(This page is dedicated to the stories of Snow in Waddington Willows written by Sherry Brandon)

 

"Snow in Waddington Willows" 

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Chapter 130

Chapter 131

Chapter 132

Chapter 133

Chapter 134

Chapter 135

Chapter 136

Chapter 137

Chapter 138

Chapter 139

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Chapter 130–“Danger in the Woods”

 

            “Snow?”  Mike whispered to the figure below him.  He couldn’t believe his eyes.  He knew that Snow was with Eddie at the stream fishing…or whatever they were doing.  So how could she possibly be here?  Then he looked into her eyes.  They did not seem to show any fear at all.  Her eyes showed a warmness that he had not seen in months…since the incident with Ed, since he and Snow had separated, in fact.  All it once it hit him like lightning.  The realization hit him so hard that he gasped out loud.  He slid off of her and to the side in shock.  He suddenly felt like the one who had betrayed, rather than the one who had been betrayed.  He knew.  In one look into her deep blue eyes and he knew everything.  That woman in the village who had been so cold to him was not his wife…was not his Snow.  THIS was his Snow…his precious Princess whom he’d not seen in so long.  His gasp startled Snow and quickly she jumped up and ran fearing that she had blown the operation.   She did not wish to overturn the plans that her mother and Raif had so carefully made.  “Snow!”  He ran after her.   As he rounded the edge of the trail, he slammed into Raif, knocking them both down.  “Good God, Mike!  Where on earth are you going in such a hurry?”  He glanced at Raif and then up at Liz who stood over them with the usual basket they prepare for their hikes into the woods.  It dawned on him then…this was for Snow.  They had been hiding her…but why from him?  Why would Liz of all people allow this ridiculous charade with Margurite to continue and cause him so much pain?   Quickly, Mike stood to his feet, “Liz, both of you…I know.  I know what’s going on.  I just saw her.  You can tell me what’s happening.”  Liz gave a quick glance to Raif as he rose to his to his feet and offered a nervous grin, “What are you talking about Mike?”  Mike took a deep breath to try and contain his eagerness, but he just couldn’t.  He grabbed Raif by the shirt, “Cut the crap, Partridge!  I just saw Snow…the REAL Snow!  Now I know you two have been hiding her and I want to know where!”  Liz’ eyes were wide as she looked at Raif then nodded.  Mike let go of his grip on Raif’s shirt as he started, “Look…Margurite captured Snow the night of…well, the night Ed posed as you.  She’s been masquerading as Snow ever since.  It’s been obvious that she has had a crush on Edward since last year.  Mum and I found the real Snow under the queen’s Eternal Rest spell at the emergency cabin near the mine.  Look, I’m sorry we didn’t tell you.  Please don’t be mad at Liz…it was my idea.  We wanted to try and trap Marg in her own game.  We thought that the best way to do that was if neither you nor Eddie knew the truth.  We didn’t want you to fly off the handle and go after the queen.  God only knows what she would do to you.  So if you’re going to blame anyone…blame me, and not Liz.”  Mike looked at Liz and then gave an exasperated sigh, “I’m not blaming anyone, I guess.  I have to accept your decision, although I do NOT agree with it.  But the fact is that I DO know now that this is MY Snow.  And you’ll have to forgive me, but I am GOING to see her!”  Raif gave a knowing look to Liz who still wore a look of silent guilt, “I know.  But please Mike, we need to form a plan together.  This is no time to go after the queen in anger.  We need to find a way to trap her.  We thought we found that avenue at the divorce signing, but we were wrong.  We thought she was using a forgery of Snow’s ring to morph into Snow, but obviously that wasn’t it.  We are trying to figure out what she is using for her disguise.  If we can get that medium away from her, we can capture her and reveal who she really is!”  Mike smiled sympathetically at Raif and then took silent Liz’s hand, “I have no desire to go after the queen and thwart your plans.  I will help out in any way I can.  But please…I must be able to see Snow.  You have no idea what this whole ordeal has done to me.”  Liz squeezed his hand, “Yes I do.  I watch you every day.  It breaks my heart to watch you lifelessly perform your tasks when inside I can see the man within you dying.  I can read it in your eyes.”  She clasped both his hands in hers, “Oh Mike, please know that it was never my desire to see you hurt.  In fact, we have been trying our hardest to get this situation resolved as fast as possible.  I knew that Snow was weak.  I suspected that she was following you, and I feared that you would see her.  But I’m glad you have now, and I’m glad that we found you before you went to Margurite.  Now we are four-fold strong…well, five actually.”  Mike looked at her perplexed, “Five?”  Liz smiled,  Yes.  Jennifer knew before any of us.  She will help us.  We just have to figure out what Margurite’s tool is for morphing into Snow’s form.”   Suddenly, the group heard a familiar and frightening sound.  It was the sound of wolves howling.  Raif grabbed Liz’s hand, “Quickly, we have to get back to the village for our guns.”  The three ran for the Willows until they heard another familiar sound, a sound that made Mike stop in his tracks and whirl around…the sound of Snow screaming.

Thomas brushed the queen’s cheek with tenderness, then took her hand and kissed it.  If this was the only way to save his sweet Lily, then it was something that he would do.  The queen accepted his kisses graciously, but then pulled away somewhat, “So you would do this to save Lily?  You love her that much?”  Thomas didn’t know how to answer the queen.  He did not wish to anger her.  Yet, the truth had served him well so far, so he decided to stay with it, “Yes.”  The queen nodded then backed away slightly.  She stretched her hand out to him.  On her finger, was a large ring.  It looked like an oversized diamond encased in gold.  Thomas went to kiss her hand, but she pulled it back slightly, “No…take the ring.”  He looked at her confused.  Was she trying to bribe him? Or perhaps make him to be a part of her royal court?  “Take the ring, Thomas!”  Willing to do anything to save his Lily, he slipped the ring off of the queen’s finger.  Immediately before his eyes, there was a flash of light and some sort of movement there in front of him.  He had to blink, and even then he couldn’t believe his own eyes, “Lily?”

Stopping, Mike turned and headed for the scream of his Princess.  Quickly, Raif grabbed him, “Mike, no!  We must go and get the weapons to fight them!  We will never make it on our own!”   Mike screamed, “But she will never make it without our help!  She has nothing!”  Raif looked at a most worried Liz, “We will be able to help her better with the weapons we need.”  With tears now in her eyes, she knew he was right.  She grabbed Mike by the arm and nodded.  He looked to her and then rushed toward the village with a vengeance that she had never seen in him before.   As she followed behind she thought, “There’s my son-in-law.  He’s back!”  She wouldn’t allow herself to feel the fear of the wolves with her daughter.  She didn’t need that now.  They needed to get back to the village and get the ammo they needed against these wolves.

