MOUSE’S FAIRY GODMOTHER

by PearlAnn SnowStar

Redbird, a young woman with blonde hair and golden-toned skin, walked around the small table. She smiled as she looked at the bowl of water on the table and the bones next to it. She then took two chairs from the corner and placed them on opposite sides.

She stood by the table and called out, “Narcissa, I have your table all set.”

Narcissa hobbled out, walking with the aid of a cane, from a side entrance in the chamber. “So glad you came. Da spirits told me you come.”

“Well, our paths keep crossing.” Redbird walked over and helped her to her chair by the water bowl. Then she walked over to the other chair and sat down. “You sent a message to me that you needed me to help you with something.”

Narcissa nodded. “Dream came. Dream of Mouse.”

“My friend Mouse. My Goddess, he really seems to be doing well. Except today, when I came down to say hi, he kept saying ‘Not sure, not sure’, but wouldn’t tell me what he wasn’t sure about.”

“I know.” Narcissa looked into the waters. “Dream came to me. Showed what da old woman should do.”

“Do?”

“Gift for the child now man. Gift for Mouse.”

“Yes, I would like to help you with this gift. What is it?”

“Spirits show things, but you must help. I need to be certain.”

Redbird smiled. “Count me in. What do I need to do?”

Narcissa looked at the waters and then grabbed the bones and shook them.

Redbird got up and walked over to a dresser in the corner. She opened the top drawer and took out a tray. Walking over to Narcissa, she placed the tray next to the water bowl.

Narcissa tossed the bones onto the tray. “Now da old woman truly sees.” She looked up at Redbird, who was looking at the bones.

Redbird whispered, “Mouse has a love? Who?”

Narcissa smiled. “Someone, like you, came Below. Unlike you, stayed Below. Someone who, for the past few years, has become much needed here.”

Redbird looked at Narcissa. “I know most of the people Below.” She paused as memories came and went. “Hmm, I recall a young adult, maybe a bit younger than Mouse. Came down like I did in her teenage years.”

No, it can’t be, can it? Redbird looked at Narcissa. “Teresa?”

Narcissa smiled. “Teresa.”

“What? How? Wait, let’s see, she would be…Mouse would be…” Redbird shook her head. “Have the spirits been drinking?”

Narcissa laughed. “What do you sense?”

Redbird was shocked. She knew Mouse would be in his middle twenties, more or less, and Teresa had just turned twenty. “Narcissa, talk to me.”

“I tell you da dream and the day it occurred.”

* * *

Vincent’s youngest son Charles, who looked like him, was trying to behave, but he was so curious.

Narcissa chuckled. “Your son, like you.”

Vincent smiled. “He wanted to help me bring your supplies to you. Narcissa, are you sure you still want to stay in this far-away chamber?”

“I may be getting on, but dis old woman wants her freedom.”

“Catherine and I, as well as the others, worry as the years pass.”

“Narcissy great-grandma,” Charles called out.

“Oooh, child, you reminded me that a century is near.” Narcissa walked over to her table and sat down. “Hard to keep standing, but I have helpers.”

Charles walked over and hugged her. “I help, too.”

“Yes, child, you do.” She hugged him back.

Vincent got done putting her supplies away. “Mouse will bring down your dinner.”

Narcissa nodded. “That young man worries about me eating. He now feels it’s part of what he does. Bring da old woman breakfast and dinner.”

Charles looked at the bowl of water. Vincent walked over to his son and took his hand. “We are going now. Please think about the chamber I mentioned. It’s newly made, not too close to the community, but much closer than this chamber.”

“Child, Mouse said the same thing. He told me it takes a long time to get down to my chamber, then back up.”

“Please, Narcissa. You would still have your independence.”

Narcissa sighed. “It would make it easier, even for me. I know. But…”

“I can help,” Charles spoke up. “I can look for things Below with Dad.” He looked at Vincent. “Right, Dad?”

Narcissa smiled at the young child. “Redbird comes now and then to help me find my special herbs and crystals.” She looked into the waters and sighed. “All right, but I like my peace and quiet. Like Mouse.”

