Wilder Smith hobbled around his garden, a heavy crutch supporting him, ignoring the pain. He held a large bag of sliced fruit and another bag that held a slurry of molasses, beer, and brown sugar. Grumbling, he made his way slowly to the end of the vegetable garden, where he grew a wide variety of flowers. It was a big backyard and seemed even bigger with his problems walking.

Gone were the days of being able to stride out into his garden, tend to the only life he would ever father, and enjoy nature. A disastrous wreck involving a drunk driver not seeing him on his motorcycle left him crippled for life, but he persisted in doing everything he did before with a stubborn resolve. Squirrels, rabbits, deer, frogs, and the lovely butterflies depended on him. He wouldn’t let them down.

His dog, Rocky, toddled after him. Rocky was a gift from his mother, so he wouldn’t be lonely, and the creature was a sensitive, sweet dog. He could be bullheaded, but who in his family wasn’t? The important thing was, he had someone who was always happy to see him and cuddled up to him constantly.

Every few days, Wilder set out fruit and slurry around it in the middle of a once beautifully maintained fairy garden. He built the little homes himself and liked to imagine fairies really lived in them. His yard was always full of colorful butterflies and the vegetable garden flourished, which was a good thing, because he hated bothering his mother to go into town to shop for groceries. Wilder made do with what he had out of sheer stubbornness.

The wreck left him with a massive insurance settlement, which did him little good when he couldn’t walk normally. Wilder would have traded it all away to stand tall, walk, run, ride his motorcycle again, and stop hurting. The pain was constant, and he nursed it away with alcohol over medication. A little here, a little there. He was constantly buzzed, but able to take care of work.

The only good thing about the accident was that now he could pursue his dreams as a writer. Nobody would nag him about getting a real job or if he had finished his book yet.

Wilder was free to live as he wanted for the rest of his life, and right now, the only thing that gave his life meaning was feeding the butterflies. Stupid little bits of color, floating here and there, following him as though they knew he was bringing them a treat. He loved them so much. They brought a rare smile to his face.

The pedestals, repurposed fine china plates with beautiful decorations, Wilder set out to feed the butterflies on were cleaned earlier and the insects were already gathering around the edges, flapping their wings and floating up, then drifting to another one. There were so many butterflies.

With a heavy sigh, Wilder carefully began pouring the beer mixture onto each plate, then he put the fruit in the middle. Today there were sliced strawberries, oranges, and bananas in the mix. When he was done, he limped to a nearby iron bench to sit down and watch the butterflies swarm onto the fruit.

“Ungrateful jerks,” grumbled Wilder, watching as the butterflies that were previously floating around him left to take their part of the offering. He sighed, settling back, stretching his long legs out in front of him. A gentle breeze rustled the nearby trees and the sound of the small waterfall he built for the more amphibious life and dragonflies rose above the silence. Rocky laid down at his feet, resting his head over one shoe with a sigh.

The sky was clear, without a cloud in sight. It would be a good day, and in a few minutes, Wilder would gather himself up and hobble back to the house. He would pick up the notebook he was writing in and get started on a story he had in mind, inspired by the butterflies and the creatures in his garden. Some sort of nice little short story about fairies and sprites.

Wilder blinked as a butterfly’s wings filled his view. He couldn’t identify the species, but the wings were a brilliant shade of blue that shimmered to purple as the light hit them. It wasn’t a butterfly. Gasping, Wilder laid completely still, his eyes narrowing on the form standing on his nose.

The butterfly looked like a tiny human about five inches tall. She wore a dusky pink tunic, black leggings, and had a sword strapped around her waist. Her long auburn hair was wild, eyes gleaming amber, and he could see the dark makeup on her face and tips of her pointed ears. She was making faces at him, seemingly annoyed that he wasn’t paying attention to her.

“I’ve had too much to drink, little butterfly,” groaned Wilder, remaining completely still, staring at her. This was the most fascinating hallucination, and he wanted to fix her form in his mind for his story.

She kicked him on the nose.

“Ouch!” Wilder wrinkled his nose. “Don’t do that.” This hallucination was affecting all his senses. The fairy heaved her shoulders and hopped off his nose, heading to the side of his head. He turned his head to follow her, and she glared at him, motioning for him to stop moving. She flew to the other side, and he felt her feet touch down near his ear.

“I am not a butterfly.” Wilder blinked as the barely perceptible voice sounded in his ear. She was yelling, her voice higher pitched than it should have been. “My name is Tiana and we have a problem that we need your help with.”

“A problem? What can I do for a fairy?” Wilder grumbled, remaining still and listening.

“You’re a human. You can stop them from destroying my home, our home.” The fairy continued speaking slowly.

“Oh,” sighed Wilder, closing his eyes. “You’re afraid of the building that’s going on nearby?”

“Yes. They’ve already destroyed several colonies and everyone is evacuating here, because you’re kind enough to feed them.” Tiana continued. “My realm is not far from here. My people are afraid of your machines.”

“They aren’t my machines,” snorted Wilder. “I own all the land that surrounds this house. There are red ribbons on the trees on my border. If your realm is inside the red ribbons, you are safe. I promise, Tiana.”

“It is,” the fairy stated. “Why are you so kind?”

“I’m not.” Wilder grumbled. “I’ve done awful, stupid things in my life and I’m paying for it now. The universe has a way of giving you back what you put into it. You reap what you sow and I’ve sown a lot of idiocy.”

“But you think about things that are so far beneath you.” Tiana continued. Wilder closed his eyes, smiling slightly at the beautiful, firm voice. “Why?”

“Butterflies are beautiful, God’s handiwork, and I figure I can help out a little here and there.” He mumbled, feeling sleepy. “They’re free, without worries, and I am the king of my garden, where I provide and care for all of my subjects. They don’t have to worry about anything, because I care about them that much.” Wilder chuckled, “I am the Wilder Smith. Fitting title for an idiot like me. That’s even my name, Wilder Smith.” He sighed and let sleep overtake him, still thinking he was drunk.

