When they reached the fountain, he turned left and looked into the trees. “It has to be here somewhere.”
Jackie dropped to her knees and looked through the plants. “If it’s not, we’ve run out of time. The fudge will be gone soon.”
Aidan joined her on the floor. “Look for a glow as opposed to a twinkle.”
She glanced at him and smiled. “At any other time, I’d think we were crazy.”
“Along with a third of the wedding guests,” Aidan muttered as he crawled toward a suspicious log.
“Excuse me, Mr. Remington,” came a hesitant voice. Aidan turned and looked up at the couple behind him.
He pulled himself to his feet and held out his hand. “You can call me Aidan.”
“Hi, Aidan. I’m Josh Wilson,” the man said as he shook Aidan’s hand. “And this is my wife, Sandy. I didn’t want to interrupt you, but Mabel Terry told us who you are, and we had to see you.”
The expressions on Sandy and Josh’s faces were a mixture of hope and desperation.
“We heard about the trust you’re setting up for people who need prosthetics,” Sandy said. “Our daughter, Grace, she...well, we were wondering if you could help.”
Jackie stood up and joined them.
Aidan saw the concern in her eyes. He turned to the Wilsons and gave them his full attention. “What happened to Grace?” he asked gently.
“Last year, there was a car accident,” Sandy explained, tears glistening in her eyes. “We were driving, and, um... it was our fault. We hit another car, and Grace lost her leg. She’s only eight years old.” She paused, her voice choked with guilt. “Our insurance covered the basic prosthetic, but it’s not enough. Her specialist recommended a better one, but we can’t afford it.”
As they spoke, Aidan’s heart pounded. He could have been having the same conversation with his parents many years ago. The pain and guilt etched on the Wilsons’ faces mirrored the emotions his mom and dad had experienced after James’ accident.
“What kind of care plan does Grace have?” Aidan asked, needing to know more details. “And what type of prosthetic is she using?”
“Her care plan includes regular physical therapy sessions, but the current prosthetic just isn’t enough,” Josh replied, wringing his hands. “Even though Grace is small for her age, she needs something more suited to her needs, something that can grow with her. The prosthetic is uncomfortable and digs into her stump.”
“Most of the time, she uses a wheelchair,” Sandy added. “That creates other health implications. We didn’t know what to do. Then, last week, Josh read an article about the program that’ll be funded by a trust BioTech has created. Grace needs your help.”
Aidan swallowed the lump in his throat. He knew what a difference the neural-gel prosthetics could make in Grace’s life.
He looked at the Wilsons, wishing he could do more to help them. “We haven’t set up the program yet,” he told them, “but as soon as we open the applications for funding, I’ll make sure you get a form sent to you.” Taking a business card out of his wallet, he handed it to them. “Send me an email so I can add your details to my contact list. If you don’t hear from me before Christmas, give me a call.”
“Thank you so much,” Sandy whispered, her voice filled with gratitude.
Jackie reached out and gently squeezed her hand, silently offering her support.
As the Wilsons walked away, Aidan couldn’t shake the image of their anguished faces out of his mind. He knew deep down that he had the power to change lives, but the weight of that responsibility felt heavier than ever. He glanced at Jackie, and she gave him a reassuring smile.
“I don’t envy you,” she said softly. “Once the trust starts, it’ll be difficult deciding who gets the prosthetics and who doesn’t.”
Aidan looked at the map he was holding. “At least I don’t have to make that decision.”
Jackie placed her hand on top of his. “Don’t worry about finding the last fairy. It doesn’t matter.”
“We might as well keep looking. I can’t help the Wilsons tonight, but I can—” A flicker of light came from behind the log. He waited for another second or two and it happened again.
Grabbing hold of Jackie’s hand, he led her toward the edge of the garden and lowered himself to his knees. Hidden inside the log was a fairy who was smaller than the palm of his hand. Dressed in a green tunic with golden wings, she was just as sweet as the other decorations inside The Fairy Forest.
Jackie kneeled beside him and frowned. Her eyes widened when she finally spotted the answer to her last clue. “David’s right about one thing. Youarean expert fairy spotter.”
“Especially when there’s fudge involved,” he whispered. “Let’s hurry to the line before someone beats us to the last bag.”
And with the stealth of a pair of elephants, they rushed to join the line of guests who’d already found the fairies. He wasn’t able to give the Wilsons what they wanted tonight, but he had made Jackie extremely happy.
