ALL NOVEL Chapter Sixty-One: The Magic of BLT's
Episode Sixty-One
The smell of frying bacon filled the air again, even though I cooked it in the oven. I sliced a tomato on a cutting board, while the Cat and Indigo watched me with awe. Neither of them could slice things, and Indigo had asked more than once when she would get a Sable form. I made a mental note to ask the next dragon that stopped by.
I laid out enough slices of white bread to make 4 sandwiches. The Cat stared, and his tail flicked, but he resisted asking the question. Indigo didn’t notice.
The timer went off, and I pulled the bacon out of the oven. I let it sit while putting mayo on one slice per sandwich and adding tomato to that side as well. Then the lettuce, before turning back to the bacon and using tongs to move it over to a lined plate.
I used paper towels to get the bulk of the excess grease off before laying the slices on top of the lettuce. The final touch was topping it with the untouched slice of white bread. The first sandwich I cut into four triangles and set in front of Indigo. Despite her obvious enthusiasm, she waited to eat. While waiting, she danced in place, her tail swinging back and forth, then lifting her front claws up. It was adorable, and I was proud of her for waiting for us.
The next sandwich went to the Cat, and the third to me. The fourth I cut into quarters as well, but left off to one side.
Indigo took that as the signal to dive in. Not literally, but she did her best to pick up the quarter and take a bite. She hummed in glee. The Cat didn’t pick it up, but ate in that weird magical way, where bites were taken out but he didn’t have food in his mouth. I ate the first quarter in two bites. Crunchy salty bacon, with ripe tomato and crispy lettuce - absolutely perfect.
We all were quiet until our plates were clear. Indigo plopped down on the counter, a few bites of her sandwich left and her eyelids fluttering as she fought off a nap. The Cat and I both eyed the last sandwich, and I set half of it on his plate.
“I figured we’d both want a little extra.”
The Cat nodded regally before diving into his extra half. I finished mine off quickly as well, before grabbing a glass of cold water.
“Thank you for lunch. While not magical, strictly speaking, I understand the sentiment,” said the Cat.
I nodded and picked up Indigo. “Gonna take her up to her sleeping area.”
The cat jumped off the island and vanished. I turned around and all the dishes were gone already. “Thank you, Betty. You are the best!”
Warmth flowed up from my toes, making me smile. The shop was amazing, and I wished I could make them as happy as they made me. It reminded me of my quest to figure out the Fey Lord Crest. I carried the snoozing Indigo up the stairs in my arms and into my room. I placed her in her cat tree and turned the heated blanket on before tucking it around her. Her little snores increased.
I smiled to myself as I sat down on my bed, wondering how to fill this weird lunch break I had. The book on the Fey Wilds caught my eye. I hadn’t had the chance to really look over it, besides skimming the index, since Indigo had created such a racket begging for another brownie. Pulling it open, I glanced down at the contents. From what I could see, it had chapters on what the Fey Wilds were, with some stories about them. It didn’t speak of specific Fey Lords, just how things worked.
I read aloud the first bit. “The Fey Wilds are a magical world, usually one of the most magical in any given branch of the tree. Each land has a Fey Lord, a representation of the land itself and those it creates to live with it. These Fey Lords are some of the most powerful in any world. They are on the same level as dragons. Do not cross a Fey Lord, for even the Fates have difficulty restraining them.”
I blinked a few times. “Well, I hope I don’t run into one of those. The dragons are intense enough…” I muttered to myself.
The book continued to talk about how Fey Lords had specific rules they followed, but the rules themselves depended on the Lord. Lots and lots of information that contradicted itself. Then a sentence popped out at me.
“The Fey Wilds and Fey Lords are connected to the leylines, which can lead to conflicts with the Fates.”
This was the first time I had seen a mention of the Fates. The Cat and others in the shop had mentioned the Fates. They had everything to do with the glowing magical book that Cat had. That had to be the clue. I needed more information and stories abourt Fey Lords and the Fates.
My phone buzzed, making me jump. I quickly grabbed it. “Great timing Mom…” I set the book down then answered the call.
“Hey Mom,” I said.
“Honey, I’m sorry I forgot to call the other night. It’s been crazy here. You know how it goes with your brothers.”
I chuckled. Something was always going on in my family, that was just how it worked.
“I wanted to know if you wanted me to ship your birthday present to the shop.”
I swallowed, hard. “That would probably be best. Though, maybe Cyan can stop by for a visit? Or Umber?”
“Umber’s the one in a bit of a pickle. He’s trying to figure out a few things on the farm. You know him and always changing his mind. Goals are only momentary directions for him, bless his wandering soul..”
“What’s wrong with the farm?” I leaned forward, my eyes wide.
My mother snorted on the other side of the line. “Nothing, that’s the problem. He’s a little bored. I told him to think about babies, not changing what he’s growing.”
“Babies? I thought he was going to build a house on the farm… Is he even dating anyone?” It took a moment for me to realize my mom was laughing on the other end of the line. “You’re messing with me.”
“Just a little. He’s working on the plans for the house. There’s talk of them starting the foundation next week. It should be quick to go up.”
“I’m sorry I’ll miss it.”
“You’ll see it during the holidays, I’m sure.”
The Cat jumped up on my bed, making me jump. His green eyes stared at me. “We have the deliveries this afternoon, just a reminder.” He nudged me and I scratched his ears, while mouthing Thank you. Then he jumped down and was gone.
“My lunch break is almost over, but it was good to talk to you.”
***
The shop was getting too nosy. Making me stand outside Sable’s room yet again while she had a conversation with her family. Then the bomb dropped, and I had to figure out what to do about it. Sable’s birthday was coming up. Clearly, the shop intended me to do something about it, because it had put me there to hear the conversation. Was that a big thing for families? Her brother had mentioned a big party for his 25th, but I didn’t know if this was a big one, or even what it being a big one meant.
I needed to find out. Somehow.