Chapter One
Corvus
Wings carrying me over the lands, the warm winds of late summer ruffled my feathers. Not long before the breezes chilled and dark clouds rolled in, bringing rains of fall and then snows and ice of winter.
My crow held no interest in the future or the past, always living in the moment. Carrying me with him in a way that sometimes made it hard to remember my human side.
At the peak of harvest, days were getting shorter, the evenings coming sooner, but the afternoons held the gold of no other time of year. The fields outside of Whisper Grove were tall and bountiful, swaying gently as we blessed them in this critical time. Although they looked perfect, ripe and plump, a rain at the wrong time could ruin the whole season for the farmers. My gifts did not control the weather, but the blessings we bestowed upon the crops seemed to keep the rain at bay until the wheat and other grains were safely tucked away.
As I flew across the road, I saw a crew driving a wagon toward another farmer’s land. These men, and women, came from miles away, traveling through the local counties to assist in this busy time. It was my second busiest season, protecting what I’d blessed at its inception in spring. The harvest team looked weary but cheerful, strains of folk tunes carrying up to where I flew.
In their wake, in the distance, the fields of neighboring counties had already been cleared, their grains safely stored for sale or winter feeding of their animals, farmers relieved that their whole season’s work was no longer in danger.
Although my blessings provided a measure of safety, I could not guarantee Mother Nature’s cooperation. Our goddess’smercurial personality could sometimes lead to undesirable results. Or incredible ones.
But for this afternoon, with the harvesters incoming, I could go home and perch, relax, and know my work for the year was nearly over.
Nearly, because as I drew close to my destination, the scent of ripe peaches enveloped me. My trees were long since finished for the season, but the farmer next door…one section of his orchard bore the prized late-season variety. Everyone else in Whisper Grove and the surrounds had sold, eaten, or preserved their peaches, but these were just now coming into readiness.
Heavy, plump, pinkish-orange fleshed and so juicy they should be eaten outdoors or over the sink, there were never enough to go around. A couple of other orchardists in the area had attempted to get something this late, but they claimed a susceptibility to a bacterial infection could ruin the crop with a single drop of rain. I wasn’t an expert in which variety was which, but I did know who asked for a blessing and who did not. My neighbor did.
Circling the orchard, I observed his wife and gaggle of children spilling out the barn doors, carrying ladders and various tools. The man himself drove the cart laden with baskets ahead of them, past the trees that had already given up their fruit for the year. They would not be hiring help—not with such a big family—and although I told myself I liked living alone. Mostly I did enjoy it. Watching them at work or play offered a poignant reminder that Fate had not chosen to bestow a mate upon me. Yet. Maybe ever.
They arrived at their destination and went to work, picking only the ripest of fruit. Farmer Kent would cart most of them into Whisper Grove on market day, garnering the highest prices of any peaches for the entire season. Of course, they kept somefor their own use and in fact were kind enough to leave a bushel on my porch each fall, a welcome gift in return for my blessings.
Most of those who took advantage of my services paid in kind. Grains, fruits, vegetables, hams, and beef roasts…whatever they asked me to bless. In a farming area like ours, few had much cash money on hand, and indeed, I had no need for it. My needs were few, and their offerings more than met them. Allowing me to gift some to those in need in return. Widows and the sick, those who were unable to earn enough for their families would wake to find pumpkins or fruits or perhaps eggs or a leg of lamb waiting for them in the morning. As a single male who often ate in crow form in the wild, it would be sinful to waste all the bounty sent my way.
As Farmer Kent and his family continued their work, I continued on to my property and in through the open window. One day soon, I would be able to enjoy some of those peaches, never allowing my crow self to mar a single one on the tree, no matter how tempting. But for now, I would rest. My job nearly done for the season. Winter’s requests came only in the worst of storms, and those were not yet upon us. For those blessings, I often received the most precious of rewards. Shiny things, bits of jewelry or maybe coins. All those I put aside and kept. My treasures. Only to be shared with someone very special one day. If such a day came.
I perched on the back of my favorite chair and closed my eyes, resting, fulfilled, but lonely.
Chapter Two
Joshua
Decades later…not sure how many, but many
Most days, I was a hit-snooze-three-times kind of guy. But today, I rose before the sun, drinking my coffee, pacing my apartment, ready for what the world had in store for me. Today was years in the making.
I’d spent the past five years living in a studio apartment so small, I couldn’t open the bathroom door fully, eating at home exclusively, and spending all my spare time making jewelry for the fairs and art festivals around the county. I squirreled money away like a boss. All worth it, because, today, I would close on my very first home.
Living outside the city meant a commute, but the place was adorable and had all the necessary features as well as some I’d never known I wanted. My favorite was a toss-up between the sunroom and the fish pond. The sunroom was the perfect place for my jewelry workshop. Working by light was something new since leaving my studio with a window in the bathroom and nowhere else.
I donned my suit instead of my normal work wear or a pair of comfy jeans. Growing up, my grandfather used to always tell me special events deserve special clothing, and this qualified. I doubted even the lawyers at the closing would be as formal, but I didn’t care. Nothing was going to make today anything less than fabulous.
The drive to the neighborhood of the city where the office was located had me hitting every single green light. I came down here quite a bit because it had some of the best jewelry-supplyhunting around, and I couldn’t remember a single time I hit all green lights. Today was my lucky day.
I arrived well over an hour early for the closing, not wanting to risk being late due to parking. I’d be beside myself if they needed to reschedule.
My luck continued as I wandered the streets. I found a little metal disc that was probably for something electronic, but it had just the right shine. I could do something with it. I also found a button. Buttons don’t sound that amazing, but this one must have fallen off someone’s donation pile because it was Bakelite, and I could already envision the bracelet it would become part of.
Across the street from the law office was a little junk store where I’d found some of my best supplies. After triple-checking the time, I went in.
One of my favorite things to buy here were the Mason jars they filled with junk jewelry and broken odds and ends. Sometimes the bits and pieces were from key chains, sometimes from lamps, sometimes from yard sale leftovers. I never knew what I’d find in there, but not once had I ever left feeling like I was ripped off. There were always one or two treasures to be found, things most people would think were trash that I knew were so much more than that.
I had a jar in each hand and was headed to the register when my phone buzzed. I set them down on the counter, unwilling to let the message go unread on such an important day. I saw it was my Realtor.
“I’ll be back for it,” I muttered. “I gotta deal with this.”
