Midnight

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Alice’s eyes widened. “Your house? Would I have my own bed?”

“You’d probably have to, wouldn’t you?”

Alice nodded quickly.

Valkyrie grinned, and shrugged to her folks. “I think I could manage that.”

“Yay!” Alice cried, thrusting both hands in the air and dancing.

Melissa laughed. “Everyone sit. Hope you’re all hungry.”

“I’m starving,” said Valkyrie.

“I’m starving, too,” said Alice.

Valkyrie sat at the table in her usual spot. It felt strange, especially with Alice settling into the chair beside her. But as soon as Alice was seated she hopped up again.

“I forgot Sparkles!” she said, and ran upstairs.

“Have you met Sparkles?” her dad asked, helping Melissa serve dinner.

“I have.”

“All her schoolfriends have them. They’re like that elf, you know, at Christmas, that comes alive when all the humans leave the room? Creepy little things. Expensive, too. You never had anything like that when you were a kid, did you?”

“Nope,” said Valkyrie. “No elves. No fairies. I didn’t even have an imaginary friend.”

“I did,” said Desmond. “His name was Barry. He was always getting me into trouble.”

“I didn’t have time to have an imaginary friend,” Melissa said. “I had a very full social calendar, even back then. I’ve always had lots of friends, actually. Then I got married and they all kind of drifted away.”

Desmond grinned. “That’s the effect I have on people.”

“I know you’re joking,” Melissa said, “but you can be quite rude.”