Raif grabbed his shotgun at his cabin while handing Liz a pistol.  Mike had grabbed his own hunting rifle being the Willows cook.  Liz also thought to grab Lily’s handgun that she left behind in her cabin as they headed back into the woods.  There was no time to explain to the others…besides, they didn’t want to alert anyone to their plan against Margurite.  It had been awhile since wolves had attacked the Willows.  But now that it had gotten very cold, it was going to become more frequent.   “Snow!”  They kept shouting as they ran closer to the emergency cabin.  Surely, she would have sought safety there.   As they approached the cabin, a wolf jumped out of nowhere at Mike.  Pure adrenaline shot the animal with his rifle…his desire to reach his true love.   Next, one came at Liz.  She shot at it with the pistol Raif gave her.  She missed.  She cursed under her breath as she wished she’d taken lessons.  The animal lunged for her throat as Raif quickly butted the beast with his rifle and then shot it as it came back for more.   They reached the cabin.   A wolf then suddenly jumped out of the cabin towards Mike.  Liz shot it through the heart with Lily’s handgun this time.  After a brief second to decide that she liked her other daughter’s weapon of choice, she then noticed that the door to the cabin was wide open.  She shuddered, now realizing the extent of her fear.  Frozen, she stood outside the shack…thankfully, there were no wolves left.  Mike, on the other hand, had no fear when it came to protecting Snow…HIS Snow.   He boldly entered the cabin, “Snow?  Snow!”  His urgent cries were answered with only silence.  His eyes fell upon a sight that paralyzed him in his tracks.  Raif rushed into the cabin with his shotgun ready, “What is it Mike?”  Mike could find no words as he stared upon his wife’s shoe.  It was her short black lace-up boot chewed to bits by a savage wolf over in the corner.   Raif’s eyes soon focused on what Mike stared upon, “Snow’s boot.”  Suddenly feeling stupid at his words, Liz entered almost in a trance as the realization of the situation finally hit her, “Baby?  Baby, where are you?”  As her eyes focused on the boot, they then glossed over before the visual set in.  She screamed.  Raif grabbed her and held her close.   Mike took the boot in his hands, “This should have been me.  God!  I left her when she needed me most!   This should have been me!”  His words were no longer comprehensible by Raif as he held a weeping Liz in his arms and at the same time observed Mike break down into sobs, taking Snow’s boot into his hands like a precious baby.

 

 

 

Chapter 131–“Ashes and Snow”

 

            Mike almost wished at that moment that a wolf would prance upon him and rip out his throat.  He would not fight back.  What was his life now without his Princess?  That imposter back at the village was not his Snow.  His love had been here all along…sleeping.  She had not been the cold and unfaithful Snow he thought.  How could he have thought such things?  He knew better.  He should have known, or at least suspected.  It didn’t matter now, though did it?  She was gone.  The room was fuzzy as he peered through tear soaked eyes, listening to the soft whimpers of his mother-in-law…her face buried in Raif’s chest.  The room was silent save the wind outside the cabin and a rustling noise in the chimney.  The chimney?   The rustling became louder and all eyes looked to the fireplace.  With a sudden ‘whoosh’ followed by a loud bang, a cloud of powdered ash flew into the room.  Amidst the smoke, they heard coughing.  Sparks lit up in Mike’s eyes, “Snow!”  Quickly he rushed to the mantle and through the clearing smoke, grabbed Snow up in his arms.  Liz also rushed over and held them both.  Snow continued to cough while Mike and Liz continued to cry with joy.   “Mike,” she coughed softly as he gently pulled back to look at her, “I wanted to tell you every time I saw you…but I couldn’t.”  Shhhh.”  He pressed his finger to her lips and smiled, “I know.  It’s OK…everything’s gonna be alright, my Princess.”  Liz sniffed and smiled as she choked on a half sob, half chuckle, “Well sweetheart, you’re covered in ashes!  Come on…let’s you get you home and cleaned up.”   As they helped Snow up Raif gained a mischievous grin, “You know Snow, Christmas Eve is only a day away.  Since you seem to be so good at coming down chimneys nowadays, maybe you could be the Willows’ Santa Claus!” 

            Liz shooed Mike out of the cabin so she could get Snow cleaned up.  Secrecy was of the utmost importance…they all knew that.  She’d just drawn a hot bath for Snow as she soaked comfortably in the warm water, “Oh dear.  I’m out of soap.   I’ll run over to Yvonne’s and get some.  She just made a new batch of floral scents.”  Snow cooed, “Oh, please if she has honeysuckle…?”  “Will do.”  Liz hurried out so the bath wouldn’t get cold.  Snow washed the ashes and soot off of her face with a wet cloth as suddenly her back was gently rubbed, “Wow, that was fast Mama.  What did you do, run to Yvonne’s?”  Snow was surprised to instead see Mike come around and kneel next to the tub, “Sorry.  I just to had to see you alone for just a few minutes.  I know I will see your mother’s wrath for this…but I don’t care.”  Snow smiled, “It’s OK.  I’m glad you’re here.  Now I don’t have to sneak around the woods to see you.  You’re right here with me.”  Mike gently scooped some warm water into his hands and rubbed her shoulder, “Where we belong…together.  Snow, I’m going to do everything humanly possible to get this resolved quickly.  We’ll get Margurite and be together again.  I promise.  But tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and I want to spend it with my Princess.  While Raif is reinforcing the emergency cabin tomorrow against wolves, you can stay here with me.  I’ll tell Liz to tell the others that I’ve caught a case of the flu…no one will want to come around me then.  We will have our own cabin to ourselves for Christmas Eve.  Please say yes, my love?”  Snow put her hand on his, “Well when you put it that way, how can I refuse?”   As Mike leaned in to kiss her, the moment was shattered, “MIKE!  What are you doing here?”  Mike quickly turned to see Liz standing over him with hands on hips, one of them holding a bar of soap.  “Sorry, Mum.  I just…I had to see Snow.  I HAD to!  You understand…right?”  With a surrendering sigh, Liz allowed a grin to escape to her lips, “Yes, I do.  Now be off with you…so I can get my daughter cleaned up for future visits.”  Happily, Mike took Liz’s hand and kissed it as he turned and left the cabin…although he still wished he could have kissed his Snow.

            “Lily?”  Thomas couldn’t believe his eyes.  In a flash, his Lily stood before him with a devious yet inviting smirk on her face.   “Who else?”  He wanted to believe it so badly, but still this could be a trick.  “Here, let me show you something else.”  She took the ring back and put it on.  Suddenly, he was looking at Tara. “See, this is why Tara didn’t know who you were…because I was the one who cared for you in the dungeon.  You wonder how?  Margurite has a dozen of these magic morphing rings sitting here on her table.”  She then took the ring off and appeared as Lily once again.  Thomas stepped up and touched her cheek, “I want to believe, but…”   She knew of his fears, “But you’re afraid this is just another trick?  I can totally understand that.   So ask me…ask me something only Lily would know.”  He knew just by looking into her eyes that this was Lily.  But still, he should be sure.  As he struggled to think of something shared between the two of them in private, she offered, “Well, your pet name for your wife was ‘bunny’…’bunny Beth’.”   With a relieved chuckle and knowing this was his Lily anyway, he rushed to her grabbing her up in his arms and kissed her passionately.  As he hugged her tightly, he remembered, “Elizabeth”.  He said the name aloud thinking of how the mother she’d never met was waiting back in the Willows.    Lily was mortified.  After all that torture that they had gone through with Margurite posing as his dead wife, Elizabeth, she thought all that was done.  Now to hear him say her name again while embracing Lily was too much.  She swallowed her surprise, and instead pulled back to look at him, “What?”  Thomas suddenly realized what he’d said and quickly added, “Elizabeth, your mother…she’s in the Willows!  She’s alive!  Snow awoke her from a magic spell in the mine.  She wants to see you, Lily.”  Her mother!  All these years, she thought her mother was dead.  She’s alive?  Lily gasped and choked as she took a step back.  Thomas caught her from falling and instead set her onto the queen’s bed nearby.  “My mother…my real mother is alive?”  Thomas sat beside her and smiled, nodding.  This was just too good to be true.  Tears formed in her eyes as she rested her hands on Thomas’ chest, “She’s alive?  She wants to see me?”  Thomas lovingly rubbed his hand through her hair and nodded.  She pulled him to her in a hug.  Her mother…she’d wanted to see her for so many years.  And now to find out she wants to see her too.  Lily sniffed as she felt Thomas’ arms tighten around her.  But she wanted this too.  Here they were in a luxurious queen’s bedroom and with no one to bother them.  She waited twenty years to see her mum…one more hour or so wouldn’t make much difference, right?  She pulled back to look at him as he smiled at her.   “You know, you don’t get a chance like this too often…being seduced by a queen.  Wouldn’t you indulge her majesty for a little while?”  Thomas resisted not at all, as Lily pulled him down onto the bed for a passionate kiss.