Vincent looked like he was going to jump for joy. “I will be back after letting Catherine and Mouse know. And, of course, Father. We’ll set a certain date and time to help you move.” He went over and hugged her. “It’s going to be all right.”

“So you and da waters say.”

* * *

The next few weeks took a lot out of Narcissa, even with everyone helping with the moving. She realized, just today, that this new chamber was starting to feel like home. There was a side entrance that led to a comfy bedroom. Rebecca came by with Samantha to show Narcissa the nearby bathing chamber. They promised that if she needed help, to send a message.

“Dis old woman going to get spoiled.” She looked around. “Nice to have help.”

“Narcissa like?”

She turned to see Mouse at the entrance to her chamber.

“Narcissa like.”

Mouse had a basket in his hand. He walked over to a small table and placed the basket down on it. “Food stay warmer. Not so far.”

“Thank you, child.”

“Mouse, Vincent needs help with something.” A woman with black hair, olive skin, and dark eyes entered the chamber.

Mouse blushed.

Odd, Narcissa thought.

Narcissa looked at the young woman who entered her chamber.

“Hi, I’m Teresa.”

Such a pleasant soul and smile. Narcissa looked at her, then at Mouse.

“Mouse go.”

Mouse started to scamper away, but Teresa reached out and grabbed his hand. “Don’t forget, we have to finish the new gizmo. It will help with the new walk-in shower next to the bathing chamber.” She then reluctantly let go of his hand.

Mouse just nodded and left quickly.

Teresa turned to face Narcissa. “I guess I got to go, too. Sorry.”

Narcissa started to chuckle as Teresa left her chamber. “I may not have sight. But then I do have sight.”

That night, Narcissa had a dream. A strange dream.

* * *

She was her younger self, in her twenties. Still in the tunnels, but not sure where. There was crying. Someone needed help. She also noticed that, unlike using her psychic eyes, she could actually see things around her. Odd. Following the sound, she came upon Arthur. He was crying like a human.

“Arthur?”

The raccoon turned to face her, tears streaming down his face. “Help Mouse.”

The raccoon had spoken, but for some reason that didn’t bother her.

Arthur pointed toward a chamber.

She was now in Mouse’s chamber. He looked to be much older now. With gray hair. Working on one of his many projects. She noticed something else. Tears were coming down his face.

“Ouch!” Mouse jumped up as he realized he had suddenly cut his finger. He started to suck on the finger, but it wouldn’t stop bleeding. He looked around and found a small rag and wrapped it around his finger. “Stupid, stupid, stupid.”

“Mouse?”

He turned to face her.

“Why are you crying?”

“Who you?”

“Why, I’m Narcissa.”

“Not, young.”

“Reach into your heart, Mouse. This is a dream. It is me, child.”

“Go away. Leave me be.” He raised his hands up. “Leave me be.”

He looked like he was about to run, so she gently touched his arm. That’s when he grabbed her and hugged her tight.

“Lost her.”

“Lost who, child?” she asked softly, as she gently rubbed his back. She felt such sadness in him that she started to cry.

“My…love.” He could barely reply.

“A love?”

Mouse didn’t say any more, but continued to cry. After a few moments, he started to gulp. He looked at her. “Not like Vincent. Not like others. Couldn’t tell her. Scared. So different.”

“Child, we all need a love.”

“Teresa not sister.”

She gave him a quizzical look.

“Love Teresa. Love like Vincent his Catherine. But. Couldn’t.”

“Go on child, tell me.”

“Others noticed. Don’t think Mouse able to have.”

“Oh, Mouse, everyone deserves someone to love and who loves them. And if you are lucky enough to find someone to be your partner, it doesn’t matter how smart or different you are. You and that partner can make things work out.”

“Not sure how. Mouse…know not everything.”

“Do you think Teresa feels the same?”

He shook his head. “Didn’t ask. Scared.”

She looked him in the eye. “You must talk to her. That’s what is the main part of a relationship. Vincent and Catherine communicate with each other. It helps their love stay strong.”

“Afraid she laugh. Maybe run away.”

“How are you going to know unless you try?”

