who they are and can finish that painting.
That was it for now, but as the days went by I had other dreams. He showed me his land, his home and his whole family. He told me the coins were very ancient Irish ones, and just one is worth a king's ransom. He had given them to my mum not knowing the value but when she sold one of them at that auction for millions, he was elated that we would never want for anything.
There was no magic left in the coins, but he had fathered me and I in turn fathered Ayden. His magic was in our bloodline, so he could connect and watch us with ease. It got easier when I started painting his family into my works. He loved Evan and he loved our friends and wished with all his heart he could be with us all in our bay.
Sometimes I would call to him in my sleep and he would come. I told him about my childhood but he already knew a lot of it because he had been watching me.
He said he couldn't predict the future but he could warn us when something bad is about to happen. One night he said he wouldn't mind Rita's company in his vast palace. I laughed in my sleep and I suspect Evan watched on many of these nights. In the mornings I would tell him about my dreams, Ayden seemed to already know the history. I suppose these are the sorts of dreams he's had in the past, but I never asked him. He was telling me it was Ayden who had called to him when Carol fell with him in her arms. As he fell from the balcony he must have had a sense of the folk and he called them to help. He heard Ayden's cries in the night, he had missed me terribly when I was sick and he soothed him. They all had sat with me at the hospital using their magic to bring my mind back slowly. He confirmed that they bombarded my bad thoughts with good one's every time I had shock therapy.
He told me if I look at all my friends, they were representative of my true heritage. Donk, Tiny, Trip and Nuts were my step brothers. Rita and Horse were my father and mother. Evan was my champion and he couldn't have been happier because he knew how deeply he loved me. I told him I had felt for some time that all my friends were my human fairy folk. He confirmed that the bay had done that with some help from my fairy family. He then showed me a map of his own kingdom and it was the mirror image of our bay, where our shack stood, his palace had been in the same spot. He also told me they had pushed Cal to sell the shack to us.
Evan had been worried I would slip back into my coma state, but I reassured him that wasn't ever going to happen again. My father wouldn't let it happen.
The coins and shells that were placed in his safe, were taken out rarely, of course Horse needed to see them and decided they were leprechaun's gold, the ones that sit at the end of the rainbow. I figured that he was maybe right. We couldn't find anything relating to them on the internet but Cynthia had shown them to a coin collector who had been a customer of hers. The guy said they were indeed ancient Irish gold coins and in mint condition. He couldn't afford to buy them, but at auction they would go for plenty, nothing less than ten million a piece. I thought if we ever needed the money Cynthia could handle the sale for us. She tried to leech one out of Ayden but he put a stop to her begging tones.
"Not sell, go way."
They were Ayden's heritage too, so we thought we would put them aside for him although we couldn't find a reason for him to ever sell them. After all, he's just a wave chaser in all this madness. Mum's estate was finalised and her money transferred into Ayden's accounts but we won't tell him until he fully understands what it all means.
Her ashes were shipped to the bay and the boys had a night surf for her, then I scattered her ashes over the waves. Ayden was solemn as he sat on his Pa's board in respect, tossing flowers into the water. He is a true wave chaser and he knows how it all works, he did good by her and so did my brothers.
My dreams became less and less frequent so I think I had drained my father's mind of all the important facts. He had scared me when he said I was first in line for his job, but assured me that his next son would take that job because he was full fairy. I was thankful and I wouldn't leave my family anyway. Over time I would talk to him when I needed some father son comfort, and he'd told me he didn't want a clash with my world but he would always be near.
He tried to explain Arras and Aisha to me by saying his realm has many fairy kings and queens, they were just a small mirror image. He also said if I look at my friends, some of them are already princes and princesses. I wondered about that but put it into the too hard basket.
I was telling Evan about my last dream and he seemed relieved. I felt much better and less guilty about mum, there probably wasn't anything I could do anyway and even if I had known, I don't have the magic, Ayden does.