           

 

 

Chapter 132 –“Whispers”

 

            Margurite fidgeted with the family crest pinned against her breasts on Snow’s dress as she churned the memories in her head.  She closed her eyes and replayed the scene in her mind.  It was almost as if she were right back there…standing outside the jail.  Being always suspicious of the mysterious Mai, Margurite followed her to the jail that night.  She stopped outside the door and listened.  They had carelessly left the door open while they spoke.  Why shouldn’t she take advantage?  She pressed in closer as she heard the two of them.  It was just after Neville had walked in on them embracing in the jail.  Margurite held her breath as she listened to Tom telling Mai he didn’t think he could cover up her actions.  Mai was constantly denying any wrongdoing.  Tom seemed quite disturbed by it all, but his meaning was clear.  Closer she stepped, carefully avoiding crunching any dried leaves under her feet to alarm them of her presence…but she had to hear more--Tom ending it with Mai…Mai marrying Nev to spite him…Tom then turning to Natalie.  They were speaking of Natalie’s murder!  Damn that Mai!  She murdered Natalie in a fit of jealousy over Tom…while she was still married to Neville!  That whore!  Even then, Margurite became sick as she listened to the two of them engage in further romantic liaisons.  She couldn’t stand it any more.  Quietly, she slipped away and back to her cabin.  She slammed the door.  That was the final straw!  That tramp would pay for this…pay dearly.  And what better way to make her pay then to reveal the tramp’s little secret…on Christmas Eve.

            Liz had promised to convey the seriousness of Mike’s flu symptoms to the rest of the village so they would be sure and stay away.  Cheerfully, almost as if floating, Mike lit candles throughout his cabin.  They were the scented ones…Snow’s favorite.  He smiled when he heard the quiet knock at the door.  In the dark of the night, Snow could hardly be seen as her cloak blended into the darkness.  With a warm smile, Mike gently led her into the cabin by the hand.  As he turned to get a large poinsettia from the bouquet to hand to her, his breath was taken away by what he saw.  His Princess stood before him in an exquisite red velvet negligee with white fur trim…like a rather tempting Mrs. Santa herself.   Seductively, she pressed into him and moved her Santa hat from her head to his, “My, my!  What I’ve been missing while I was asleep!  I almost lost my husband, now didn’t I?”  Even though she smiled, Mike became serious and gently grasped Snow’s arms and rubbed them, “Snow, if I had ANY idea that wasn’t you, I would NEVER have…”  Shhhh,” she shushed him by pressing her fingers to his lips.  “It’s OK, my darling.  You were just doing what you thought I wanted.  You didn’t know it wasn’t me.”  He rubbed his hand against her cheek, “No, it isn’t alright.  I should have known it wasn’t you.  I should have known regardless.  She didn’t act like my Snow at all…yet I didn’t figure it out.  I feel so stupid!”  Snow took his hand, “Just like I didn’t know Edward wasn’t you that night.”  He snapped up to look at her with tears filling his eyes.  Her smile was a knowing one.  She was exactly right.  He had been upset that night thinking that Snow should have know that it wasn’t him she’d been with, but she didn’t.  He felt guilty after that for blaming her at all.  Now in Snow’s smile, he could see her understanding.  She knew exactly what he was going through.  He didn’t know it was the queen all that time just like she didn’t know it was Edward that night.  She read his realization in his eyes and smiled as she hugged him.  Still his tears fell upon the back of her negligee, moistening the white fur trim, “But I signed the papers.  We’re not married.  We’re…divorced.”  He choked on the word itself.  Snow pulled from him still wearing a knowing smile, “How can that be?  I signed nothing.  Both of us would have to sign for that to be so…and she isn’t me.  So…my dear husband…don’t think you’re getting rid of me that easy!”  In his realization, he breathed a sigh of relief just before quickly pulling Snow into him again.  He felt as if a weight was lifted off of his shoulders.  They were indeed still married.  And since only they knew plus Liz, Raif, and Jennifer, their time together must still remain a secret until Margurite’s morphing secret was discovered.  But right now, Mike did not care about all that…not at all.  All he cared about was the woman in his arms…his Princess, his wife…his life.  As a saxophone played ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ on the CD player in the background, he caressed her soft skin and brushed his hand through her dark silky hair.   They were the only two people in the world right now.  They swayed to the soft music, as Mike brushed his hand against her cheek…then kissed her ear.  As the snow gently fell outside the cabin window, the now reunited couple enjoyed their first night back together again in peace.

            It was Christmas Eve in the Willows again.  Folks were swapping gifts and stealing kisses under the mistletoe of course.  Ribold was glad to have Jennifer in his arms this year.  Last Christmas was a bleak one for him, and he was enjoying every minute of this one.  Dinger had been gone frequently since Karen left with Tyler.  Tonight was no different.  Stevie was a little down to not have his good friend Dinger there, but was cheered up when he was volunteered to entertain all of the village pups.  It was funny to see him with so many now quickly growing puppies all over the lad, licking and yipping at him!  Everyone had a good laugh over it.   Yvonne was proud to present the baby clothes that she had made for the twins to Kahlua and Ritchie for Anna and Adam.   Margurite patted Eddy on the shoulder as she rose from his lap near the fire and approached Duncan, “Duncan, could I please have a word with you in private?  There is something that I think you should know.  It’s about Natalie’s murder…it’s something I witnessed.”  Duncan looked to her in shock, then quickly took Snow’s hand and led her into the guest room in the back.  Perhaps the biggest surprise of the night came through the main hut door, rather than the chimney.  To Ribold’s surprise, Jennifer jumped from his lap as she squealed upon seeing their visitors, “Thomas!  Lily!”

 

 

 

Chapter 133 –“A Family Holiday

 

            Liz stood speechless looking at the face of her daughter…like her precious Snow, only with blonde hair.  Raif squeezed her hand, but she didn’t take her eyes off Lily.  Jennifer ran and hugged Lily and Thomas both followed by Kahlua and Yvonne.  As Lily scanned the room for her sister, her eyes stopped on another familiar face.  Mother and daughter caught eyes across the room for the first time.   It seemed as both were frozen in time.  There was a hush that fell over the room as they slowly walked towards each other.  They stopped barely a foot apart, both with tears streaming down their cheeks.  With the back of her trembling hand, Liz reached up and gently rubbed her daughter’s cheek.  In a childlike whimper, Lily tilted her head into her mother’s touch.  Liz inhaled a sob of joy as she pulled her daughter into a tight embrace.  Words weren’t needed, as none could adequately express their feelings.  Thomas approached the two of them as they parted.  Liz kissed her daughter on the cheek as she noticed Thomas now standing behind Lily.  Liz took his hand, “Thank you…thank you for bringing back my baby.”  He smiled and kissed her hand.   Lily sniffed, wiping her nose on the sleeve of her queen’s gown like a little girl in her mother’s arms, “I’ve wanted to find you for so long…just to find out who you were.  And then to know that you were still alive, and here in the Willows…”  She couldn’t finish, and Liz pulled her sobbing little girl into her arms.

