When the gypsy met the gorga

Chapter 17: Millie

" That is so good to hear", I said to Stefan whose head was resting on my lap. He had come to camp with the other boys. They were all so helpful. Everyone had taken a shine to gypsys and some were willing to change their opinions. Stefan told me about his lecture over at the camp. It was the first time we got to be alone in a while because of the protests and my home work. I stroked his hair.

"Stop doing that. You're turning me on", he said. I smiled down at him.

"Oye Stefan, we need you to help with the fire!",said Ferka on the other side of  of my tent. Stefan got up and was about to unzip the tent when he picked up his note book. He turned to me.

"I've been looking all over for this."

"I wanted to see what you had written. You never showed me..and it's good. Publish it." He shook his head.

"That's hoping for too much,"he said. "But this is coming back with me." I shrugged as he put it back in his pocket. He pounced back kissing me. We hadn't been doing that in a long time either because we were always surrounded with work. I sighed, relishing what I had missed.

"Stefan!!!",yelled Ferka. He growled, letting go.

"I hate Ferka!",he hissed.

"He's your cousin", I whispered. He bit me lower lip. I shoved him. "You bite so hard that my lips swell." He chuckled and then went out. I got back to my home work and joined the bonfire after a while. They were singing or passing marshmallows around. Then Phil got up and started talking.

"Guys, I know we're all working hard to save the meadows but what we need is something that can get us media attention. Does anyone have any ideas?"

"We could try to turn this into a heritage site", suggested Mike. "We'd have to prove that it housed a good ecosystem, a variety of plants and animals."

"But there are only a couple of squirrels and sparrows. Nothing more, "I said.

Stefan was deep in thought. I nudged him. "What if..there was a plant in the meadows that was thought to be ..extinct?, he asked." Everyone turned.

"Yeah that would work",said Phil. "But I don't think there would be something that rare here."

"I'm not totally sure but our Nana had said that she found a medicinal herb that was supposed to have been used up in the old days."

"That... could be good",said Phil who had taken a real shine to the boys.

We went searching around the wilderness the next day thinking that this herb would stand out among the weeds and other plants but none of us had much clue as to what they looked like.

"Maybe you could ask Nana o help us?", I asked as we all sat down to tea.

"We asked her but she won't budge.  She said she'd never give secrets to gorga no matter what. We even tried searching her trailer..nothing. She's good at hiding stuff,"said Iaan.

We were trying to get the media's attention but big news channels were concentrating on some celebrity wedding. The local news channel's backed away because of Mr Mantle's influence. So we just went around different towns and handed out flyers. We tried contacting celebrities to help garner attention. Most of them gave checks but no one was ready to help with their influence. The boys tried talking to Nana every day but she wouldn't budge.

"I could try talking to her", I said.

"No,"said Stefan. "You're a manoush. Remember? Hester's cousin, that Gran sort of likes. She'd be upset if she found out you lied."

"I'm talking to her!!"

"Then we can forget this because she'll say no...to us and if you're okay with that then go see her," said Stefan. Life sucked at times. I'm not that perfect. I'm not a goody goody two shoes. I wouldn't give Stefan up like that.

"Fine," I sighed. " We could get Gran to talk to her. She can be pretty persuasive."

"NO!", snapped Stefan. "That'd be worse than sending you." The others nodded. They had grown really fond of Gran. Ferka always had something to say when she brought cookies or something.

"Nana might be old", said Ferka. "But she is fierce and she has some great great great grand dad's sword in her trailer and she's trained to use it. She won't think twice with a gorga, no matter how sweet they are."

I groaned.