Whispering Suits

On Monday morning Dan is up, dressed and downstairs by the time I'm up. It feels weird to see him in his school uniform, and I wonder for a moment what the point is of sending him back to school now. They'll only have about two weeks of school left before the Christmas break, but I suppose I knew he couldn't stay home forever. I'm glad when he says he wants me to walk with him. He's already finished the cereal Gran had gotten him, so I grab a piece of toast while he shoves his school bag together. The air outside is cold and hurts my lungs, and I pause to wrap my scarf tighter around my neck. Dan grips my hand tight as we walk up the hill to his school, swinging his bag with his free hand. The whoosh noise it makes reminds me of when I used to do the same thing when walking with mum to school up this same hill. She'd hum a tune and I'd try to swing my school bag in rhythm. The usual group of mums are standing at the school gates. You'd think they would all have better things to do than stand around and gossip, but I’m fairly sure that nothing quite makes their day like standing there judging all the other parents as they drop off their kids. As I approach I hear the barely hushed whispers about ‘the Warren kids’ and I have to do my best to tune out the horrid rumours they're spreading. I don't want to hear whatever nonsense they have made up about me or mum, and I'm just glad that it seems Dan hasn't noticed them. Thankfully, I spot Nic and her mum and we head over to them. Nic is beaming and holding a sign that says ‘Welcome back’ written in bright glitter pen. It's hideous and I love it. Nic and Dan settle immediately into talking about the latest episode of their favourite show, and I'm left to talk with Nic's Mum. I try to think of the best way to awkwardly ask her name, mum was always the one who set up Dan's play dates and stuff so it's not something I've thought about before. She's always just been Nic’s mum. Thankfully, as if on cue, she reaches out a hand for me to shake. “Indigo, lovely to see you, Nic and I are both so glad to see Dan back at school. I realise we've never been properly introduced, of course I know your name because Dan never stops talking about you but I'm sure our Nic will just call me mum, which isn't very helpful. Sorry, I'm rambling. My name is Jess, but if it helps you can still just call me Nic's mum” she says, her tone light and kind. I giggle slightly at the awkwardness, but I'm glad she somehow knew exactly what I was thinking. “Thanks, Jess, it's nice to properly meet you. And we're glad to be here, my Gran might have to do some of the drop-offs and collections for Dan, but I plan to help out when I can. Though, soon he'll be big enough that I'm sure he'll want to get to school on his own without his big sister cramping his style” I reply, looking down at Dan who I'm sure is definitely taller than I remember him being. He's growing up. “Oh, I know, this one already thinks they're old enough to walk to school alone but I've put my foot down and said no. When they get to high school then they can make their own way to school, but till then they're stuck with me. We gotta make the most of these last few years, while they're still young enough to put up with us, eh?” She says smiling, though there’s a touch of sadness in her eyes. I wonder if this is how mum felt when I was that age, though, I was always happy for mum to walk me to school even when I was a teenager. We were just different, I suppose having the sight made us different. Most kids talk to their mums about homework, or their latest crush. Mum and I would talk about the Faeries and their stories. It's only since she died that I've realised there was a lot she didn't tell me, like about my Dad or the Tarot. I wish I could ask her why. I shake myself out of it as Dan and Nic shout out goodbye as they run into the school to join their other friends. At least Dan is popular, and I'm too happy to be jealous. One member of our family deserves to be normal. I say goodbye to Jess, and turn to head back down the hill. I stop in my tracks when I spot a Faerie watching me from the bottom of the hill. If the green eyes weren't a dead giveaway, the flowers strewn through their hair solidifies them as a Spring Faerie. They seem fairly resilient despite the cold, and I briefly consider if I could outrun them. But, they aren't approaching. They haven't come to chase me down, the realisation hits. They're here to lead me to someone, and I have a good guess who. The Faerie nods, and turns their head sharply to indicate that I am to follow them. They turn and begin down the hill and I follow. The Faerie pauses to make sure I am coming, and I try to seem casual as I retrieve my phone from my pocket and ping a message to Cyrus. ‘Spring Court, near Greaves Park. Am alone’. I slide the phone back into my pocket and try to steady my heart rate. The Faerie leads me down the hill and into the park. The playground is quiet besides one boy who is running around and refusing to listen to his Dad as he screams at them that he needs to go to school. I can feel Maya before I see her, she's sat on a far bench and dressed to the nines. She looks like she's about to pitch to a boardroom of CEOs, her sage green suit accented with a garish pink shirt. As I get closer, I can see the chalices embroidered into the fabric, though they flicker in and out of my vision thanks to the glamour she has on. She has her legs crossed, and has rested her hands on top of her knee. She grins when she sees me, the smile too broad, teeth too sharp. “Ah, just who I was waiting for, do have a seat, Indigo Warren”.