Chapter Seventeen – Ruth

“Do you really want us to live with you?” Jenny asked Ruth, as they reached the gap in the hedge. Michael shifted back into his human form, and went through first, then Jason, and now Ruth was helping Jenny crawl through.

“Yes, we do. You may have to be patient. Michael and I have to figure out how we apply. Then we’ll need house visits and interviews.” Ruth knelt beside Jenny on the damp grass.

“Thank you.” Jenny spontaneously threw her arms around Ruth’s neck, kissed her cheek, and then crawled off into the darkness.

Ruth followed, her heart lighter knowing the children were safe. Ducking down, she crawled under the bushes and out the other side, where Michael was waiting, hand outstretched to pull her to her feet.

“A family adventure,” Michael announced as he helped remove debris from Ruth’s hair.

“Can we go on lots of adventures?” Jenny asked as they walked along the footpath toward the road.

“I hope so,” Ruth answered. “Are you all right, Jason?” The young boy had been quiet all the way back, not even his sister’s excitement and riding a bear could draw him out of his melancholy mood.

“Are we in trouble?” he asked, looking at the ground as he walked.

“I don’t know,” Ruth answered honestly. “You shouldn’t have run away. No matter what the circumstances. Dean and Elizabeth are responsible for you, and when they found you missing, they were frightened for you. Do you understand what I’m saying, Jason?”

“Yes.” He looked up at Ruth. “If I tell them it was all my fault, will Jenny still be in trouble?”

Ruth placed a hand on his shoulders. “You don’t have to protect Jenny from everything. You both decided to leave the house.”

“It was my idea. I came downstairs for a glass of water. I couldn’t sleep. When I heard Dean talking about us leaving, I went and got Jenny. She’d been talking about seeing the stupid fairies in the forest. I thought we’d leave before she got a chance, so I said I’d take her tonight.” Jason’s story sounded plausible.

“I thought you didn’t believe in fairies?” Ruth asked. They could see the streetlights, soon they would be back on the road, and the children would be home.

“I don’t,” Jason answered gruffly.

“If you do, I won’t tell,” Ruth said.

“Jenny said I have to believe or I won’t see one. Ever.” Jason slipped his small, cold hand into Ruth’s. “I want to believe, but when my mom died and my dad left us for days…”

“It’s hard. I know. When sad things happen it’s hard to believe there’s any magic in the world. But I believe that love is a magic all of its own. And I know you love Jenny.”

“I love my mom, too. And my dad. Sort of.”

“You must be angry with him, too.” Ruth knew that anger, it was as if a knife pierced your heart. She’d fought through the same anger for a couple of years after her mom died. Wiping away a stray tear, she let her own guilt well up and then let it go. “I was angry with my mom when she died, even though it wasn’t her fault. She left us, not by choice, but she still left us. Left me. And I had to become her, take on her role.”

Jason sighed. “I want to go back to how it was before. I want a mom and dad.” He choked on his tears. “I don’t want to be a grown-up. Not yet.”

“You don’t have to be.” They reached the road, and Ruth stopped, while Michael, with Jenny on his shoulders, carried on walking. Hunkering down in front of Jason, she said, “Michael and I are going to do all we can to adopt you. I promise. We won’t stop if there is any way we can make that happen. Do you believe me?”

Jason nodded under the street lights, looking pale and tired. “Yes.”

“But while we do what we need to do, you and Jenny have to let Dean and Elizabeth look after you. They love you, too, and they are not going to send you away.” Ruth took hold of his hands. “They are grown-ups. You don’t have to be. Sure, you need to behave and not get into fights.” She smiled. “But be a kid, Jason. Believe in fairies and Santa Claus, and all the stuff that makes growing up special.”

He nodded. “Does it ever stop hurting?”

Ruth gritted her teeth, trying not to cry. “It does. I promise you it does. You’ll stop thinking about the bad stuff and remember the good.”

“I thought I must have done something bad for them to leave.” Jason wrapped his arms around Ruth’s neck and hugged her hard.

