k down in order to free her hands. She wrap ped them around the coffee mug in front of her, though I noticed she didn’t bother to take a drink . “Maggie, do you plan to offer your services to the students?”
Ah, that was their concern. I hadn’t actually given it any thought . In fact, over the past few weeks, just thinking about school made my brain short-circuit, forcing me to switch topics immediately. It would certainly make for interesting gossip. It co uld possibly get me kicked out – an appealing thought until I remembered that I’d made a commitment to Ezra. No, this time I was going to be a good little girl, despite my incredibly strong reservations, and I was just going to attend classes like everyone else.
“ Don’t worry, I’m not planning on it ,” I responded and everyone visibly relaxed.
“That’d be good,” said Rufus as he pick ed up his fork and scoop ed up a mountain of meat and carrots , “ ’ c ause we wantchya to be happy here.” He swallowed the forkful in one gulp.
Felix rolled his eyes at Rufus before he tentatively add ed , “And delivering messages…well , it might cause some…friction.”
“Well … we wouldn’t want that , ” I replied teasing ly , though no one else saw the humor .
“Who knows, Maggie, you may end up liking school,” said Ezra , as she smil ed from behind her coffee mug before taking a sip.
I snickered. “Don’t count on it.”
A private exchange of glances between Felix and Ezra took place before anyone spoke again.
“What?” I asked again .
This time, Ezra could barely contain her enthusiasm ; suddenly smil ing wide and exclaiming , “ Now that you’re done with dinner, I suppose we can let you in on the real reason why Felix chose to eat earlier. He was putting the finish ing touches on a present we bought for your first day of school ! ”
I was stunned. “ Really ?”
They nodded in unison. “It’s in your bedroom,” Felix said ; as he giggl ed and his shoulders roll ed upward , displaying his giddiness.
I stood and nearly ran from the kitchen, up the stairs, and through the door to my room.
Inside was a queen-sized bed, its posts so high they nearly scrap ed the ceiling. It was draped in a thick, down comforter and so many pillows only half the bed showed. It was more fitting in a castle bedchamber than in my tiny, old bedroom. It was beautiful.
I choked back a sob just as t hey came up behind me, each, grinning from ear to ear .
Spinning to meet them, I stuttered , “I -I don’t know…I -I can’t believe…”
“We couldn’t have you sleeping on that old mattress the night before your exams ,” said Ezra.
“ Thank you so much!” I leaned in and hug ged them all at once.
“Rufus put the wooden parts together and I decorated the bed,” Felix proudly explained.
“You did a great job … b oth of you.”
They seemed to be pleased with that acknowledgment.
“Get some good rest,” Ezra said . She closed my bedroom door as they all turned to head downstairs , leaving me in the privacy of my newly transformed room . “School starts tomorrow.”
Oddly , even those words couldn’t stifle my contentment , and that night I fell asleep more easily than I ever had before.
I woke up the next morning a bit less enthusiastic, with not a single nerve of excitement going off. It didn’t matter that I was about to meet new people I’d be forced to spend time with for the next ten months . Slowly, and with a great deal of effort, I left the comfort of my bed and gave very little thought to what I would wear . I opt ed for blue jeans, a black t - s hirt, and a grey ivy cap . I was so disappointed because I would be stuck in side classrooms all day as opposed to the sunlit , bustling Jackson Square , that I chewed and swallowed the egg white , veggie omelet Felix gave me without even noticing how it tasted. At least he was pleased when I left.
The academy was less than five miles from the house so it took very little
Ah, that was their concern. I hadn’t actually given it any thought . In fact, over the past few weeks, just thinking about school made my brain short-circuit, forcing me to switch topics immediately. It would certainly make for interesting gossip. It co uld possibly get me kicked out – an appealing thought until I remembered that I’d made a commitment to Ezra. No, this time I was going to be a good little girl, despite my incredibly strong reservations, and I was just going to attend classes like everyone else.
“ Don’t worry, I’m not planning on it ,” I responded and everyone visibly relaxed.
“That’d be good,” said Rufus as he pick ed up his fork and scoop ed up a mountain of meat and carrots , “ ’ c ause we wantchya to be happy here.” He swallowed the forkful in one gulp.
Felix rolled his eyes at Rufus before he tentatively add ed , “And delivering messages…well , it might cause some…friction.”
“Well … we wouldn’t want that , ” I replied teasing ly , though no one else saw the humor .
“Who knows, Maggie, you may end up liking school,” said Ezra , as she smil ed from behind her coffee mug before taking a sip.
I snickered. “Don’t count on it.”
A private exchange of glances between Felix and Ezra took place before anyone spoke again.
“What?” I asked again .
This time, Ezra could barely contain her enthusiasm ; suddenly smil ing wide and exclaiming , “ Now that you’re done with dinner, I suppose we can let you in on the real reason why Felix chose to eat earlier. He was putting the finish ing touches on a present we bought for your first day of school ! ”
I was stunned. “ Really ?”
They nodded in unison. “It’s in your bedroom,” Felix said ; as he giggl ed and his shoulders roll ed upward , displaying his giddiness.
I stood and nearly ran from the kitchen, up the stairs, and through the door to my room.
Inside was a queen-sized bed, its posts so high they nearly scrap ed the ceiling. It was draped in a thick, down comforter and so many pillows only half the bed showed. It was more fitting in a castle bedchamber than in my tiny, old bedroom. It was beautiful.
I choked back a sob just as t hey came up behind me, each, grinning from ear to ear .
Spinning to meet them, I stuttered , “I -I don’t know…I -I can’t believe…”
“We couldn’t have you sleeping on that old mattress the night before your exams ,” said Ezra.
“ Thank you so much!” I leaned in and hug ged them all at once.
“Rufus put the wooden parts together and I decorated the bed,” Felix proudly explained.
“You did a great job … b oth of you.”
They seemed to be pleased with that acknowledgment.
“Get some good rest,” Ezra said . She closed my bedroom door as they all turned to head downstairs , leaving me in the privacy of my newly transformed room . “School starts tomorrow.”
Oddly , even those words couldn’t stifle my contentment , and that night I fell asleep more easily than I ever had before.
I woke up the next morning a bit less enthusiastic, with not a single nerve of excitement going off. It didn’t matter that I was about to meet new people I’d be forced to spend time with for the next ten months . Slowly, and with a great deal of effort, I left the comfort of my bed and gave very little thought to what I would wear . I opt ed for blue jeans, a black t - s hirt, and a grey ivy cap . I was so disappointed because I would be stuck in side classrooms all day as opposed to the sunlit , bustling Jackson Square , that I chewed and swallowed the egg white , veggie omelet Felix gave me without even noticing how it tasted. At least he was pleased when I left.
The academy was less than five miles from the house so it took very little
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