Chapter 2

I dare say some might think it strange I could consider with equanimity the idea that my daughter was sexually active. To understand, though, you'd have to know our history. To know that Calida wasn't just any nineteen year old college student. In fact, I knew and trusted that she knew exactly what she was doing. It didn't bother me she'd 'taken up' with a young man she'd barely known a few days before. She had well over two hundred years of experience and a lot of very perceptive (if non-human) friends to guide her.

I ... was merely human, but not entirely without perception myself. I thought he was an honest young man with integrity, and trusted Calida's other friends to keep an eye on things too. Anyway, because of the – very good – relationship Calida had with Deb and me, and through her friends in the woodland, I've been able to patch together an account of Calida's developing relationship...

Sean was conflicted about introducing Calida to his parents. She was the first girl he'd got to know well enough to want to introduce to them. But on the other hand, though he had a good relationship with them, he was a little uncomfortable at the thought they might detect the level of intimacy they'd enjoyed. He didn't realise they'd be delighted at his growth.

But he screwed up his courage and invited her to go home with him after an afternoon lecture. His father was charmed within minutes. His mother took a little longer; what overcame her reservations involved her Japanese cherry tree. The first visit lasted less than an hour, but Calida was invited to return the following day to have dinner with them.

Over the meal, Missus Mullaney grilled Calida, subtly as she thought, though Calida of course knew exactly what was going on. She smiled inwardly, but allowed none of her amusement to show on the surface. The talk turned to the young people's course.

"I hoped Sean would be able to tell me what ails my cherry tree," Missus Mullaney said, "but he can't."

"I ran a few tests," Sean shrugged, "but there's nothing obvious. I mean, I can't find any evidence of disease, infestation, or poisoning." He paused and his eyes widened as he thought of something. "Callie ... I bet you could get to the bottom of it."

"Why would Calida be able to do what you can't?" his mother asked, sceptically.

Calida caught his eyes and looked worried. He smiled slightly and shook his head.

"Because she has ... a talent. You know, like water dowsers, except her talent works with plants, especially trees."

His mother looked at Calida, her expression a mixture of scepticism and hope.

Calida smiled. "I'd be happy to take a look."

They finished the meal. It was apparent that, despite her scepticism, Missus Mullaney was anxious for Calida to see what could be done for the tree, but she didn't actually hurry things.

It was a very sad tree. Calida could see that immediately, and she went up to it and laid a hand on the bark.

Her, "Oh!" was involuntary, and jerked out of her. "Sean, would you mind taking your parents indoors? And leaving us alone here? Please?"

Sean, after momentary confusion, escorted his parents back into the house, and through to the front room. Meanwhile, Calida undressed, removing her mundane, everyday clothes and folding them neatly on a garden seat. A spring-green gown swathed her as she approached the tree and embraced it. Her. The tree shimmered and became a pale, dark-haired girl with almond eyes, who clung to Calida and wept.

"Sakura?" whispered Calida. The nymph nodded against her. "You are very lonely," stated Calida gently, and the girl nodded again. "Well, I think we can do something about that."

The nymph drew back, wide-eyed, but continued to hold Calida, who had never let go.

Calida spoke again. "I would like to give you another name. Would you like that?" The nymph nodded again. "Minako." Calida said, emphatically, after a moment. "I think you should have a Japanese name, and that one suits you."

"Who are you?"

"I am called Calida."

"That's pretty. Are you..."

"I am half human, half dryad."

"Oh." The pretty girl looked deep into Calida's eyes. "That must be difficult."

"Yes, it has been. Now. You have been lonely, but you don't need to be. I will make sure of that. How old are you, Minako? You are young, aren't you?"

"I am fifteen years."

"Well, we will need to make sure you are safe, and know the things you need to know. I am going to talk to my boyfriend's parents and tell them you are going to be all right, so I need you to be a tree again. Is that okay?"

"Oh, yes. I don't mind being a tree. I just didn't like being alone. There was a boy ... he used to come and talk to me, but he stopped."

"Well, we can do something about that, too. Sean is my boyfriend, but he can be your friend too. Now. Go be a tree, Minako."

The nymph smiled, hugged Calida and kissed her on the cheek, then wavered and ... was a cherry tree again.

Calida found Sean and his parents.

"Well? Can you help?" Missus Mullaney spoke eagerly.