My boy is still growing, he's added another inch to his height and surprise, surprise, Birdy shot up two inches. He's a great kid and he couldn't wait to tell Rita he had grown so much. His school mates ring him all the time since Jay bought him an emergency phone and mostly, but not always, they are dropped off sometimes to play in the games room. I didn't know if they were being friends because he got them free games or because they genuinely liked him. Jay told me they liked him, it's Birdy that offers the tokens out of friendship, his friends never ask. They were stoked to find out he was almost famous, but he never told them of his dark past; he didn't want them to feel sorry for him. Before school he would always get a papa Den and nanna Rita cuddle from us. Sometimes I waited at the bus stop with him, sometimes Jay and Hulk or Rita, he was a popular kid. I saw this when he jumped on the bus and all his mates were calling his name so he could sit with them. On a few occasions we went to the football oval to watch his school play soccer. He was good but funny out there, and still the smallest in the team. I watched as his mates shielded him and handed him the ball when he had a clear run, that grin on his face was priceless.
I passed the diaries onto Horse who almost read them in one sitting, he said he speed reads but I can't for the life of me work out if he retains any of the information he has read.
He started discussing them with me and I answered all his questions.
"You know what Den; those coins really are from the end of the rainbow. Fairy coins would get a hell of a lot more than what your mum got for them, and I believe you when you say you are a half blood prince, it goes with what's been happening. I can only hope that one day I will be able to see them, I feel them and sometimes I think I can hear them. Maybe that's an off shoot of Ayden's magic rubbing off onto me."
"Probably mate, you and he have a real connection, I didn't ask my father if it was possible for a human to see him but I'm sure you can't because my mum never saw him again."
"Well she might not have looked for him in her mind."
"Probably Horse, by the way she talks about it in her books and ended up hating them all."
He pondered the story for awhile then went to do some searching on his computer. Spud already knew the answers but he read the books anyway and they just confirmed what he was thinking. I had better get them together one day, they can workshop it.
The big revelations through mum's books and my dreams were put to rest after I placed the books in Evan's safe, I would hate for the newspapers to get a hold of them, even though they are pretty unbelievable.
I woke up one morning to two sets of azure eyes looking back at me.
"Dah."
"Den."
"What's up my treasures?"
"Nothing, we just wanted to watch you sleep."
"Oh okay." So I closed my eyes again. Ayden started kissing my face as Evan's hand was doing something very wrong with my dick under the covers.
Thank god Ayden wanted his nanny and sped off to see her while his dad kissed me deeply. His hand stroked me and I couldn't help it, I spewed my mess in the bed so I guess I will have to do some washing today.
Ali and Spud gave us a piece of paper that read,
`Go to Ferrari suit hire in Warragul and get fitted for a black dinner suit combo, in the next week will do and Ayden needs one too.'
I had watched as they ran from house to house delivering much the same envelopes, whatever is happening it's going to happen soon.
I had told them I had Rita's dresses stored in the wardrobe and was waiting for her birthday to hand them to her. Spud asked if I could do it the week before just in case they needed alterations.
I again asked what was happening and Ali said they were having a big black tie affair for Rita's birthday and they want everyone dressed up. He said he was sick of the slovenly way birthday parties were held around here in the past but I didn't get offended, I was actually looking forward to seeing my boys and Evan in dinner suits.
I was getting my morning hugs from my very studious son when Cynthia and Tony came up for breakfast. They also hugged him closely.
After the incident with the table Tony had quietened down some. I noticed he was talking to Horse more and more and I actually have seen them more often down the beach together. Could this be a new Tony? I don't know, but he sure looked a lot happier than he was two months ago.
They did squabble between the two of them but I knew it was only play acting, they really did love each other, that's Cyn and Tony I mean.
"What's going on with Spud and Ali Den, they are banging on about getting suits for a party?"
"Shush Tony, Rita's big birthday, it's all hush hush." He looked at Cyn and they both giggled.
"Have you got an evening dress Cyn?" I inquired.
"Yes Den, I always keep one in the wardrobe, I will check it still fits later."
"Good, it sounds like it's going to be very la de dah." Tony smirked.
"Well just getting the four boys dressed up is going to be a chore in itself, are you getting dressed up too Birdy?"
"Yes poppa Den, all ganized."
"That's organized son."
"Oh I forgot." He smiled. Jay came by and he walked him outside then up to the corner to catch his bus. His hugs were special today because he was growing in stature and in mind, and we all could see that.
The breakfasts came down with a very loud little boy following, I think he's had another argument with his nanny. He sat at the table with me and Spud unceremoniously plonked some toast and vegemite in front of him, he wasn't impressed.
"He wanted a hamburger but mum decided three a week is enough." Spud giggled.