“That’s not why they left. You did nothing wrong. You did everything right. You tried to help Jenny. That was a good thing.” Ruth rubbed his back, soothing him as he cried.

“Mommy made me promise. She told me we had to look after each other. But because I was the oldest…” His body shuddered with grief. There was nothing Ruth could say, and the only thing she could do was be there for him, hold him until his tears stopped.

“Let’s get you back to bed.” Ruth held Jason’s hand and turned to walk toward the house. There, standing on the road waiting for them, was Michael.

“I was worried.” He looked down at Jason. “Everything all right?”

“We needed a moment,” Ruth explained. “But we’re going to be all right, aren’t we, Jason?”

He nodded. “What do I do?” Jason stared at the house.

“You go and say sorry, and promise never to run away again.” Ruth walked with him to the front door. “Do you want me to come in with you?”

Jason shook his head. “I can do it.”

“Sure?” Michael asked.

“Yes.” Jason took a deep breath and opened the door. Before he closed it, he turned to them and said, “If I’m allowed, can we come to your house and look for fairies? Or just take Jenny.” He hung his head. “I might be grounded for a long time.”

“I’ll talk to Dean and Elizabeth tomorrow. See what we can work out.” Michael ruffled Jason’s hair. “Goodnight, Jason.”

“Night.” He shut the front door, and Ruth felt the loss of his presence. She wanted to barge into the house and scoop both the children up and take them home. But she knew Dean and Elizabeth would deal with Jason and Jenny fairly.

“Where’s Frankie?” Ruth asked when she’d composed herself.

They walked hand in hand down the driveway and out onto the street. Michael slipped his arm around her shoulder. “She went on back to your place once the children were found. Dean dropped her off in his truck, she didn’t want to impose.”

“As long as she’s all right.” Ruth leaned on Michael’s shoulder. “What a night.”

“What a night. You have that right. Still, Jenny and Jason know we want to adopt them. And this might not be a bad way for Jason to figure out Dean and Elizabeth are rooting for them, too.”

“I hope they’re okay,” Ruth said.

“Dean will figure something out. He’s got a whole lot of experience.” Michael chuckled. “I’m the only one who has no idea what he’s doing. I may have to keep Dean on speed dial.”

“We just make it up as we go,” Ruth told him. “There’s no right and wrong, no rule book. And no typical family.”

“We just have to love them, right?” Michael asked as they reached Ruth’s house.

“That’s right.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Want to come in?”

Michael pulled her close. “You need to sleep. I need to sleep. It’s past my bedtime.”

She buried her head in his chest. “Maybe I could come over tomorrow and look for fairies?”

“After school? I’ll be waiting.” He cupped her face in his hand and kissed her, igniting a fire that would burn until he quenched it.

Ruth stood and watched him leave, before letting herself into the house. Mr. Scratch met her at the door, twisting his body around her legs. Ruth picked him up and tickled his chin. “At least you are a good boy.”

“I made cocoa,” Frankie called from the kitchen.

“Oh, I need some so bad.” Ruth looked down at her clothes, which were mud-stained and dirty from the night’s escapades.

“I came here expecting to find you bored out of your mind in a small town. But you’re up to your eyes in drama.” Frankie set a hot mug of cocoa down in front of Ruth.

“Thanks for your help tonight.” Ruth warmed her hands on the mug.

“It was funny, seeing it from the other side.” She sat down across from Ruth.

“You mean not being the kid who needs help?” Ruth watched her sister, she was all grown up. A woman in her own right, and Ruth had to let her go. Whatever secrets she had, they were her own to share if she wanted to. Ruth would always be there for her, but she could no longer try to baby Frankie.

“Yes. It’s a good town.” Frankie leaned forward. “With big freakin’ dragons.”

Ruth laughed. “If dragons are real, fairies have to be, too. Right?”

“I know that look. What do you have in mind?” Frankie asked.

Ruth smiled smugly. “I remember a child who wanted to be a fairy when she grew up. I’m hoping now that she is grown up, she might still want that job. At least for one night.”

Frankie’s eyes lit up. “What do I have to do?”