Page 39 of The Broken Mirror
After their curry dinner the previous night, Filomena, Jack, and their friends decided it makes the most sense to stay at the cottage while they plan how to find Zera and search for the League of Seven.
The giants, being the gentlemen they are, agreed to stay at their girlfriends’ cottage until Filomena and her crew leave. Luckily their girlfriends all live together in the cottage across the path. How convenient!
“Hey, no problem, Fil,” Alistair replies. “I’m loving this kitchen! Everything’s made of wood!”
Gretel takes a bite of pancake. “Fil, don’t you think that if there was TV in Never After, Alistair would have a cooking show?”
“Totally, he could tour every kitchen in the land and make different dishes in each!” One of Filomena’s favorite facts about Gretel: She’s biportal. Filomena feels a little more sane knowing someone else gets how weird it is to occupy two worlds.
“You two are so funny with your mortal world stuff. I never have the slightest idea what you’re saying,” Rosie chimes in. She’s buttering toast.
“I bet you’d love the Discovery Channel, Rosie.” Gretel laughs. “If you come visit me in the mortal world, we’ll totally binge it.”
Jack walks over to the table carrying a plate of food. “I have to say, staying at this cottage sure feels a lot more normal to me than staying at Princess Jeanne’s castle,” he says,taking a seat beside Filomena. “Not that it wasn’t cool. But silk pajamas and a four-poster bed? That was intense.”
“Yeah, the beds here are great!” Alistair enthuses from the kitchen.
“I concur,” Byron says, sitting down at the table with a cup of coffee. “Finally a bed that fits me properly! I’ll have to get myself a giant-sized bed when all this is over.”
Filomena notices that Jack is sitting very close, so close that they’re almost touching. He turns and smiles at her. “How did you sleep, Fil?” he asks in a soft voice only she can hear.
“Pretty well. Gretel doesn’t snore, so that’s a plus.”
He laughs. Their arms bump as they butter their toast and pick up their teacups. Each time, Filomena gets a little jolt.
“You know,” Jack says, “I was thinking, maybe, we never really—” Suddenly he blushes a bit, covering it with a cough.
“What?” she asks, her heartbeat speeding up.
He takes a deep breath. Is Jack the Giant Stalker nervous?
Suddenly everyone sitting around the table is paying attention to them.
“Uh, never mind,” says Jack.
Filomena tries not to look too disappointed.
The group turns its attention to Gretel, who’s asking Rosie about the interior decor. “So, Rosie,” Gretel’s saying, “I have to ask: Are you responsible for all the doilies around here?”
Rosie grimaces, then laughs. “No way! This cottage issonot my taste. The giants chose all this. If it were up to me, I’d live in a totally minimalist house. Just the essentials. Maybe some nice plants. No doilies on every table, no fuzzy throw pillows with cutesy sayings everywhere, and definitely no flowery curtains!”
“I don’t know, I kind of like it,” says Alistair.
“Well, I am pretty much a guest here, so it’s not my place to critique. But when I move out, I’m totally changing my decor scheme.”
Filomena’s liking Rosie more and more as she gets to know her. Rosie feels kindred, somehow.
“So what’s our plan for today?” Gretel asks the table, changing the subject to more serious matters.
Jack seems ready to get into it; he has a plan fully formed. “I’m thinking we can split up today. Some of us can go out exploring, get the lay of the land around Snow Country, and talk to people in town. See if anyone knows anything about Zera’s whereabouts.”
“I can’t do that, unfortunately,” Rosie says. “I can’t really go too far from the cottage these days.”
“That’s all right,” Jack responds. “I was thinking I’ll go. I have some allies from old times around here. I’m sure I can seek them out.”
“We’ll go with you, Jack,” Beatrice volunteers. “Since Byron and I are Prince and Princess now, I think it’d be good to get to know as many people in neighboring kingdoms as possible.”
“Great, it’s set,” Jack replies.
