Page 33 of A Bear in a Birdbath

Eva was bouncing slightly in place, light as a dandelion fluff. “Margo, I will never forget how kind you were to me when I had nothing, and now you’ve given me everything. Bruno, I was afraid of so much when we met, and you made me feel brave again. The two of you together complete me, and I swear my love and life to each of you forever.”

Eva kissed Margo, standing on tiptoe as Margo bent over, and it was a fluttery kiss full of promise, just like their very first one. Then Margo stood up and kissed Bruno, and it was a lingering kiss, pressed close together. While she caught her breath, Bruno turned to Eva and swept her into a third kiss that was barely civil, as the audience burst into applause.

The sweaty clerk shook all of their hands and looked happy to escape with a plate from the reception buffet.

There was a tower of gifts, ranging from very practical (a new stand mixer and a smoked sausage subscription) to very tongue in cheek (a boxed DVD set of Threes Company).

Bruno was alarmed to find a card from the Faery Queen (who went by Queen Katerina now) in with the gifts, but Eva opened it fearlessly.

This gift is not equal to the forgiveness you have granted me, but I hope it starts to heal the wounds that I caused.

Love forever,

Queen Katerina

The card had a triskelion on it that glowed in blue and then vanished as Eva gave a gasp of wonder. Bruno growled and spun, looking for some trick or trap, and found that wings had sprouted from her shoulders in glowing blue.

Margo brushed her hand through them suspiciously. They dragged like smoke along her fingers, then coalesced behind them.

“Do they hurt?” she asked.

Eva sighed in joy, turning her head to see them. “No, not at all. It’s perfect.”

“Well that certainly overshadows our gift,” Frank said, not sounding that disappointed. He handed Eva an envelope as well. “Tobias and I, with Harriet and Anita, took care of the debt you had outstanding with Antonio.”

Eva gave everyone hugs, and Bruno shook everyone’s hands, and Margo even smiled.

Much later, Bruno soaked with Eva and Margo in the honeymoon suite of the fanciest hotel in the city, which was saying a lot. His huge copper tub was installed there, filled with steaming water and floating with flowers. The sale had secured his expenses for at least a year, and he had a mate and a wife on each side of him.

“You never did tell us what the Queen offered you to give up your challenge,” Margo observed, dragging her fingers through the wet, curly hair on Bruno’s chest.

Eva squirmed out of his embrace and sat up to stare down at him. “It made you blush,” she pointed out. “It must have been good.”

Bruno groaned and tried to slip down deeper into the tub. Even now, his ears were heating.

“Tell us!” Margo commanded, splashing him.

“Tell us!” Eva echoed, tickling him.

Bruno chortled and caught Eva under one arm as he rolled away from Margo, who followed until they were all grappling in one confusion of waves and limbs. The mat beside the tub was already soaked.

“I give up!” he finally said. “Eva’s elbows are too pointy.” They settled back into comfortable shapes together, warm and floaty in the bubbles and rose petals.

“What did she offer you?” Eva asked. “Unlimited riches?”

“Fame as an artist equal to Frank’s?” Margo guessed.

“A lifetime of Faery food?”

“A coffee cup that never goes cold?”

“A new hammer for your next bathtub?”

Bruno sighed. “It’s…sort of a tool…”

“You’re blushing again,” Eva pointed out.

Bruno slid down and lowered his face into the water. “Oo ox,” he said into it with bubbles.

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