Courtyard, PatioWelcome to Fantasy Friday! As I launch my blog makeover, I want to make a few promises to keep me honest: 1. I promise to post something new three times a week; 2. I promise that I will try to include a photo, which will continue my traditional photo blog; 3. I promise that I will fail miserably on all promises at least once or twice. Hey, nobody’s perfect! That said, I’d like to start by instituting Fantasy Friday: a day where I let my imagination run wild and ask you to do the same.

Today’s post was inspired by a courtyard where I live. A stone walkway meanders through it, and nestled amongst green, purple, and yellow growing things are iron lattice tables and chairs. I love patio furniture. I love how it always looks as if someone has just been there, or might still be there. Who sits there? What do they talk about? Did they find a bit of magic there hidden among the plants? Imagine, for a moment…

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“Beautiful. You could feed a small country with that.” Beth took a long drag off her cigarette. She inhaled the smoke deeply, letting it penetrate every fiber of her being before turning her head to blow it out.

Sarah frowned, and pulled her hand back. She examined the ring on her left hand and giggled. “Well, if it doesn’t work out at least I’ll be well fed.”

“So I take it you said yes.”

“Of course! I’d be silly not to. I mean, look at this ring. Look at it!” Sarah held it out for inspection again. She turned it this way and that in the sun. It twinkled and split the sunlight into a kaleidoscope of colors.

“Does he see you?”

“What do you mean?”

Beth held the cigarette out to the side and leaned forward. “Does he SEE you.”

“We are going to have the most beautiful children. I’d like two, a boy and a girl.”

“Sarah.”

Sarah looked at her. The happy smile crumpled.

“Sarah, does he see you?”

Mary’s eyes filled with tears. “Not yet.”

“You have to show him, Sarah. It’s not right.”

“I will. When the timing is right.”

“I’d say the right time has long since past. You can’t marry him without telling him. You can’t marry him in a church at all. What’s he gonna say about that?”

“It’ll be fine. I’m sure it will.”

Beth took another long hit on the cigarette, then dropped it. Her heel crushed it into the stone under them.

“Sarah. You know I love you. I love you like my own sisters, all 12 of them. But you have to tell him. Before the month is out.”

“I know. I’ll…tell him. I will.”

Beth looked at her friend. It hurt to see the unhappiness scattered across her face. She felt like she’d kicked a puppy. She stood up.

“Give me a hug.”

Beth squeezed her friend tight, then whispered in her ear “see you tonight. It’s half-moon tonight, you know what that means.”

“Half Turn, I know. I’ll be there. I’ll…bring him with me. It’ll be easier to show him anyway, and I’d like you to be there when I do.”

“So he can’t run?” Beth grinned.

Sarah flashed a watery smile.

Beth took her friend’s hand. “It really is beautiful, Sarah. Can’t wait to meet him.”

She gave her friend a final hug, then stepped back. Her eyes flashed blue fire, then the rest of her lit up in a column of blue flame.

When the fire was gone, Sarah stood alone in the courtyard. She sat down at the table and looked at her ring again.

“Maybe I’ll bring him next month,” she whispered.

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Now it’s your turn! What do you see when you look at this simple scene? What do you imagine happened there?