“Steal the light, is that right?” he asked.
“That is right. Did you steal it?”
He shook his head slowly, then a little firmer. “Not I, no lie.” He pressed his fingertips to his lips to further let me know he was telling the truth.
Then his eyes went big and watery. He turned his head just in time to heave a mighty sneeze, knocking his hat sideways.
“Okay, we don’t want you to stay under that spell for any longer,” I said. “I know you’re allergic to it.”
“Witches itches,” he sputtered between two more huge sneezes.
“Just one quick thing,” I said. “Someone took a light pole too. Did you steal a light pole?”
He shook his head, pressed fingers to his lips, his nostrils quivering, before he went off on another sneezing jag.
“Here,” Ryder said. “Let’s get your stuff in the truck.”
We quickly helped him unload his cart into the cab. There was hot cocoa in there and marshmallows. A lot of marshmallows. Flip slid into the driver’s side and pawed off the spell necklace, placing it carefully on the seat but as far away as he could.
Then he shook, a full body shiver from the ankles up to his head, and he was in his natural state. Bigfoot, in a busted-down old Ford truck, wearing a trench coat and a fedora.
Good thing he’d parked under the shadow of the tree.
Good thing a rainstorm was raging.
Good thing there weren’t a lot of shoppers out.
Good thing I was standing close to Ryder, because I got to hear his little delighted gasp.
I smiled and mimed rolling down the window. Flip nodded and did so.
“If you see anyone taking the light structures in town, please let me know as soon as you can.”
“I will, but still. It is our gathering we will be… havering… having.” He frowned again, and worked his mouth, thinking through the translations in his head.
I made a note to myself that I should really learn his language, but I just wasn’t that good with whistles, purrs, and grunts.
“The moon is soon.” He pointed at the roof of his truck, to where the moon might be if there weren’t so many clouds in the sky. “I am off to our glen, where it will begin. The gathering we ’Foots will be… havering?” He frowned and tipped his head slightly.
“Having,” I corrected. “So it’s the gathering of all the families?”
“Exactly, Delaney.” He smiled. “I am to speak to my heart.” He pointed at Ryder. “We have been apart.”
“You and your heart? You have a special person?” I asked. “Someone you love like I love Ryder?”
He grunted, and it was that mix of guttural and purr I had never been able to mimic. A sweetly goofy grin spread across his face. “My gifts will be bright, my song will be free, then my heart will come home with me.”
“Here to Ordinary?” I asked. “That’s wonderful, Flip. Remember to bring this heart person to me so I can meet them and explain the rules, okay?”
He grunted again, this one softer, higher.
“All right. So do tell me if you see anyone stealing lights,” I reminded him. “And have a great time at the gathering.”
He made a little hooting hum, and I knew that was a happy sound.
I stepped away from the truck; Ryder did the same, bringing the cart with him.
Flip rolled up the window, started the old truck, then rambled out of the parking lot, his indicator light flicking before he turned onto the road and headed north out of town.