Tiana frowned, looking at the human sadly. She folded her arms and pondered something. The human fairy dog looked up at her and winked. She smiled back and floated into the air, heading off into the trees.

Wilder fell asleep in his favorite recliner in the den, one of his mother’s colorful quilts draped over his legs. It was too much trouble to get to his bedroom, and the recliner was where he slept most of the time, anyway. A pile of notebooks sat on the nearby side table next to a half empty bottle of bourbon and an empty glass.

After the incident with the hallucination in the fairy garden, Wilder tried not to drink anything, but the pains in his legs, hips, and back became overwhelming. One glass became two, then a third to get a good night’s sleep.

“Crap! Why am I naked?” A female voice shrieked from Wilder’s kitchen, making him jump. He blinked up at the darkness, gathering his bearings. It was just a dream. A very weird dream. He sighed and closed his eyes, hearing Rocky’s nails on the kitchen tile.

Wilder’s eyes popped open again at the sound of more swearing and creaking coming from the kitchen. Someone was in his house? He reached for his crutch, scowling. Crippled or not, he was going to confront whoever it was and beat them with his crutch.

With a groan, Wilder swung himself upright, getting his crutch tangled in the quilt. He fought it for a moment, taking his gaze off the door to the hall.

“Do not turn around.” A woman growled at him, her voice coming from the doorway. “I’m going to pick up that quilt at your feet until I can find something suitable to wear.”

“You need to get out of my house, not stand there giving orders,” snapped Wilder, glancing over his shoulder. He almost fell over as a very naked young woman rushed up to him and grabbed for the quilt at his feet.

“I said, don’t turn around!” She jerked the quilt and pulled the crutch out from under Wilder. He crashed to the floor in an excruciating pile of pain, crying out as he hit the hard wood.

“Oh, no.” The woman pulled the quilt around her body and leaned over Wilder. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to do that.”

“But you did. Now kindly get out of my house before I beat you with my crutch!” Wilder snarled, jabbing at her with the crutch he still held in his hand. “Leave! Rocky!”

The dog made a wuffing sound, sitting down next to the woman. She kneeled and laid a hand on Wilder’s leg.

“Don’t touch me!” Wilder attempted to scoot away, swinging the crutch at her as hard as he could manage. She yelped as it hit her on the arm.

“Knock it off! I will not hurt you. It’s me, Tiana.” She reached out again, holding her hand over Wilder’s leg. “Let me help you.”

Wilder stared at her. His hallucinations were getting bigger. There was something wrong with his head. That was it. He was finally going crazy and if crazy was sending him a naked young woman, who was he to argue. Maybe this was one of those dreams. Wilder smiled slightly, if it was one of those dreams, this was going to be an amazing hallucination.

“How are you going to help me?” Wilder asked through half-lidded eyes, his thoughts drifting in a less than pure direction. She wasn’t really there. This was all a dream.

“First of all, don’t look at me like that,” snarled Tiana, reaching out to smack him lightly on the head with the heel of her hand. “What is wrong with you, Wilder Smith?”

“You’re a dream. I’m dreaming.” He winced, falling back on the floor and relaxing. “I am dreaming.”

“No, you’re not.” Tiana squeezed hard on Wilder’s leg just above the knee. His entire body spasmed uncontrollably with pain and he howled. “That’s terrible.”

“No. Kidding.” Wilder trembled, trying to catch his breath. “Please, just leave me alone.” He wiped over his face, discreetly wiping away the tears. “Go away.”

“Let me try this.” Tiana laid her hand up higher on his thigh. Wilder squirmed, not into whatever it was this dream wanted to do with him. She closed her eyes and her entire body took on a faint golden light. Wilder blinked and stared as warmth spread from her hand into his leg, easing the pain a little. “Ah, I know where it’s coming from. Try to roll over so I can get to your back.”

Wilder sighed and shifted, the minor easing of his pain making him more willing to comply. Her warm hand left him, then he felt her lifting his shirt, pushing it up to expose his back. He winced, knowing what she would see.

Tiana’s warm hand passed over the gnarled scarring that tore into his body from his hip to his lower back and around his waist. He closed his eyes, sighing, “Not pretty. I know. Not that it was nice looking to begin with.”

“Your back was broken and the nerves were all messed up. That’s why you can’t walk without the crutch?” She pressed her fingers into the middle of his back, biting her lower lip. “It happened last winter, didn’t it? You were fine the previous Fall.”

“Yeah.” Wilder looked at her over his shoulder for a moment, then laid his head down on his arm, resigned to letting the hallucination do whatever she wanted to. “I had a lot of complications. They told me I wouldn’t walk, but I proved them wrong,” he finished with a self-satisfied snort.

“But you’re in a lot of pain.” Tiana pressed her fingers in harder and warmth flooded through Wilder, a very pleasant sensation that took away all of his pain and, for the first time in over a year, he felt normal. “I can only stop it for a short time, a few days.”

Wilder’s eyes widened, and he rolled over, sitting up and marveling at his movement. He could move again and the first thing he did was cry out in glee and lunge at the angel kneeling near him. His arms wrapped around her tightly in a hug and he kissed her on the cheek, missing her mouth as she tried to squirm away. “Thank you!”

He didn’t see the fist coming, catching him in the jaw so hard he saw stars and fell back. It wasn’t that kind of dream at all. Wilder groaned, rubbing his jaw and blinking at Tiana. She glared at him, her golden brown eyes smoldering at him in anger as she clutched the quilt back around her.

“I’m sorry! You don’t understand!” Wilder lifted a hand toward her, realizing this wasn’t a dream more and more. Then he burst into tears, heaving at overwhelming relief and horror that he insulted her.

“Look here, you do not touch me, Wilder Smith.” Tiana rose, glancing around the room. “Do you have anything I could wear?”

“You’re not leaving?” Wilder stared at her, trying his hardest to stop the flow of unmanly tears. It had been a long, depressing year on top of a series of long, depressing decades. “I am really sorry. He pushed himself upright and got his feet under him. Wilder wobbled, then stood with a laugh. “I can stand upright!” He lifted his arms into the air, leaning back.

