#aster greenman

Being a gentleman, for starters - Rocky held doors and poured glasses of water like he'd been doing it from the moment he landed in the world, and not just for Daisy! Hospitable traits had clearly been well fostered in his home environment, growing up with parents (and a grandmother, and a big sister) who read books about winning friends and influencing people.

Rose preferred Jason's books by default and by far, though. She would always be Jason's biggest fan. She said so at his funeral. She hadn't known devastation til now; the displeasure was all hers as she watched him go to the earth in the biodegradable coffin he prepaid for. She and the children did as he asked in his will and bowed their heads to send what he called 'spores of happiness' in with him (every faerie in the village gathered round to help, and Rose cried through the spell). A bit of faerie magic to aid him in the noble journey of giving back to the earth he loved so much - if mother nature wasn't grateful, Rose was going to have words.

After several sunsets where the family felt too sad to enjoy the swimming pool without dad, daughter Daisy and her gentleman Rocky had a surprise to share. The latter's favourite last memory of Jason was hanging out with him by the pool as the faeries swam, and asking him what he'd like for dinner. The look on Jason's face - no more dinner for one, he'd said with a grin - Rocky never wanted to forget it. He imagined he'd have the same look now, knowing he was going to be a grandfather.

No, it wasn't quite the plan. Yes, Daisy and Rocky had been spending so much quality time together, they couldn't truly pinpoint when it happened. But in moments when Daisy wept for her father, Rocky would press his lips to the back of her hand, soft petals soaking up tears.

Daisy did her darndest to make asking the question a little more light-hearted by greeting Rocky in her black bathing suit. The look of surprise and delight on his face made it much easier to launch into "move in with me!" (she got too excited to phrase it as a question), and much easier for Rocky to say "darn tootin', okay!" (The cowboy movies they'd been watching together lately, all snuggled up, had informed their vocabulary of late). His boxes came over to the green house in several trips til Rocky was officially part of the household.

Yes, he said to playing a game of chess with Rose. Yes, to dropping off Basil and Aster at school when the bus broke down in the middle of the village. Rocky was definitely raised well. He would very likely raise his own children well in turn.

Retirement was the reward that kept up its returns. The calendar was clearer than it had been in years and Juliette finally had plans that weren't preparing private penthouses or powerhouse office suites in the city. She was going to spend more time with Patience and get to know her current crush (not a Monty, thankfully). She wanted to throw parties and play poker games and put anyone who dared challenge her social grace or poker face to shame. She even finally tried on the outfit her late mother-in-law left for her in tissue paper, and rather liked the timelessness of the teal pussybow blouse. Dear Lana truly had the finest taste in all the village (and most expensive).

Daisy and Rocky knew it was just a matter of a DNA dice roll when it came to their kids being full-fledged faeries. It just so happened that their youngest daughter Venice was very much one of the fae, and their oldest daughter Myrtle wasn't. Daisy had someone to share her culture with and Rocky didn't have to make dinner for one; win-win!

Baby number two was on the way for Daisy and Rocky. It had been surreal to see Myrtle get so big and fly through all her milestones - now they'd get to see it all over again with Little Bug (the nickname for the bump, in absence of any name decisions).

Aster came to visit with tales of the fraternity house, and a potential girlfriend in tow. She wasn't introduced to Daisy as such but Eartha had been in the picture for a while now and they looked good together. Then again, didn't Basil have a thing with her too at one point? Perhaps Eartha was living her young adult fantasy romance novel life, with two faerie gentlemen vying for her affection. Whatever the case, Daisy didn't mind as long as her brothers weren't torn apart over her.

Myrtle had to get glasses when she started school and Rocky got out old family photos where he looked just like her when he was her age. There was a hint of fae heritage in the elvin arch of her brow, but other than that, she was all Beech. If only her grandparents were here to meet her - they would've been all puffed up with pride.

Basil arrived post-graduation just in time to be the entrenched cool uncle to Myrtle and Little Bug. He poured tea for Daisy that was good for her stomach and nerves and it felt like he'd never been gone, the way the siblings laughed together.