The Sound of Silence

Holding tightly to her mom's hand, five year old Leigh drags her through the flower garden, passing the the Buttercups and Geraniums, until they reached the patch of Tulips.

Pointing at a bright pink Tulip with white all around the tips of the petals, which was still closed while all the other Tulips had opened. Leigh opens her arms and waves them up and down in a flying motion, but does not say a word. She had seen the beautiful flower open before, and flew off until it disappeared in the distance. Her mother kneels down in front of her and holds her closely, she gently rubs the child's soft red cheek with the back of her finger. Leigh looks at her mom, wide eyed, still pointing in the direction of the bright pink Tulip, trying very hard to tell her something but the words would not come.

Marie was feeling her daughter's frustration, she stopped talking nine months ago when her twin brother passed away from illness. They were very close and did everything together. Leigh's counselor told Marie that she will eventually come out of the shock of losing her brother. She also said that some children take longer than others. Marie wondered if she would ever hear the sweet voice of her baby girl, thinking to herself that it has been almost a year.

Leigh and her brother Lanny often played in the garden. Lanny loved the Tulips, he would sit beside them and watch them sway as the gentle breeze blew them.

The little girl released herself from her mother's hug, she walked closer to the flowers, she peered at the bright pink Tulip with wondering eyes, touching it ever so softly. Marie still kneeling on the ground, watching, trying to understand what her little girl wants to tell her. Marie touched her baby's shoulder and said, "mommy has to get supper ready, you may play in the garden for a while."

Leigh picked up a few small pebbles, she started to count them in her mind as she tossed them back to the ground. But, something about that Tulip kept her curious. It's petals were shaped like the wings of a fairy wrapped around the flower, and she was sure she saw it fly a few days ago, so Leigh could not stop looking at it. She thought the petals were beginning to move, she had to know one way or another why that Tulip was so diffierent from the others. She sat beside them and waited.

Something was flying close behind her, she could hear it's wings flapping right beside her ear, then it stopped. She felt it walking on her shoulder and turned to look at it. Leigh gasped in surprise, it was not a bird, but a tiny fairy wearing a bright pink gown with wings as white as snow and dainty glass slippers. She wore a golden crown, hair shimmering white, floating down her back. The fairy whispered in Leigh's ear.

"I am Teela, queen of the Tulips, I would like to be your friend."

One day, right after breakfast, Leigh runs into the garden to see the bright pink Tulip. She watches as the white tips of the petals gracefully open, turning into wings. Then lushes of long white hair appears, shaping itself to become the fairy queen of Tulips.

Leigh follows Teela further in the garden, she never went past the Tulips before, and felt a little scared. Teela told her about the fairies who live beyond the garden. She told Leigh the fairies can only be seen by those who believe.

Ever since Lanny passed away, Leigh kept to herself. She did not want to play with any of the children in the neighbourhood so she did not have any friends. Teela became the only friend for her.

It was a beautiful summer day, Leigh got dressed in a hurry and scurried off to the garden. When she arrived at the spot she always went to, she did not see the bright pink Tulip. Leigh felt very sad and started to cry, it was a similar feeling when she lost Lanny. She sat next to the Buttercups, wiped her eyes and thought to herself, "maybe Teela is with all the other fairies, maybe she will not be with me today, maybe she does not like me anymore."

Then it happened.... Leigh could hear the flapping of many wings. She turned and saw a lot of tiny fairies flying towards her. Leigh stared in amazement at them. Some wore yellow gowns, purple gowns, and red gowns, but only Teela wore a bright pink gown;

she was surrounded by them all.

Teela landed on Leigh's hand, she spoke to her in a quiet voice, she told her not to be afraid, "we are here to protect you." The fairies led Leigh beyond the garden.

"Leigh! Leigh! where are you darling?" Leigh's mom had decided to take her out for ice-cream, then a walk in the park. Marie walked past the Buttercups and Geraniums, as she got past the Tulips she saw her baby girl running and laughing happily.

"Ma, ma!" she cried out. Marie stopped in disbelief, she was not sure she was hearing her baby's voice. She thought it was her imagination, but then Leigh called out again, she said, "Ma,ma! come and see the fairies."

Marie run towards her baby girl, she sees beautiful butterflies fluttering around her, she gets closer and was about to scoop up her child, when she looked carefully at the tiny creatures, she was in awe. She could see they were not butterflies. Leigh pointed to the one with the bright pink gown, "this is Teela, queen of the Tulips."

Marie could no longer hold in her excitment, she cried out loudly, "oh my baby girl! it is so wonderful to hear your sweet voice again." Leigh looked at her, she said, "why are you crying mama?" "I am crying because you are happy, so I am happy." "Your papa will be happy too, he missed you asking him for ice cream."                                       

"Let's go get some ice cream," Leigh said.