Free Wish by Alexandra Bullen

arms to her side and groaned.
    This had not been part of the plan.
    “Okay,” Posey said cautiously, standing and heading toward the register.
    Olivia reached for her wallet as Posey snapped open the drawer, which clanked and trembled into place.
    “You know,” Posey began, rifling through a pile of receipts, “I wasn’t actually worried about not seeing you again.”
    Olivia’s eyebrows wrinkled, and she wasn’t sure, but she thought maybe she saw the beginnings of a sly smile playing across Posey’s lips.
    “What do you mean?” Olivia asked. Violet nudged her eagerly.
    “I don’t know.” Posey shrugged. “Something just told me that you might have some…questions.”
    “Oh,” Olivia stammered. “Well, I mean, I’m not sure I know how to—”
    “For the love of God,” Violet whispered. “Just tell her!”
    Olivia shot Violet a stern look before turning to Posey. She was about to return to her broken explanation when she realized that something in Posey’s posture had changed. She looked somehow taller, like her neck was stretching farther away from her body.
    She looked like she was trying to listen.
    “Posey?” Olivia asked.
    Posey glanced quickly back in Olivia’s direction. “Yeah, I just…” Posey swatted the air. “I just thought I heard something. That’s all.”
    Olivia’s heart was thumping so violently in her chest she was positive her whole body was vibrating.
    “You were saying?” Posey asked.
    “Well,” Olivia continued, “about the dress. Something kind of…out of the ordinary…did happen while I was wearing it.”
    “Really?” Posey asked, shoving the register drawer shut noisily. “Like what?”
    “You know, I mean, nothing too weird, but just”—Olivia talked in circles, buying time—“I think I saw a butterfly.”
    Posey stared at her blankly.
    Olivia felt small beads of sweat forming at the nape of her neck, and her tongue flicked anxiously at the corners of her mouth.
    “Was it a monarch?” Posey asked, making her way back tothe couch and lowering herself into one corner. “I haven’t seen many yet myself. Usually the city is just swarming by now.” She picked up a piece of loose fabric and began folding it into quarters.
    Olivia cleared her throat, searching for Violet out of the corner of her eye. Violet made a rolling gesture with her hands, cocking her head toward Posey and urging Olivia on. “Um, no.” Olivia took a deep, musty breath. “It was glowing. It was a glowing butterfly. And I think it came from my dress.”
    Posey continued folding, smoothing out the creases with her hands and placing the fabric on the arm of the sofa. “And?” she asked, almost impatiently.
    Olivia looked to Violet, who shrugged. “And…” Olivia continued, unsure of where to go next.
    Posey picked up another swath of fabric and lined up the edges, the corners of her mouth pursing as she began to whistle softly.
    Suddenly, Olivia’s cheeks were burning and her hands shook at her sides. “‘And’?” she repeated, her voice cracking as it grew more intense. “What do you mean, ‘and’?! I just told you that a butterfly, a glowing butterfly , flew out of my dress. The dress you made me. I was in a cab, I was crying, and there it was. And something tells me you know why. And. You’re going to tell me about it.” When Olivia had finished, her mouth was dry, and the throbbing was back behind her eyes. Violet was standing, mouth agape, and inching a bit toward the door.
    This was not part of the plan, either.
    Posey stared up at Olivia, her narrow yellow-specked eyes blinking furiously. Her thin, pale lips were still pursed, the memory of a whistle between them, when suddenly theyparted, and a wide, toothy grin divided her face. “All right,” she said.
    Olivia stared at her. “All right?”
    Posey nodded. “I guess there are some things I could tell you,” she said. “Like, for starters, I was just messing with you about the monarchs.”
    Violet