“Don’t overdo it,” sighed Tiana. “I blocked the pain. It will last a few days. I want you to tell me if you start aching again and I’ll fix it. I am giving you one week of my time, Wilder Smith.”

“Why?” Wilder lowered his arms and looked at her.

“We’ll discuss that later. Now. Clothes?” Tiana kept the quilt pulled tight around her.

“My room is down the hall on the right.” Wilder motioned. “Uh, if you’re staying, I would be more than happy to take you out in the morning to get something to wear.”

“I would like that.” Tiana nodded with a slight smile, turning and leaving down the hall. Rocky bounced eagerly after her, leaving Wilder staring in wonder.

The crutch was on the floor. Wilder squatted, stretching his legs. His knees both popped and there were other creaking noises. His physical therapists, before he quit going to them, insisted there was nothing wrong with his muscles. It was the nerves, just as Tiana said. Pain was his prison and now it was momentarily gone and there was a very beautiful woman in his house, in his room, putting on his clothes, who might or might not be a hallucination.

Wilder fell back onto a nearby couch, staring at the door, waiting to see if Tiana would return or if it was just his dog.

Being a gentleman was difficult when an attractive woman walked into your living room wearing one of your t-shirts. Wilder couldn’t keep a straight face, trying not to stare. He could feel the blush burning over his entire body when Tiana returned in a long black t-shirt that might as well have been a dress on her. It fell to the middle of her thighs.

“Much better,” she sighed, stepping through the door. “Do you have a bedroom I can sleep in, preferably with a door?”

“Yes.” Wilder swallowed hard, getting up. “The guest room is made up for when my Mom visits.”

“Oh, that delightful lady with the red hair? That’s your mother?” Tiana smiled, in a better mood now

“Yes.” Wilder nodded in response. “I’m sorry,” he apologized again.

“Has anyone ever told you, you have the most beautiful eyes?” Tiana stepped next to the door. “They are so incredibly blue.”

Wilder blinked at the compliment, unsure how to respond.

“Can you show me to your guest room?”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Wilder nervously walked past her, wringing his hands.

“Don’t call me Ma’am,” groaned Tiana. “I’m not old enough to be a Ma’am.”

“I didn’t mean to imply you were. It’s just a term of respect,” sighed Wilder, leading her down the hall. He was grateful and wanted to show her his gratitude, but seemed to be falling all over himself. “What do fairy men call you out of respect?”

Tiana looked away, worrying her lower lip. “Tiana is fine, Wilder Smith.”

“Wilder is fine, Tiana.” He smiled, opening the door to the guest room, flipping the light switch. “I’m afraid it might be dusty.”

“I’ll see you in the morning.” Tiana walked past him, glancing up with a pleasant smile.

“What time?”

“After sunrise.”

“I’ll be here.”

The door closed, and Wilder stared at it for a moment. This wasn’t a dream. He looked down to see Rocky at his feet. “It’s not a dream.” Wilder half expected the dog to talk back to him, but Rocky merely made a typical wuff in response.

Wilder bounced out of bed, whistling a merry tune as he walked through his house to the kitchen. His head was clearer than it had been in months, and he was well-rested. The pain kept him from getting a good night’s sleep, and now it was gone. It wasn’t a dream. A fairy woman with the power to heal was in his home, and he needed to treat her well. A week of being pain free was a gift.

Rocky was fed, then Wilder turned to the refrigerator. The refrigerator was meagerly stocked, but Wilder would fix that after a trip into town. He had fresh vegetables from his garden, eggs, butter, and cheese. Omelets were on the menu for breakfast. The sun was streaming through the kitchen windows, and his guest would be up soon.

Wilder slid an omelet onto a plate just as Tiana appeared in the doorway. He almost missed the plate, jumping at the sudden presence of another person.

“Good morning.” She smiled walking into the kitchen. Wilder turned quickly to put the pan back on the stove, caught off-guard by the fact that she wasn’t in his t-shirt. He had forgotten his mother kept a few outfits in her room.

Tiana twirled with a laugh, showing off the cotton dress she found in the closet. It was an old fashioned dress with a short-sleeved, dark purple top, and a flower-patterned bottom. Wilder was sure his mother made the dress herself, and that’s why it was still in good shape after all these years.

His mother was a short woman, so the bottom of the dress stopped well over Tiana’s knees, and it was snug. She wore sandals to complete the outfit, which seemed a little small for her feet.

“I hope you don’t mind.” Tiana stopped by the table.

“No, I don’t. It’s my mom’s, and she wouldn’t mind either.” Wilder motioned to the plate. “I made you breakfast, Tiana.”

“What is it?” She slid into the chair in front of the plate and picked up the fork to poke at the omelet.

“It’s an omelet, vegetable, cheese.” Wilder’s face paled in horror, and he leaned over the table to snatch the plate just as Tiana brought her fork down to try a bite. “I am so sorry!”

Tiana scrunched up her face at him, staring.

“It has eggs in it. Would you prefer fruit?” Wilder scowled at the plate. It was so stupid of him to give a fairy eggs. They probably didn’t even eat meat.

“I’m eating that.” Tiana leaned over the table and grabbed the plate.

“You eat eggs?” Wilder settled into the chair opposite her to watch.

“On rare occasion.” She took a fork full and shoved it into her mouth, then closed her eyes and smiled. “This is good.”

“Thank you,” Wilder sighed in relief, and got up to make his own. Months of pain made simple things like preparing meals and eating a chore, and most days, he picked at food here and there. He rarely made a meal. His heart was never in it. Now he was famished.

Wilder placed his hand over his ribs, dragging his fingers over them, noting how deep the grooves were between them. He was a thin man, to begin with, but he was sure he was close to being a walking skeleton at this point.

Tiana enjoyed the human food and the company. She had watched Wilder from afar for years, out of curiosity. A few times, she ventured close enough to land on the back of his chair, once on his shoulder, to read what he was writing. He never noticed her or any of the other fairies because he only saw butterflies. The mind saw what it chose to see, and he didn’t see her for what she was until she made him focus on her.