            Duncan rubbed his neck as he pondered the things Snow had just told him in confidence about Mai…about Natalie’s murder.  As they re-entered the hut from the back guest room, Snow caught a glimpse of Liz with Lily. Margurite stopped and under her breath let out an unheard sigh of disapproval to think that now she would have to put up with the sister as well as the mother.  She then pondered what Lily did back in the kingdom while she was still here in the Willows.  She just hoped that her guards were looking after the interests of her court in her absence.  After all, she would be returning with a king…a new king.

            Lily caught sight of Snow and smiled.  She ran to her sister and hugged her.  As she pulled back, she looked into Snow’s eyes and for a second frowned.  What was this?  She did not know what evil lie beneath the blue eyes of this woman, but she knew it was not her twin sister.  Fearing that Lily may suspect, Marg covered quickly, “Lily, darling!  We missed you so!  I was so worried!  What were you doing in the kingdom for so long?  Liz…um, mother has been just beside herself.”  As she took Lily’s hand in hers, Lily noticed the bare hand where a wedding ring should have been, “And what’s been going on here, may I ask?”  She lifted Snow’s hand up in demonstration.  Quickly she pulled it back, “Oh that.  Well, it seems that you have quite a bit to catch up on.”  Liz gently put her arm around Lily’s shoulders, “Exactly…and I would love to hear all about it.  I haven’t even known of the existence of my Lily till recently, much less spoken with her.  We simply must catch up.”   Risking the awkward look of abandoning Snow, Liz lead Lily away from Snow and into the kitchen.  Marg was annoyed by the action, more because she wanted to know what Lily had been doing in her kingdom.  Kahlua couldn’t help but find it odd that Liz would favor one daughter over the other in such an obvious way.  Observing Kahlua’s curious interest, Jennifer quickly strolled over and began making conversation with her about the twins.  Raif nodded a wink of thanks in her direction for her quick thinking…and fortunately, a harmless wink that Ribold did not see.

            Finally, it was Christmas morning.  Everyone was talking about the woman Dinger found the night before in the lake.  With Mike suddenly coming down with the “flu” Liz had volunteered to cook the Christmas breakfast while the other women took turns to help tend to their newest visitor in the surgery.  “Poor Mike.  So he just came up with the flu just like that?”  Travis popped a biscuit in his mouth as Liz scrambled the eggs, never taking her eyes off of her task, “Mmhmm.”  Travis shook his head as he grabbed his mug of coffee and headed back into the hut, “Poor lad.”  As Travis left, Raif couldn’t help but chuckle in thinking that sympathy was probably not what Mike warranted at the moment having been alone with his wife all night in their cabin.  Cheerfully, Lily popped her head into the kitchen, “Merry Christmas!”  Liz immediately put her utensil down and stretched her arms out to her newfound daughter, “And a Merry Christmas to you!  I trust you slept well?”  Raif cleared his throat, “I hardly think so.  Thomas has his own cabin now since he moved out of ours.”  Liz turned and thumped him on the shoulder, “Reginald!  That’s not nice at all!   As she turned, she noticed her daughter turning a slight shade of red.  Quickly assuming that perhaps Raif was right, she cheerfully turned back to her eggs, “Well, I know that Snow will want to see you, so you will come with me to bring she and Mike their breakfast, right?  Just remember to keep it quiet from the others.”  Lily frowned, “Of course.  But it still bothers me to no end to think of that witch taking the identity of my sweet sister!  There could be no one so opposite of Snow portraying her!”  Liz whispered as if to hush the issue slightly, “I know that dear.  But if we can just hold out a while longer and keep the secret till we can discover what she is using to morph into your sister, then we can trap her.  Otherwise, goodness only knows what she will do!  If Mike can keep the secret dear, then I know you can.”  Lily nodded as she grabbed a stack of plates to help set the Christmas breakfast table.

            As Snow stretched and yawned, she opened her eyes to find her beloved smiling at her.  She returned the bright morning welcome with her own innocent smile, “I had almost forgotten how wonderful it is to wake up next to you my Prince.”  Mike brushed a strand of hair away from her face, “I could never forget the vision of your beautiful face shining back at me, Princess.”  He leaned down to kiss her.  As he brought a gentle caress down Snow’s face and neck, they were interrupted by a knock at the door.  They heard a muffled Liz’s cheery voice, “Merry Christmas!  You two up for some breakfast?”  Quickly, Snow sprung from the bed and toward her long velvet robe, whilst Mike couldn’t help but think that food wasn’t exactly what he was hungry for at the moment.  “Good morning!”  Liz resounded as Snow opened the door.  She hugged her mother and wished her a Merry Christmas as Liz turned to take the covered breakfast tray, with Raif toting the coffee supplies.  Snow squealed when she noticed who Liz took the tray from, “Lily!”  She grabbed her sister into a large hug.  Mike took the tray from Liz, “Thank you, Mum.  Merry Christmas.  So did Lily return last night?”  Liz removed the cover on the tray revealing a most scrumptious Christmas breakfast if Mike did say so himself, “Yes…she and Thomas.  But he doesn’t know about Snow…just Lily.”  Mike nodded in understanding as the two sisters continued to babble at one another.   They talked for the next few hours catching up on the latest regarding the kingdom and Margurite here in the Willows.  Liz was troubled at the news that the king was ill.  The news did not go unheard by Raif who took heed of Liz’s noticeable grief.  He would never wish ill on anyone, but the more his feelings for Liz grew, the more difficult that was indeed becoming.  Liz finally smiled again as she put her arms around her daughters, tears filled her eyes, “But this is what Christmas should be…a time with family.  I know that I can honestly say that this is the best Christmas I have ever had!”  “Me too, Mama,” was the response from her girls, her twins.  She had her daughters back…both of them…safe and sound, and just in time for Christmas.  And what a wonderful Christmas Day it was.  “What is Christmas without some carols?”  Snow led the group in Christmas carols on this glorious morning...this Christmas morning.  “I’ll be home for Christmas.  You can plan on me…”

 

 

 

Chapter 134 –“New Beginnings”

 

            “Should old acquaintance be forgot and never come to mind…should old acquaintance be forgot, in days of Auld Lang Sine!  HAPPY NEW YEAR!”  Kisses and hugs were exchanged throughout the main hut as Stevie noisily yet cheerfully blew his horn party favor and threw streamers and confetti in the air.  Kahlua tried to hide her displeasure at the confetti, as she wondered if she could then enlist his help to clean it all up later as well.  Intending to take Kahlua’s mind off of any unpleasant thoughts, with a babe in one arm Ritchie pulled her into him with the other, “Happy New Year, Duckfoot.”  Before she could reply or protest, he pulled her into a kiss.  Of course, the encounter did not go unnoticed by a most disheartened looking Duncan.  At the same time, Raif pulled Liz into a close embrace.  Then after a second thought, he simply kissed her on the cheek, “Happy New Year, Liz.”  She cheekily smiled back, “It certainly will be!”  Thomas simply glowed as he gently kissed Lily, promising her a private one of the same later on.  Perhaps the largest kiss is the one that received the most odd looks as Snow planted a good one on Eddy.  Yvonne frowned at this, and as she took a second look around the room, she was glad that Mike was not there to witness it.

