Bedtime came once again for the children at the palace, and it was Lamenta's turn to pick out a book for Qui-Gon to read to them. Lamenta knew exactly what book she wanted to read. It was her favorite story of all time. The story about the boy who wouldn't grow up. Peter Pan.
Lamenta went to the shelf to get the book... but to her great surprise, it wasn't there.
"That's weird." Lamenta said. "It should be right here."
"Maybe it's in your room." Gabby suggested.
So, Lamenta checked her bedroom. The book wasn't in there. She checked her closet, her backpack, even under her bed. It wasn't there.
"Do you remember where you last had it?" Hunter asked.
"No." Lamenta said sadly.
"Don't worry, cous." Boba said. "We'll find it. If we split up, we can cover more ground."
So, the other kids started to look around for Lamenta's books. They all checked their rooms, in their backpacks, the grown ups' rooms, the horses' stables, the backyard, the garden, under Garrett's desk, they even checked in the Marauder. Carmine even went to the Jedi Temple to check his and Anakin's apartments there. No luck.
"R2, did you see Lamenta carry the book anywhere recently?" Goldie asked the astromech.
R2 beeped to say he did not see Lamenta's book anywhere. None of the grownups could find it either.
Lamenta started to cry as she felt her favorite book was gone forever.
"Don't cry, Sweetie." Caroline said, hugging her daughter. "We'll get you another one."
"There are lots of other books to read." Carmine said. He looked at the shelf and pulled out a different book. "How about the Three Musketeers?"
"We heard that story five times already." Boba said. "All for one and one for all. We know the drill."
"What about Beauty & the Beast?" Gabby suggested, pulling out the book.
"We heard that story yesterday." Goldie said.
"I don't wanna read another book." Lamenta pouted. "I just want my book."
The others couldn't stand to see Lamenta so upset about her favorite book being lost. But then Gabby had an idea.
Gabby ran out of the room and disappeared, but came back a few minutes later.
"Okay, I was at the Jedi Temple, and I got good news and bad news." Gabby said. "The bad news is Ms. Jocasta says that the last copy of Peter Pan was checked out, and the one who took it is off-world from Coruscant and Naboo for the next few days. But the good news is I found my notebook in which I was actually working on a parody of Peter Pan. It was supposed to be a surprise for Life Day, but I think it might make Lamenta happy to hear this story tonight instead."
"So, it's like Peter Pan?" Mona said.
"Sort of. It couldn't hurt to try, right?"
Lamenta wiped her eyes and looked at the notebook her cousin was holding. It was lavender with Dream Fairy of Neverland in sparkly purple letters.
"Why does it say 'dream fairy'?" Lamenta asked.
"Well, if we can tell the story tonight, you can find out. It is still your turn to pick a story."
Lamenta thought about it. Gabby was a great writer, and a very active imagination from what she'd seen in her dreams, that which she inherited from their grandfather. So, Lamenta decided to give it a go.
Qui-Gon took the notebook and started to read what Gabby had written in it.
"Hmm. Impressive, Gabriella. You may have a future as an author." Qui-Gon praised.
"Will you just start the story already?" Lamenta said grumpily.
"Better hurry, Grandpa." Gabby chuckled. "I don't think Lamenta can wait much longer."
So, this time, Qui-Gon started to read out loud the story of the Dream Fairy of Neverland.
Once upon a time, we all started out as babies, and we reached a special time in life called childhood. A time when we are most filled with wonder, curiosity, and imagination. And every child eventually grows into an adult, when many will say they must give up everything from childhood. But what many don't know, is that if you let the child inside you die, that is what stops one from truly growing.