Father was furious when Tiana told him they were safe, and she made an error mentioning the fairy dog. She asked how they worked and when her father asked why, she answered honestly. Wilder deserved something for taking care of the displaced fairies and providing additional food for their own realm. She wanted to spend a week in the human world with him and find out what he needed.

Her father ordered her not to do it, and she defied him, stating she made up her mind and was going. She laughed at her father when he yelled at her that she was grounded. He couldn’t ground her. She was well past that age, then he ordered the guards to escort her to her room. Tiana fled the castle and her realm with guards close behind.

The guards did not stop pursuing until she reached Wilder’s house and hitched a ride on his dog into the kitchen through a small flap in the backdoor. The next thing she knew, she stood in the dark kitchen, towering over the dog, naked, with an upset stomach.

Wilder sat down in front of her with a plate as she finished her last bite. “Would you like more?” He asked, motioning to his plate.

“I’m good.” Tiana smiled and got up to put the dish in the sink. “I could use a drink.”

“I’m afraid I only have water,” Wilder grumbled, then added in a lower mutter. “And bourbon, wine,…beer.”

“A little early for that. Do all humans drink as much as you?” Tiana began opening cupboards, looking for a glass.

“Probably not,” mumbled Wilder, his mouth full. “Do fairies have plumbing?” He glanced over his shoulder, wondering if he needed to show her how to use the faucet.

“Yes.” Tiana toyed with the faucet, a glass in hand. “We are very sanitary if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“Oh.” Wilder’s face turned red again. “I, um, did.”

Tiana returned to the table and smiled. “Wilder, think of us as tiny humans with wings. We work in the same way.”

“But you heal?” Wilder went back to his breakfast, trying to eat quickly. “Where did your wings go?”

“I assume your dog is carrying them.” Tiana motioned to Rocky, who sat quietly next to the table, waiting for someone to notice him and possibly offer him a tidbit.

“Rocky, it has onions in it. You can’t have any.” Wilder smirked at the dog, who snorted at him. “I don’t see any wings on him.”

“Your dog is a fairy dog.” Tiana leaned her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her folded hands. “He is a mode of transportation between my world and yours. I don’t know how it works, and this is the first time I’ve ever done this.”

“Lucky me.” Wilder smiled, giving Tiana a longer look.

“I’m not sure if that’s lucky or not, because now you have to deal with me and I’ve been told I’m a huge pain in the butt.” Tiana smiled. “I am annoying.”

Wilder blinked at her, looking confused, then he gave her a lopsided smile, barely showing his teeth. “Tiana, you giving me just one week of being like I used to be is worth whatever hell you put me through.”

“Thank you. I will try not to annoy you.” She smiled, studying Wilder as he finished his breakfast. He was a good looking man, even with the unnatural thinness and lack of wings.

Tiana wasn’t sure why Wilder seemed to think otherwise. When she complimented his eyes, he looked so rocked, like no one in his life had ever paid attention to him. The scars were awful, and he had more than just the ones on his back and sides, but something about him always drew her to him.

For years, she watched him, walking through his garden, into the surrounding land, sometimes coming close to their realm. In early spring, he scattered meal out for the birds, left piles of nuts for the squirrels, and took care of the ducks that wintered in the nearby pond. And he took care of the butterflies, most of which were fairies this year. He was a good, caring man, and he did not deserve the hand fate dealt him.

“I’m going to take you out on my motorcycle for a little ride, then we’ll go to my neighbor’s house and see if her son is free to take us into town.” Wilder finished and got up.

“Motorcycle?” Tiana repeatedly, curiously.

“The big noisy thing I used more before the accident. I had two. I’ve been maintaining the one I have left for the day. I could ride it again.” Wilder explained, running a little water to clean the plates and silverware.

“Oh, I remember. Sounds like fun.” She smiled, thankful he didn’t attempt to get any more information out of her about her or her Kingdom. The last thing she wanted was to tell him she was a princess. It would change how he treated her.

Tiana laughed, clutching her arms around Wilder as they roared down a dirt road at high speed. They were both wearing helmets, something Wilder insisted on. He wore a leather jacket over a black shirt and jeans. The motorcycle sped up and down the road a few more times, only picking up speed for a few minutes at a time, because he worried about how good his judgment and balance were after a year of sitting, out of tune with his senses.

It made Wilder feel good to get out and feel the power and exhilarating speed once again. Better, there were arms wrapped around him and a female body pressed against his back, trusting him. Of course, if anything happened, and she was injured, he was sure she could probably heal herself and be fine. Even with that thought, he took care, not pushing things too far.

Wilder pulled into his neighbor’s driveway and rolled up to park in front of a large, old farmhouse, similar to his own. Tiana slid off and wobbled. Wilder caught her by the arm before thinking about the fact she told him not to touch her. He held on, waiting for her to yell at him, that was the typical response he received when doing something nice for a woman.

“My legs are vibrating!” Tiana laughed, grabbing onto his shoulder. “But it was fun!”

“We can do it again another time.” Wilder let go of her hand and pulled a thick wooden cane out of the pack behind the seat. He knew he had to keep up pretenses in town, or there would be questions he didn’t want to answer. Pretending to use the cane would work well enough.

“Wilder Smith!” An older woman with dark brown hair and tan skin walked onto the porch. “What are you doing making all that racket? My chickens won’t lay eggs for a week with all that noise!”

“Good morning, Mrs. Wellington. Is Fergus available for a trip into town?” Wilder used the cane to walk closer. The woman stared at him.

“Are you having a good day, Wilder?” She glanced at Tiana. “Who is she?”

“A rare day, yeah. This is Tiana. She’s my guest for a week and I need to go into town and do some shopping.” Wilder leaned on the cane, peering at Mrs. Wellington.

“Oh, you have a lady friend?” The woman chuckled and smiled at Wilder.

“No, it’s not like that,” sighed Wilder, lowering his gaze, trying to keep the blush stinging his cheeks from showing. “Not at all.”

“I’ll get Fergus.” Mrs. Wellington nodded and went inside.