"Oh, I think so. Sean is the key, I think. I'll tell him what he needs to do. Then, in the morning I'd like you all to go out and watch him. Will you do that for me?"

The older couple looked puzzled and, still, sceptical.

"I'd better go," Calida said, "thank you so much for a delicious dinner."

"I'll take you home," Sean said.

"I hoped you would. There's a lot to tell you."

It was late and full dark as Sean drove them back to Rustlings Road. "She's a cherry hamadryad," Calida said abruptly as the car halted outside her home.

"Not really!"

"Really, really. She's very young, and she's very lonely."

"Oh, the poor thing..."

"Her family name is Sakura, which means 'cherry' in Japanese, but I've given her a personal name ... Minako, which means 'Beautiful'. You can call her Sakura, or Minako. Not Minnie, please."

"Oh, I wouldn't..."

"You used to talk to her."

Sean blushed. It wasn't really visible in the dark, but Calida was fairly sure she could feel the heat.

"I didn't fit in at school. I was shy, and I liked weird things. Mum and Dad didn't really understand, so I used to sit by the tree and talk. You know, that tree ... I mean, Minako ... I remember her being planted, and she really grew with me. She was so pretty. The blossom was so pretty. But when I started College ... That's it, isn't it? It was my fault. Oh, the poor thing..."

Calida laid her hand on his thigh. "Don't blame yourself. You couldn't have known. In the morning, go out to her with your parents ... that's important ... touch her and whisper to her that you're sorry. Tell her she's beautiful, and that you'll be her friend."

"Why ... I mean, wouldn't it be better if I spoke to her privately?"

"I want your parents ... especially your mother ... to see what happens. They're going to have to know sooner or later. About me, too."

"Oh ... I see. Callie, will you come ... in the morning? Will you be with me? Please?"

"Well ... I suppose ... What time do you think?"

"Dad leaves for work about eight, so it would need to be before that. Why don't I fetch you ... say at seven ... and you can have breakfast with us?"

"That'll work. You don't mind fetching me? I could probably borrow the car?"

"Callie ... I don't mind fetching you. Actually, I really hate leaving you at all."

"Oh ... you're so sweet, Sean. I feel the same, you know. Sean..." she trailed off. "Oh, dear. You know we were talking about, you know, woodland relationships?" He nodded. "Well, Minako may want ... you're obviously important to her. She may want you to hold her. Kiss her. Maybe, even, make love to her. You're going to have to judge what she needs ... oh, Sean ... I don't want to lose you..."

"You won't lose me, Callie! I love you! I won't do anything..."

"That's just it. It could really upset Minako if you reject her. She needs to know she is beautiful and desirable. But ... never mind. We'll cross the bridge when, or if, we come to it. You have my permission to ... make her feel good, if that's what she wants."

"What!"

"You heard me. And, while we're on the subject, I may as well go the whole hog and extend the permission to the others, too. That doesn't mean you can take up with another human girl, see you!"

"Of course not! I'm not sure I can get my head round the rest, either."

"Just ... don't hurt Minako, please."

She couldn't see in the darkness, but he was shaking his head in a mixture of disbelief and culture shock. "I'll pick you up in the morning." Pause. "I love you."

"Look forward to it." Pause, with a smile in her voice as she went on, "I love you, too." Their parting was, however, delayed considerably by the need to kiss.

"Want to tell me about it?" I greeted her as she walked through the door.

"Dad!" She giggled. But turning serious, she went on, "Dad, they've got a cherry hamadryad in their back garden. Oh, Dad ... she's really young and so lonely! Sean knows, now, but I think I'm going to have to tell Sean's Mum and Dad ... you know ... about me. And Minako."

"Minako?"

"Yeah. She's a Sakura, of course, but I dubbed her Minako, because she is. Beautiful, I mean."

"You know I trust you, Baby. But are you ready to face the consequences if they can't be trusted?"

"I know, Dad. I don't think it's a big risk, but I have to take it."

Calida just couldn't sleep and slipped out of the house just after midnight. She flitted ... naked, skyclad ... across the road and into the park opposite and towards the tree-clad knoll on the other side of the river.

Voices. Two of them low, male, somehow unpleasant. One high, frightened. Calida walked silently toward the sound.

The high voice, "No, please... !" and the sound of tearing fabric.

Calida paused long enough to whistle then ran lightly forward.

