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the parking lot. As we climbed into Kent ' s rented Camry, an early firefly flickered past in the gathering darkness. " When I was a little girl, " I said, " my father told me that those were the lights of fairies. Sometimes, I still half believe it. "
    There was no sarcastic reply from Kent. Instead he remarked, " You mention your Dad a lot. He must have been very special. "
    " Oh, he was. " Suddenly I wanted to tell Kent all about my Dad. The overwhelming love I had felt for him, the jealousy of my mother, the covert campaign to stop me from being such a ' daddy ' s girl. ' I was made to go shopping and help bake cookies and participate in other feminine activities that I had no interest in. I wanted only to hang about the yard while my Dad did the outdoor work, or go on walks where we would always find something fascinating: an oddly-shaped rock, a blue robin ' s egg, a fossil he would assure me was at least a million years old.
    Memories poured out of me in torrents, and Kent listened to them all. He was so attentive that it made it natural and easy to share. I found myself verbalizing thoughts that until now had been only vague nameless fears in my mind. How, when my father had died, an awful guilt had possessed me, that it was because I had loved him too much. It must have been wrong, somehow. Kent answered with uncharacteristic grimness.
    " If adults knew what ideas children got into their heads, they ' d be a lot more careful. At least, one would hope so. I thought that if I were a more lovable boy, my parents wouldn ' t travel so much. Why else would they stay gone for so long? It could only be because Phillip and I weren ' t interesting enough to hold their attention. "
    " That ' s a terrible thing for a child to feel, " I said, my heart aching for him.
    " What burdens we carried around, love, without even knowing it. Guilt is the cruelest emotion, and the most useless. We felt like we ' d committed a crime, but there was nothing we could do about it. "
    He put his arm around me and we sat there together, unmoving and silent, for several minutes. I felt intimately connected to him. The sense of closeness was so intense, it was almost painful. It was an emotional growth burst, as if something long dormant inside of me was now shaking off dirt and stretching up towards the sun. I sensed that it was no less powerful for Kent.
    It was a security guard who broke the spell. He came to lock the gates, and Kent disengaged himself from me gently. " I think they want to be getting home. But the night is young for us. Why don ' t we visit your local and have a nosh? "
    " Would you mind translating that into American? " I asked with a smile.
    " Do you have a favorite club, bar, place where you go to drink and get food? "
    " Yes I do, and that ' s a great idea, " I said.
    " Let me just stop at the house on the way and check on a couple of things. Is that all right? Gram did express an interest in saying hello to you. I think she feels badly about the other night. "
    " I don ' t mind at all, " I assured him. Secretly though, I couldn ' t help but wonder what his grandmother might come up with this time.

 
    Chapter Six
     
    Kent ' s family was staying at the home of the University ' s president while he was traveling in Europe. It was a beautiful turn of the century stone house with a big wooden front door that reminded me of a drawbridge. A fitting residence for a prince , I thought.
    Dame Ursula was sitting in the living room and she greeted me with enthusiasm. " What a pleasure to see you again, Lily. I trust my grandson is being good company? "
    Kent smiled at me, and I was afraid that I was blushing. " Excellent company, thank you, " I replied.
    " I ' m glad to hear it. I wonder if I might speak with you alone for a few minutes. I promise I won ' t intrude on your evening together for long. "
    I sensed Kent ' s discomfort and hastened to say reassuringly, " Of course, Dame Ursula. I ' d love to talk. "
    Kent began backing