“No, no. Might be rejected. Hurt more.”

“Perhaps you should, Mouse. You must be brave. And even if she rejects you, at least you’ll know for sure.”

He looked directly into her eyes. “Narcissa help?”

“You only need to ask.”

The next moment she was standing before Arthur in a passageway.

“Mouse knows about Christmas, Winterfest, and holidays. Been asking even Santa Claus to bring him the gift of Teresa. But still needs someone to help him talk to her.”

Narcissa woke up with a start.

* * *

Redbird felt as if her heart would burst. Why do people think that those with various challenges aren’t capable of having relationships? There are many stories out there that show that they do.

“I see the wheels turn in your head, child. I agree. No matter what the world thinks, people do love and fall in love.”

“Even if others think they are not mature enough or mentally capable to do so.” Redbird started to get hot.

Narcissa chuckled.

Redbird took a deep breath. She walked back to the chair opposite Narcissa. She stood there, her hands on top of the chair.

“Before you ask, I did talk with Mouse.” Narcissa smiled. “When he brought me breakfast a few days ago.”

She looked at Narcissa. “You didn’t mention it to me.”

“I wanted to think about the conversation. It was…odd. I wanted to talk with Teresa, as well.”

Redbird sat down. “To make sure.”

Narcissa nodded.

“Narcissa, can Vincent and Catherine help us?”

Narcissa smiled. “Perhaps. But the spirits came to me. Yet I’m an old woman, not like in my dream.”

“I’m young.”

Narcissa nodded and smiled. “When Mouse came with breakfast, da child was so nervous. I calmed him down. Then told him I saw into his heart. He placed the tray down on my table. Looked at me and blurted out, ‘I love Teresa.’ My heart ached for the child. When I asked if he told her this, he shook his head no, then scampered out.”

“That took a lot for him to say that.”

“Yes, but that night, and the days after, he just brought my food and ran away.”

“You need me to get them together. To get them to talk to each other.”

Narcissa nodded.

Redbird smiled. “I get to be Cupid or Psyche or…”

Narcissa raised her hand. Redbird turned toward the entrance to the chamber.

“May I come in?”

Redbird and Narcissa looked at each other, both of them grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

“Teresa, child, come in,” Narcissa said.

Teresa came into the chamber. She looked nervous.

“You have nothing to fear,” Redbird assured her as she got up. “I assist Narcissa, and both of us know why you are here.”

Teresa blanched. “You do?” she whispered.

“We both have the gift,” Redbird said. She pointed to the chair she previously had been sitting in. “Please sit.”

Teresa cautiously walked over and sat down.

Redbird walked over to Narcissa and stood behind her.

Teresa took a deep breath. “I could talk to Vincent, but with his family and duties, I didn’t want to unload on him. I…I have feelings for someone who…may, or may not, understand about love relationships.” Teresa shifted in her seat. “Now, I know if I discuss this with Father, he is just going to tell me to find a man that was not so challenged, and that Mouse is like…” She paused and looked over at Redbird and Narcissa. “People might say I’m taking advantage of a child. A smart child, but a child nonetheless. But he’s a grown man. No one is perfect, and I feel that he does care for me, but…” Teresa looked harder at them. “You both are grinning like the cat that caught the canary.”

“Let’s see. Mouse is difficult to pin down and get serious with, have a good discussion.” Redbird chuckled. “Teresa, let me talk to Mouse. If I find a time and place for you two to have a…date, so to speak, would you…”

Teresa jumped up, “I tried to do that. Mouse just blushes and runs away!”

“Mouse has to be gently guided,” Narcissa said. She looked into the waters. “Redbird will talk with him. She is good at helping people.”

“Maybe she can help Mouse see that I care deeply for him.” Teresa blushed. “I can’t explain why. I just know, inside of me, that he is the one.” She looked at them. “I told myself that maybe what I was feeling was a sisterly love, but that didn’t feel right for me. You know, once you get past his mannerisms, he is intelligent, and kind, and caring. He has his difficulties, especially now that he is getting older. Maybe he has these same feelings and it’s confusing him. I even looked up autism spectrum disorders and other disorders. They are not a barrier to having love and marriage. But there are certain ways to handle this…”

“Child,” Narcissa spoke up. “Books cannot tell you what the heart can.”