"I would let her be, if I were you."

One man was holding a girl, with both her arms twisted behind her back, while the other had just torn her dress from neck to waist. Both men looked round at Calida.

"Well, well! And what were you thinking of doing about it, Girly? Going to make us let her go? Or are you going to join in and give us one each, since you seem to be dressed for it already..."

"Oh, I don't think so. I'm not going to do anything with ... or to ... you. But my friends will."

"What friends? There's no-one here but us chickens, Missy."

"Oh ... just look round..."

"No, I don't think so."

Calida could see shapes moving behind them and another voice sounded from there. "What do you think, Callie? They need a lesson?"

"Definitely, Kia! A tough one, I think."

Hands rapidly shredded the men's clothing and, naked, they were carried and dumped in the river, before being chivvied out of the park onto a road into the city which was still busy, even at one in the morning. It wasn't long before they were picked up for indecent exposure and their incoherent accounts of how they came to be there caused them to be detained for psychiatric assessment...

Meanwhile, back in the park, Calida was hugging the distressed girl.

"This isn't the safest place to walk alone at night," Calida told her.

"You were," the girl challenged.

"No, I have friends here."

"Oh ... yes. Of course."

"I'm Calida. What's your name?"

"Ariel. Ariel Aronson. Pleased to meet you, Calida."

"Ariel, meet Querkia..."

The girl turned to look at the other woman, who was stocky and looked strong. "Thank you. And thank your friends, too."

"You're welcome, Ariel. Now we've been introduced, you have friends here, too." Kia looked at Calida. "Did you need to talk to us?"

"I'd better walk Ariel home, first."

It wasn't a long walk. The girl's decision to cut through the park was quite understandable.

"Do you often walk naked in the park at night?"

"Quite often. I'm hard to see if I don't want to be seen, and I know how to be covered if necessary, too."

"Wow. But what about those men?"

"Oh, they won't be back. Or ... if they do, they won't enjoy the experience. They're not the only ones, though."

"No. I know. I was stupid."

"Maybe. But you're safe now."

"Mmmm. Calida..."

"Yeah, Ariel?"

"Can I come visit you sometime?"

"Why ... yes, I suppose so." Calida told Ariel her mobile phone number and the girl entered it in her phone. "Call me. We'll meet."

Calida returned to the knoll once she'd seen Ariel enter her house. Kia and several other dryads were there and she told them about Sakura/Minako, with the result she'd hoped for; several of her friends would visit Walkley and take the young nymph under their wings.

It's just as well Calida didn't need a lot of sleep, as her eyes didn't close and her head hit the pillow until after three in the morning, and she was up and showering by six-thirty. After a few moments' thought, she was dressed in another flowing gown, this one a rich russet. When Sean turned up – a few minutes early – she was ready and actually looked brighter and more alert than Sean. He brightened immediately when she got in his car.

"Funny thing, but I felt chilled as I got in the car, and the heater hasn't begun to work, but I felt warmer the moment you got in," he smiled. Her response was an enigmatic smile.

"I'm happy to see you, too," she said after a few minutes.

The Mullaneys raised their eyebrows at Calida's dress, and even more as she kicked off her sandals as they crossed the dewy grass. They watched with her as Sean approached the tree, laid a hand on the trunk and whispered something.

As they watched, blossoms unfurled until the tree was a blaze of pink.

"Oh, my..." Sean's mother breathed, reverently.

Calida stepped up to Sean and spoke to him.

"Are you sure?" his parents heard him ask in surprise. When Calida nodded, he turned again to the tree.

He spoke, quietly again ... and in place of the tree was a young oriental woman, in a pale pink kimono decorated with cherry-blossom. She looked stunning.

"My God!" Afterwards, Calida could never be sure who spoke first. The reaction was the same for all three Mullaneys.

Minako bowed, jerkily, betraying her nervousness, to Sean, then approached his parents.

"Hajimemashite, yoroshiku onegai shimasu," she said, bowing formally and rather more smoothly than she had for Sean. "How do you do. I am Minako. I am pleased to meet you."

I think the formality perhaps must have done something, because Sean's mother responded automatically to the courtesy. "How do you do, Minako. I am pleased to meet you, too. I am Eithne Mullaney, and this is my husband, Ryan. You are very beautiful, my dear."

"Arigato. Thank you. You have a very kind and handsome son."