cupping their hands around their mouths and jumping. I waved and felt a sharp tug on my other hand. Gerald had fainted again and lay toes up on the shelf. I knelt beside him.
“Gerald,” I said. “Wake up.”
Gerald cracked an eyelid. “Are they still there?”
“The dryads? Of course, but they’re nothing to worry about.”
Gerald shut his eye. “Make them go away.”
“I will not. They’ve been nothing but helpful to me. I’ve been searching for you for hours. Come on. Get up.”
“Hours?” Gerald opened his eyes to slits. He looked exceedingly suspicious, even for him. “Really?”
“Yes, Gerald. Hours. Now we have to get back home to Iris and the baby.” I propped him up into a seated position.
Gerald stared at the dryads. “What are they made of?”
“Flesh, like you and me. They just paint themselves to look like wood.”
“Why?” he asked.
“I guess they like wood a lot.”
“I like wood,” said Gerald.
“It would be strange if you didn’t. We are wood fairies, after all.” I pulled him to his feet. “We have to go. Iris is waiting.”
We dove off the edge of the shelf and flew to the water fountain. I kept a sharp eye on Gerald, but I needn’t have bothered. He kept as close as possible without us colliding. I landed near Soren and Gerald landed behind me, grabbing my hand. I began to think he wasn’t so bad after all.
“So you’ve found your little boy,” said Soren, towering over us.
Gerald stepped out from behind me and dropped my hand. “Little? Who said I’m little?” He eyed me. His face was back in its usual resentful expression.
I sighed. Truces with Gerald never lasted long. Dealing with him made me tired again.
“Gerald, it’s just a description. I had to tell them what you look like,” I said.
“I’m not little,” Gerald bellowed.
A chuckle ran through the crowd of dryads. Some of them clamped shut their painted lips together in order not to laugh out loud. Soren and I exchanged a look of understanding. I would’ve laughed myself if I hadn’t been sure it would’ve chased Gerald off and I didn’t have the strength to go after him. Instead, I patted his shoulder.
“I didn’t mean you’re little. You’re just the right size for you,” I said.
“All right then,” said Gerald, still glaring up at Soren, who was at least three times as tall.
“We need to get home,” I said.
“You know where we are, if you need us.” Soren glanced at Gerald. “Come to us for anything at all.”
Gerald crossed his arms and stuck out his chin. “We don’t need any help. I can handle anything.”
“Of course,” said Soren. “Matilda, come and visit us if you can.”
I crossed my arms. Not in an attitude of resentment, but one of restraint. I wanted to hug Soren and have him hug me. It’d been so easy being with him. I didn’t want to leave, but my need to get back to the mantel was greater. Soren touched my cheek and I turned, swallowing down the sadness of leaving him.
“Come on, Gerald,” I said as I flew off the water fountain.
I glanced back to make sure Gerald was right behind me. He was, keeping close as before. Then I pivoted in the air and hovered. All the dryads were climbing down the side of the water fountain, except Soren. He stood in the same spot, waving at me.
“Thank your mother for me,” I yelled.
Soren yelled something back. I couldn’t make it out. Gerald flew past me and stuck out his tongue. I sped up and passed him easily. We soared over rows of furniture and past glass cases. I led the way back to our mantel and I didn’t need good ears to do it.
The antique mall began to feel cozy and quiet with fewer humans milling around. I forgot that I couldn’t hear them and just enjoyed the wind rushing past me. Everything was going to be fine. Soren had said so and he’d been right about everything else. We’d found Gerald and he wasn’t dead. If I could find my way through the antique mall, I could get us back with