Chapter 7: In A Fairy's Garden
13 years ago
The surface of the water rippled, opaque and nearly black, wind stirring a ripple of eddies on the surface. Thirteen-year-old Iris West sat on a log beside the inlet. The copse was closed by trees. The ground covered by violets and other little plants that grew in patches. The afternoon sun, filtered by clouds casting a soft gray light.
The frogs, crickets, and birds that had quieted with her arrival took up their chorus again. Iris listened to the animals, the wind rustling through the leaves, the quiet flow of water, and wished that she had brought a blanket so she could lie in the grass staring up at the overcast sky. The weatherman expected clear skies later that day. She didn't mind though; the soft, silvery clouds had their own quiet beauty.
"Did you know that Iris is considered to be at its most beautiful in the rain."
Her mother had told her that one late, cloudy afternoon as they'd sat watching supposed that was why she had a soft spot for overcast days.
In this quiet little copse, it was easy to forget that there was an expressway only half a mile away. Easy to forget Central City and the whole noisy world. The river with boat rides, Gray Pier, packed restaurants, a Ferris wheel, and even a stained glass museum. Even the park crowded with over a million people waiting for fireworks and vendors selling popular foods like grilled corn on the cob and turkey legs faded from existence.
It was summer now, but when her mother had first brought her here in the spring, it had been covered with wildflowers in violet, yellow, blue, and pink, the trees bowing with blooms the size of her mother's hand. Lit with soft summer sunlight, to five-year-old Iris West, it had looked like a magical fairy's garden where anything could happen.
A family of squawking ducks swam into view, mod, dad, and noisy ducklings following behind. They seemed to float on the water's surface, riding the gentle current with ease. They alighted on the opposite side of the inlet, waddling and ungraceful on land.
The mom and dad nudged at the ducklings grooming them, and Iris frowned. Was it ducks or geese that mated for life? She threw a pebble into the water, and one of the ducks looked up from grooming their ducklings to squawk at her.
"Sorry."
She poked her lips out and looked back up at the sky. The wind was picking up; the sun was starting to peek through the clouds in golden-slivery glints. The weatherman was probably right, clear skies for the fireworks.
The family of ducks waddled off into the trees. In the silence that followed their departure, Iris heard the muffled sound of footsteps. Her hand moved to a large stick that she had picked up during her walk. That was the problem with isolated spots like this in the city, creeps.
The creep emerged from the trees, and Iris felt her spirits lift.
"Barry!"
He strode over to her as gangly and awkward as a baby giraffe in baggy cargo shorts and a stripped t-shirt.
"Hey, Iris!"
He came and sat beside her on the tree.
"Your dad is looking for you."
She started to get up, but his hand on her arm stopped her. Barry checked his watch.
"I told your dad I'd find you. He won't send out the squad cars for another twenty minutes."
Iris rolled her eyes.
"You weren't looking long, were you?"
Barry shook his head.
"I figured you'd be here."
Something about those words warmed her.
One morning when she was still five years old, Wally just two, her mother had woken her up and asked her if she wanted to go on an adventure.
Of course, she'd said yes. Francine had gotten her dressed very quickly, and they slipped out of the house leaving Wally with Joe. They took an express bus downtown and strolled through Central City park to this out of the way spot, all of it very exciting and mysterious to Iris at that age. Then they'd walked to this little copse where Francine let her pick wild flowers.
After that they'd listened to a few street musicians and strolled over to the Original House of Pancakes, not to be confused with gross IHOP. Iris had had strawberries and cream for the first time along with cherry crepes.
The flowers were still pressed between the pages of a scrapbook that her mother must have, somewhere.
She'd bought Barry here once a couple of years ago, in the fall.
"I really need to come here in the spring."
"It's really pretty."
"Do you 'uh wanna talk about your mom?"
Iris sighed.
"What's there to say? She went crazy and left."
"Iris!"
"But that's what happened. She stopped sleeping, checked herself into behavioral health for two weeks, came home, packed up her things and moved in with her sister."
"Parents get divorced."
Iris snorted for a reply.
"This isn't like Tamika Myers. Her parents hated each other; everyone knows that." She drew her knees up to her chest. "This is different." Her voice was soft now. "We were happy; it doesn't make sense."
"I guess not," Barry rubbed her back.
"All of a sudden, after six years of being ok she just turned moody and distant and distracted." Iris shook her head. "It doesn't make sense."
Francine West had had her first psychotic break shortly after Joe's partner had been shot and killed in the line of duty. She'd seemed ok at first helping the widow and her children, but then the widow had moved out of state to stay with family in Coast City. Her first episode had followed not long after.
The mother Iris West had known for the first seven years of her life had transformed into someone else. No matter how neat and clean seven-year-old Iris kept herself, no matter how neat her room or well done her homework was none of it pleased the distant, moody person her mother had become.
