Page 92 of Forget Me Not

Ray reached for candied fruit slices, since he didn’t know Lis’ tastes and also didn’t think it really mattered in that moment. He’d thought fairies didn’t get jealous. Obviously, he’d been wrong.

“I think he bought it,” Cal assured his mother. “No one else has been trying to keep him. None of the older fairies would dare.”

“This really isn’t important right now,” Calvin tried to say.

“You wouldn’t lie to me and yet I don’t believe you,” Lis replied, as if fascinated.

She then must have turned to Cal, because Cal took a breath and then his voice came out high and stressed. “Mom, you know what? Weshouldgo outside. We can talk out there. But first, I will turn the TV up.”

“Cal,” Ray said, meaning to be heard.

“Outside, so I can tell her about today, Ray Ray!” Cal called back, much too brightly. “Dad, you can come too, if you want.”

Ray couldn’t tell if Calvin wanted, but Calvin followed Cal and Lis to the backyard all the same. Cal, as promised, turned up the volume on the television. Not to deafening levels, just enough to mostly drown out Cal telling his mother about the events of Guerrero’s… or maybe giving her more information about what happened to Ray, and then telling her what happened in Guerrero’s.

Ray heard “magic” more than once, and “police” and then stopped listening for words and strained to hear only signs of distress from Cal that meant Ray should go out there.

Minutes ticked by. One and a half syndicated sitcom episodes finished. The news came back on. Ray arranged the candied fruit slices on a plate and put it on the table. He started a full pot of coffee. He ate a candied piece of pear while he waited for the coffee to brew, then wrinkled his nose and spit the candy out and hid it in the trash.

He had just refilled the sugar bowl when the back door opened and the others came in. The volume on the TV lowered, sparing Ray from whatever City Hall outrage was the topic of discussion today. The others weren’t speaking. Calvin, for one, could not have much energy to spare after reliving all of that again.

Ray poured two cups of coffee, added a lot of sugar to one since he didn’t know if Lis liked syrup, and went into the living room.

Cal was pacing in small, agitated circles by his desk but stopped when Ray appeared. Calvin and Lis were on opposite ends of the couch. Ray gave Calvin the black coffee, then bent down to hand Lis the cup with sugar.

“I can get milk—creamer,” he offered.

Lis accepted the cup without taking her eyes off him. “Hello, Ray. I hope we didn’t upset you, taking so long out there. I’d ask how you’re doing but…”

“You can see my colors?” Ray guessed.

Lis gave him a smile, warm but a little sad. “They aren’t that bad, truly. You’re just… missing something. Thank you for the coffee.”

“If you need more sugar, I can get that too.”

Cal sniffled. Ray glanced up sharply but saw no traces of extra sparkles on Cal’s face. Just a glowing, pleased expression that Ray didn’t know what to do with.

Lis called Ray’s attention back. “An older fairy’s taste is not the same as a younger fairy’s.” She blew on her coffee, then had a sip. “This will do.”

Calvin was holding his cup in both hands, not drinking.

Ray looked back at Cal, then passed him to return to the kitchen. He came out with a cup heavy on both creamer and sugar.

Cal hummed as he took it. “Thank you, Ray Ray.”

Ray got his own, light on the creamer, and the plate of candy, and left that equidistant between Calvin and Lis before coming to an awkward stop next to Cal. “Do you need anything?” he asked Cal quietly.

“Shit, we freaked you out, didn’t we?” Cal put his cup down to loop his arm in Ray’s. “I thought you wouldn’t want to hear it all again right now, but not having us around worried you more. Next, you’ll be hunting game for us and leaving it on the porch. This is why we don’t keep secrets, Raymond.”

“Raymond again,” Ray huffed.

“I don’t think playing housekeeper will help calm you any, Ray,” Lis remarked and twisted around to give Ray a sweeter smile. “You mean well, but the kitchen is not your area. And if you’re trying to impress me, we’ve already met. This is a ‘Meet the Parents’ only to you. I can handle the kitchen stuff while I’m here. I do it all day anyway.”

“Kitchen stuff?” Ray looked at each of them in turn, lingering on Calvin. Calvin was silent, gaze fixed on his coffee. Whatever they had said out there, Calvin looked as shaken as Calvin was capable of looking. Hardly noticeable to strangers, shocking to Ray, although Ray was sort of a stranger to him and sort of not.

“Yes.” Lis was serene, or appeared to be. “In fact, let me go see the state of it—all random sweets, knowing Cal, no actual fruit or even grains. Cal can help me, while you and Calvin do what you two do best.”

Ray had no idea what that meant. Calvin finally looked up, meeting Ray’s curious stare, but he didn’t fill Ray in.

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