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Afterwards, we are just sitting and I am commissioned to string flowers into chains for them. They are watching me and counting the clouds and the leaves and the dandelions I am using. We like the yellow dandelions because they are good for jewelry, and we like the white ones because they are good like fairy wishes, dancing away on slender legs.

I can make magic, this means Ben will not complain when I present him with a girly wreath. It is really one of the girls' necklaces that happened too short, I will not tell him that.

I can make magic, this means telling a story and they will lie still, inspecting the dirt for secrets and turning over to look at the tree again and sometimes even looking at me. Of course the story makes no sense, and this is why it works. 'And he took the girl and placed her opposite the whole wheat bread, do you know what happens next?' 'Yes', they say. 'Next comes Mr. Jelly and kills the bad guys! The bad guys are Dog! and Sea Lion!'

Yes, it is exactly like that.

And then we are on our backs again, and quiet. They are tired and I am fine with just watching for now. This is the best sort of quiet anyway, the kind where noone needs to say anything, and then I realize it's because the whispering trees have sung the kids to sleep.

I am fine with just watching them.

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