Free I Promised You - William and Ophelia by Carol Colbert

her son, did he go as well?”
Ophelia asked, absently mindedly stroking the odd looking cat that
still sat on her lap.

    “Yes, I did.” Hugo said, walking up to stand
by Janet’s side. “It would have been odd for a mother to take such
a young child shopping back then, so I was left in the care of
someone who could protect me.” Hugo said.

    “My mother?” Ophelia asked.

    “Yes, she left me with your mother, Gertrude.
Janet here, is my mother, the King’s second cousin known then as
Julia.” Hugo said, placing his arm around his mother’s
shoulders.

    Ophelia was almost shell shocked, but as much
as her head was beginning to swirl, she had no clue as to just how
much more powerful that whirlpool in her head was about to get.

    “That is an amazing story! So Cynthia helped
Julia get away from the King and the Palace. That was very good of
her.” Ophelia said.

    “Thank you.” Said a voice stepping out of the
shadows.

    “Cindy! That was you who helped Janet?”

    “Yes, with a lot of help from my husband,
Ash, whom you know as Ashton from The Spa, and also from the wagon
as you know me.” Cindy said.

    “I don’t understand.” Ophelia said.

    “My name is Cynthia, but I am also known as
Caramel and my husband is Ashton, known also as Ace.” She finished
as her husband, Ashton stepped forward.

    Ophelia did not know what to say. She turned
to Zippy who was standing there and said “So, who is Zippy?”

    They all laughed and said “Zippy is Zippy, a
miniature horse we purchased after we came to Enchanted.” Thelma
said.

    “I am in shock, I don’t know how I will ever
be able to process all of this information.” Ophelia said. “Do we
have anything to drink out here, any wine perhaps?”

    “I think that is a good idea, dear.” Luna
said. “For the greatest shock is yet to come.”

    “Ophelia wasn’t sure her heart or head could
comprehend anything else. She looked at all of the dark blue heavy
fog surrounding them and was surprised she could still see
beautiful stars shinning in the winter night sky. She looked at
Cindy and Ashton and how happy they looked and then something
jogged her mind.

    “Janet, I am so glad that you are a part of
our group. I was wonderful how you and Cindy could have possibly
known my mother. Now I know!”

    Hugo reappeared with a large tray of wine
glasses with cherry wine bottles being carried by Luna. They passed
out the glasses and Ophelia said “I think this calls for a toast,
may I?”

    “Not yet.” Luna said, “There is more to
come.”

    Just then the funny looking cat jumped down
off of Ophelia’s lap and started running circles around the
bonfire. The sky lit up different shades of blue and red, yellow,
orange and green and sparks from the bonfire just added to the
spectacle.

    Ophelia blinked her eyes and there before her
stood her mother, Gertie.

    “You just had to make a grand entrance as
always, Gertie.” Luna laughed.

    Gertie walked up to Ophelia and put her arms
around her daughter. “Hello, Ophelia, it has been a long time.”

    Ophelia was speechless. She clung to her
mother and she could not stop the tears running down her cheeks.
“Mother, why did you pretend that you had died?” Ophelia cried.

    “I was one hundred and three in mortal years,
people were beginning to talk! I got tired of waiting, I wanted to
see you again.” Gertie said.

    Ophelia looked at her mother’s still
extremely beautiful face and smiled. “You found me.”

    “With help of the ring, yes. I just had to
find a way to get the ring to you and get you back here. Thelma did
a great job, don’t you think? Of course we all had a great deal of
help from the Gaunter family, unbeknownst to them. I willed the
trunk to them after I hid my journal and the ruby red ring in it.
The semi-truck that caused their van to swerve that night was no
fluke.”

    “I can’t believe how happy I am, how
everything does work out the way it should here in