Dragonfly Secret by Carolyn J. Gold Page B

Willow.”
    I grabbed the big garden shears off the workbench and lugged the ladder out to the rosebush. I steadied it against the wall and climbed up until I could reach the rose. Holding the stem carefully, I cut the rose loose and handed it down to Jessie.
    â€œThank goodness you’re safe,” Jessie crooned to Willow. I sighed with relief and went to put away the ladder and shears.
    When I came back, Willow had climbed up onto her finger, but Jessie was still holding the rose in her other hand. “Nathan, come look.”
    â€œWhat is it?” I asked. She sounded so happy I was sure it couldn’t be anything bad, but I couldn’t imagine why she wanted me to look.
    â€œHer wing looks okay,” I said, giving Willow a quick once-over. “That toothpick seems to be working out fine.”
    â€œLook at the rose, dummy,” Jessie said, gently thrusting it under my nose.
    I bent my head to look. Willow hummed with her wings and chirped at me. There, nestled among the pale yellow petals, was the tiniest baby I had ever seen. He wasn’t pink, the way human babies are, but palest gold, only a little browner than the rose petals. Otherwise, he looked exactly like a miniature baby boy. Except, of course, for the pale blue wings that jutted from his shoulders.

Chapter Eleven
    â€œH e was born in the flower bed. Let’s call him Sweet William,” Jessie said happily.
    I sniffed. “No. Sweet William is one of the flowers that makes me sneeze. Besides, no boy would want to go through life being called sweet.”
    She peered down at the tiny infant still nestled in the heart of the rose. “If you say so. What do you think we should call him?”
    â€œHow about Ash? That’s a tree, sort of like an aspen or a birch tree. I saw some of them up on the farm.”
    Jessie shook her head. “Reminds me of what’s left after you burn the trash.”
    I could see her point. The new fairy was delicate and beautiful, like a soap bubble in the sunshine. Ash didn’t fit. “How about Reed, then? People usually spell it R-e-i-d, but he’s not a person. And a reed is a water plant like a cattail. I think that’s where he belongs.”
    Jessie nodded. “I like it. Let’s go tell Gramps.”
    â€œNot so fast. What if we run into Mother? We still don’t want her to find out about them. And now that the lizard cage is gone, where are we going to keep them?”
    We talked about it awhile, and didn’t come up with much. Finally I left Jessie with the two fairies and went into the house, going through the back door to the kitchen. I found a big empty coffee can in the cupboard where Mother keeps them to store things in. It wasn’t as nice as the lizard cage, but it was big enough and safe enough until we could come up with something better. I took it back outside.
    â€œLet’s pick some roses and put them in the can. And some clover blossoms for Willow to eat,” Jessie said. She held the two fairies and watched me as I did it. When I was finished she lowered the yellow rose into the can. Willow buzzed in after it and settled next to her son.
    â€œYou know, Jessie, clover blossoms may not be enough.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?” she asked.
    â€œWe know Willow eats clover. Or drinks it or something. But maybe that’s like us trying to live on lemonade. Besides,” I added, shifting the coffee can so Jessie could see better, “baby fairies may need something special to eat.”
    Jessie looked so stricken that I hurried to reassure her. “Willow has done all right so far, and she seems to be happy, so maybe it will be okay. Even so, I think we better figure out a way to get them back to the farm where they belong as soon as we can.”
    She nodded, looking sad. “I know we can’t keep them. Willow’s not like a pet. She’s more like a friend, even if she can’t talk.”
    We went in the