A Loving Fairy Tale

"We'll be together forever now," she said.

"I've missed you so much," he told her.

"No more, my love."

He grinned. "Ready to go again?"

"In a little while. Jeff and Sarah are waiting on us."

She lifted off and stood next to the bed. Reaching into the shopping bag she had brought, she handed him a t-shirt and trousers. He sat up and put them on as she put on her dress. Reaching into the bag again she handed him a pair of sandals. When fully dressed both stood and embraced.

"Say goodbye to the shell," she said, pointing at the lifeless old man in the bed.

He turned and seeing his, now lifeless, corpse, pulled the sheet up covering it. He took her hand, and both stepped out of the room.

Sarah and Jeff gasped in disbelief as they stepped out.

"Who's the old fart now?" he asked his son, grinning.

Jeff had no words as he embraced his father. Dennis turned to Sarah and took her in his arms. She was crying and looked at Eide.

"I believe now," she said.

"You always did. You had just forgotten. Your dad and I are going outside. Give us a couple of minutes then ask the nurse into the room so she can do whatever nurses do," Eide told her.

Eide and Dennis walked down the hall toward the nurse's station and front door.

"Have a wonderful evening," Dennis told the nurse as they passed.

"Thank you. You do the same," she replied.

Jeff and Sarah stepped back into the room and saw the lifeless body.

"This gets stranger by the minute," Jeff said.

"I think we're going to need to write an epilogue for dad's book."

"It looks that way. Let's go get the nurse," he said.

They walked to the nurse's station hand in hand. She looked up as they stepped up.

"My dad just passed. Thanks for taking care of him," Jeff told her.

"You're welcome. I'll let hospice know," she replied.

"Thanks," Sarah said.

Jeff and Sarah stepped outside and walked to where Dennis and Eide stood. They were kissing again.

"So, what happens now?" Jeff asked.

"I'm starved. Any chance we could get something to eat?" Dennis asked.

"Pizza! Oh my god. I haven't had pizza in fifty years," Eide said excitedly.

"Riding with us?" Jeff asked.

"Not much choice. We have to travel like everyone else in these bodies," Eide replied.

"How did you get here?" Sarah asked Eide.

"I flew as far as Walmart then took this form so I could get his clothes. From there, I walked."

"Walmart is five miles from here," Jeff said, with his brow furrowed.

"It was a bit of a walk."

They got in the car and drove to Garcia's pizza. Jeff remembered how much Eide had loved it. They chatted as they ate.

"It's weird seeing you both so young," Jeff said.

"It's weird being young again. Nothing hurts," his father replied.

"Are you going back to the Fey now?" Sarah asked.

"Tomorrow probably. Tonight, were making love again in this form. It's a bit different. Kinda nice actually," Eide replied.

"Different how?" Jeff asked.

Eide grinned. "Appendages are a little more pronounced. That's all I'm saying."

"Will we see you again?" Sarah asked.

"I was thinking that we should let you meet your little sister. How about Christmas?"

"I'd love that," Jeff said.

"It's settled then," Eide replied.

"Is it safe for dad to go back now?" Jeff asked.

"To the Fey?" Eide asked.

"Yes. I mean with your father and all."

"Your father and I are King and Queen now. We make the rules. My dad will be fine."

"Dad, do you remember being a fairy?" Sarah asked.

"I do now. It all came back a little while ago."

"Eide, does the fairy world ever mix with this one?" Sarah asked.

"Constantly. We share this planet, but sort of, on different frequencies. Humans are rapidly ruining much of it with pollution and expansion, but we're here. Some of the dragonflies you see aren't dragonflies."

"Will we be able to talk to you?" she asked.

"As Fey, we can hear and understand your words. Your ears aren't equipped to detect many of the sounds we make. Even if you could, your vocal cords can't repeat them," Eide replied.

"How about e-mail or something?" Jeff asked.

"We don't do technology. If it doesn't occur in nature, we don't use it. Just talk to us whenever you feel like it. We feel what you're saying somehow. I'm not sure how it works, but it does. We aren't gone. Just out of sight."

"Is it possible to visit the Fey?" Sarah asked.

"No. Your world moves ten times as fast as ours. You wouldn't even notice it. When our lives end, we all go back to the one. We'll be together again."

"Dad," Jeff said.

"Yes, sir," Dennis replied.

"Thanks for being my dad."

"It was an honor. Except for a few of your teen years, it was a joy. In the RV, there's a manilla folder for you. It tells you all about your real father. Bob was a good man. I knew him well."

"We should probably be getting home. Jeff has to work tomorrow," Sarah announced.

They drove back to the house.

"I'll see you in the morning before you leave for work," he told his son.

Jeff nodded and the two couples went their separate ways.

*****

"Wow! What an evening," Sarah said.

"Strange though. My dad died and I'm happy for him. I never expected that."

"He didn't die. He just traded in his old body for a better one, and finally found what he'd spent the last fifty years searching for. I'm thrilled to know that we shared that moment with him," Sarah replied.

"That he did."

"How about you sharing your body with me now?" she asked.

Jeff smiled and took her in his arms.