“Wilder! You’re walking!” A young man in overalls and a red t-shirt, with the same complexion as Mrs. Wellington, burst through the front doors and ran down the stairs. He ran a hand through his thick, spiked up black hair and circled Wilder and Tiana.

“This is Fergus.” Wilder smirked, motioning to him. “Fergus, this is Tiana.”

“Hi!” He greeted her, holding out his hand. Tiana stared at the hand, then reached out to take it. What a strange young man.

“Fergus, we need to go into town and I want to discuss hiring you to tend to my house and garden in the future.” Wilder took a step back.

“Nice to meet you,” stated Tiana, attempting to get her hand back.

“I’m sorry, pretty…women make me nervous.” Fergus winced and let go, a worried look passing over his face.

“It’s okay,” sighed Tiana with a smile.

“About the job?”

“Oh, right, thank you so much, Wilder! Mom’s been on me all winter about finding a regular job.” Fergus clasped his hands and grimaced. “And a girlfriend.”

“Join the club.’ Wilder rolled his eyes. “Okay, enough talking. You know how much I hate town. And people.”

Riding in a car was a strange experience. Wilder told Tiana what she needed to do when she got in, so she wouldn’t raise any suspicions. He would help her if she had any trouble. She didn’t. Pulling the seatbelt out and strapping it over her shoulder and waist was easy. What wasn’t easy was tolerating a binding that held her down. She didn’t like that at all and squirmed around for a few minutes until the car started.

Holding back her momentary fear at being trapped in a moving box was difficult. Tiana grimaced and threw her right arm out, smacking Wilder in the chest, then she dug her fingers into him.

“Uh, are you okay?” Fergus stopped the car, glancing back at the panicked look on Tiana’s face.

“She’s fine. Motion sickness.” Wilder reached up to place his hand over Tiana’s, trying to lightly pry her fingers out of his skin.

“Okay,” Fergus stated, not sounding convinced that was what was going on.

“Relax,” Wilder leaned over and whispered, folding his fingers over Tiana’s hand.

“I’m trying,” she whispered back, clenching his hand as the car began moving again. “I don’t like this.”

“It’s the same thing as the motorcycle.”

“No, it’s not. I’m inside the thing.” Tiana clenched her teeth and gave Wilder a plaintive look.

She did not enjoy the ride, cringing at every bounce and jolt. The ceiling was too close, and it knocked her around. It was like her ability to balance was gone. Cars were awful. Why did humans travel in these things?

Wilder watched Tiana with concern. She looked absolutely miserable, and he wanted to comfort her, but the only thing he could do was hold her hand. Her short nails dug into the palm of his hand, breaking the skin, she was that upset.

“Stop at the first clothing store on Main, Fergus.” Wilder began giving instructions. “When we’re done there, we’re going to walk down the street. You can meet us at the Eatery at noon for lunch. My treat. Then we’ll do grocery shopping and head home. Sound good?”

“Yup. I have some things I can do,” Fergus replied cheerily.

A few minutes later, Fergus pulled into a parking space and Wilder opened the door to get out. He intended to go around to the other side and assist Tiana, but she shakily scrambled out to follow him.

“I hate that thing!” She hissed, circling around to put Wilder between her and the car.

“I can tell,” chuckled Wilder, leaning on his cane.

“It’s not funny!” Tiana fumed, stamping a foot down on the pavement. Her ankle turned, and she yelped, kneeling to keep from falling.

“You get used to them.” Wilder smiled, motioning to the nearby clothing store called the American Closet. “We’re going in there. Let’s get you some shoes that fit and something to wear. You’re staying seven full days?”

“Yes.” Tiana stood and wiggled her foot. “I’ll leave on the 8th morning from today.”

“Then I want you to pick out seven outfits so you can wear something new every day. My treat.” Wilder began walking, not attempting to look like he needed the cane. There were few people on the street at the moment. “Something to sleep in, uh.. Whatever else you need.”

Human clothes were not that much different from fairy clothes. Tiana wandered around inside the store, walking past dresses and outfits. She used to wear a lot of dresses and she liked them, but ever since that awful day, she only wore a tunic and leggings.

Tiana’s defiance in concerns to the dresses was fending off fairy men. They didn’t like the way she looked, fine, she would shun dresses and make no effort to look pretty. It wasn’t worth it. She stopped as a dark blue dress caught her attention. It was so dark, it was almost black, but it had this beautiful pearly sheen and lace, so much lace. She couldn’t resist running her fingers over it.

Then she pulled the dress out to see it better and bit her lower lip in thought. Tiny black sequins decorated the dress, shining like stars when the light hit them.

“You would look lovely in that one,” stated a female voice behind her. Tiana let the dress go, blushing. She turned to face a cheerful face with a head full of reddish blonde curls. “Really, what’s your size? Oh, I’m sorry, I’m Madam Hammock, this is my boutique and Mr. Smith said you might need assistance.”

“I don’t know my size. This is my first time in a shop like this.” Tiana chose her words carefully. She normally let her sister choose her clothes when it came to fashion, back when she wore dresses.

“Come with me. We’ll get your measurements and see what we can find. Mr. Smith said you need 7 outfits minimum, and shoes.”

Wilder sat on a padded bench in the boutique's front. Every now and then, he glimpsed at Tiana walking by with the shop’s owner and he smiled. Never in his life had he bought gifts for a woman, other than his mother, and it felt good. One week of being pain free was worth treating this fairy woman like a princess, he was so indebted.

Thinking about it, he would have loved being able to treat any woman like this, showing them how much they meant to him. He never even had a chance in that department. The one time he put himself out there and asked a girl out, she tore into him savagely. Wilder never tried again, it was so painful and hurt to this day.

It didn’t matter that he didn’t have any possibility of a relationship with Tiana, he wanted her to know he was thankful for what she did for him, even if it was only a week. He would enjoy this week and be an excellent host.

