Chapter 15: Sepal

There she was, his wife, calm in any situation. She had handled his quitting his job and speculating in stocks full-time with a

"Okay, wow, sure, why not." When her company bought a Thai mall/resort and wanted her to head up the project, she said, "This is a great opportunity."

Standing there in jeans and a sweatshirt, her mouth open, pupils dilated and nostrils flared, she had looked calmer during Tober's birth.

"Honey, Mel, I can explain. Yes, I'm floating, but it's okay. Just keep breathing, and we can sit down, and I'll tell you everything."

He put the container on the counter and floated to Mel. He kept his feet close to the floor but didn't pretend to walk.

Mel looked at his legs. "You're not walking." It was a whisper.

"No. I'm floating. Let's go to the couch, and I'll explain."

He gently pulled her to the living room. She stumbled. She looked at the counter.

"What's in the Tupperware?"

"We'll get to that. It's related to the floating."

She sat. He floated down. She didn't notice the couch not depressing. Her eyes were still dilated, nostrils flared.

"Honey, take some deep breaths while I figure out where to start."

She breathed deeply. He went over everything that had happened in the last two days, deciding what to tell her, what to leave out. Her breathing returned to normal; her eyes adjusted. He tried a half-smile.

"Okay," he started. "There was this egg in the backyard…"

Mel was trying to process it all, focusing on the incredible parts, mixing up facts and events.

"Wait, so Tober can fly?"

"No, the dragon can fly."

"And so can you."

"Yes, I had to fly to get Tober out of the tree."

"Why didn't you use Lewis's ladder?"

"It's not tall enough."

"For which tree?"

"The walnut tree."

Mel looked out the window. "Which one?"

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"The tall gray one, almost straight back."

Mel leaned forward. "The bottom branches aren't too tall for the ladder."

"He was at the top."

Mel craned her neck. "Oh… and that was done by the big dragon in the clouds?"

"No, the small black dragon."

"And that's when you used flower magic to fly up?"

"Yes, but not until I used other flower magic to lure the dragon down and put it to sleep."

"Wait, if the dragon flew down, where was Tober?"

"Wedged in the Y at the top."

Mel went silent, took deep breaths. She turned from the window. "So, you used flower magic, got Tober, then tried to drive away?"

"Eventually, but we stayed in the basement until I decided to drive away. But, I first put the flower stuff in the freezer."

"Then why are you still floating?"

"I put the flower magic that puts the dragon to sleep in the freezer. I drank the concoction that made me float."

"So the dragon woke up after you had Tober in the car?"

"Yes, and we drove away as soon as I saw the animals start to wake up."

"Which animals?"

"The ones lured by the flower magic and fell asleep in our backyard."

"So you drove, what, an hour away, and that's when the big dragon found you?"

"No, the little dragon found us. The big dragon didn't come until after we came back."

"And you came back because… you were trying to get away, but the little dragon found you anyway?"

"Yes."

Scott breathed a sigh of relief. Mel was often more rational than he was, but this had been a lot.

"So, after you got back, the big dragon came for Tober, like the little one had?"

"No, I think the big dragon is looking for the little one."

"And the little one flew back when you drove home?"

"No, the little black dragon rode in the car with Tober."

Mel stood up and looked around. "Wait, where is the little dragon now?"

Scott nodded toward the basement door. "In the basement."

"In the basement, right now? How did you get the dragon to go into the basement if Tober was in his room?"

"It seems like it flew down there to hide from the big dragon in the clouds."

"So, tober is still in his room?"

Scott shuck his head and Mel ran to the basement door and flung it open.

"Tober!"

"Mom, come down and meet my dragon!"

Mel was down the stairs and across the floor to Tober. Scott flew behind her and said, "I'm so glad you're home. I so didn't want to tell you all that over the phone…"

"Mommy, you're home!" Tober said.

Mel wondered why he wasn't running to her. Then she saw it, a long black thing around his legs and back. As she pieced together the story of the little black dragon, its head popped over Tober's shoulder. She stopped short of picking him up, keeping her eyes on the dragon's eyes. She slowly reached out and touched Tober's wrist.

"Honey, why don't you come away from the… from the… dragon. Just for a second."

Scott arrived. "Mel, you won't be able to separate them, at least not for long."

Mel kept her eyes on the dragon and pulled Tober's arm. "Honey, I just need to make sure you're okay."

Tober didn't resist, but the dragon came with him.

"Mom, I'm fine. It was my dragon that was scared."

Mel kneeled and started running her hands over Tober's body, feeling for wounds. The dragon wasn't bothered when she slid her hands between it and Tober. It was smooth, soft, and surprisingly warm. He looked physically okay.

"Tober, are you sure you're okay and not scared? I heard you flew up into the big tree. Didn't that frighten you?"

Tober looked at the dragon. "No, Mom, my dragon kept me safe. I wasn't scared at all. Flying is fun."

Mel took a slow breath in and looked into the dragon's large orange eyes. "Okay, honey. Does your dragon have a name?"

"Mom, it's a dragon!"

"Dragons can have names? Is it a boy or a girl?"

Tober looked at the dragon. "I hoped it was a boy… but she is a girl. But, it's probably okay because she already likes me. Oh! Her name is Sepal!"

Scott looked at his wife, his son, and then the dragon. "So, I'm going to let you to figure that out. I can't turn it over to the government or bring myself to harm it."