            Mike was having his own New Years Eve celebration with his wife, the ‘real’ Snow.   Now over his ‘flu’, he’d secretly pulled back one of the bottles of the homemade wine for this night, plus one of the champagne bottles that Dinger and Kahlua had brought back.  He could get into terrible trouble with Dinger for taking it…but he’d simply worry about that later.  Right now, all he cared about was his precious Princess celebrating with him.   They danced to the soft tune of the saxophone playing in the background.  You’d almost swear the artist was in the room, rather than in the CD player.   Mike contemplated if this were the right time to give Snow the good news…maybe it should be a surprise?  Yes...a surprise for the New Year.  It was hard to keep such a lovely event a secret…but he must try anyway.   But then again, it’s quite hard to talk when one’s lips are occupied.

            Liz and Raif hurried in helping to clean the hut from the previous night’s New Year’s Eve party.  They knew that they were needed elsewhere.  Indeed Stevie was there helping to clean up the confetti and streamers.  They couldn’t count on too many others, however.  New Year’s Eve hangovers took most of their help away.  But they managed to get it all cleaned up in a reasonable amount of time…enough time for Liz and Raif to sneak a picnic basket of food and some decorations here and there for their special occasion that day.  Lily had a task of her own regarding the surprise.  Mike left early and quietly, while taking a few important items with him…leaving Snow wondering as she awoke all alone on New Year’s Day.  Barely before she could ponder a second thought as to where her husband had run off to so early in the morning, there was a knock at her door.  No sooner had Snow pulled on her robe and opened it, than her sister popped right in, “Happy New Year!  Hope you’re feeling well…’cause it’s gonna be a big day!  Come on, let’s get you ready.”  Snow was dazed and confused by her sister’s urgency, “Ready for what?”  “For Ben’s New Years Day luncheon!  It’s just going to be a few friends…you know, just the ones who know that you’re back.  That’s all.  It was sort of a last minute thing.”  “Oh.”  Snow was satisfied with her sister’s explanation while still trying to wake up and as her sister helped her get dressed. 

            “You did let Ben know, right?” Liz inquired to Mike as he entered the forest clearing where she and Raif were preparing.  “Of course.  I went to see him yesterday…told him the whole story.  He was delighted.  In fact, he should be here any minute.”  Liz turned as if suddenly remembering something important, “Oh Reginald…did you remember to borrow that…whatchamacallit from Jennifer?  You know, that thing that makes the instant little portraits?”  Raif smiled, “The Poloroid camera…and yes,” pulling it out of his coat pocket, “got it right here.   Liz, RELAX!  Everything is going to be perfect!”  Liz took a deep breath as Raif put his arm around her and rubbed her shoulder.  Unfortunately, Thomas was not in attendance of this particular celebration.  Lily had respected her mother and Raif’s wishes by not telling him about Snow’s presence in the Willows for fear that Margurite may grill him on the events that happened in the kingdom while he was there searching for Lily.  “Happy New Year everyone!”  “Happy New Year to you Ben!  Mike bent down to give his dwarf friend a hug as Max jumped up on him demanding his greeting too, “Yes, and a Happy New Year to you too, Max!”  Liz took Ben by the hand, “Thanks so much for doing this.  It means the world to us.”  Ben smiled, “No problem!  It’s my pleasure!  I get to do something nice yet again for two of my favorite big people!”  They chuckled as they heard a familiar voice in the woods, “My goodness…what a beautiful day!”  It was Lily…this was the signal to let them all know she and Snow were approaching.  “It’s a good thing that we didn’t have a blizzard today…she couldn’t have said what a beautiful day it was,” Raif jested.  Liz was mortified, “Don’t even jinx it like that!  That would be terrible for today!”  As Lily and Snow entered the clearing, Snow stopped.  “What’s all this?”  She was then speechless as it all hit her at once…poinsettias carefully placed around the clearing, just like this same time last year…Mike and Raif all dressed up wearing lapel flowers…Liz in her best dress…and in her arms, she held up Snow’s wedding gown, the one that had once been her own after all.  This was no surprise luncheon at all, thought Snow…this is a surprise wedding!  But who’s?  Was it really…for her?  Tears were already making their way down her pink cheeks as Mike approached her with a loving smile, “Since we now have your sister and mother here and…” he then hung his head somewhat, “…in lieu of everything that’s happened with Margurite and the divorce signing and everything, I thought this would be in order.  So, my most precious Princess…”  He then dropped to one knee and pulled out the ring…her ring…the one Margurite had taken from her when she put her under the sleeping spell months ago.  Snow let out a sob of joy in seeing that her most prized possession from her Prince was not lost.  “Snow my love, would you please do me the great honor of marrying me…again?”

 

 

 

 

Chapter 135 –“New Beginnings-Part 2”

 

           

            Snow tried to speak, but her efforts came out in a childlike whimper.  Instead she covered her mouth and nodded agreeably.  Mike smiled big, closed the ring box and stood to pick her up in his arms.  Liz hurried over to the couple, “Alright, look we’ve broken a major golden rule here already.  You’ve already seen the bride before the wedding…let’s not make it any worse!”  She quickly grabbed Snow and rushed her off to the nearby emergency hut, not giving either of the would be ‘newlyweds’ a chance to protest.

            Travis played with his hot tea as he nursed a headache from the previous night’s events.  “A little too much celebrating, eh, Travis?”  “Sod off, Eddy!”  Travis gave a quick scowl in Ed’s direction who laughed as Snow giggled on his lap.  This annoyed Travis all the more to think that Eddy of all people would have a woman on New Year’s Eve and he wouldn’t.  He refused to look yet again in their direction as he grouchily sipped at his weak hangover tea remedy.  As Duncan entered the hut with Tom, Snow couldn’t help but overhear them discussing something about the investigation and Mai still being gone.  She smiled to herself in thinking that surely the news she gave Duncan last week will have an effect on the investigation.  “Hmmm…it’s New Year’s”, she thought.  “Why not have a little fun?”  Granted that’s ‘IF’ Mai ever returns…and if she does, she’ll have some major surprises in store.  ‘Snow’ thought, perhaps she could add a few surprises of her own!

            “You look beautiful, Snow!”  “So do you, Lily.”  Snow had showed Liz the dresses that Mike had brought back through the mirror last year.  Liz was delighted to see her dresses again, especially her wedding gown.   There was even one dress that Lily had especially liked.   As her mother and sister primped Snow for her big day, Snow had to remind her mother more than once, “Mum, please don’t cry…you’ll make me cry!”  “You’re right, I’m sorry.  I just can’t help it, you know.”  Snow then looked to Lily, “And that goes for you too!”  Lily giggled, “Snow, it wouldn’t matter if we laughed or cried!  I expect you will cry during your vows again anyway!”  They both laughed.  Liz finished straightening Snow’s hem and Snow touched her mother’s cheek, “Thank you so much for all of this Mum…and Lily.  It means so much to me to have you both here for this…at last.”  Liz kissed her daughter’s forehead, “No, the pleasure is all mine.  I have to see my babies get married!  Both of you!”  She then turned to Lily, “So, my dear?  How about you?”