"Don't you like your toast bubs?"
"Yes dah but I wanted burger today."
"Well how about you eat all that up and I will talk to nanny about making you a small one if your still hungry later that is."
He wasn't and the burger was forgotten because he heard the guys down the beach calling for him.
We had all finished and walked him down to the shore where I was talking to Cynthia about Tony's change of heart. She told me he still felt responsible for Birdy's hurt and he's trying to be the best person he can be nowadays.
"Is it working Cyn?" I had to chuckle to myself.
"At the moment yes, but give him time he will bounce back with a vengeance." She let fly with a great belly laugh.
I nearly cried when I saw Ayden dressed in his little black suit and bow tie, he looked adorable. And I did tear up when my champion walked out in his, he was amazing. He had tied his hair up in a man bun to keep it out of the way and it suited him perfectly. My hands were everywhere as I checked him out and maybe I felt a few touches as he did the same to me. I took photos of them together then Evan took some of bubs and me. The boys on the other hand weren't having anything to do with it. I heard groans of protest and Horse bellowing at them to behave. Nuts and Donk were the worst.
"Why do we have to do this Horse, remind me again?" Donk whined.
"You're doing it for two reasons mate, one is because it's a big night for Rita, and number two, your beautiful wife needs a handsome escort to show her off."
"Oh." He pulled his trousers on over his board shorts.
We had wrapped Rita's present up in bright paper, Christmas paper which Ayden liked the best. He sat at the big table and stared at it until he couldn't take it anymore. I turned my back for just a second when Evan said he wanted to go pee and would be back in a minute.
Ayden grabbed the box and raced down the porch with it dragging behind him and calling for his nanny.
"Wait for Pa bubby." No, he wasn't going to wait, he had Rita's present and he was going to give it to her, pa or no pa. I followed him to Rita's. Ayden handed her the box with the four dresses in it and said it was an early birthday present. She gingerly opened the box and nearly fainted when the first thing she saw was an apricot sequinned evening gown.
"You didn't wait for me?" Evan looked sad when he arrived.
"Talk to your son, he bolted in here with the box before I knew it."
He laughed at Ayden's angelic face and said,
"Little rabbit." That got him a load of rabbit questions, yes Ayden would love a bunny rabbit.
Rita pulled the dress out, sighed then walked to her bedroom to try it on and yes, she looked amazing when she came out. Ayden went mental again and ran around in circles as his nanny sparkled like a Christmas tree, he couldn't stop hugging her legs. Tears were shed as she looked through the box, a shorter black sequinned cocktail dress and two gorgeous day dresses.
"It fits perfectly Den, Aisha will be so jealous, not to mention Cyn. I'm guessing here but you didn't make it, was it Cody Mitchell?"
"Yes Rita, Cody had them made for you." I grinned.
"Well we hope you have somewhere to wear it sometime soon." Evan laughed.
"Oh, you mean my black tie birthday party the boys are throwing don't you?"
"How did you know?"
"There's not much I don't know with those two, they can't keep a secret for shit." She laughed loudly.
She tried the other three, they all suited her and fit perfectly, she hugged all three of us. Ayden was the hardest because he wanted to try on the sparkly one. No it's not for you bubs, it's for nanny.
I grabbed coffee for the three of us and went to the table while Rita gave us a fashion parade in her day dresses. I've never seen her look so beautiful.
"So they let the cat out of the bag did they?"
"Well yes and no, but Donk's mood yesterday had me convinced, he kept mumbling about dinner suits and useless bloody parties then Spud gave me a voucher for the hairdressers in Longford, he thought I might like to go and get a, 'do,' for my birthday." She was still smiling.
"Me get black suit too nanny."
"Oh did you baby, I can't wait to see it on you?" I showed her the photos I took at the hire shop.
"You look so beautiful baby, are you excited to wear it?"
"Yes nanny, I's be really cited."
The next day Ayden was kidnapped by Ali and I noticed Birdie was also taken into their house. Trucks were pulling up all day as Rita and I looked out her kitchen window. We even heard a chainsaw going.
"This is going to be some party, are you sure you even want to go?" I asked.
"Try and stop me," she said off the cuff.
"What's Cynthia doing in there and Abs, look there's bloody Donk too?"
"I don't know Den, they must be decorating maybe, I saw an awful lot of flowers going in earlier."