Tiana joined Wilder two hours later in a short-sleeved, dark purple blouse, decorated with shimmering gold butterflies, jeans, and a pair of leather ankle boots. He stared at the boots first, never having had the thought that boots could be cute until he saw them on Tiana. They were spliced leather with strips of dyed purple and blue leather stitched into them.

“What do you think?” Tiana asked, turning to show Wilder the outfit, stamping her feet. Wilder stared at her dumbly, not even hearing her question.

“I think he likes it,” Madam Hammock whispered in passing, causing Tiana to giggle and blush. “Mr. Smith. Do you want us to deliver everything to your home? We can have it to you this afternoon.”

“That would be great.” Wilder nodded, rising to his feet, forgetting to use the cane.

“Oh, you’re getting around better.” Madam Hammock grinned at him cheerfully.

“A little. Comes and goes.” Wilder smiled.

Wilder dismissed Fergus to meet them for lunch in another hour, then he walked down main street with Tiana, answering her questions. She had a lot of questions as they ventured into several of the small shops. Her fascination and enthusiasm kept a constant smile on his face.

Tiana wasn’t annoying at all, he loved answering her questions and explaining things. She thought the bookstore was a library, explaining that fairies valued education, but they didn’t have the ability to produce so many books.

Wilder chuckled when Tiana expressed her dismay that most of the books on fairies were in the children’s section. Music on disks was fascinating to her, and he promised to show her his collection. Explaining movies was fun, magic books that showed you the story. He planned to show her his favorite movies over the week. There was so much to show her.

Then Wilder was reminded why he hated coming into town. They left the bookstore and were walking to the cafe for lunch. There were more people out, and he caught whispering going on around him. People were looking at him and Tiana. Knowing they were looking, he walked with more of a crouch, wishing they would just leave him alone and ignore him.

“Someone should warn her.” A woman whispered loudly, purposely trying to get Tiana to hear her. Wilder cringed, glancing at Tiana. She was walking tall, looking straight ahead.

“Awful man. He deserved what happened to him.” Someone else whispered. Wilder scowled, glad the cafe was closed, but now filled with dread about what might happen in the cafe. He would make sure they sat in the back, as much out of sight as possible.

“That poor woman.”

“He never paid for what he did.”

“What comes around, goes around.”

Tiana heard every word and observed how every time someone said something, Wilder sunk further into himself, his head lowering and eyes set on the sidewalk. What did all the whispering mean? Why were so many people giving Wilder such dirty, vindictive looks?

She reached out and placed her hand on Wilder’s shoulder, squeezing lightly. It didn’t matter that she didn’t really know him, what they were saying was clearly hurting him. Tiana only had her observations of him when he was alone, so alone. He always looked that way, even before the accident. She would ask him when they returned to his house what the whispering was about.

“Ignore them,” grumbled Wilder. “I was judged in the court of public opinion with rumors as witnesses. I gave up trying to say anything in my defense decades ago.”

They reached the cafe, and Fergus was waiting with a smile to open the door for them. Tiana had a lot to think about. More whispering had gone on, and it began to make her angry.

Wilder made sure they took a table in the back and slid into the far corner of the booth, keeping his head down and focusing on the menu. Tiana sat beside him, and Fergus picked up the menu across from them.

“What should I order?” Tiana glanced over the choices.

“Catfish!” Fergus grinned, jabbing a finger at the dish on his own menu. “I love catfish, fried okra, and mashed potatoes. They have the best cornbread here too!”

“That’s an excellent choice,” whispered Wilder, leaning over his menu, his head down. “I’m having the prime rib and a baked potato.”

“Would I like that?” Tiana leaned toward Wilder, whispering into his ear. “I want to try something new.”

“The red meat might be a bit much for you.” Wilder smiled, closing his eyes. “I’ll give you some of mine if you want the same thing Fergus’s having.”

“Okay.” Tiana leaned back and grinned at the menu. “What about dessert?”

“Pecan pie!” Fergus suggested.

“We’ll have Pecan Pie, Cheesecake, and bread pudding,” chuckled Wilder, loosening up again.

Lunch was amazing. Tiana liked everything, but her favorite food was cornbread, covered in honey and butter. Next was the sweet tea. She wasn’t able to finish everything, and neither was Wilder. Fergus cleaned his plate.

The leftovers were boxed up to go, and Wilder ordered a pan of cornbread to take home for dinner. Tiana’s excitement was impossible to contain. She was full, but she still wanted to stuff another square of the delicious bread into her mouth.

Everything was okay until they left the cafe. Fergus took the leftovers to the car, intending to meet them at the grocery store, which was a short five-minute walk away.

Wilder wanted to walk. His legs craved the movement, and it felt good to move under his own power. He pretended to use the cane but didn’t put too much into it. Tiana walked beside him, studying the people and stores they passed.

“What are you doing roaming the streets?” Tiana looked up to see several men standing nearby, in front of a shop with several cars parked in front of it. One of them strode toward Wilder, who was ignoring him and continuing to walk down the sidewalk. “Lady, who are you? Are you his nurse?”

Wilder cringed, as Tiana answered, “I’m his friend.”

“Seriously, why?” The man scowled, folding his arms over his chest. “Do you know what Wilder here did?”

“No, and I don’t want to hear it from you.” Tiana scowled, moving past Wilder and walking up to the man. He blinked at her, surprised that such a small woman was approaching him so aggressively.

“Tiana, it’s not worth it. I will tell you when we get home,” sighed Wilder. “Leave her alone, Rocky.”

“You’re living with -that-?” Rocky snarled, jabbing a finger in Wilder’s direction. Wilder sagged, lowering his head, tapping his cane on the sidewalk.

“Don’t talk about him like that,” Tiana snapped, poking the man in the chest. He was a foot taller than her and built like a brick, but something about Tiana made him step back.

“He really has you fooled.” Rocky shook his head. “When he was a teenager, Wilder got into fights all the time. He punched a girl in the head and put her in a coma. She’s still in a coma. Wilder Smith is a monster, and you would do best to get away from him. He got what he deserved.”

Tiana looked back at Wilder, who stood silently, his eyes set on the ground.

