Fall in love in a weekwe get by

“Would you mind being Charlotte for me today?” We're almost having a family evening. – She waited for my nod, took my hand: – Let's go. As I understand it, you already know Chester.

A step – and we were transported from the living room to a small garden. Or rather, a piece of the garden around a gazebo entwined with blooming clematis – as if torn out of autumn and returned to summer, or even spring.

I couldn't help but sigh in admiration. Under a gust of wind, pale pink apple tree petals fell onto the green carpet of the lawn. The white clematis flowers at the edges also shone soft pink, and in a tiny pond framed by the sharp leaves of a marsh iris, three pink water lilies bloomed. A waterfall flowed into the pond from a small alpine hill; the plants on it were unfamiliar to me, but I appreciated the combination of colors. From pale green, almost white, to bright lilac and purple. And the stones in the hill are red-black granite and yellowish sandstone. Stunning contrast.

A huge tea rose bush was blooming near the gazebo. The bees were buzzing. And further, just a few steps away, the fallen leaves were getting wet under the fine autumn rain and the bare branches were bending in the wind.

“Magical,” I whispered.

“Oh, that’s Chester’s work,” Sabella smiled. “Climatic charms are his strong point.” Like biomes of all stripes.

Chester emerged into the light from under the curtain of clematis and smiled joyfully:

– Miss Blair, here we are again. I am glad! And don’t listen to these praises, the kindergarten turned out not bad, I don’t argue, but it is as far from a full-fledged biome as the unleavened cake from the diet is from Mrs. Ferguson’s pies.

I laughed:

“You are also a master of visual comparisons, Mr. Fully!”

He spread his arms and bowed theatrically.

“Besides, as you can see, the climate spell does not benefit the surrounding area. It’s warm here, and behind the dome it’s not September, but, perhaps, the end of October. Unfortunately, even magic is subject to the law of conservation of energy.

“And even more so, hot tea obeys him,” a ringing voice was heard from the gazebo. – He's getting cold, Chester.

“It’s true,” he realized. “Ladies…” he stepped aside, letting Sabella and I go forward.

I immediately recognized the guest sitting at the table in the gazebo. Red-haired, bright, catchy, self-confident – Elsa looked much more impressive in life than in the photo. Green eyes looked with cheerful interest. I couldn't believe that Dougal could leave such a woman.

“Nice to meet you, Miss Blair.” Sabella said amazing things about you. I never would have thought that she might need help choosing a dress.

“I didn’t say a word about dresses,” Sabella noted. – Charlotte, this is Miss Gill, an old friend of my son.

– What else can you do in Grisella’s salon? And don't miss. Today I'm just Elsa. – She smiled, but something in her gaze was dissonant with this smile. And it became clear that Sabella’s explanations, whatever they were, did not convince her of anything. – Take a seat, Miss Blair, we've been waiting for you.

– Indeed? – Professor Norwood’s sharp voice made me shudder. – It seems that I am the only one for whom this sudden phenomenon came as a surprise. ? As almost everyone present knows, I have not liked surprises since childhood.

Well, of course. He has enough of Miss Blair at work, yesterday for some reason he spent the evening wiping my snot, and here today – surprise, we smile and wave! You can understand. I didn’t expect it to be easy, right?

– Who is to blame that you are late? – Elsa shrugged. “I was probably carried away by some experiment and forgot about time.”

– Dougal! – Sabella turned around impulsively. “Are you ignoring the living room again?”

– Of course, mom. There are a lot of beautiful places around this house that bring back pleasant memories in me. The living room is not one of them.

He hugged Sabella, and I hardly suppressed a convulsive sigh. Next to her son, she seemed small and fragile, airy and vulnerable, like a forest fairy. She needs him. Not protection, no – support. Love and hope. Sabella stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek as he leaned towards her. He kissed back, carefully, with a smile.

Then he turned to his friends.

– Elsa, you just blossomed in a week and looked seven years younger. It seems my new balm formula has worked wonders. We still need to come up with something for your belly, Chester.

– “For” my belly, you won’t come up with anything that will surpass the skill of Mrs. Erguson. And “from” – don’t bother. I do not agree to change my physique for body subtraction.

“It’s like someone is asking for your consent.”

“You’re especially kind today,” Elsa grinned. – Is this the influence of surprises?

“Perhaps,” Norwood agreed, pulling out a chair for Sabella. He waited until she sat down and looked at me. – I would assume that your conflict with the portals has taken a fatal form, but I suspect that everything is not so simple. Enlighten me?