"I feel like I've been left out, I could help too," I moaned.
"You do enough, do you want to come to the hairdressers with me in the morning?"
"No, what for? I don't have much, they wouldn't be able to get the rollers in." I laughed loudly. Then we ducked down below the window as Hulk came out of Ali's front door.
The next day I watched more trucks turn up and a lot of tables and chairs were unloaded. Rita had been to the salon and her hair looked stunning, all barrel curled up and she wore a scarf around it to keep it tidy while she was in the kitchen. She got her little kid's birthday kisses as soon as they saw her and Ayden jumped up and down all day because he wanted to put his suit on. We helped him with that around five thirty. While I helped Evan out with his zipper he ran up to Rita's to show her. He was gorgeous but when I stood back to stare at him, his face relaxed and he said,
"You are so beautiful Den; my heart is beating faster at the sight of you." I blushed because I was going to say the same and add in my butterflies. We walked into Ayden's room and showed the king and queen, I sort of did a fashion twirl, then I heard giggles.
We went out to the porch and Ayden was excited to see us all dressed up and Birdy was waiting for his afternoon hug.
"You look so special son, have you got a little perfume on?" I smelled his neck.
"Yes poppa Den, Jay spray some on me."
"Well it's very, very nice young man, you look wonderful." He blushed.
A vision of beauty came out of the cafe in her apricot evening gown and two handsome boys escorted her down to us, Blue and Alex.
She shimmered as she swished her skirt up to sit down.
"I feel like I've died and gone to heaven Den, I have never owned something so beautiful."
"Well you look so amazing Rita, certainly the belle of the ball tonight." Evan took her hand and kissed it.
"How come you never do that with me?" I asked.
"Den I do it all the time, you just don't notice." He grinned. Oh, we are back to Evan's bloody jokes again.
The champagne that had been placed on the table in an ice bucket was served by Alex, and my boys started to trickle onto the porch. Donk with all his protesting looked so fucking handsome and Kate nearly outshone the birthday girl. She looked so beautiful in her emerald green dress, it set her red hair on fire and she attracted everyone's attention like bugs to a lamp. Nuts kept playing with his tie and Tiny kept slapping his hand, they all looked uneasy but so handsome.
Susan and Patrick were stunning, although she didn't go for the shiny look, it was more of a hippy look, but it was her all over.
Horse and Tony and Jay and Hulk caught up for pre party drinks. I couldn't help feeling those butterflies when Jay took his camera out and made Hulk and Birdy pose for him. Then he took loads of Birdy in several places on the porch. Rita had closed for the night and as each guest arrived so did the presents. She didn't have time to open them so Alex kept rehousing them in her lounge room. She can have fun opening them later or in the morning.
"Daddy we have to go now." I looked at my son, he's in a hurry to get to the party.
"Okay let's go, Evan take my arm." I offered it to him but instead he slipped his arm around my waist. The boys were next followed by Rita, Alex and Blue.
When we were welcomed in by a very smiley Bubble, the first thing I noticed was the huge vase of lilies on the entrance table, they were wonderful. Ayden stared at them for awhile maybe looking for the fairy folk, then we were shown through the family room out into the backyard. There were fairy lights, flowers and ice carvings everywhere. The tables were placed around the pool and they had the fountains going. Spud and Ali greeted us at the doors that led out to the yard.
"You both did very well." I smiled at them and they grinned as they walked us to our table, they were being very polite. I noticed a white carpet leading to an alcove all decked out in white flowers. It really looked more like a wedding than a birthday party.
We were seated next to what looked like the head table.
"It looks more like a wedding set up bub."
"It is." He didn't look at me.
"What?" I needed more information.
"Abs and Cynthia are getting married."
"WHAT?" I yelled, and I heard sniggers coming from the boys table.
"Can't you see the king and queen over there." I looked across the pool where they were just coming in the door, and may I say looking spectacular.
"When did they arrive?"
"Last night, they wouldn't miss this wedding for the world."
"Why wasn't I told Evan?"
"Because you would have ribbed Abs."
"I wouldn't have done that," I moaned.
"Yes you would have, don't lie Den, and anyway he threatened to castrate us all if we told you."
"Ouch, I see why now." I laughed.
