Authors: M C Moore
The rest of the day went smoothly and Meckenzie rushed home after the final bell to meet with the party planner her father had hired for their eighteenth birthday party. Kellan was working out with her Basketball coach and Taggart had decided to put in an extra hour in the lab. So it would be up to Meckenzie to make the basic decisions about the party.
As she turned the corner she saw Ty hanging out in the park. He was talking with a guy and a girl who looked similar to him. All three stopped and turned to look at Meckenzie at the same time. Then like a wave of nausea, the buzzing started. She hurried along to her front door and rushed in.
After locking the door behind her, she went to the front window to look across the street to where Ty had been with his companions. No one was there but a dog walker and about six mixed dogs ranging in all shapes and sizes.
Just then the doorbell rang and startled Meckenzie. She was unsure of answering the door, as no one else was home. As she looked through the window, she could make out one of the assistants to Doreen the party planner.
Doreen McDonald party planner extraordinaire traveled with a posse. Two assistants trailed in behind her as well as a man in his late twenties who gasped as he entered the entry way. The unknown man mumbled, "Fabulous," and brushed past the two assistants.
Doreen began introductions, "This is Adam Smith,
he
will be designing the flowers and other table pieces for the party. You remember Jen and James my assistants."
Meckenzie nodded, "Let's go down to the parlor and ballroom so you can see the space Adam."
Meckenzie led the group down the spiral stair case, pointing out all the fine architectural detail for Adam's amusement. "The home was built in 1887 by my great grandparents. My great grandmother designed the home with the architect, specifying room layout. She hand-picked many of the art pieces you will see in the home. She lived to be 106. She was 20 when the house was built and never lived anywhere else for the last 86 years of her life. She especially loved this floor. The ballroom has been used to hold weddings, birthday parties, and even her funeral. As you can see by the design, it will easily hold 100 guests and will fit our needs for the dinner and dancing portion of our evening. The parlor will be able to hold the gift bags and function as a sitting area for the after dinner festivities.
Now to my great grandmother's favorite part of the house, the garden."
There were many agreeable noises coming from Doreen and her assistants. Adam giggled and followed close behind Meckenzie. Just as she was showing the group the garden, Taggart strolled into the room. "I'm not too late am I? Meckenzie hasn't decided to use streamers and balloons for our decorations."
As Adam turned to see Taggart come in, Meckenzie was aware of the sharp intake of air. Adam had found himself a new object for his admiration in the form of Taggart.
Taggart had always commanded the attention of everyone when he walked in a room. His boyish charm was hidden behind the body of a man. He's lean muscular build was draped upon a 6'3" frame and his blue eyes could make you dream of the ocean.
Topped with stylish trusses of blond hair that resembled in every way Meckenzie's own hair except for the length.
In every way, Taggart should be dripping with girlfriends. Yet, Taggart had chosen to throw himself into his studies instead. He was pre-accepted in to Harvard and he had every intention of going to medical school after. Meckenzie had no doubt that Taggart would succeed. He was driven.
Adam stepped forward, "I have not, nor will I ever use streamers and balloons for decorations. Now let's talk theme."
"Masquerade," said Taggart and Meckenzie simultaneously.
Adam about wet his pants with excitement.
"So colors?"
"Gold, white and navy," Taggart was taking control of the decisions. Meckenzie was relieved; she had not really wanted to make all these decision anyway. Her head still hurt and she was as tired as she could possibly imagine being.
Adam squealed aloud when Taggart described decorating the garden with white silk and pillows and couches. Dorian and Meckenzie used this opportunity to discuss menu while her assistants began measuring every square inch of the ballroom and garden. After an hour of discussion, Kellan came bounding down the stairs.
They all decided on the final menu options from choices Meckenzie had made and the meeting was over. The triplets escorted the group to the front door and made plans for another meeting in a week. With a short four week time frame, things had to move fast.
"I'm going to get a shower." Kellan said as she bounded up the stairs.
As Taggart turned from the front door, he reached out to touch Meckenzie’s shoulder. "So you want to talk?"
Meckenzie was confused, "About what?"