            Thomas could hardly believe his ears as Bart filled him in on the latest with Mai and Neville, “So Mai and Neville got married, just like that?  And then Mai cheated on him?”  “Something like that,” Bart said as he popped a few leftover breakfast sausage links in his mouth.  But I guess you don’t have to worry, eh Thomas?  Looks like you have Lily wrapped around your finger…or is it the other way around?”  He chuckled as Thomas smiled, “Well, I don’t know about that…but I’d say you’re right, it’s the other way around.  I’d never take that for granted, though…not until I can call her my wife.”  “So her past with Neville doesn’t bother you at all?”  Thomas gave a shy grin, “No.  That whole situation was just a big mix up.  She was going through a lot, and neither of us were really clear about our feelings at that time.  It’s water under the bridge, Bart.”  He patted Thomas on the back, “You’re a good man Thomas to be able to look past something like that…a good man.”  As the two men left the porch of the hut and headed for the stable, Tom emerged from around the corner as he pondered what he’d just overheard.  “Hmmm…Nev and Lily, eh?”

           

 

 

Chapter 136 –“It’s Not Over Till…”

 

 

It was an early morning in the first week of January and Mike came bounding through the hut with a sort of bounce in his step, “Good morning!”  He greeted the few men who were already having coffee in the hut as he whistled his way into the kitchen.  Raif had been talking with Duncan, when Duncan threw an awkward glance towards the kitchen where Mike had just disappeared, “What on earth?  I don’t think I’ve seen him this cheerful since before he and Snow were separated…have you?  He practically floated in here!  And he’s late on top of that.  Yet he sure didn’t look to be in any hurry like he usually is, now did he?”   Searching for a reply, Raif finally offered, “Perhaps he had a good dream last night.”  As Raif stood and headed for the kitchen, Duncan reached for his coffee, “Perhaps he could share some of those good dreams,” as he casually threw a smile to Kahlua who was knitting a sweater over in the corner.

            “I trust you had a good night…or good ‘nights’ I take it?”  Mike was beaming, “Oh yes, my friend.  I don’t think I’ve been this happy in all my life.  It’s like having a second chance at life itself, Raif!  Like all of the bad things that have happened in the last few months didn’t even matter!”  He stepped closer to his friend, putting down the cooking pot he’d had in his hand, “Did you ever have a terrible nightmare that you just couldn’t wake from?  You’d try and try…but you were just stuck there for what seemed like forever?  What that’s how I’ve felt for months.  But I didn’t think I would ever wake from it.  Nothing could be worse than a nightmare from which you would never wake.  Then one day, I pounced on a miracle disguised in a black cloak…my miracle, my Snow.  I awoke from my nightmare that day, Raif!  It’s like those dreams of mine that came true last year have finally come back…and even better than before!  God, Riaf…I feel like I could shout at the world and tell them how happy I am!”  Raif gently grasped Mike’s shoulders, “Shhhh…but Mike, I’m sorry to remind you that you can’t do that…not yet anyway.  Remember?”  Mike’s smile disappeared from his face and he nodded sadly.  Raif patted him on the back, “Look, Mike my friend, it won’t be that much longer…at least we’re hoping for an answer as quickly as possible.  With Lily back, she’s going to try her best to discover just where Margurite’s morphing power is stemming from.  But in the meantime, you have to be careful just how cheerful you appear around the others.  I know it’s hard…”  Mike cut him off, “You have no idea!  You don’t know what it’s like to lose the most important thing in your life…and then to find it again!”  Raif looked past Mike out the back door window and spotted Liz on her way to the hut.  He smiled at Mike, “Believe it or not, Mike…yes I do.  I really do.”

            “What’s on your mind, Snow?”  Margurite blinked, awakened from her plotting by Edward’s casual curiosity.  “Um…nothing,” she stuttered as she could think of nothing to speak of to take the place of her actual thoughts…those of Mai, Natalie’s murderer.  She had to pay…but how?  Marg had little faith in the investigation by Duncan and that bumbling newcomer, Tom…who was having an affair with the assailant as it was…and covering up the truth, no less!  Even though she told Duncan what she’d overheard, that just wasn’t enough.  There had to be something else that she could do to Mai herself…something more frightening than some harmless stupid trial…something perhaps more emotional stemming from deep down…something—sinister!

            “Hey Lily!”  Nev cheerfully strolled up to Lily as she restrung her psaltery instrument, “Oh, hi Neville.”  Her greeting was a friendly one, but also one that bore some discomfort from memories past events.  “I’m glad to see you stringing up your old instruments, Lily.  I’m looking forward to hearing you play again.  Here as of lately, we’ve been short on the entertainment with Snow not singing anymore and Duncan too busy with the investigation to play his part.  And no offense, but Stevie is in desperate need of some more training from you on the dulcimer.  He only knows that one song…and I’m sorry, but there are only so many times that you can listen to the ”Gypsy Folk Dance” before you go absolutely insane!”  It was good to hear Lily laugh again, thought Neville.  Although he knew it couldn’t be between the two of them any longer, it was good to have Lily back in the Willows as his friend again anyway.  “I just get you back here good, and you’re already making eyes at the other men, eh?”  Lily giggled as she took Thomas’ hand.  His eyes told her he was only kidding.  The two now had a strong bond of trust between them that would be hard to break with everything they had bee through together.  Neville felt the discomfort this time as he thought perhaps Thomas assumed his intentions may have been less than honorable.  Unseen by the trio, a bystander was watching their every move.   “Less than honorable, eh Nev?”  Tom could sense Nev’s thoughts, “You know lad, that may not be such a bad idea.  Perhaps it’s time that Mr. Thomas Killion didn’t see his precious gypsy in such a favorable light.” 

 

 

 

Chapter 137 –“Night of the Living Dead”

 

           

            The Other watched as Thomas happily re-familiarized himself with the smithy craft as he’d learned from Ivan.  The art came back to him quickly, as he’d already repaired two swords and sharpened Lily’s large machete.   He saw Neville approach him and greeted him with a friendly smile…something he found much easier now that Lily’s love for him was sealed, “Hey Neville!”  “Hey Thomas!  Have you seen Lily?  I wondered if she could make me another one of these Ocarina instruments?  He held a broken little round clay pipe instrument in his hand.  “I’m afraid mine broke…had a little accident with the bottom of my shoe, ya know?”  He chuckled.  “I’d hate to disappoint Stevie.  He really enjoys it when we play together.  Maybe I could see how she does it this time?  Then I wouldn’t have to keep bothering her, you know?”  Thomas set down his finished sharpened sword, “That might be a good idea…at least it’d keep Stevie happy, eh?  I think she was with Liz the last time I saw her.  They were at Mike’.  Oh there she is!”  Lily was heading for the hut coming out of Mike’s cabin.  Neville bid him ‘thanks’ and caught up with her on the way to the hut.  As the Other watched Neville’s request to Lily and her smile and nod in reply, the corners of his mouth turned upward, as a devious plan was suddenly set into motion in his head.

The setting was perfect, thought Margurite…a cold foggy night, a haggard and “on the edge” woman…namely Mai, and a perfect morph into what Margurite hoped would be…Mai’s worst nightmare. 

