Chapter 3
As you look at Wendy, you may see her hair becoming white, and her figure little again, for all this happened long ago. Jane is now a common grown-up, with a daughter called Margaret; and every spring cleaning time, except when he forgets, Peter comes for Margaret and takes her to the Neverland, where she tells him stories about himself, to which he listens eagerly. When Margaret grows up she will have a daughter, who is to be Peter's mother in turn; and thus it will go on, so long as children are gay and innocent and heartless.
From Peter Pan
She ran all the way to the house that her grandfather had described. She knocked excitedly on the door and danced around waiting for it to be opened. In all of her 16 years, nothing had excited her this much. Peter Pan, real… not imaginary. It was amazing to think of and yet somewhere, deep down, she had believed it all along. But she had to see the nursery, imagine the goings-on. An old woman answered the door.
"Hello…" the women said staring at Harper. Harper shyly handed her the note from her grandfather, not trusting herself to speak. After all, what do you say to a complete stranger in a case like this? 'Let me in so I can see your nursery'? The lady read the note and a smile lit her wrinkled and weary face. "Oh child, do come in. I'm Jane. Welcome to number 24." Harper stepped inside.
"Hello, I'm Harper…" she hesitated but then decided it was best to be straight forward. "May I…May I see the nursery?" Jane nodded and beckoned Harper to follow her. Jane opened the door and stood aside for Harper to enter before her. Harper gasped as she looked around. There were three beds in it, and multiple cubby holes that looked recent. Each cubby was labeled. One said Wendy and held a white frilly nightgown that was perfectly preserved. One said Michael and held a well loved teddy bear. As Harper wandered around observing each cubby Jane sat on the nearest bed. When she came to Slightly's cubby she pulled out a dusty flute made out of a twig.
"Slightly was the best with musical pipes next to Peter. He was Peter's second-in-command you know? He was always left in charge when Peter went off on adventures…" Jane trailed off remembering Peter and the Spring Cleaning she had gone to. Maggie, he daughter hadn't enjoyed it as much and Maggie's daughter had outright refused. Jane sighed and exited her painful memories to watch Harper flit across the room examining item after item. Harper was having the time of her life. Each item corresponded with a tale her great-grandfather had transcribed before the memory of Neverland completely left him. As a result of him being young and ill educated some parts were hard to read, but the story remained as interesting as it was the day it happened. She turned to Jane and smiled.
"I just… It's all real. All of it. There is a place where you won't grow up or have responsibilities… Peter…Peter Pan, he exists! Fairies exist! It's magic." Harper spun around in the middle of the room holding a fake fairy wand Wendy had made as a prop to her stories. She collapsed laughing in the middle of the floor and fingered the ribbons of the wand.
"I remember being that excited about the stories. It was right before Peter came for me…" Harper interrupted her. "You've met Peter?!"
"Why, yes. Every generation except for yours has. You see, Peter came back for Wendy every Spring Cleaning time. Then when she was too old and I was deemed old enough I went with Peter every Spring as did my daughter when I was too old. Her daughter however refused the first time Peter came for her. I don't think peter will ever come back. The window has been barred for so long…. It's so nice to have a young face about the house…Won't you stay for dinner?" Jane asked Harper.
"Oh yes I should love to, but I'll have to ring my mother first." Harper answered standing up and turning to put the wand away.
"Oh, you finish looking around in here. I'll call your mom and tell Elizabeth to set an extra place at the table." Jane walked slowly downstairs as Harper's attention turned to the window. She placed her hand upon the glass and looked out. Much had changed since Wendy stood at that same window, yet much was still the same. Harper looked up at the lock and followed what the voice in her heart told her to do. She reached up slowly and unlocked it.