Redbird nodded. “And while some people might not understand or be accepting of this type of relationship…”

Narcissa continued, “It is possible if hearts do not give up.”

“When all’s said and done, you’ve got to follow your heart,” Redbird spoke up. “Vincent…”

“Says that a lot.”

Teresa smiled. She looked at them. “Do you two realize that at times it gets freaky when you finish each other’s sentences?”

“Yep.” Redbird chuckled. “But wait, Teresa, until you and Mouse do the same. Just like Vincent and Catherine and…”

“OK, OK, but…” Teresa paused. “What if Mouse really doesn’t feel…”

“Leave that to me. I’m on a mission from Aphrodite.” Redbird looked at Narcissa. “Time for me to talk to a raccoon, too.”

Narcissa laughed.

Teresa looked at Redbird with a confused look on her face.

Redbird just smiled.

* * *

A few days later, Redbird was coming around a curve in a passageway when she bumped into Mouse. “Mouse! Just the person…”

“Can’t talk. Big project.”

She noticed his hands were filled with gizmos as he scampered away. Curious, she decided to follow him. He led her to a repair crew working on a tunnel wall. It looked like they were trying to make the passageway safer. Or maybe repairing a pipe. She wasn’t sure which…maybe both?

“Mouse here. Gizmo help. Pipe not burst again.”

Vincent nodded then pointed up.

“Another leak.” Mouse sighed. “Can’t reach. Robot maybe.”

The lone woman among the crew, who she didn’t recognize, grumbled, “Robot won’t work here. You know that.”

“Tonya, Mouse was just trying to help,” a young man spoke up.

“A robot can work here.”

Redbird and everyone else turned and looked at Teresa, who had just arrived. Behind her was a weird dog-looking robot. She held a console, which had a wire that went around her arm and down to the robot.

Mouse lit up. “Wire. Yes.” He blushed. “Teresa smart.”

Now Teresa blushed as she handed Mouse the console and unwrapped the wire from around her arm.

“Teresa, is there enough wire for the robot to go up that high?” Vincent inquired.

“Can only find out by doing,” Mouse and Teresa said together.

Tonya rolled her eyes. “There they go again. Talking at the same time.” Tonya looked at Vincent. “Almost as bad as you and Catherine.”

Redbird smiled. “I’ll let you all continue with the repairs.”

“Tell Narcissa be late,” Mouse spoke up as he started checking the robot.

“Sure will.”

Redbird walked away and an idea occurred to her.

* * *

Narcissa was sitting in her chair. Her eyes were closed.

Redbird walked over to the chair that was across from Narcissa. She lifted the chair up and placed the chair next to Narcissa. Then she sat down.

“He comes.” Narcissa smiled.

“Good, it’s been a while,” Redbird replied.

Narcissa opened her eyes and looked at Redbird. Both women grinned.

“Narcissa, Mouse and I are here.”

Teresa and Mouse walked into the chamber. Teresa carried a basket, and Mouse was following her.

“Late. Repair took long.” Mouse shuffled his feet. “Sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about, child,” Narcissa said.

Mouse looked at Redbird. “You hungry?”

“No, Mouse, I’m not, but…maybe you can help me check out a chamber I found around here.”

“Chamber?” Mouse looked at her. “Lots here. Most no good.”

“Oh, Mouse, I know what chamber she is talking about,” Teresa piped up.

“Right, Teresa, it’s the one that I showed you a few days ago. I think it would make a good meditation chamber for me.”

“You want me to take Mouse there?” Teresa winked.

Redbird nodded.

Teresa put the basket on the table. “Mouse, can you help me check it out?”

“OK good, OK fine,” Mouse mumbled.

Teresa took hold of Mouse’s hand and led him out of the chamber.

Narcissa chuckled. “Redbird, you helped this old woman grant a nice wish for a nice man.”

“Wait, let’s not count our birdies until they hatch.”

“That’s ‘let’s not count our chickens until they hatch’.”

