Mignon - by Julie Harris

https://Voice.club - The first time I saw Mignon, she was nestled in a bright red tulip, sound asleep. Her tumbled black curls glistening with dew, her gossamer wings folded neatly behind her back, she was the jeweled center of the March garden. I was enraptured, barely breathing. She opened her green-gold eyes, and the two of us were caught in a wordless moment of communication. Then somewhere a dog barked, children shouted and I was momentarily distracted. When I looked back she was gone.

April came, and with it, warmer days. I searched any flower that could hide a sleeping fairy, but to no avail. I longed to see her again – that tiny, magical creature so obviously from another world. Loneliness wrapped me in its grey fog, so that I barely noticed the new statue in the garden. An angelic little girl, in pale marble, holding a gardenia. I vaguely wondered where the statue had come from. I came here every day, but had never seen it before. “Hello sir,” whispered a voice that was light and musical, like bells. I turned in amazement and watched the statue step down from its perch and reach out to me. “A flower for you.” Again, our eyes locked. How did she grow from a tiny fairy, no bigger than my thumb, to a little girl? I blinked, and found myself alone in the garden.

May found me wandering through the roses in a daze. I could not forget those green-gold eyes, the deep communication in a single glance. My tears caused me to stumble, but a gloved hand kept me from falling, as her eyes captured mine once more. I touched her face, her hair. I slowly removed the white gloves and held her two hands up to my own face.

“Yes, I’m real,” she laughed. “I’m in your world now.” But when I touched her still-raw shoulder blades, she winced. Those familiar eyes, now the eyes of a woman, held pain, a flicker of fear, and a dawning hope.

“The choice was easy,” she lied, and I pretended to believe her.

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Julie, your “Mignon” is a tender mystical development from fairy to self-sacrificing love. I cherish how you call on the reader’s five senses, use imagery and play on “green-gold eyes” to craft such an imaginative tale of love and devotion. I look forward to reading this story many times over! Congratulations!

Margarida, your comments made my day. Thank you so much!

My “Mignon” is a story from several years ago, originally published on the old version of Voice.club. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to record old stories and get them published with a real voice on the new Event. I have a goal of getting most of my old stories included in my VIP playlist so I can share them with friends.

For the “Perhaps Love” event, I selected a story that shows a special kind of love, a bit out of the ordinary!

Julie, your Mignon captivated me so much. Until now I am imagining how pretty she is and how beautiful her eyes is. But I am wondering why she decided to be in our world where she will held pain, a flicker of fear, and a dawning hope. I do believe as well that she lied.

Hello Lotchie and thanks for your feedback. The reason Mignon decided to be in our world was simple: she fell in love! You’re right - she was not telling the truth. Making the choice was very very hard. But love won her heart. Let’s hope her dawning hope leads the way out of pain and fear.

Beautiful writing, Julie. Mignon will haunt my thoughts as she haunted the thoughts of the protagonist. You caught the breathless allure of unsought love, with the culmination all lovers hope will end their highest loves.

Julie, Your “Mignon” is a beautiful renewal of the fairy tale. Magic in the garden! Such a detailed telling of fairy and human life (the “still-raw shoulder blades” will stay with me). And the ending–so much said in so few words. Thanks for this!

Thanks for your comment, Susan. I’m just now getting around to answering old comments! Mignon was lightly based on that story you and I loved so much when we were younger - Portrait of Jenny!

Thank you so much, Regina. As I told Susan, I’m just now answering comments from months ago! Hope to read a new story from you soon!!

I still think Portrait of Jennie is one of the best short stories ever written. It has stayed with both of us for years!