It had taken a year of medications and hospitalizations to get Francine back something resembling normal. Weekly visits to a therapist along with regular medication kept her grounded in reality for the past six years. They'd even figured out that the initial episode had been partially triggered by her husband coming so close to being killed.
They'd taken in Barry after Henry Allen's bail had been revoked. Francine had doted on him while he grieved his mother and still made time for her own children. Once Henry had been acquitted she'd been helping father and son readjust. Francine had been well.
"You miss her."
"It's not the same seeing her at Aunt Loretta's house. She's got her kids and husband. They don't want us over there all weekend." Iris shook her head.
"It takes time to adjust. Dad's been out four months, and we still haven't really adjusted." Barry threw a pebble into the water with a frown, and it was Iris' turn to worry.
"How is your dad?"
He didn't say anything just tugged at the grass absently, a distant look on his face.
"Barry."
Iris prodded him with a gentle hand on his arm, and he looked up then, a tired look in his green eyes for just a second and then his mouth flicked up the corners, a forced version of his familiar smile.
"He's alri- no he's not." The boy shook his head. "He's drinking more; he was hungover this morning. He hasn't been to the grocery store, and we're running out of everything."
"Oh my God." Iris stared at him with wide eyes. "Barry do you have anything to eat? We can…"
"There is stuff in the pantry. Your mom stocked it pretty good when she was coming over; there is even some food in the freezer, but I don't know what to do."
Iris stared at him worry for her best friend bubbling. She knew Henry Allen had problems, but this was really bad. In the course of a year, Henry had lost his wife, his practice, his reputation. He owned his house outright, and he must have money saved since he didn't work. But what was going to happen to Barry?
"We can tell my dad-"
"No! No! Now way."
Barry glared at her a hard look in his eyes that she had never seen and Iris drew back.
"Geeze. I came out here to cheer you up, and we're talking about my drunk dad. Listen," Barry's face softened. "Don't tell your dad ok.I'll manage, just don't tell him."
"I don't Barry. I'm worried about-"
"Please don't. I don't want my dad to get in trouble."
His green eyes pleaded with her and Iris gave in with a nod.
"I won't say anything."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
"Thanks." Barry smiled and fished for something in his pocket. "So operation cheer Iris up."
"Barry you don't have to-"
"But look I'm prepared and everything." Barry pulled several Laffy Taffy wrappers from his pocket.
"Really."
"They're corny, but you always laugh. So let me see."
Iris watched him shift through the wrappers.
"Alright. How do you get a baby alien to sleep?"
"I don't know."
"You rocket."
Her lips quirked upward at the corners just a bit.
"What has no legs, but can do a split?"
"That's an easy one, a banana."
"You're right, but this one is better. How do you communicate with a fish?"
She thought a moment before shrugging.
"You drop a line."
Iris actually laughed at that one and Barry laughed with her. They sat together for several minutes reading and laughing at Laffy Taffy jokes. Iris let Barry take her mind off her mother. After all, there wasn't anything she could do about, and Barry hadn't meant it this way, but his situation with his dad was so much more messed up than hers.
Her mom was sick, but she got help and medication, and Iris could see her, call her. Nora Allen was gone forever, and Henry Allen was not being much of a dad. And here Barry was trying to cheer her up. Iris felt herself grow warm.
She studied her best friend for a moment. The afternoon sun picked up hints of red and gold in his dark hair; it flooded his eyes so she could see flecks of gold amidst the green. He was wearing that broad, excited smile that invited you to join his humor.
Barry read the punchline of another joke, and Iris let herself laugh loud and free.
"There we are." Barry grinned at her proudly, and their eyes met and held as her laughter abated. Iris got that strange swollen feeling around her heart, and Barry turned pink.
"We should probably go meet your dad."
"Oh yeah."
Barry got to his feet and held out his hand to her. Iris took it and let him pull her in one easy move, his grip surprisingly firm and secure.
"Come on." He gave her hand a comforting squeeze. Hand-in-hand they started back to the park, and Iris promised herself she would always care of Barry the way he took care of her.
"I know you've been trying to get your dad to get you a cell phone for your birthday."
"Yeah."
"Tell him you need it to call your mom."
"That's a great idea, Barry."
Hey everyone thanks for continuing to read. Sorry, this update took so long this is one of the few chapters I ended up completely rethinking and rewriting. Chapter 8 is already in done its entirety, I plan on post it by the end of the next and it's a doozy. Are you guys hyped about the trailers and bts stuff that's come out? I'm thinking of taking the premier date off from work, hahaha. Did any of you watch The Defenders? I now have a new ship, MattLektra and well an armada of ships tbh. I just love the MCU so much. I hope you enjoyed this update. Take a moment to leave a comment and let me know what you think. I hated Laffy taffy when I was a kid, but I liked the corny jokes. Thanks for reading and don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss an update.