“It was an accident.” Wilder whispered after a moment, turning to walk away. “You were there, you liar.” He turned his head to glare at Rocky, attempting to draw his attention away from Tiana. “Liar.”

“I don’t care if you are an invalid, I am not a liar!” Rocky turned and headed toward Wilder, but he didn’t get far.

There was a sickening snapping sound as Tiana struck. One hand went out to grab Rocky’s wrist, the other whipped out, her palm open as she hit his elbow. Wilder stared in awe, along with everyone else who stopped to watch what was going on. The man’s arm bent in an unnatural angle, and he screamed.

Tiana let him go with a snarl, whirling around to kick his legs out from under him. Rocky crashed to the ground, writhing and whimpering in pain.

“Anyone else want to harm Wilder Smith?” She asked, taking up a fighting stance, her hands lifted in fists. Rocky’s friends stared, and nobody moved. “I thought not.” Tiana dropped her arms and strode toward Wilder, fire lighting up her eyes.

“Wow.” Wilder stared at her, wide-eyed. “How did you do that?”

“I train with the best.” Tiana smiled, wrapping her arm around Wilder’s.

Wilder marveled at Tiana. She was a literal superhero in his book. This incredible woman went from effortlessly taking down a man much bigger than she was to bouncing up and down the aisles in the grocery store with the excitement of a child. They were in an upscale store, which carried hundreds of varieties of everything. Tiana’s eyes gleamed as she studied what was on the shelves, and she asked questions that Wilder was more than happy to answer.

Every aisle fascinated Tiana, and they filled the cart with everything Wilder had on his list, then anything she wanted to try. Fairies obviously didn’t have any kind of dairy, so butter, milk, and a variety of cheeses were put in the cart. Wilder worried if Fairies could tolerate it, but Tiana had food with cheese, butter, and milk in them twice today. Maybe they had tough stomachs?

Before his accident, he enjoyed making gourmet meals for his mother; after, he ate corned beef hash out of a can on more than one occasion. He spent more than he usually would have to cover every kind of food he liked making and thought Tiana would enjoy.

Word traveled fast. By the time Wilder and Tiana left the grocery store and filled the car with groceries, people were no longer whispering. They also weren’t looking at Wilder, they wanted to see Tiana. The looks of disgust on people’s faces toward Wilder were replaced with awe at Tiana.

Wilder was grateful not to hear the whispering anymore, but he still wanted to get home as fast as possible. Gazing at Tiana, he found her so amazing, confident, bold, and strong. He couldn’t help but wish she was his, but that was an impossible dream. At least he could enjoy her company for this week.

Fergus stopped at Wilder’s house first and helped them unload the groceries. Tiana did better in the car on the way back but refused to get back into it. She remained in the house, playing with Rocky when Wilder left.

“Where did you find her, Wilder?” Fergus glanced at Wilder, who sat in the front seat next to him.

“She’s a fairy that came out of my fairy garden,” chuckled Wilder. “Don’t tell anyone.”

“You’ve been drinking too much.” Fergus rolled his eyes.

“I haven’t had a drink since last night, Fergus.” Wilder smirked. “She’s a fairy.”

Fergus stared at him and almost drove the car into a ditch. “Where are her wings?”

“She only has them when she’s tiny.” Wilder held up his hand, showing how tall Tiana was as a fairy. “Fergus, she healed me. How else do you think I rode my motorcycle to your house? I’ll show you how well I can walk when we get to your house. I’m not in pain anymore.”

“Oh, wow.” Fergus glanced at Wilder. “Fairies are real? They live in your garden? Can I see them?”

“I don’t know,” shrugged Wilder. “But this is only for a week, and that’s why I want you coming to my house to help me. Knowing they’re there, I want to make sure they’re well taken care of, and you know how hard it is for me to move around.”

“Yeah,” sighed Fergus. “I know. I kept offering to come over for free and help you out.”

“Well, now I’m going to pay you. I want the fairies well taken care of.” Wilder looked out the window at the trees that were being cleared across the road.

“What about you?” Fergus inquired. “Don’t you need help?”

“I only care about the fairies,” grunted Wilder. “And the animals. Nothing can help me, and you know it. I’m going to be in pain again when she leaves, but knowing they’re taken care of will make my life worth living.”

“That’s sad,” sighed Fergus.

“I don’t need or want anyone’s pity,” grumbled Wilder. “I deserved what happened to me.”

Fergus frowned, turning to Wilder as they pulled up into his driveway. “Wilder, nobody deserves what happened to you. Mom goes on and on about how bullied you were until you began fighting back. You didn’t have a choice.”

“If I never fought back, Siam wouldn’t be in a coma.” Wilder scowled, opening the door and getting out without a problem. “Tomorrow morning at 9, Fergus. I need you until after lunch.” Fergus watched in amazement as he walked to his motorcycle, grabbed his helmet, and put it on. With no sign of pain, Wilder swung his leg over the seat and turned the ignition. He left his cane behind in the car.

Wilder returned to his home, leaving his motorcycle parked in front of the porch. He waited a few minutes, preparing for the conversation he would have with Tiana. Unlike the townspeople, Tiana didn’t have any preconceived notions about him. He could tell her the truth, and she would listen. She wouldn’t think he was just trying to get out of trouble.

With a sigh, Wilder headed inside.

“First, I want to apologize to you for what all went on in town,” stated Wilder, sitting down at the kitchen table across from Tiana. She had a half-eaten slice of pecan pie in front of her.

“Why? That wasn’t your fault,” She stated, licking the fork in her hand.

Wilder hesitated, watching her. Tiana was oblivious to what she was doing, swirling the fork into the pecan pie filling and licking it off, then licking her lips.

“When I was a kid, I got picked on a lot, because I’ve always been skinny and well, smarter than most.” Wilder began, tapping his fingers on the table. “My father taught me how to fight against my mom’s wishes. I never started fights, and there were fewer of them, but occasionally, I still got into fights, and I won them all. Winning fights just makes you a target for people who want to prove they’re better than you, but I refused to lose. So I was known as the quiet kid who got into fights.”

