Miles and I walked into town. He got many dirty looks there, passing through with an improper girl in an improper skirt, and apparently many knew him. We did not go to Treegap, but to Bridal, the town on the other side of the woods. Treegap, he said, would only bring trouble.
We stopped at a bakery, and the man gave us yesterday's bread for free, and we had that for breakfast. We ate it on the curb outside of the shop, my white dress getting dusty and turning brown. That was alright, though, Miles assured me Mae would help me wash it tonight.
Afterwards, when it started to get dark, and we realized we had spent the whole day in Bridal, we made the trek back to the Tucks' home for dinner.
"I knew it! You're, you're bank robbers, or grifters, or something!" We heard Winnie say, and followed the sound of her voice, a mischievous smile on our faces.
Miles and I hid behind a tree, eager to witness whatever exchange of love was about to occur.
"You're the first human I've met that I wanted to know the truth." Jesse said, and Miles and I went silent. He was going to tell her, wasn't he?
"Jesse Tuck, you're the first boy I've ever wanted to..." They kissed, and I held my breath. Winnie's first kiss, and I had witnessed it. I hoped it was good for her, that Jesse Tuck was good for her. Well, he better be, or I'd kick his ass. "To do that to."
"Winnie, listen. Remember the giant oak tree at the center of the wood where we met? The little spring bubbling up you saw me drink from? You remember when I told you I was one hundred and seventeen years old? Well...it's the honest truth. I'm going to live forever, I'm never going to change. The same with Miles and Tuck and Mae. Something happened to us. As far as I know, I'm...I'm going to be seventeen until the end of the world. It's the spring, Winnie. The water, something's wrong with it. It stops you right where you are." Jesse swallowed hard. "You're like us, too Winnie. You drank from it, the day you met me."
"Don't you wish he'd told you that, before he kissed you?" Miles said, emerging from the shadows. I followed his lead, and tried to suppress a smile as Jesse moved to guard Winnie defensively. Oh yes, they'd be a good match, the almost-man and the almost-child.
"Willow," She said my name in a child's voice, like she always did when she didn't know what to do. "You knew."
"Only after you drank it." I sighed, watching as Jesse put an arm around her. Still, she leaned into his touch. "Do you believe it, Winnie?"
"Do you think I'd lie to you?" Jesse said, cupping her face. "Think about it, Winnie. We could go anywhere, see everything! The Eiffle Tower, just like we talked about! The Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island! We could discover that continent I talked about together."
"It's not going to be all sugar and no bitter, Win." I told her, raising my voice to be heard over Jesse's. "You're a Foster, they have responsibilities. You can't just run from Treegap, the Tucks will never be safe as long as they keep you."
"You're an adult, Winnie, make your own decisions." Jesse said, glaring at me. I obviously wasn't pleading his case.
"Willow," Winnie said quietly. "Will you sing another song? I need to sleep."
"Here?" Miles said, incredulously.
"Yes," Winnie said as I sat down, watching as she laid her head on my lap, her hand still entertwined with Jesse's.
"I'll twine 'mid the ringlets
Of my raven black hair,
The lilies so pale
And the roses so fair,
The myrtle so bright
With an emerald hue,
And the pale aronatus
With eyes of bright blue.
I'll sing, and I'll dance,
My laugh shall be gay,
I'll cease this wild weeping
Drive sorrow away,
Tho' my heart is now breaking,
He never shall know,
That his name made me tremble
And my pale cheeks to glow.
I'll think of him never
I'll be wildly gay,
I'll charm ev'ry heart
And the crowd I will sway,
I'll live yet to see him
Regret the dark hour
When he won, then neglected,
The frail wildwood flower.
He told me he loved me,
And promis'd to love,
Through ill and misfortune,
All others above,
Another has won him,
Ah! misery to tell;
He left me in silence
No word of farewell!
He taught me to love him,
He call'd me his flower
That blossom'd for him
All the brighter each hour;
But I woke from my dreaming,
My idol was clay;
My visions of love
Have all faded away."