"I love you like a sister you know." Taggart laughed at his own joke
Meckenzie giggled, "I hope so, since we did share a womb."
"I know something is going on with you. You seem distant and moody."
“You mean because of what happened in Humanities today. I’m not sure what’s going on. The new kid was just weird." Meckenzie didn’t want to sound crazy because she thought Ty was causing a buzzing sound inside her head.
"He freaks me out too."
Meckenzie paused for a moment and decided to give her brother the whole story.
“I don’t know what is going on right now. I have these dreams where I am this woman running in a forest. It’s as if someone is chasing me, but I turn and no one is there. Then I toss something in my mouth chew a couple of times and then just disappear. I don’t know if it is invisible chewing gum, I don’t know who’s chasing me. I just know I wake up tired and with a headache. Every night the dream comes and every night it’s the same thing. And every night, the woman is mom.”
Taggart looked worried. He opened his mouth to speak, but Meckenzie held up her hand.
“Then today, when that Tynan guy came into class, my head started buzzing. I know it sounds crazy. It was like there was electricity humming in the back of my head. You touched me and it stopped. Then he came to our table and it started again. I don't know if it is real, but I touched you again and it stopped...again. Later I saw him across the street and the buzzing started again. He actually seemed to know it was happening because he laughed out loud, but when I got around the corner it stopped. On my way home he was in the park in front of our house with some friends, he just stared at me, but the buzzing came back. The guy freaks me out.”
Anger flashed on Taggart’s face. He seemed to be breathing faster. “I knew something was off with that guy. He just seemed weird. Do you think he’s stalking you?”
Meckenzie paused, why
would the new guy
stalk her. He had only been at the school for a day. It seemed impossible that he would have really taken that much interest in her in one morning.
“I don’t think so. But maybe you can run with us in the morning. Kellan never waits for me to keep up.”
“I guess it is probably time for me to take up running again. I won’t always be able to keep my boyish figure without some kind of work out.”
Meckenzie giggled, knowing full well that Taggart worked out every evening in the house’s built in gym that resided in the basement. They made their way into the kitchen where they were greeted by their housekeeper and cook Isabel. She stood over the sink washing fruit and singing to
herself
. Isabel was like part of the family, having started working for their family right before their mother's vanishing. She had functioned as a nanny of sorts for the trips.
As best as Meckenzie could tell, Isabel was in her mid to late forties, though there was no way to know for sure, because Isabel didn’t talk about her age. Isabel’s wavy brunette hair was usually tied back with a ribbon or clip, which showed off her soft feminine features. Her eyes were a chocolaty brown that had always made Meckenzie feel comfortably safe. Meckenzie and Isabel were about the same height, which made them the shortest people in the house. Though in most situations, Isabel’s personality made her seem taller than she actually was.
After their mother disappeared, their father had been adamant about Isabel walking the kids to and from school. Since they had turned fifteen he had let them walk themselves, being that the walk was only a few blocks from their house. Isabel had always been here when they got home, with snacks and homework help.
Though Kellan was really the only one that needed homework help.
"You guys want some fruit?"
Taggart hopped up on one of the bar stools that sat around the island in the kitchen. "Sure. What's for dinner tonight? I may need to skip it to go to the library."
Isabel made a negative clicking sound with her tongue and shook her head. "I'm making pot roast with mini potatoes and carrots. I also baked fresh rolls. You surely can't miss your favorite dinner for the library?"
Taggart smiled knowing that he would stay for dinner.
As Isabel had definitely made his favorite dinner.
She tossed him an apple and smiled knowing her trap was laid.
Meckenzie grabbed a pear and headed up to her room. She wanted to get her homework done before dinner so she could watch some TV tonight. Maybe some mindless humor from Monday night sitcoms would relax her. Meckenzie considered running to the store and getting something to help her sleep, but she didn't know the first thing about medicine and definitely didn't want to start some kind of dependency on pills to get her to sleep. Maybe an evening work out would allow for some much needed sleep to come.