            Mai shivered as she walked to where she’d stashed her bike.  The cold moist fog didn’t help the aches and pains she had been feeling as of late, not to mention add to the eeriness she already sensed in her latest spell of nightmares.  “Damn it all to hell!”  She was looking forward to drowning out the eerie silence with the comforting and familiar roar as she begin to walk even faster through the cold towards her bike…her salvation, at least for that moment.  Perhaps it would knock some of those haunting images out of her head…she hoped it would anyway.  Suddenly she stopped dead in her tracks.  Was she dreaming again?  No, she was quite sure she was awake this time.  But to see what stood before her, she’d given anything for it to simply be one of those bloody nightmares.  But this was real…at least it seemed that way.  What was reality to her anymore, anyway?  Perhaps this was another one of those tricks she grew so tired of.  She blinked, thinking surely that it would simply be the trees in front of her that she saw.  But to her horror, the image remained…it spoke in fact, “Well, well…if it isn’t the devil herself?  I used to hear the Willows men say how ol’ Lucifer was probably a woman after all!  Now I know it’s true.”  Complimenting the swimmy feeling in her head, Mai now felt queasy in her stomach as well.  The image was a woman…a woman that she did not know.  It was the sight of her that made her queasy.  The woman had black stringy hair, all in a mess much like that of a witch.  Her clothes were worn and torn and faded.  Her lips were a poignant blue…such that it was obvious that she was lacking in oxygen. This may have been explained by the purple and black marks around her neck.  It looked as though the woman had been…strangled?  And her skin was white as a ghost…Mai gasped in her revelation.  This WAS a ghost!  “Did you really think you could get away with it?  Did you think no one would notice it when I suddenly disappeared?  Travis?  Nigel?  Tom!”  She stepped closer to Mai who backed off, preparing to fight…but how?  How do you fight a ghost?  It was now obvious to Mai that this was the ghost of Natalie…either that or a bloody fantastic reproduction!  “So tell me…how were you going to do it?  How were you going to get rid of my body without anyone finding it?  Did you think everyone was going to just pass my disappearance off as some kind of a ‘fleeing’ from a jilted lover?  Ha!  Anyone who knows me at all, knows that I would NEVER run from anything!  You fool!  You foolish bitch!  You will pay for this, you know!  You will pay for everything!”  Suddenly in the woman’s rage, Mai saw her eyes begin to glow an amber gold as she came at her.  Quickly, Mai picked up a large fallen branch and flung it at the woman.  It passed through the air as the woman’s image disappeared.  She heard the branch clang against the exhaust pipe of her bike instead.  Quickly, she looked all around her, wondering if the woman would return…perhaps sneak up behind her.  She trusted no one…least of all a ghost.  That is, if that’s what she was…Mai wouldn’t rule out anything at this point.  As she quickly searched about her, the dizziness in her head finally brought her to the ground as she waited for the world to stop spinning before her eyes.  What was happening lately?  What the BLOODY HELL was happening to her?!!!

 

 

 

Chapter 138 –“King Cakes and Babies!”

 

            Lily and Nev proceeded to the Willows lake’s edge, "Now, we have to find a type of dirt that we can hand mold into a type of clay." She spotted some mud on the bank, "There. This should do nicely." Lily took about half a handful of mud and formed a small clay ball. "Now, flatten it out just a bit like this…sort of like an oyster." Neville followed Lily’s lead molding the small clay mass in his hands. "Then with a string, cut it in half." With a strong length of string, they cut their clay balls in half. "We then dig out the middle of both halves like so." Lily had brought two spoons and a small pick tool. They proceeded to dig the middle out of the two halves, then with the pick tool, made different shaped holes in the small round objects. Afterwards, they added water to the edges of the clay halves and carefully put them back together and smoothed them around the edges. Finally, Lily held hers up, "Now, all we have to do is bake them in the oven for a little while!  Easy as pie, as Mike would say!”  Neville held his up in return and smiled, “Great!  Thanks, Lily.  I know Stevie will be thrilled to have his playing partner back.”  Neville helped Lily to her feet and they headed back to the Willows.

            Not too far from where the two were molding their round flutes, Thomas stood near a tree watching them out of sight.  Also not far away was another quite suggestive presence, whispering things into Thomas’ mind.  Perhaps the most damaging was the image of the two Thomas saw…although quite incorrect, “How dare they!  I thought Lily and I were in love!  How could she do it?  How could she turn right around and kiss Neville after everything that’s happened?”  Annoyed with the vision and with the tears starting in his eyes, he turned on his heel and started for the mill…his old place of solitude.

            The Willows were beginning to prepare for Mardi Gras.  Jennifer was deciding on a theme.  Secretly, she approached Snow, the real Snow, about what she thought might be a good theme for this year’s celebration.  Snow smiled at the honor of choosing the theme, but seemed somewhat sad as she offered her thoughts, “Well, we do have THREE new babies in the Willows…and since the King Cakes have babies in them too, maybe the theme could be ‘King Cakes and Babies’.”  Jenn formed a large smile on her face showing her beautiful white teeth, “Why Snow, I think that’s a wonderful theme!  I hate to take the credit fo’ it, though.”  Snow giggled, “It’s alright…I sure don’t want Margurite getting the credit.  You just go on, sweetie!”  Jenn hugged her, and then felt a hint of sadness that Snow wouldn’t be able to participate in the festivities this year.

            “Snow” was preparing the lunch trays in the kitchen to take to the surgery.  To her displeasure, Mike was in the kitchen again instead of Kahlua who’d been quite busy with the twins.  To her surprise, Mike was quite cordial and friendly…in fact, he didn’t act sad or strange around her at all like he used to.  “Snow” found this strange in and of itself.  But nevertheless she waved it off, not really caring, and grabbed up the luncheon trays for the folks in the surgery.

            Liz and Snow still helped with the celebration in ways they could.  They spent the evenings together sewing the Mardi Gras banners.  Snow fumbled with the sewing she was trying to finish as her mother told her of the recent occurrences in the surgery, “And then on top of Mai finally going stark raving mad, then there’s Margurite!…posing as YOU of course, and acting so sweet and darling bringing everyone their lunches.  It made me want to vomit!”  She looked over at her daughter who seemed to be lost in another world somewhere, “What’s the matter, darling?  You seem so distracted.  Are you all right?”  Snow looked at her mother, finally shaken from her trance of thoughts.  She smiled slightly, “Yes Mama.  I’m sorry…I just have a lot on my mind.”  Liz frowned, “It’s Mardi Gras, isn’t it?  You told me how much you enjoyed it last year when you and Jennifer and the others had such fun planning the festivities, and now you’re stuck here…and away from all the fun this year.  I’m sorry.”  Snow sighed, “Well, I guess that’s part of it…but not completely.  It kind of has to do with what I was talking to Jennifer about earlier.”  Liz put down her sewing and took Snow’s hands in hers, “Snow dear, what is it?  Please tell me.”  The Princess looked shyly up at her mother as tears begin to well up in her eyes, “Mama…I think I’m pregnant.”  Liz gasped as a huge smile crossed her face, “Snow!  That’s wonderful!  No wonder you have been distracted.”  But then Liz’s smile faded, “But why do you not seem happy?”   Snow sniffed as the tears began to flow down her cheeks, “Because…because I don’t think it’s Mike’s baby.”

 

 

 

Chapter 139 Nine –“King Cakes and Babies!…part 2”

 

            Liz dropped her sewing, the purple, gold and green banner hitting the floor, “Not…Mike’s?  How could the baby not be Mike’s?”  Just as soon as she asked the question, the realization came to her and she resounded a disgusted groan, “Edward!  The bastard!  But Snow, are you sure?”  Snow shook her head as she looked down at her sewing without really seeing it, “No.  But it’s just as bad as NOT being sure that it’s Mike’s, you know?  Since my body was suspended in sleep all that time from Margurite’s spell, there’s no telling.  I hadn’t even been around Mike till recently.  I’m certain that this happened before the spell.  But I have no way of knowing when or who.   Oh Mama, what am I going to do?  I can’t tell him…it would break his heart.  And I will NOT open that wound all over again.  What am I going to do?”  Liz reached out to her baby and cradled her as Snow wept against her bosom. 

