The Prince Of Light (Larry Stylinson)

Badgers and Bananas

"And the garden. You'll remember to water it yeah?" Abby says distractedly, rummaging through her bag for the car keys.

"Abby, it's ok. It's all in the note on the fridge." Louis says reassuringly. "Go. Have a fantastic time, shop till you drop, and bring me back some of that caramel fudge like you promised me!"

It's been two years since he started working for the family as a live-in aupair straight out of high school while studying online for his Diploma in Child Care. Two wonderful years. They're everything he could've hoped for when he applied through the agency. He spends his days looking after their three gorgeous and precocious girls, and his nights studying.

The girls are a handful at times, but they keep him on his toes. Georgia, the oldest at 12, is strong and protective, Ashley, 9, the middle-child, is finding her way and staking her claim, and Holly, the baby of the trio at 5, is happiness personified. He enjoys watching them develop their own characters and helping them to learn about the world around them.

He's fortunate to have his own space in the house, a large bedroom and ensuite on the second floor, his sanctuary away from the family when he needs it.

The little village of Valesburry, deep in the Yorkshire dales is picture-book perfect. He has a great group of mates, plays footy on the weekends and things really couldn't be better.

Louis is snapped out of his thoughts by a shrill cry. "No. I'm gonna sit near the window." Ashley shouts.

"No me !! I'm older. I get to pick!!" Georgia screams.

"Wait! Wanna go middle 'cos get sick!" Holly chimes in.

The girls race out the front door and down the driveway, jostling each other for poll position as they head towards the car door. Abby sighs and throws Louis a weary glance before racing out after the girls, chastising them and shouting something about acting their age.

Just then, Holly stops in her tracks, spins and runs back into the house, grabbing Louis' hand and pulling him down to her level.

"What's up Hols?" Louis says, crouching down on his haunches.

She comes up close to his face and whispers. "You won't forget to feed my Garden Fairy will you? You promised." She says pleadingly.

"No Hols. I promise." Louis whispers, completely endeared.

"You 'member what t'feed 'em?" Holly's big blue eyes practically bugging out of her head.

"Cookies and a banana. Yeah, I remember sweetheart."

Holly looks at him, studying his face for any sign that he's not taking his task seriously. Once she's suitably satisfied she nods once, turns and runs down the hallway, Disney Princess backpack bouncing on her back.

"Thanks Lou. Love youz!!" She shouts, skipping the rest of the way to the car.

Louis had been chuffed when Holly had shared her big secret with him the day before. She had crept up to him as he was making dinner and told him about the Garden Fairy she was sure was coming each night and eating the cookies and banana that she left for them in her cubby house. She was distraught that while she was away no one would be feeding them and they'd stop coming or starve or something equally dramatic.

It was adorable really. Garden Fairies and other fanciful fairytales are the things that childhood memories are made of and he loved that she was getting her money's worth.

Louis had his own imaginations when he was little, like any child. But he had buried himself in them more deeply as is common for orphans. Creating a fanciful world to replace the hole left by not having a family to fill in the gaps with reality. He used to dream of woodland creatures and a faraway land of elves and pixies, of enchantments and fairy dust, of leaf people and lily pad babies, of brightly colored rainbows painting the skies, of days where the earth was bathed in golden sunsets and of nights blanketed by a million, billion stars.