Everyone settled down for dinner at six, as was the custom in the Desmond house. Their father had made sure to always be home for dinner. He often would leave after dinner to go handle business or meet clients for drinks, but he was almost always home for dinner at six.
"How was the meeting with the party planner?" Lawrence Desmond asked.
"I think we have everything set. They will be sending out the invitations as soon as you give me a list of people you would like to invite. I will email all the addresses to Doreen and her assistants will take care of it. We have the menu selected. Taggart and the designer Adam have tightened up the plans for decorations and table settings." Meckenzie laid out all the plans that had been made that afternoon so her father could feel like he was a part of the planning.
Their father turned to Kellan, "And what input do you have?"
Kellan laughed, "I helped with the menu. I was working with Coach Swanson for most of the meeting. I think Meckenzie likes being in charge anyway. I will just show up and look pretty."
Their father laughed one of his whole body laughs. He loved his children. You could see by the smile on his face that nothing they could say would change that. For a moment his face flashed with a sudden darkness.
"Well, I guess this is as good a time as any to have this conversation." Lawrence paused, "Your mother left instructions for you on your eighteenth birthday."
All three of the trips dropped their silverware and stared dumbfounded at their father.
"Your mother left letters for all three of you and a key to a safety deposit box to be given to you on your eighteenth birthday. I have been keeping them in the safe in my office. After dinner, we'll go get them and we can decide what to do."
Kellan was the first to react, "So for eight years you've been sitting on a letter from mom and never thought we might want to know?"
Their father’s eyes flashed with a sadness that had lived there for the past eight years. He had truly loved their mother. Still to this day as far as the trips knew, he had never dated or shown interest in another woman. "I did as she instructed me to do in my letter."
Kellan stood up from her the table, "We should just do it now. I know I'm not in the mood to eat anymore.'
"Kellan, it'll still be there after we finish dinner." Taggart stated.
Meckenzie looked at her father and thought she saw the beginning of tears in his eyes. "Come on Kellan, let’s finish dinner."
So everyone ate in silence not knowing what the next hour would hold for them.
After dinner everyone moved into Lawrence Desmond’s study. He paused before the wall safe hand poised in the air like he was about to defuse a bomb.
"I just want to say that I feel very wrong about this. I have struggled for the last eight years trying to decide what the best course of action was in regards to raising you three. I love you more than anything, and I never want to see you hurt. When your mother left it was the worst hurt we could experience. I know it was even worse for you three growing up without a mother. I was angry for a long time. She asked me to keep her leaving a secret from you guys. I knew she had gone of her own accord. She said that it was very important that we not come looking for her. It hurt me not to run out and try and find her. I loved her."
Meckenzie rose from her chair and went to hug her father. She knew this had to be hurting him. She loved him so much for being the strong person that he was. Her father had always held this family together with his love, understanding and strength.
"We know dad. Let's just get this over with so we can get back to our normal lives." Kellan’s anger had not subsided one bit over dinner. It stung through the words she spoke.
Their father punched in the code to the safe and withdrew three letter size envelopes and one even smaller envelope.
"They are addressed to you individually. There is a key in this smaller envelope along with the bank address and box number. Do you want me to stay with you guys or do you want to be alone?"
The trips looked at each other; Meckenzie knew that asking him to leave at this point would crush him. Taggart smiled at Meckenzie knowing she would make the right decision. Kellan just shrugged, as she stared at her envelope.
"You can stay. I think we should each read our letters to ourselves and then decide what we want to do from there."
Everyone agreed. Lawrence Desmond sat down behind his desk to wait and began shuffling papers. He knew this was going to be a long evening. He had intended to go back to the office, why had he chosen tonight to address this issue, he thought to himself.
Meckenzie stared in disbelief at her envelope. Could this really be a letter from her mother? She never expected to hear from her again. She and Kellan had made up stories about where her mother had run off to when they were younger. It always involved some secret mission for the government or being a secret spy who was going to get caught if she stayed in the United States.
Kellan had already torn into her letter and was reading intently. Taggart like Meckenzie had a bit of trepidation regarding the letter. Finally they both looked at each other and tore the envelopes together.
