Bee And Foxglove

Bee Enjoys Being A Celebrity

Bee slept a lot the next morning and woke up with an odd crick in her back. Foxglove suppressed her worry about this. Bee was just too happy and enthusiastic to want to hear about such things.

In the evening, the two of them rode Sammy to the pub in Suringen. The moment they stepped through the door, a cheer went up.

"Suringen has a meteorchild!" cried Ol' Johnny, raising his drink. The crowd cheered again.

Bee laughed, looking flustered and elated in equal measure.

Foxglove was happy for her. This was her moment.

That whole evening, Bee found herself surrounded by a gaggle of admirers. Everyone seemed to want to talk with her or buy her a drink. Many asked her to perform a particular illusion for them, which she happily did, throwing some of her own into the mix.

"I didn't know you were so religious, Bee," laughed Ol' Johnny, putting his arm around Bee and punching her arm playfully.

"I'm not. Not really," said Bee. "I never read scripture or go to church. It just felt... right to have the Tree in my show yesterday."

"Reading scripture isn't a requirement for being religious," said Tommy Babyface sagely.

Several times, Bee needed to duck out for some air. She wasn't used to this.

"Are you okay, Teddybee?" asked Foxglove one of those times.

"Yeah, honey. It's just... it's like someone made me drink shot after shot of sweet espresso. Need to slow it down a bit."

Back in the pub, Harry Babyface pushed a beer into Bee's hands. "No, Harry, no more alcohol for me today," said Bee, in a gentle tone. (She hadn't drunk any alcohol at all for five years. But this wasn't common knowledge).

"You sure, Bee?"

"I'm a very sure Bee," said Bee. "You wanna get me a brideswater?"

"Yes Ma'am," said Harry, taking a swig of the beer and waving at Peter the barman. Having heard what Bee had said, he nodded and got to it.

"You know what I liked?" said Harry Babyface.

"What?" said Bee.

"That blue bird you put in the audience. Surreal. I like little details like that."

"Huh," said Bee. "Thanks..."

It was only now that Bee gave a little thought to the bird again. She didn't bother to correct Harry.

*

Bee hugged Foxglove quietly from behind for most of the ride home. It was only when the moon went behind a cloud, and she had to focus for a moment to make them some light, that she thought to say something.

"Was that okay for you, honey? Me being the centre of attention like that?" asked Bee.

"Of course, Teddybee," said Foxglove. "I was happy for you."

"Dang, my back hurts. Ugh. Oh yeah. I was gonna ask you, did you see that weird blue bird in the audience?"

"You mean it wasn't one of your illusions?"

"No."

Foxglove thought for a long while. "I did think it looked similar to a bird I saw before. I think it was the day before you got your powers. I remember it because it had this odd way of just staring into our window. It almost seemed like it was studying us."

"Huh. Could be a clue?"

"A clue for what?"

"I dunno," shrugged Bee, laughing a bit.