“Spring is coming.”

Sarah Beth pushed one finger upwards on the bridge of her sunglasses, peering at the sunny lawn.  The thick lawn spread before her, only the gentle breeze disturbing the bright green army of blades.  Raising an eyebrow, she lowered her glasses and leaned back in her chair.

“Didn’t you hear me?  Spring is coming.”

Sarah Beth lowered her glasses for a second time.  She glanced up at the blue sky, across the yard at her lush flower boxes, the new earth still sprinkled across the brim.  Her neighbors were out of town on the left; the one on the right was a recluse terrified of her porch.  Picking up the warm book resting on her stomach, she raised it to her face and waited.

“Well, aren’t you going to do something?”

Sarah Beth didn’t bother to lower the book.  She stared at the bright white pages, the black words swimming in front of her.  “I would if you would tell me what I’m supposed to do about it.  And who you are.”

“It’s spring!”  The indignant voice sputtered.  “Spring is for planting flowers…”

“Did that.”  Sarah Beth pointed to her freshly laid flower boxes.

“Grilling outside…”

“It’s not dinner time.”  Sarah Beth glanced at the sun.  “It’s not even lunch.”

“Riding bikes, walking the dog, enjoying the outdoors…”

“That’s what I was trying to do.”  Sarah Beth lowered her book, her eyes hidden by the thick black lenses.  “Before I was so rudely interrupted.”

“Reading in the sunshine isn’t the same thing as enjoying spring.”

Sarah Beth dropped the book onto the grass, standing up so fast her chair nearly toppled over.  “Ok, wise guy.  Who are you?  What do you want?”

“I want you to enjoy spring.”

The breeze tickled her thick dark hair and she shoved a stray lock impatiently behind her ear. “And how am I supposed to do that with you pestering me?”

The stranger snorted.  “You deserved to be pestered, sitting there like a mushroom.  You should be frolicking in the grass, smelling the roses…”

“I have pansies.”

“Whatever.”  The voice paused.  “It’s all about wishes, see.  Spring wishes.”

“Spring wishes?”  Sarah Beth raised her glasses, her eyes as green as the lawn before her.  “What spring wishes?”

“Anything you can imagine.”  Sarah Beth closed her eyes, her mind racing.  “You could float like a butterfly among the clouds, slide down a hill of emerald green, smell the sweetest flower, climb the tallest tree, rollerskate down the street, fly a kite in the park…Just like if you were a kid again.”

“How?”  Sarah Beth gazed around her, the lawn silent.  “How do I do that?”

“Easy.  You make a wish.  On me.”

“On you?”  Sarah Beth’s head whipped from side to side.  “How?”

“Just blow.”

“Blow?”  Sarah Beth’s brows knitted together.  “Blow?  Blow what?”

“Look down.”  Sarah Beth’s head obediently drooped.  “To the left…too far…right…there you go.”

Sarah Beth sucked in her breath.  A dandelion inches from her foot bobbed in the wind.  “Get it now?”

“But….won’t you die?”  Sarah Beth stepped back, her fingers pressing to her lips.  “Or won’t it hurt?  What will happen to you?”

The wistful whisper struck a cord in her heart.  “I’ll be free.  Free to make my own wishes.”

Sarah Beth dropped to her knees, the coarse blades tickling her skin.  “Are you sure?”

“Positive.”  The fuzzy white head bent towards her.  “Make a wish.”

Sarah Beth closed her eyes and blew.  Opening her eyes, she watched hundreds of white bits of fluff drift away, like hundreds of tiny butterflies streaming towards the sun.  As the breeze untucked the strand behind her ear, a whisper blew by her ear.

“Thank you.  And may your wishes come true.”

Smiling, Sarah Beth slid her sunglasses over her eyes.  Then she sat in her lawn chair and picked up her book.

It was time to enjoy spring.

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends!  We have a week’s worth of fun coming up!  Stay tuned!

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