Chapter Four
Rapunzel looked around in wonder, her green eyes wide.
It was a bright, sunny day. The sun streamed down onto the gathering. Rapunzel's gold hair was illuminated by the light and she smiled, dimples popping out of her cheeks.
"Like it?" Phillip smiled at her reaction.
Rapunzel nodded eagerly and Amelia broke into a smile. "Go on and play. Make some friends."
Rapunzel looked at Amelia and Phillip and then raced off to where the other children were.
Amelia turned to see Phillip by her side. His eyes followed hers. She gazed at the sunny Rapunzel introducing herself to other children. They smiled at her and one of the girls came up, as old as Rapunzel, and beamed at her. Phillip smiled, humming.
"Sweet little May." Phillip admired the two. May pulled Rapunzel along toward the other children and then the two were gone, running off to the shore. "She'll keep her company."
Amelia smiled. "Hopefully."
"Yes."
They stood there, straining to see Rapunzel.
Amelia spoke, almost nervous. She ignored the bustle of people around them and said. "They won't go near the lake."
"Yes." Phillip agreed absently.
"They won't see her petals." Amelia said, growing nervous.
"Yes." Phillip said and a quick glance from the corner from her eye told him that he was fidgeting.
"Want to check on her?"
"Yes."
"There you are!" Piper called to them. Amelia turned from watching Rapunzel splash in the lake with May and a young lad who seemed to be older than her.
"Hi, Piper," Amelia greeted her absently and turned back to the young lad. He was going to be quite dashing when he grew up. He had high cheekbones and a lightly tanned complexion. Amelia never saw him with his parents but she knew they had to be charming to create such a promising boy.
"How is she?" Piper asked and Amelia smiled at her, slightly more focused.
"She's fine." Amelia said and gestured to the boy Rapunzel was playing with. The pair were bending down at the shore and he reached up, splashing water on her face. Rapunzel squealed and roared up, drenching him in lake water. Amelia expected him to start yelling at her but all he did was start laughing and then he did the same thing Rapunzel did to him, smiling. "I'm more worried about that boy over there."
"Eugene?" Piper asked and blinking fast, she shook her head. "Flynn, I mean."
"Flynn?" Amelia turned to Piper again, tipping her head to the side.
Piper shrugged, her blue eyes lighting up. "Everyone calls him that. I think he finds the name Eugene a bit too old."
Amelia nodded in thought, her eyes going back to Rapunzel and the much older Flynn. "The name Flynn does sound adventurous." She amended. "How old is he?"
"Thirteen." Piper said surely.
"Hm."
"Why?" Piper asked and then she eyed the two more critically. "Oh! I see!" Piper nudged Amelia, giggling. "Mia, she's too young."
"He's not." Amelia frowned and Piper couldn't stifle her giggles.
"Rapunzel looks at least nine." Piper said reassuringly. "Stop giving him that look."
"What look?" Amelia turned to Piper yet again. Piper opened her mouth to speak and then the smell of Jared's soft cologne, tempered with sweat, made Amelia turn to her left. Jared stood next to Phillip and Phillip looked at Rapunzel and Flynn, though now May had joined them.
Phillip scowled and put his hands on his hips. "Who is that?"
"One of her friends." Piper said and she and Amelia began to laugh at the protectiveness that darkened Phillip's and Jared's eyes.
Jared huffed and then went to Piper's side, kissing her on the forehead. Amelia squeaked and Phillip eyed the two of them. Piper looked pink in the face and Jared look at Phillip and Amelia, slightly bold in his happiness. "Can I help you?"
Amelia grinned. "When?"
Jared looked at Piper and held up her left hand in his. Two engagement rings sparkled on their ring fingers and Phillip cheered.
"About time, I mean, damn!" Phillip exclaimed and nearly knocked Jared down when he pat him on the shoulder. "Piper, you didn't hold out on him, did you?" Phillip's eyes went to Piper, his dark brows lowering.
Piper blushed. "Of course not!" She looked at the two of them. "He surprised me this morning, and then you two were late so I couldn't tell you."
Amelia couldn't hold back her happy squeak. "Are we the first?"
Piper and Jared nodded in sync and Phillip and Amelia exchanged glances, smiling in pride.
Then Phillip spoke. "Have you told Millie?"
"No, but-"
"Mother!" Rapunzel's voice came out of nowhere. Amelia looked down toward her feet and was taken aback by the happy sparkles in Rapunzel's emerald eyes. "Mother, I made some friends!" Rapunzel said happily and a bright smile made Amelia's thoughts go in different directions.
Jared looked at Rapunzel with soft gray eyes. "Good!" He said and looked endearingly at Amelia, knowing that her mind had gone blank. "Go make some more." He encouraged the small child.
Rapunzel bounced once, emerald eyes wide in astonishment, as if she hadn't known she could make more friends, and raced off, running back to Flynn who had been standing yards away. He smiled and followed her to the other children.
Jared watched the pair and he said absently, "If I were you, I'd-"
"Watch them?" Phillip and Amelia said at the same time.
Jared shook his head, smiling. "I'd ask that boy his name."
Amelia turned a fair shade of pink and then asked, "Do you think we should-"
"Keep them apart?" Piper asked, pale blue eyes on Rapunzel's glowing face. She was watching May and Flynn imitate a dance and bouncing up and down, giggling.
Amelia shook her head, turning her eyes to Jared and Piper.
"Call everyone to eat?"
Jared shrugged and Piper started giggling, uncomfortable. They stood there for a moment, watching memories form between Rapunzel and Flynn.
And then Jared said, "Keeping them apart wouldn't work."
Phillip shrugged. "Your idea."
Jared looked at Phillip and smiled, brushing dark hair from his eyes. "I have good ideas."
Amelia looked at the three of them: Rapunzel, Flynn, and May. "This isn't one."
"Maybe, maybe," Jared allowed and he looked at Piper. "What will you do about her petals?"
Panic made Amelia flinch. She whirled to Jared, eyes widening. She looked at Rapunzel and her voice became a squeak. "Can you see them?"
Jared shook his head. "No, and Piper told me about them. I wouldn't have known otherwise."
Piper looked red under Amelia's burning gaze and said, "Aw, her pretty dress."
"What's wrong with it?" Amelia and Phillip asked, their eyes going to Rapunzel.
Amelia heard Piper begin to laugh and she looked at her. "You are a mother now." Piper said mischievously. Piper turned to the crowd and called, "Everyone! It's time to eat!"
"I don't see what she's talking about." Phillip said, and Amelia turned to Phillip still looking at Rapunzel, who was now pulling May and Flynn toward the rest of the Coronans who were crowding around Piper. "There's not a speck of dirt on her."
Amelia smiled and fondness made her get up on her tip toes and kiss his cheek. "Come on, Father, let's go get our daughter."
Phillip smiled warmly and led the way after Rapunzel, his fingers locking with hers. "All right, Mother."
He didn't see her smile, or the joyful tears make her shining green eyes glisten like wet diamonds.
