Back in the "Enchanted Room", Billy (the crow) tapped on the giant watch. The little person opened it again on the 10th tap.
"Are they gone?"
"Yes."
"Whew, that was close, what were you thinking, Billy?"
Zeke, for that was the little person's name, seemed to be wound up a bit.
Billy answered, of course not in English, but in his own language that the boy could understand,
"I had the strongest feeling that one of them was the girl that you've been waiting for."
"You know that Norma would be some years older that those two rascals, don't you, to the tune of 19 years?"
"Well, that did cross my mind, afterwards. I'm sorry, Zeke, I..."
"Don't worry," said the little person, pulling himself together and finding the bright side, "maybe it's a sign that she is getting closer to finding me. I do wish that I had kept in contact with her all these years. I was so distracted by this world of yours that the time flew by. O well, let's eat and forget about it, for now, no harm done."
The boy climbed onto the back of the crow and they gently glided into the kitchen.
___________________________________________
On the boat, the girls breathlessly told the story about the little person and the crows, the golden light and the miniature furniture. Their parents didn't look at them like they were crazy, or laugh at them. They listened closely and hugged the girls even harder when their story was done. In the morning the girls would find out why.
To be continued...