As Meckenzie began to read, she thought she must have fallen and hit her head and this was all a dream. Maybe her mother was insane, because what was written here was unbelievable.
Dear Meckenzie,
I know this letter must come as quite a shock to you. I have over the last few weeks thought long and hard about what I would tell all of you, my darling children, in these letters.
Each of you so unique.
Each strong of spirit.
Each of you so pure.
I love you more than anything in the world and that is why I must leave. I must protect you from the evil of my world spilling into the innocence of yours.
I have left you a present that will give you more information about my family's history. You will be able to retrieve it with your brother and sister on your eighteenth birthday. Each of you is special. Not special in the way that every mother thinks of her children as special. Each of you has a gift. The gift will begin to develop around your eighteenth birthday. I have some ideas as to what each of you will be blessed with, but not a concrete idea.
Kellan will be of sound body. It might be that she is able to run fast, or that she is strong, or she may be extremely agile. She may be able to jump higher than others of her own build. She might even be able to grow larger when she feels threatened.
Taggart will be pure of soul. This could mean he will be able to make people feel what he feels. Or he might be able to convince people to do what he wishes. He might be a healer, which is to mean he can direct the evil spirits from a person’s body.
You, Meckenzie, will be pure of mind. You could be extremely smart. You might be able to move things with your mind. You might be able to read minds, or control minds. It might be that you have influence over people.
These are all parts of the Trefoil. That is your destiny.
The reader, the healer, and the warrior.
You are fairies.
There will be lots of questions. I have left someone to help you.
Someone who will report to me on occasion.
Someone to watch over you.
Isabel will be able to help you. She is my cousin and was placed here for your protection.
Know that I love your father. I adore him like no one I have met before. I knew he had part Fae blood in him when I came to find him. I had never expected to love him, but I did. I hope that over the years he will understand why I have to leave. In the safety deposit box is a letter you should give him. I know that he will understand why I left when he reads his letter.
I hope to see you again one day. I know that you won’t trust me when I say I never wanted anything but the best for you. Unfortunately that means me leaving you in order to protect you. I love you.
Forever your adoring mother,
Deidra
Meckenzie couldn't understand what could possibly have driven her mother away from them. The letter had only created more questions.
And Isabel, her cousin?
She looked up to find Taggart staring at her. Kellan was seething.
Taggart was the first to break the silence. "Well, I'm not sure if that helped."
Their father sat silently, waiting for someone to include him in the knowledge that was obtained from the letters. His eyes darted to each of his children, a protective wave of emotion emanating from him.
"Did you know that Isabel was mom's cousin?" Kellan said without really addressing anyone.
Taggart laughed, "That's what you bring out of your letter. Isabel?"
Kellan wadded up her letter into a tight paper ball, "That and the possibility that our mother was
loony
."
From their father's dumbfounded expression, it would seem he was not aware of the familial connection. He whispered almost inaudibly, "No."
Meckenzie stood up from her chair and handed the letter to her father. He began to read, slowly absorbing the information from the letter.
Meckenzie stood staring at nothing, wondering if she understood any of the things in the letter. Was it possible that her mother had gone crazy before she left?
Fairies?
And with special gifts?
Meckenzie felt a headache sneaking into the back of her head. She had never been sick a day in her life and for the last two weeks she had been plagued by headaches.
Taggart came to stand beside her, lightly placing his hand on her back. Almost instantly the pain in her head subsided. Meckenzie flipped around, unbelieving, could it be that Taggart was a healer.
"What?" Taggart said.
"You're a healer."
"Do you really believe this? I mean do you believe that you can read minds."
Meckenzie flipped her head back and forth from Kellan to Taggart. "Think about it, you have wanted to be a doctor as long as we can remember. I was getting a headache, you touched my back and it went away. Kellan is faster than she was six months ago. I mean she can almost beat me by a mile when we run five. Kellan, I bet you have noticed a difference in your strength and speed."
Kellan didn't respond, but her eyes told the truth. There was a difference.
