Beyond the Broken Angel

CHAPTER FOUR

She just stared at him, letting the new information settle in her brain. "Did you see any snails or bugs on the tree?"

"No. I ran off as soon as the birds took flight. I actually haven't been back since," he admitted.

The strange occurrence from earlier pushed to the forefront of Giselle's mind, as did some of the theories she didn't want to think about.

"I don't remember disappearing, per se," she started, "but there is something real odd about that tree. It's like," she paused, cutting her eyes away from him as she debated on continuing, "every time I'm around it, I end up fainting or blacking out and wake up on the ground. But before that, it's like the tree is calling me to it. And when I go to it, birds are on the branches and snails and bugs are wrapped around it. It's like super weird."

"The tree is 'calling you to it?'" he said in blatant disbelief.

She shot him a look. "You saw me disappear into 'thin air' and yet you don't believe that this magical tree calls me to it?"  Even saying the words 'magical tree' made her feel silly.

He crossed his muscled arms back over his chest, leaning back in his seat. "I'm a man of science, not magic. There has to be a scientific explanation for this phenomenon, and not some magical little fantasy you made up in your head."

She sat forward, glaring at him. She'd never met a person so infuriating in her life. "It's not a magical fantasy, I'm telling you exactly what happened to me."

"If you say so," Will shrugged, picking up the tea pot and holding the lid as he poured the tea into the cups.

Frank came in before Giselle was able to say something back, the poor boy struggling to carry a load of firewood in his arms.

"So, Miss Saunders, how long do you plan on staying with us?" Will asked, letting Giselle know that their previous conversation was done but not to be forgotten.

"Oh, not too long, I guess." She bit at her lip, realizing that it must be nearing time for her family to leave for their dinner. "I actually need to be heading back in a few minutes. I have somewhere I need to be."

"Oh, where are you going?" Frank inquired curiously, coming to sit next to Will across the table from Giselle.

Will elbowed his brother. "You're being nosy, and are you going to offer her any milk or sugar for her tea?"

Frank's eyes widened in realization. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I forgot!" He hurried off to scrounge together the milk and sugar as Giselle shot a glare at Will.

"You're a very rude person."

He gave a her brisk nod. "So you've been saying." He leaned forward. "Out of curiosity; what are you doing tonight?"

She turned away from him to look out of the window. "That is none of your business, and is quite nosy of you to ask."

The corner of his lips lifted slightly. "And rude, too?"

"Very rude."

"Here," Frank said as he set down a small porcelain pot of sugar and a tiny pitcher of milk in front of her.

"Thanks, Frank," Giselle smiled to the boy. She picked up the milk and poured just a splash into the steaming cup of tea before adding enough sugar to earn a judgmental look from Will. 

Will passed the other cup over to Frank, who added a little sugar and the tiniest bit of milk.

"Mhm, this is good tea," Giselle told the young boy after taking her first sip, her pinky lifted on its on accord.