The day finally arrived and all were in good spirits…well almost all.  Thomas again retreated to the mill for the second day in a row, while Lily wondered where he’d gone off to.  While Kahlua and Duncan got the King Cake babies and the honor to ride atop the float, Ritchie was left with the twin babies in his care…with the help of Liz of course.  After hearing the news that she may soon become a grandmother, she made it a point to secretly get in some more practice with the present Willows babies.  And after “Snow” was finished bringing the lunches to the surgery in her newfound duties, she even decided to see what the fuss was all about.   Edward nudged her, “You’re supposed to say ‘Throw me somethin’, mister!’…you know, like Jennifer?”  Marg looked over at Jennifer beaming with excitement over one of her favorite holidays and frowned.  She had never liked that so-called white witch, and didn’t much like seeing her so happy either.  “Why?  Why on earth would I want one of those tacky and cheap plastic party favors?”  Just at that moment, one of the strings of beads came flying from the float, hitting Marg square in the eye, “Ah…Ouch!  Damn it!”  Eddie looked at her curiously.  He had never heard Snow swear before he didn’t think.  “Snow” turned and stormed off toward the surgery, as she muttered back at Edward, “Enjoy the festivities, Edward.  I have work to do.”  She rubbed at her eye and thought about how much more fun she would have in tormenting Mai than standing around watching a pack of idiot monkeys play!

“Have you seen Thomas?”  Lily looked up at Travis with pleading eyes as though willing him to know where he was.  He tore his eyes from the festivities around the float long enough to answer her, “Actually, yes.  I saw him head to the mill a while ago.  But I don’t know if he’s still…”  But Lily was gone before he could finish his sentence.

“What are you doing back so soon?  You decide to leave early?”  Snow asked with a hint of pleasant surprise in her voice that Mike would choose her over a party.  He winked at her, “Of course.  What’s a party without you, my love?  Besides, the celebration is right here…we can have a Mardi Gras party all our own.”  He held up a bottle of champagne and a string of purple beads.  “The purple ones are lovely.”  As she touched the beads with her fingers, Mike smiled, “Purple for royalty…for you Princess.  Hmmm…now let’s see.  What was that phrase that Jennifer said you had to yell to get beads thrown at you?”  Snow grinned, “Throw me somethin’, Mister!”  “Ah yes…that was it.”  But as he was about to put the beads around her neck, she stopped him, “But I didn’t say I wanted those beads just now.  Now did I?”  Mike returned her devious grin, “Oh?  Well, then what do you want me to throw, then?”  She rubbed her hands across his shoulders and down his chest, “Perhaps you’d want to throw ME onto the bed?”  Mike was happy to oblige the Princess.  With a loud squeal of delight, he tossed Snow onto the bed and then joined her.   Lovingly, he took her in his arms and caressed her back and shoulders while he kissed her and told her how much he loved her.  Snow basked in the feel of his arms around her, to hear his gentle whispers to her, to breathe in his scent.  Then he began kissing her neck.  How she loved it when he kissed her neck.  With a quiet sigh, she pushed all bad thoughts away.  For now was not the time to address the issue of Edward and the baby.  Perhaps there would never be a time to address it.  Oi, Mike!  You alright in there?”  Mike let out a hiss as he stood up from the bed.  The familiar voice of Stevie brought back an all too familiar déjà vu of when the good-intentioned man would have the most talented intuition for interrupting he and Snow.  Mike chucked to himself to think that it would be any different now than it was then.  “Yes, Stevie…everything’s fine.  Why?”  “Well, I was jus’ walkin’ ‘ome an’ got worried when I ‘eard squealincomin’ from yer cabin.  I thought you were in pain.”  Snow giggled then clasped her hand over her mouth as Mike smirked in her direction, “Oh no, everything’s fine.  That was just…um…that new opera CD that showed up in the last crate we found in the woods, you know?”  Snow had to fall face down into her pillow to stifle her laughter as Mike tried his best to stifle his own.  Oi, OK Mike.  Well, g’night.”  “Night, Stevie.”  After waiting a few beats to be sure that he was out of earshot, Snow said coyly, “Mike, I didn’t know you liked the operatic music styles?”  With a sly grin of his own, he offered, “Anything to get you to squeal for me, love!”  With this, he came at Snow with a tickling vengeance like no other!

Thomas was at the mill after all.  Curiously, Lily found him sitting near the fireplace staring into the ashes, but with no fire lit.   “Thomas?  What are you doing here?  You’re missing all the fun.”  Thomas did not turn to look at her…it would surely have been too painful.  “I just wanted to be alone, that’s all.”  Not taking the hint, for surely it wasn’t directed at her, she came and sat beside him.  She lovingly put her arms around his shoulders, “What’s wrong, darling?”  Thomas sighed heavily, “Aren’t you addressing that to the wrong man?”  Lily frowned in confusion as she tightened her arms around him a little more, “What are you talking about?”  Then he turned to face her, forcing her arms to drop from his shoulders.  It took an extra second for him to get his words out after catching sight of her, “I’m talking about you and Neville.  You were quite friendly the other day at the river.”  Lily half smiled and shook her head, “Well, yes.  I was helping him to make an ocarina flute so he could play with Stevie.”  Looks more like he wanted to play with you.”  Lily tutted, “Now what is THAT supposed to mean?  You didn’t seem to have a problem with me being his friend before now?”  Thomas stood, “That’s because at the time, that’s what I thought you were…his FRIEND!  Now I see that’s all changed again.”  He quickly turned and headed out of the mill.  Stunned, Lily stood and watched him till he was out of sight, pondering what had just been said.  She then ran after him.  Catching up to him, she ran ahead of him and stopped, turning to face him, “Thomas, what’s gotten into you?  I haven’t done anything to lead you to believe that I’m involved with Neville.  We went all through this a long time ago.  You know that it’s YOU I love.  It’s always been you.  I don’t understand what’s come over you.”  Thomas tried to think through the cloudiness that had mucked up his mind the last few days.  He couldn’t explain it…it must have been some sort of flu.  And although it had made him a little more grouchy than normal, he knew what he had seen the other day at the river between the two.  “Lily, don’t try to deny it!  I saw you two at the river…you and Neville.”  “Yes, we were making flutes.”  “You were KISSING…and quite well I might add!”  Stunned, Lily tripped over her words, “K-kissing?  Me and Nev?  Oh, don’t be ridiculous!  Is this some sort of Mardi Gras joke, like what they call ‘April Fools’ or something?”  She smirked, but her smile faded when Thomas’ scowl did not change.  “You really had me going, there Lily!  Boy, wasn’t I the fool!  First you reel in Neville…then me.  Who’s next?   Travis?  Nigel?  Or better yet, why not go for a real challenge and chase after your ex-brother-in-law.  Of course, he’d probably be too easy since he’s so lonely now and you look so much like his adulterous ex-wife!”  On instinct Lily slapped him hard across the face, “Don’t you EVER talk like that about my sister again!”  Thomas didn’t react to the strike, but simply retorted as he walked past her, “I don’t know why I ever went after you through that bloody mirror!  You’re not worth it.”  Somehow Lily managed to wait till Thomas was out of sight before her sobs began.  Not wanting to be seen, or to see anyone else for that matter, she sprinted to the barn as fast as she could.  She had to get to her place of solitude…her ‘little crying corner’, as it were.  But she did not run into the barn unnoticed.  A concerned friend spotted her and followed not too far behind.

 

 

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