The Partridge & Pear Tree

The brown paper package tied with lovely simple cord sat enticingly on the front porch. As Cecilia approached her curiosity was bubbling to the surface like a tonic.

Midsummer had arrived, the harbinger of adventure and abandon, to the desperately shortening days towards the Autumnal Equinox. Cecilia, delighting in the feel of the warm wooden porch stairs beneath her always bare feet, tingles of joy and familiarity danced all the way to her fingertips.

Smiling, she carefully picked up the box that seemed to have magical and faerie green light escaping it’s confines. Tugging at the string now, with bated breath, and barely contained excitement. She couldn’t imagine what Tristan had contained within this package. He delighted in inspiring awe in her, and was constantly on a mission to surprise her.

Pausing, she looked around to see if he was hiding nearby, to watch as she unbridled the contents of this magical and mysterious gift upon her stairs. There was no sign of him, shrugging, she sat down on the porch swing on the wide covered veranda of their lovely restored craftsman home. They had done the restoration together, under the strict guidance of the heritage association. A labour of love that had bonded them all those summers ago. Well not so many as all that. They were still young and full of life and dreams and goals. She pondered the many adventures they had shared. The running of bulls in Spain two years ago. Tristan, who knew Cecilia found the entire affair barbaric, had purchased one of the bulls set to run through the streets. Leading him on a leash towards her with a ridiculously large pink bow. He was grinning ear to ear, and proclaiming his undying love and respect.

“What will be the fate of this fellow whose life is now in your hands, my beautiful Cecilia?” He had teased her.

She laughed out loud at the memory of his expression when she told him that he would live out his days with a harem of the finest heifers, in the greenest fields full of wildflowers, marigolds, buzzing bees, and a lovely pear tree to bask beneath.

They had both revelled in the release of this bull, whose destiny had been ill fated at best until Tristan had intervened. Returning her attention to the smooth paper package, she carefully completed the removal of the string, and gently pried the neatly placed tape. The Green light seemed to brighten and expand as she began removing the layers of paper that followed. One layer, two, now a third? “What are you up to Tristan”, she wondered out loud.

Within was a lovely wooden box, carved intricately with marigolds, and vines and all manner of wildflowers. The green lights were now shining on all the patterns that adorned the box. A note fell from the bottom as she removed the rest of the multi layers, of now to be re-purposed brown paper. It said,

The Golden days of summers past

Has gleaned this precious gift

Of life and love

And Green, Gold light

Blessed with a kiss

On this Midsummers night.

“Meet me at the Partridge & Pear Tree at 7pm”

Was the final sentence on Tristans note.

Joy sprung from her spirit, as she recounted the words of love Tristan had composed. She was a blessed woman. He was a blessed man. They were a blessing in this sometimes loveless world.

The Green and Golden light drew her curiosity back to the current moment, as she had been pondering the many imprints of love they had created together.

Unable to contain herself another moment, she lifted the lid of the marigold adorned box, to see what on earth was creating this otherworldly light.

There were two stones, one green, and one gold, palm sized, and emanating light so intense she had to shield her eyes and look away. “What Grail is he presenting me with”; she thought, as she once again looked around for any sign of his observance. Knowing that the unexpected was Tristans modus operendi, she closed the box, and rose to enter the house and get ready to meet him.

She had made a lovely chocolate cake for their anniversary, she had begged a confectionery box from her local bakery. Placing the beautiful ganache filled cake into the box, she wrapped it in the carefully removed paper of Tristans gift.

She had chosen a pale green shift dress of the lightest woven cotton, the gossamer fabric so fine that it felt like a summer breeze upon her skin, a dab of rose absolut behind each ear, and on each wrist. She slipped her feet into golden strappy sandles she had purchased in Oaxaca. She placed the marigold box on top of her neatly wrapped brown paper package containing the chocolate cake.

The Partridge & Pear Tree was a favoured local pub, with views overlooking the cliffs and beaches of the Lizard Peninsula. A place that was steeped in lore of mermaids, faeries, and giants. A magical place, where they had met on a summer night 12 years before.