"It was all organized through Bubble, Tush, Ali and Spud. Aisha had brought a dress over for Cynthia last month but nothing was said."
"So it's not Rita's birthday party then."
"Yes it is, and it's also a wedding." Just then Rita and her two hunky escorts arrived and she looked stunning in this light. The cameras went ballistic as she swayed towards our table, and as the music started everyone sang happy birthday to her. Ayden was still trying to see his fairy folk in her shimmering dress. There was a small dance floor and when she stepped onto it, Alex took her arms and the music changed to a slow fox trot. He swung her around the floor followed by Ayden who wanted to dance too. The smile on her face was priceless and I did have a tear or two in my eyes.
I looked over at the big table and saw Aisha who winked at me, she also looked bloody gorgeous. She had snaffled Birdy for a cuddle and had Tush taking photos with her phone. Rita sat with us with Blue, Alex, Tony and Horse. I couldn't take my eyes off him, he could easily go into modelling if his building business went broke.
Blue's eyes were shining and his tie matched the colour perfectly. He was looking at his dad and I suppose he had the same thought as me.
More champagne was served and we all settled in to have a great night.
"Where's Riley and the kids tonight Rita?" I was wondering where they were because I hadn't seen them.
"In the city Den, he bought tickets to Cirque Soleil months ago, the party wasn't even thought of then. I made him take the kids for a weekend away, they were so excited to go."
"Oh that's nice, he's being a good dad."
"Yes he is Den, I don't need him here, I have other family to celebrate with." With that she leant over and kissed my cheek.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Then the music started up again and I looked around and saw the most beautiful two kids in the world slowly walking down the carpet, Ayden and Birdy. They both held satin cushions with rings pinned onto them.
"Daddy look me," he yelled and dropped his cushion, that cracked the guests up.
"You both look beautiful son." His grin got bigger while Birdy's smile nearly swallowed his face, and loads of photos were taken. Evan's phone was running hot and I noticed he had it out at every opportunity but he was only taking photos of me. I snuck in a hundred or two of him too, and can look through them later.
Abs arrived looking like he had just walked out of a men's fashion magazine, he came in from the right with Horse and Hulk. The two boys stood near us and Abs walked the three steps to the floral table. I assumed it was a sort of altar table, he showed the kids where to stand. Ayden kept looking around at us and his legs were doing a small dance, I could tell he was happy, or needed to pee.
Clapping was heard as Cynthia started up the carpeted path, she looked amazing and her dress was dazzling. I wondered if it was Aisha's million-dollar dress, she glittered and shimmered down the aisle with Arras on her arm. If there was ever a more handsome king in the world I have yet to see him, he looked every bit like a king.
He smiled at me then Abs as he handed Cynthia to him.
I felt tugging on my pant leg.
"Daddy I's have to go toiley."
"Oh no."
"Take him Den, we can wait." Abs smiled, after all he can't get married with one ring bearer short. I whisked him off to the toilet but he didn't do much, I think it was just a little overwhelming for him. I made sure he washed his hands then asked,
"Ready?"
"Yes dah, thanks you."
"That's okay son."
Birdy had sat next to Aisha again and Ayden opted to sit with us until the rings were needed. The celebrant started and I think she was a little shocked at the spectacle before her. She managed to do a good job and so did my boys, their speeches of undying love to each other were beautiful. I looked at Aisha who was touching up her make up, while Spud of course had tears running down his face and Ali was comforting him. Abs and Cyn kissed tenderly then Ayden wanted to play with all the fairy tulle on her dress.
The oversized ice carving of a beautiful swan glistened on the wedding table, then Tush did something to it. From its body flew millions of colourful butterflies, they nearly blanketed the guests and Ayden went absolutely mental. I looked up at the swan and it had a golden glow about it and was the highlight of the evening. The boy's enthusiasm wasn't spared as the bride was kissed and groped by some very nasty friends of mine, mainly Nuts and Tiny, so I told Evan to go tell them to behave themselves, but instead he laughed and pashed me.
"Daddy, cans you get me sum butters?"
"No baby, let them fly free, we can't cage them up, they are to beautiful."
"Okays." He looked forlorn again but his smile returned when they nearly covered him, they seemed to want to play, I suppose his king did that.
It was good because they flitted around all evening, especially when Ayden placed a big bowl of water beside the pool, they seemed to congregate there for the rest of the night.