Page 76 of The Wonder of You
I finally decide to sit on the edge of the camp with my hands wrapped around my cup of tea. I look over at all the other rolling fields. There is so much green that I cannot tear my eyes away. This world seems so much brighter. The river sparkles in the sunshine. In the fardistance, I can make out the mountains and dense woodlands. There is the outline of a long mansion house. In the other direction near us, there is a small town. Traders there brought us a delivery of food when we got back, but I haven’t had any desire to go visit yet. I am concentrating too much on the safety of home, on the feeling of finally being able to breathe properly. When Phoenix sits down beside me, I rest my head on his shoulder.
“Are you okay? It’s been one hell of a week for you,” he says softly as he rests his head on top of mine.
“I’m fine, I’m just fine. This is so beautiful. I forgot it, but I missed it. Life was always hard in the mortal world, and other people made it so much worse. I think there was always a depression somewhere in my bones that was because of this place, because of you, because I knew what I was missing somehow.”
He kisses the top of my head. “That makes sense, you can’t just completely forget.”
“It sounds crazy, but I just want to run through the fields, I’m not going to, mostly because I am knackered,” I laugh. “But all this greenery makes me want to run around it.”
Phoenix chuckles. “Maybe Maudie will run with you? She loves running.”
“She’d probably beat me. I’m not very fast. I used to love our school sports day; I remember this one year a girl in my class ran like the wind. I was so glad I wasn’t in the same race as her.” I chuckle at the memory of a time long ago.
“When are you going to put the circus back on?” I ask. Phoenix smiles.
“Soon, we usually have a couple of weeks on and then a couple of weeks off to relax. We’ll get back into the swing of it soon. First, I want to do some other things.”
“Like what?”
He turns and takes my face in his hands. “I want to look at you for the hundred odd years that I missed you.” Then he leans forward and kisses me gently on my lips as I fall into him.
Chapter 54
“Are you ready for the circus of nightmares?” Phoenix shouts to the crowd. They scream and whistle.
“Louder!” he shouts as he raises his arms in the air.
The crowd erupts even more, this time stomping their feet with big smiles on their faces.
“Hm, I think that’s good enough!” Phoenix grins.
The lights dim, the music plays and out comes Toni and her girls in black and white costumes. They dance around like puppets. It’s beautiful and terrifying. Standing to the side, I watch the guests as they observe the show in fascination. There are a few things I have learned in the years I have been home; the circus seems so much more alive without so many people sitting staring at their phones. Although cameras do whip out here and there, most people are actually engaged with the show and what is going on in front of them.
It's rare to see a child in the crowd, we only see a few that run around enjoying themselves or winning prizes. Maudie loves interacting with them. They usually arrive with families who you can tell just by appearance: have a lot of money or come from some kind of importance. Unlike Maudie, most children grow up into adults before they stop aging. So, it’s a pleasure to see and hear them laugh.
Shortly after arriving home, Phoenix and I walked for hours upon hours through the fields and we stumbled across a man and his daughter. It was easy to see theywere related to one another; their green eyes were identical.
Initially, Phoenix pulled me back from them.
“Don’t worry,” the man smiled at us. He introduced us to his daughter, knowing already that Phoenix is the circus ringmaster. Her face instantly lit up as she began asking us a bunch of questions about what the circus is like.
There was something familiar about her, but I didn’t dare ask. Her dad was clearly protective in the way he held her hand, keeping her a step behind him at all times. He told her maybe they could check the circus out one day and then they returned to admire the pink flowers.
I wanted to question Phoenix on his initial hesitation, but it didn’t take me long to figure it out and learn who lived in the gothic mansion house. I recognised the well-known devilish man instantly as he strolled down the field in his black suit. Gabriel’syou know whocomment to Arabella flicked back into my mind.
Lucifer.
“Phoenix.” He nodded with his hands behind his back. “And you are Renée?”
“Yes,” is all I could muster.
He smiled at Phoenix and they both nodded, as if they knew something no one else did.
His attention quickly reverted back to the man who looked very similar to him and the young girl.
“What have I told you about leaving the safety barrier around the estate? You surprise me, I must say. I will lock the doors soon and you shall never leave again.Fancy that?” His voice was stern, but there was a hint of a smirk as he finished telling them off that made them both laugh like naughty children. Although they were both quick in following him home as he clicked his fingers in the direction of his house. I sometimes wonder what the inside of that mansion house looks like. I watched as the little girl walked away holding the hand of her dad, it made me think of Maudie. Phoenix and I have discussed children in the past, but we are content as we are. I am a mother figure to Maudie anyway and that’s something I take great pride in. I think, for now at least, that is enough for me.
Phoenix grabs my hand once he has finished introducing the Circus of Nightmares performance. I love watching him engage with the audience, he is the most perfect and handsome ringmaster. But he’s an even more perfect partner.
