eyes closed and beaming in unadulterated happiness. “Jo! Josie!” She opened her eyes and saw Amelia waving at her. When Josie looked around, she found herself alone, the sole skater on the frozen fairy pool. No fairy guardian. No snow bunting. She thought to herself, was that all just a dream? Everything that just happened to me? Considering that maybe she hit her head on the ice after one of her falls, Josie placed her hand on the back of her head but found no bump. “Jo! We should start heading back; Mother will be expecting us for afternoon tea!” her sister called out to her. “I’ll be right there!” Josie replied, stepping off the ice and sitting by the rock, still questioning herself, and wondering if she had imagined the whole thing. While Josie untied her skates, she noticed something different. Gone was the poppy seed muffin that she offered and in its place was a small simple acorn. When the sisters arrived at Amelia’s car, Josie thought she heard the familiar whistle of that snow bunting again as well as jingling bells in the distance. “So, how have your skating skills improved?” Amelia asked during their drive back home. “I think that they’re quite better than before.” Josie smiled. “Is that so?” “Yes. I suppose you could say that they now have more spirit.”
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