Their father sat in silence. He's mind working overtime. As he struggled with the new found knowledge, he began to rummage through his desk. Like a man possessed, he threw papers everywhere. He then went to the bookshelves on
the far
side of the room. They held all of the antique books
their
great grandmother had collected over the years. Lawrence Desmond searched frantically through every title on the shelves. He stopped at one very old leather bound book with gold leaf lettering.
As he pulled the book from the shelves he turned to his children.
"When I was younger, your great grandmother used to read me stories from this book. I remember sitting in the garden and looking at the beautiful pictures with her. She would tell me all the tales of the Fae, the fairies. I remember one about the clan of the water fairies. These fairies had every few generations the blessed gift of a triple birth. Three children blessed with extraordinary gifts."
He stopped and flipped through the book. Finding what he was looking for, he went over the leather sofa and sat beside Kellan; encouraging Meckenzie and Taggart to join him.
"I had always assumed they were fairy tales." At this he laughed. "
And I guess they are, b
ut I believe she may have been speaking about her family." Meckenzie sat down beside her father.
"Your great grandmother was larger than life. She had this whimsical nature that was contagious. She could tell stories that would enthrall you. We would sit in the garden and she would bring out this book." He patted the cover of the leather bound volume.
"She would tell the story of a set of triplets that were destined to save the land of Aquinas.
The land of the water fairies.
They were each gifted with talents that were part of the legend of Trefoil." He flipped the book open and found a brightly colored page. The art work was intricate, drawings of waterfalls and forests, all surrounding a castle that perched on top of a cliff overlooking the sea.
Their father wistfully sighed, lost in his own thoughts. "I have heard the story from her lips a hundred times.
The Legend of the Trefoil.
It was a story about a set of Triplets that ruled the land of Aquinas. The castle was attacked by the Clan of Tine.
The fire fairies of the South.
They wished to control all the Fae kingdoms. They had intended to kill the younger two of the triplets and take the older prisoner. The battle that ensued would kill over half of both clans.
Their
plans never came to fruition though and as a final act of vengeance, the clan leader of Tine climbed the walls of the castle and snuck into the bedroom of the oldest of the triplets. He planned to assassinate her in her sleep. She had dreamed of him coming
because she had
been given the gift of future sight. She was told to transfer her and her siblings’ gifts into a necklace of three hearts that when combined made a three leaf clover. The necklace in its clover form would be given to the heir to the throne, her daughter. Each heart was forged of platinum and a heart
shaped sliver of the Stone of Souls. The Stone of S
ouls was a crystalline formation found deep in the caves of earth fairy territory. There were legends that the stone held the magic of all of the Fae. So the stone was set into the lockets, and when their gifts were transferred to it, each stone would take on the color of one of the triplet’s power.
Green for the pure of body, red for the pure of soul, and blue for the pure of mind.
The process of transferring the gifts had left her weak. She knew that her death was coming, so in an act to save all of Fae kind, she produced a great spell that would render her assassin and his clan powerless for seven generations upon her death. So with a swing of his sword, his power left him, but the strength of her spell and her life given was enough to bind all of the
Fae’s
powers. He was killed immediately by the guards waiting outside the door. And with her sacrifice, the queen of the North ensured her progen
ies
powers with the possession of the necklace. Every generation chooses an heir to the necklace from the children and children's children of the Trefoil, as the triplets would be known for all eternity."
He paused and flipped the page. "The legend is that in seven generations the Trefoil will be reborn.
To protect the people of Aquinas from the revival of the Tine.
I believe your mother believes that is you three."
Kellan threw her wadded up letter across the room. She retched as if her insides were being torn apart. "I'm going to my room."
Kellan's temper had always gotten the better of her. She would always be the first of the three to start a fight or sulk, and in typical Kellan fashion she stormed from the room, slamming the study door as she left.
Taggart and Meckenzie sat in silence, their father flipping the pages of the big book slowly. He stopped at one page with a detailed drawing of three hearts of the necklace. In the center of each was a beautiful intricately carved gem. The lower part of the drawing showed how the three cou
ld be placed together forming
what seemed to be a three leafed clover. Meckenzie felt as if she had seen the locket before.