They had not been blessed with children, though the many other blessings of their lives filled them with hope that one day, their love would manifest in that way…One day.

Arriving at the Partidge & Pear Tree not a car, or sign of activity was present. Unusual for this time of year. Reaching for the wrought iron handle of the seemingly ancient oak door, she entered, to find Tristan seated at a single table in the center of the room. Pale green and gold table cloths, and candles adorned the place where he sat smiling like a man beholding the greatest treasure.

“Cecilia, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, or ever will, come sit down, and I will tell you all about your gift”

He had rented the entire pub for their anniversary, and not a soul besides the cook, and their server were to be witness to this intimate and mysterious evening.

He poured her a glass of champagne in a tall delicate flute of crystal that he had purchased for their special night.

“Tristan, this is beautiful, I am again alight with the love you express, I cannot imagine the meaning of these mysterious stones you have bestowed upon me”

“I will show you, my beautiful wife, as the telling will be revealed in their display”

Cecilia opened the marigold box once again, admiring the details of its adornment.

“Take the Green stone out and hold it in your palm” he instructed.

She looked into his happy eyes, full of love, and chose the green stone. Holding it in her palm now, he reached across the table and covered the stone with his own hand. The Green light engulfed them both and filled them with the force of all green and thriving things, a force field surrounded them, and sent waves of vibration through them, as the Partridge & Pear seemed to vanish, only the two of them seemed real as the green light infused every cell amongst them, healing every place within them and surrounding them. In what felt like an eternity the blessed light succeeded and returned to the stone.

“The gift of eternal youth and rebirth is yours today Cecilia, as a token of my gratitude for the second year of our second decade, a testament to the waves of healing love you have given to me in the last twelve years.”

Reeling from the experience, she looked across the table at her mischievous and grinning husband, attempting to fathom where on earth he had gotten such a stone.

“Husband, I am astonished! I feel 18 again! “Where did you come by this stone?”

“Bring the box, and come with me.” He instructed gently.

Rising with the ease of a body unburdened by time, she picked up the box and took his outstretched hand as he guided her towards the open patio at the back of the pub. Out on the cliff he had set up a picnic blanket, a large woven basket in the center. He invited her to sit as he positioned himself opposite her. Opening the basket, he fed her a single grape, juicy and exploding with golden goodness only fresh summer fruit will ever have.

“Now take the golden stone in your palm.”

Opening the glowing box, she reached in and lifted the golden stone into her palm. This time a golden orb rose from the stone and seemed to dance with joy, hovering inexplicably between them.

She looked at him quizzically and laughter burst from his being as child beholding his hearts desire.

“This stone was a gift to me, long, long ago. It has been in my family since the dawn of our times here on this wild coast, said to be the blessing of a rescued Mermaid whom my ancestor had found stranded within a sea cave below.” “It carries the blessing of abundance and joy and is the spirit of ancient beings that protect my lineage.”

“It is given by each man of my line that has found the woman of his heart, she who will bare his sons and daughters, to assure their union is blessed, protected and guided throughout their lives”

The golden orb danced around both of their crowns, and created a bridge between their brows.

They saw a vision, of her belly swelling with life and love, they saw the child, a girl, in the throes of her birthing screams, they saw the three of them bathed in golden light, like a string of human daisies walking barefoot down the beach. This was only the beginning of many, many, golden summer days.

The magic of this evening vibrating through them both as the golden orb returned to its home, she gently placed the stone back in the marigold box. Tears of joy in her eyes, as she rose to sit in her beloveds lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“She will arrive in the spring my love, the cake I made is filled with pink icing, I was going to surprise you, but I guess that you already knew?”

“There is no beauty like that of a women full of the light of the Fae my love, she will be a magnificent blessing upon this earth, and in our lives, she is why you have been gifted these ancient and magical stones”

They enjoyed their leisurely picnic, and spent an evening gazing out at the many stars in the midsummer nights sky, dreaming of all the magic, then now and always.