I slowly shuffled into the café and poured myself into a corner booth. I placed my sandy feet on the bench across from me. Swearing under my breath, damn! My feet were already swollen and it wasn’t even 9:00!
Old Dan appeared and wordlessly sat my order down. I chuckled to myself as I poured hot milk into my coffee and stirred in cinnamon from a bottle he placed in front of me. Remembering Old Dan when he was Young Dan. Forty or so years ago, back when his father Old Dan ran this place and Young Dan ran to keep up.
I heard the door open and turned to see three young girls walk in. Breathtaking children I thought. No, not really children but their age was difficult to guess. They wore bikini tops and long flowey hippy skirts. Grains of sand clung to their arms and bangles shimmered and clanged on their wrists. Their long red tresses cascaded down their backs. Sisters it appeared. All alike in willowy stature. The tallest walked to the bar and asked for a glass of water with two lemon slices. Old Dan seemed to be caught up in their intrigue and stumbled to get her request. The other sisters giggled and stole sugar packets from the table.
Water Fairies I thought to myself but shook my head at a silly old woman’s musing. As she finished her water the taller sister reached for a few coins to leave on the table, but Old Dan refused the money and pushed it back into her perfectly formed hand. “It was my pleasure Miss”. She flashed a brilliant and knowing smile as she signaled the others to go. She caught my eye or was it my stunned look of possible recognition? As she floated by she winked at me and lifted up her skirt. In that glaring Florida morning sun I swore I saw not bare feet but a splash of emerald green. A tear slid down my face as I remember a wish I once confided to a water fairy, something about growing old, in a small sea side town.
Author's Note: If you enjoyed this story, please see my upcoming interview with Tina Verduzco on Creativity Portal, to be published in November. For more information about Water and Wine Fairies and Tina's artwork, visit http://www.casadelunasea.com/.
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