Redbird got up and opened the basket. “Just wanted to try something different.” She took out the food that was in the basket, placing a sandwich in front of Narcissa.

“Good thing you talked to Teresa a few days back.” Narcissa picked up the sandwich and started to eat.

“Yes, but as I told Teresa, the timing would have to be right. So we both readied the chamber for a nice conversation. Catherine had a sofa that she was going to donate to Below. One of her apartments in the brownstone Above was being renovated for a Helper. That worked out.”

“Vincent and Catherine?”

“I had to tell them what I was up to. Vincent and Catherine were both surprised. I told them that, being busy with their own family, as well as Vincent helping Father with doing things for the community, they didn’t notice what was happening between Mouse and Teresa. I told Vincent it would help if he could talk to Mouse.”

“Did he?”

“Didn’t get a chance to. There’s a lot of things to do lately. But I’m sure that Vincent managed to ask Mouse a question or two.”

“Oh?”

“Just this morning, Catherine mentioned to me that Vincent advised her that Mouse asked him a strange question.” Narcissa started to reach for her glass of water, but Redbird picked up the glass and gently placed it in her hand. She waited a few minutes before continuing, “Mouse asked Vincent for a book of poetry.”

“No!” Narcissa touched her hand. “Mouse?”

“Mouse and poetry. Can you picture that?” Redbird laughed. “Vincent said Mouse told him it worked for Catherine and him.”

“Oh, my.” Narcissa chuckled.

Both women looked at each other, smiling.

“I checked my tarot, Narcissa. This is perfect. A date, yet not a date.”

“Like I told you, child…”

“Patience,” Redbird and Narcissa both said at the same time.

“Narcissa, if this works,” Redbird had tears in her eyes, “it would be the best gift Mouse ever had.”

“His heart spoke, and the spirits heard.” Narcissa had a pleased look on her face.

“Hopefully this dream will come true. Mouse also deserves a happy ever after.”

* * *

Mouse looked around the chamber. It was small, and the one sofa placed in the middle of the chamber took up most of the space.

Teresa sat on the sofa and motioned for Mouse to sit next to her.

Mouse gulped. Remember what Vincent said. Mouse took a deep breath. He sat down next to her. Then he started to get up and Teresa gently pulled him back down.

“Mouse, someone told me you had a special dream.”

He looked at her and all he could do was nod yes.

“And this wise woman of the spirits, with her helper, told me something else. About how you may feel about me.”

Mouse now understood how a mouse felt when cornered by a cat. Only this cat was someone dear to his heart. He reached over and kissed her on the cheek, then quickly got up and was about to run when Teresa once again caught him.

“Mouse, I love you, too.”

Mouse felt like his whole world was crashing in on him and yet he felt such joy in his heart.

“Scared.”

“I am, too, but we should talk about this…feeling we both have for each other.”

Mouse looked at her.

“Did you ever kiss anyone, Mouse?”

“Now. Did.”

Teresa blushed. “I mean like…”

“No.”

“Close your eyes.”

Mouse did. That’s when Teresa kissed him. On the lips. A nice gentle kiss.

* * *

Narcissa sat in her chair. She was grateful for the help Redbird had given her, but only time would tell if Mouse’s dream would come true. She got up when she heard the scampering by her chamber entrance.

“Narcissa!”

Mouse ran in.

“Child, what is it?”

Mouse ran up and gave her a quick hug. “Thank you.” He turned to run away, then stopped. He looked at her. “How’d you know?”

She chuckled. “Child, sometimes I can pick up on things.”

“Mouse dreamed and dreamed. Long time. Not sure.”

“Child, that is a lot of words for you.”

“Never asked.”

“Sometimes the spirits let me hear a wish that a heart makes.”

“Teresa. We lovers now.”

“Oh?”

“She kissed me….” Mouse blushed and whispered, “On lips.”

Narcissa chuckled.

Mouse gave Narcissa another hug. “Best gift given to Mouse.” Then he ran out of the chamber, yelling out, “Thank Redbird.”

Narcissa smiled as she walked to her bedroom. She had a good feeling about this relationship’s future.