The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story

Chapter 0594 The Oracle and her entourage stayed just off the shores of the beach. I didn't know what they were waiting for.

"She's giving you time," Veronica said. When she realized that could be cryptic, she added, "Likely to get your affairs in order. She wouldn't want to scare Elva." I could appreciate that. I wanted to talk to Elva myself before the merfolk conshore. "How will we call them to us?" "There's a few magic words," Veronica said. "An invitation. When you are ready, I will invite them onshore." I nodded. I didn't want to keep them waiting for long.

Leaving Nicholas with Veronica, I walked over to where Julian and Elva were working on a new sandcastle. I arrived just as Elva was tearing down whatever she had built. From Julian's expression, I could tell this wasn't the first tshe had done this.

*Elva, what was wrong with it this time?" Julian asked, voice gentle and soft.

I decided to stay back a moment. Julian and Elva by now had seemed to develop skind of sandcastle building rapport. I didn't want to overstep onto that. Julian might be closer to the truth here, than I might be if I stepped in.

"It's not good enough," Elva pouted.

"What makes you think that?" he asked. "I thought it was turning out to be a fine sandcastle." She shook her head. "It was just a pile of sand..." She glanced behind her to where Bridget's impressive sandcastle loomed.

I wasn't the only one to have noticed.

"Oh," Julian said. "You know, when Bridget first started making sandcastles, she couldn't even get the sand to stick together." Elva looked at Julian. "Really?" Julian crossed his heart. "She didn't realize you needed water. Everyone has to start somewhere." Elva slouched somewhat. "I want to make a castle. But I'm not good enough." "You need practice. That's all." Elva shook her head. "I should just quit." Julian gasped. "You shouldn't!" Elva looked at him curiously. "Why?" "Look at my castle," Julian motioned toward his much smaller lopsided castle. "Do you hate it?" *No..." "Do you think I should quit?" "No," she said stronger.

"Why?" Julian asked.

"You're getting better." Elva dug her fingers into the sand. "This one is better than that other one." *The one I made yesterday?" Elva nodded.

"Yeah, it is, isn't it?" Julian paused. "I bet, that if you keep practicing too, you'll get better and better. Someday, if you work hard enough, I bet you could even make a castle like that one." He nodded toward Bridget's gift." Though honestly, I don't like that one very much." I didn't either, mostly because it had led Elva to self-doubt. But also because I severely doubted that Bridget had even managed to make that herself. It truly did seem unlikely. When had she the time? I couldn't prove that though, so I didn't bother mentioning it.

There were enough fouler things to pin on Bridget. She didn't need this one as well.

"Why not?" Elva asked Julian.

Julian shrugged. "It's too perfect, you know? It doesn't seem real. Real castles have tons of flaws. There's chips in the walls, places that have been torn down and rebuilt. Water damage. Weather damage. Nothing in reality looks that perfect." Elva looked at the castle now with narrow eyes, as if observing it more critically.

"There's more beauty in imperfect things," Julian said. "They show growth. Age. Challenge and acceptance. Perfect is boring. Imperfection..." He put his finger under Elva's chin and lifted her face up to face the sunlight." Imperfection is life." Elva smiled. Then she glanced at her sand mound. "I want to try again. For real this time." "Okay," Julian said. He glanced over at me. He'd known I was here this whole time! "I think Mommy wants to talk to you about something first though." Elva turned to follow Julian's line of sight and sawwaiting. "Mommy!" she shouted.

I moved closer to her and hugged her. "I'm so proud of you, honey," I tell her.

"I didn't do anything!" she giggled.

Over her head, Julian smiled at me. I smiled back. I was proud to have him as a friend, and so happy that Elva could have him in her life as well.

When our hug was broken, I sobered. As did Julian, sensing my mood.

"What's wrong, Mommy?" Elva asked.

I rubbed my hands up and down her arms.

"We're going to have svisitors soon," I said. "Some... merfolk. Good ones, this time. They want to help you. They want to cure you of what makes you sick all the time." "Really?" Elva's eyes went wide as saucers.

"It might be a little scary," I told her. "But there's nothing to really be afraid of, okay? I'll be there, and Nicholas..." "And me," Julian said, volunteering himself without even really knowing what I was talking about. I was once again grateful for his place in my and Elva's lives.

*And Julian. And Veronica too," I said. "We'll all be right there, keeping you safe." Elva pressed her lips hard together. "It will makefeel better?" "Yes," I said. Gone were my doubts. If Veronica was confident, then I was confident. I trusted my friends implicitly.

"And Mommy will be less sad?" With her head low, she looked up atthrough her eyelashes.

My whole heart ached. I had never wanted her to know how sad her sickness made me. I had always thought I'd hidden that side of myself. Elva was such an observant child. So smart. I should have known better than to try and keep anything from her.

"Yes," I said, admitting it. "I will be less sad." "Okay," she said. Then she shrugged. "Okay." "You want to do it?" I asked, surprised by her sudden blasé attitude about it.

"Okay," she said again. No big deal.

God, I almost wished I could be her age again, to not truly have a care in the world. Or at least, to not have any that linger.

As an adult, I was constantly worried about everything.

Julian gavea curious look. "Well, let's do it then. Where do we go? nover to Veronica?" At my hod, he stood." to NO mybod, We'll build more sandcastles later, Elva.* Julian started to walk toward Veronica. Elva hurried to follow in his shadow. "Promise?" she called to him.

"Of course!" he replied, all confidence.

I watched them a minute, happiness in my heart. Then, I followed them.

Veronica quickly gave Julian the abridged, PG version of what was going to happen.

"I'll be a donor too," he said as soon as he heard that part. Before ay Before om Nicholas or I could say a word, he gave up both looks. "Don't think you can hog all the glory here." We both closed our mouths.

If Nicholas was family toand Elva, then so too, was Julian.

"I will also be a donor," Veronica said.

My eyes went wide. "Veronica... you don't have -*

"I want to," she said, cuttingoff. She gavea soft semblance of a smile, as much as she had ever seemed able. It warmedas if she had just beamed at me. "Thank you," I told her. And Julian too. And Nicholas.

Ashburn I clutched Elva's hands, looked out at the water, and said, "Let's welcour guests." X