Title: Star
Showers
Author: Emily
Rating: PG
Category:
Mary/Dickon
Summary: The
Disclaimer: I
don't really need this because The Secret Garden is now considered public
domain! I feel so... free! ::spins::
Author's
Notes: Yes, there is more... I just need to write it first. :) I'm thinking
this will probably be at least three or four parts, possibly a bit longer.
Distribution
of this story is allowed. Just let me know who, what, when, where, and why. ::grins::
We now return
you to your regularly scheduled fic...
ญญญญญญญญญ
Dickon's hands
turned over the dirt with his trowel while Mary watched. His hands were already
rough from work, and his fingernails were stained with earth. Beside him, her
cousin Colin's hands were clean and white, soft hands which only knew the
finest comforts. Any dirt on Colin's hands came easily off after a quick wash
in the basin, while Dickon's fingers were permanently brown at the tips.
Mary thought
Dickon's hands were beautiful, and whenever he touched her it was like she was
one of his flowers, a blossom he cupped in his palms and tilted towards the
sun. Warmth and light mixed in with his touch, bright rays shining in her
secret garden.
She shook her
head. She shouldn't be thinking that way about Dickon. He was her friend, and
besides, they were too young. She was only twelve years old, and he had just
turned fourteen.
Dickon's eyes
slid towards her. "Mum says there's a shower o' stars comin' through
tonight."
"A star shower?" Mary repeated, leaning towards Dickon
with interest.
Dickon beamed
at her and nodded.
"How delightful! I saw one in
How strange it
was to revisit those times, like trying to fit into last year's clothes. Mary
had been a flower hidden inside a seed, waiting to bloom. And
Dickon... Dickon had...
"Tha'
should watch this one anew, Miss Mary," Dickon said, giving her a warm
look. "Tha' might find the stars more favorable now."
She blushed,
imagining Dickon lying beside her in the dark with the stars shooting over
their heads... "I--"
"We
can't," Colin interrupted, blasting his way in the middle of things as
always. "What about Medlock? She's always patrolling about at night. And
besides, I'm sure we can see it perfectly well from the manor, Mary. We could
even watch it together from my room if you'd like." And Colin smiled at
her.
Mary didn't
like what she saw in that smile, and her shoulders sagged. "You're right,
Colin," she said, but she wouldn't look at him. She wouldn't give him
that.
Disappointment
flickered over Dickon's face, and though he tried to hide it, Mary could still
see it hanging in the corners of his blue eyes. She sighed. Didn't he realize
yet that she had only said that to get Colin off her back?
She needed to
make him understand, so she said in her best casual voice, "Oh my, we're
out of bluebelle seeds." She tapped Dickon with the edge of her rake.
Colin didn't appear to notice. "And the roses could use some more water.
Dickon, would you help me?"
Dickon's face
changed again, like the sun coming back out from behind a cloud. "Surely,
Miss Mary," he said, leaping to his feet. "Tha' canna' be 'spected to
handle it all thyself."
And he tipped
his cap at her, winking. Mary giggled, and for once didn't care if Colin could
hear.
Together they
walked through one of the stone arches, out of sight from Colin. Mary looked
around, and then pulled Dickon off the path. "I want to watch the star
shower tonight... with you," she whispered, looking up at him. Her hand
still circled his arm.
Dickon's
answering smile was the brightest that Mary had ever seen it.
to be continued... :)