Tiana nodded with a frown, setting her fork down.

“I graduated high school at the top of my class, had a fully paid scholarship to a good school, and a life planned out that included a fresh start.” Wilder took a deep breath. “The day after graduation, I attended a party I was invited to. It was a stupid decision, and I should have known something was off about it. The party was a trap to send me off with a beating I would never forget because I was never one of them. Unfortunately, they had been drinking, and I wasn’t.”

Wilder closed his eyes and pursed his lips. “A dozen huge guys, the one you took out earlier and his friends, ganged up on me. I fought them, and I lost sense of what was going on because I thought they were trying to kill me. At some point, some of the other people at the party tried to help me. I couldn’t see them, because I had been hit in the head several times and had blood in my eyes. I punched several of them by accident, but Siam was the one who got the worst of it. I only hit her once.”

He sighed, running his hands through his hair, clasping them behind his neck. “I didn’t have any friends among them, but if it wasn’t for the other witnesses, I would probably be sitting in jail. It didn’t matter to anyone that there were two people in the ambulance. I was the troublemaker. The guys who attacked me claimed they did it after I struck Siam, and I hit her for no reason. More people stood up for me, telling the truth.”

“They beat me, and I was in the hospital for several weeks, unaware of what was going on outside. My mom kept it from me.” Wilder spread his hands on the table in front of Tiana, showing off how they spread unnaturally and were covered in scars. “I messed up my hands so bad, it took five years of surgery and physical therapy to be able to use them normally. I lost my education, my new life, and I ended up stuck here. Worse, I had a stigma as a violent person, and I’m not. Half the town believes I punched Siam on purpose, probably one of the nicest girls in my class. We were never friends, but it wasn’t because she didn’t try. A lot of my classmates were nicer to me than I could accept, and I was not friends with any of them, but those people stood up for me. I don’t like running into those people even more than the people who bullied me, because I don’t know what to say to them.”

Wilder swallowed, keeping his head down as a tremor ran through his body. He withdrew his hands and took a deep breath. “Excuse me.” Wilder snorted and lifted his arm over his face, wiping his eyes.

“That’s awful.” Wilder wasn’t sure when she got up, but Tiana’s arms slid around his neck, and she leaned her head against his, whispering. “It wasn’t your fault.”

Wilder took a few shallow breaths, attempting to calm his emotions. “If I had just let myself be bullied, it would never have happened.”

“That is the absolute stupidest thing I’ve ever heard,” Tiana stated, moving to his other ear, sliding her hands further down his chest. “So you think you deserve to be in pain?”

“Yes.” Wilder nodded.

Tiana scowled, clasping her hands around his neck, squeezing him. “Wilder, what if I can fix it?”

“What do you mean? You can’t fix what happened.” Wilder lifted his head.

“Siam’s still in a coma? Where is she? If I can wake her up, she can tell everyone what happened.” Tiana suggested. “I think I can do that.”

“I don’t know if it’s that easy.” Wilder tilted his head to look at her. “She might be a vegetable.”

“People aren’t vegetables.” Tiana wrinkled her nose at Wilder.

“It’s a figure of speech. It means she might not be in there.” Wilder explained.

“Figure out a way we can try,” stated Tiana. “If anything, wouldn’t you want to see awake?”

Wilder thought about it. It wouldn’t fix what happened, and he still blamed himself. “Yes. I would.”

Tiana helped Wilder clean his home, even though he tried to make her stop, his face red in embarrassment that it was cluttered in the first place. He mentioned his mother came over once a week, and she would arrive the day after tomorrow. Wilder wanted to surprise her with a house she didn’t have to clean and meals like he used to cook.

He talked, and Tiana listened, asking questions occasionally. The human world was fascinating, with so much variety in it. As a princess, Tiana had anything she could want provided for her, a closet full of clothes, even though she favored one outfit, and food prepared for her at every meal. She did not know how to cook or sew, her time spent in other pursuits befitting her royal station.

Tiana hadn’t brought up the reason she was here to Wilder, and he hadn’t asked. Maybe she would bring it up in the future, perhaps not. After the story he told, healing Siam wouldn’t be a good enough gift for Wilder. She needed to think of something bigger, something that would impact him directly.

Healing Wilder’s body permanently would be the best thing, but Tiana wasn’t sure she could do it. She could try. Trying wouldn’t harm anything, and it would also give her an excuse to touch him, something else she was sure he needed. The fact that she liked Wilder, to begin with, was part of the reason she wanted to come to the human world. She also wanted an adventure, an escape from her life, and her obnoxious ex who could not take no for an answer.

In the human world, Tiana was just another woman, not a princess, and she liked it. There wasn’t a Vestige waiting around every corner to ambush her, trying to manipulate her into returning to him. She hated it when he did that. It made her more nervous and more paranoid than usual, and she needed a break. And that break, brought her to Wilder.

Tiana sat on the couch, looking at the small living room they had just cleared of empty bottles, glasses, and books. She took a deep breath, wrinkling her nose at the fresh smell. Before, it held a manly scent because Wilder was in here all the time, but now it smelled fresh and lemony. She kind of preferred his smell.

She flexed her fingers, studying her hands, remembering how Wilder’s hands looked. The need to comfort him was strong, and pushing her in ways she hadn’t expected. Tiana tended to be a sympathetic person, unless she was angry or offended. That was to be expected. But being around Wilder was stirring something else she wasn’t prepared for. She genuinely liked the human, which was funny, because she had sworn to her father she hated men and dating so much, she would only give one another chance if she met one she didn’t want to punch in the face. And here she was, staying with a human male who she definitely did not want to punch. She wanted to touch him in other ways.

Those things she once enjoyed with Vestige, were the very things she wanted to do to Wilder because she felt like they would be completely different. He was such an incredibly humble man, giving, and what she saw seemed to be who he was. There wasn’t any hiding behind fake bravado or sweet flattering words with no truth behind them. Father would be incredibly mad; however, he was the one that told her to find a man, any man. Obviously, he meant a fairy male and not a human, but it would certainly serve him right if she brought Wilder home with her.