The Little Fairy
Chapter 22

Not much happened in the next couple of weeks leading up to our departure. Sarah decided we should go back to the mall to replace new outfits for our time in DC. She wanted to go back to that small little shop in the mall that we had gone to before. We wound ourselves through the large mall and back to the little shop hidden in a nook.

"Hello, welcome to-" The woman behind the counter paused and looked at us with wide eyes. "Oh my gosh, it's you guys!" The small person barely taller than I came out from behind the counter to shake our hands.

"I remember you!" Sarah said, giving the girl a warm smile. Something in the pit of my stomach turned, we did forget to eat before we left.

"My name is Heather, what brings you guys back?" Heather headed back behind the counter.

"We came to the mall to get some outfits for DC but I wanted to see if you guys had anything new in." Sarah loomed over the shelves of little crystal animals, studying each one individually.

"We have a new indigenous creator we started a collab with a few weeks ago." She lifted her hand to the front corner where there was colorful, hand-beaded jewelry, dreamcatchers, clothes, knickknacks, etc. "We also have a new recycled ocean jewelry section. All made from trash that had been washed up on beaches." She smiled proudly, pointing her finger to the central island.

Sarah nodded and continued her search for a little stone animal. "I'm looking for a fox figurine. Do you have any? They're my brother's favorite."

"Um, let me see." Heather walked over to where Sarah was now squatting and pressed up against her. It wasn't a very wide shelf so I guess she had to be pretty close.

I furrowed my brows and continued to look through the ocean jewelry. "What do you recommend for a more formal event?" I said, picking up some drop earrings made from plastic straws painted and covered in resin to make them sturdy. I looked over to them and Heather didn't even register that I had said anything, laughing at not-so-funny phrases from Sarah.

They finally found a fox and went to the register, I didn't replace any jewelry that I might have liked and followed them over. "Here's my number if you need anything else," Heather said with a wink, giving Sarah the receipt with her number on it.

Sarah gave her a half smile and a shy wave and led us out of the store. When we were out of sight of the register, she crumpled up the receipt and threw it in the trash. "I did not like her flirting with me that much." Sarah rolled her eyes and peeked in the recycled bag at the little red jasper fox.

"Is that what that was?" I hadn't noticed I had crossed my arms over my chest, or that I wasn't looking at Sarah.

"Are you okay?" Sarah led us up the escalator to Nordstroms to replace a nice suit.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" I lied. My stomach was in knots and my chest was starting to hurt.

She nodded, not wanting to press further, and weaved us to the petite section of the store.

We returned home with more bags than we thought we would. Sarah said that's normal when going to the mall. You can tell yourself you're only going to look and not spend any money and always end up spending money on something. Don seemed a little less than pleased but since we earned money from the rallies, he couldn't really protest.

Sarah took the bags to go wash them; something about chemicals from making them. I would have easily gotten something second hand but Sarah insisted we get something new.

"Did you ladies have a good time?" Don sipped on his afternoon coffee while he sat on the couch with the news on the T.V.

"Have you ever had a feeling when someone is talking to a friend and your stomach and chest starts to hurt?" I sat down next to him, rubbing my chest which had just began to ache again thinking of Heather so close to Sarah.

"I think that's something called love, dear." He smiled into his cup and took a very loud sip.

"Love? I don't think that's what this is. Mom and Dad said that when you fell in love with someone, you knew. It was like the world melted around you as soon as you set your eyes on them; as if nothing else in the world mattered every time you were around your person."

"That would be love at first sight; and they're right. But growing love. Friends to feelings can grow quickly or slowly. That pit in your gut and the tightness in your chest when you think of them with someone else, that could be jealousy or sadness, kinda depending on..." He paused, setting his mug on the coffee table. "A few things, really. I would hold off on that conversation with her until you're certain of your feelings for her." He sat back, resting his hands behind his head. "I am her father after all, and I don't want to see either of you get hurt."

I tweaked my lips and furrowed my brow, trying to process the information he gave me. I had never felt this feeling before, love. I hoped that's what it was. I sat back with him, leaning my head against his chest, trying to think of my life with Sarah. Would I be happy or even fulfilled? She couldn't come back to the village with me, I don't think; and what about my parents?

My thoughts were cut short with a knock at the door. Don grunted and got up. "That would be Rich with the suit I asked for." He went and greeted him at the door and I turned my head to give Rich a warm greeting. The two went off into the back room, Coon following at their feet with his tail wagging happily.