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Silly Sandgrouse was nowhere to be found that night in the Tent Tildy penthouse suite, though. That was all Nolan—and Lilac felt some new dreams spring to life that night, dreams she would work to make reality, with or without her tapir fairy godmother’shelp.
Epilogue
“Nolan would likeme to translate for him,” said Angie as she walked over to Lilac, arm-in-wing with SillySandgrouse.
Arching an eyebrow, Lilac kept swinging the hands of the elementary schooler who’d glomped on to her for the past half an hour instead of making the rounds through the Ballroom to engage in all the Tent Tildy camping activities. “I don’t see Nolan anywhere,” she said smugly, trying to meet Silly’s eye. She didn’t imagine Nolan could see her that well. She’d asked him to put the head on her in the break room about a month back and she’d quickly panicked—everything was a mesh-covered blur in there. She knew now why so many of Nolan’s co-workers preferred working as Queen Animaliao or Prince Beastly, but Nolan knew Silly inside and out. He hardly ever got placed on another shift, whether he wanted one or not. He got more photographs as Silly thananyone.
“Silly!” said the girl who’d been dancing with Lilac’s hands. She ran over and hugged Silly Sandgrouse by the yellow legs. Silly patted her back and Lilac cocked her head, waiting for Nolan to turn on the Silly charm and make the girl laugh, but she was off like a bolt before he’d done much more than give her apat.
Angie leaned conspiratorially toward Lilac. She liked Angie. They’d been out for a few drinks over the past few months. She had her claws dug deep in Eddie, but apparently, that had caused some drama in the break room before Eddie’s ex, Josephine, had left to start college a few years late. Jo had told Lilac dryly once that she had Eddie to thank for finally getting her “act together” and setting out for “greener pastures” in the form of a liberal arts school. Somehow Lilac didn’t think Eddie had lovingly encouraged Jo to focus on her studiesforthright.
“He says your legs look great,” whisperedAngie.
Lilac stared down at her bare legs—this was the first time she’d gotten to wear the Tildy Scout outfit. It seemed appropriate for the weekend of the big Ballroom/Tent Tildy crossover event. Tonight was the first of two sleepovers and they had scads of daytime activities for the kids just dropping by,too.
“He didnotsay that,” said Lilac, staring accusingly at Silly. Silly Sandgrouse didn’tspeak.
Angie nudged Silly with her elbow and Silly jumped, waving his hand. He was totally off today. He probably wasn’t used to the Ballroomvenue.
“We have our own secret language,” said Angie, and she slid her arm around his wing again. “See youaround!”
Lilac nodded and resisted the urge to pinch Silly in the butt. She didn’t think it’d do good to have any kids witness her digging around under the goofy bird’stail.
She’d only turned around a second before she heard someone call hername.
“Landon wants you to look at his dreamcatcher,” said Willow, her arm wrapped around another little girl’s shoulder. “This is Bev,” shesaid.
“Hi,” said Lilac. Landon had checked in with her every half hour at least throughout the day. He loved telling her about kindergarten. Whenever she came over to their house to have dinner or hang out—not too often, but it’d happened at least half a dozen times since she and Nolan had officially started dating—Landon literally managed to get between her and Nolan, sitting one leg on each of their laps on the couch or pushing his little chair with a booster seat to squish in between theirs at thetable.
“Are you having fun?” she asked the girls. Willow had just gotten her casts off not too long before and she’d certainly wasted no time in running around like a triathlete, despite the physical therapy that was supposed to be necessary to have her fully back on herfeet.
“Yeah!” said Willow and Bev at once. They giggled and wove their fingers together, Willow’s free hand reaching to grab Lilac’s. “I told him I’d go getyou.”
Lilac allowed herself to be dragged along to the crafting table, where Landon was sitting, holding his dreamcatcher high above his head. His grin was so adorable with that missingtooth.
Lilac slid in beside him at the table as Willow and Bev took off toward Tildy Tapir in the corner. Tildy waved to everyone around her as she stood by Cheryl, who was passing outS’mores.
“Nice,” Lilac said, allowing Landon to put the dreamcatcher in herhand.
“That’s for you,” he said, then he picked up some supplies to start all overagain.
“Thank you,” said Lilac, ruffling his hair. “Take it home and give it to me when I come over, okay?” She nodded at Tanya, who was seated a few spaces away, leading the kids collected there incrafts.
“Looking forward to more of this next week?” askedTanya.
Lilac beamed. She’d accepted Tanya’s offer to work at Tildy’s Tots—pay cut and all. She’d just wanted to finish out the summer planning this big event before she’d be ready to transfer. Christian hadn’t minded at all and had offered Jillian the position of assistant manager. The woman had become much less frigid toward Lilac in the days since that conversation had takenplace.
“You bet,” said Lilac and she and a little boy across from her just stared at each other,smiling.
He was having fun. Everyone was having fun. Her event was going better than she’d imagined it. And she was about to put her degree to use—a little different use than she’d initially expected, but to more appropriate use than being the assistant manager of a resort. And she’d still be at TildyWorld.
It had just feltright.
Someone tapped Lilac’s shoulder and she turned. Gyu-ri, also wearing a Tildy Scout outfit for the first time that Lilac had witnessed, gestured over her shoulder. “Time for your break,” she said. “See you in half anhour.”
Lilac nodded and stood up, assuring Landon she would be back shortly—though it took some distraction from Tanya to avoid the waterworks—and she headed for the entryway, which took her to the hidden door leading back to the offices. She sat down in Gyu-ri’s office, relaxing in the near-silence of the empty rooms. The echoing boom of the music from the Ballroom had faded to a mere buzz this far removed from itall.
She closed her eyes and rested a moment before her phone started buzzing and she picked it up, checking the screen. A group text from Gavin.You busy?he asked.Lilac, I know you have your camp ball thingtoday.
