Peter's house was toward the end of Jenkins Point, backed up to the marsh like Makenna's. Trees, bushes, and flowers surrounded it, and it had a long driveway. The garage was under it, and an enormous, white staircase led to the house's front door. Two fans hung from the ceiling on the second story's higher deck.

Makenna said, "Wow," at the sight of the house.

"Here we are," Peter said. He turned his bicycle into the driveway and started down it. While he peddled, he waved at an auburn-haired woman dressed in gardening clothes working in the garden. "Hey, Mom, I'm back! I've brought Makenna Delling, too!"

His mother, Liana, heard him and lifted her head. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she rubbed sweat from her forehead. She smiled and dropped the shovel when Peter came toward her.

Tracey, who had also reached Peter's house, peeped up from its roof and surveyed the area. Through ninja speed, he appeared behind a tree that hovered over the garden and landed on a branch behind other branches and leaves.

Peter soon pulled his bicycle up to his mother and, stopping it, put down the kickstand and saluted at her. "Sergeant Peter Nelson has just returned from the front line, ma'am, and I've brought a friend along, too."

Makenna chuckled flirtingly and reached for her teeth.

Peter hopped off the bike and approached her, offering her his hand. "Meet Makenna Delling," he told his mother.

Makenna took his hand. Peter pulled her off the bike's handlebars, and she landed on her feet in the driveway.

"How do you do, Miss Delling?" Liana asked. She stepped out of the garden and approached Makenna, shaking hands with her.

"Terrific, ma'am," Makenna politely said. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Your son Peter is a wonderful guy."

"Thank you," said Mrs. Nelson, letting Makenna's hand go. "So I understand, Makenna, that you live beside the alligator pond close to Jenkins Point's exit?"

"Yes, ma'am," said Makenna. "I live with my parents and younger brother Caleb. I love to surf and dance."

"Yeah," Liana said, nodding. "Peter's told me. Come." She gestured at the white staircase and front door. "Allow me to get you a drink."

"Thank you, ma'am," voiced Makenna.

"We've been looking forward to meeting you, Makenna," Mrs. Nelson said. She started up the stairs before Makenna and Peter. "We want to ensure you're taking good care of our little Peter."

"Mom," Peter said, blushing, and Makenna chuckled. "Not in front of my date."

"Peter happens to be the youngest in the family," explained his mother. She stopped halfway up the stairs and rested her hand on the railing. She peered down at Peter and Makenna. "His older brother, Coby, is a junior at Clemson, and his sister, Nikki, lives on Prince Edward Island. Little Peter is an only child now. He's the baby."

"Mom," Peter again said, cheeks flushing. He gestured at the front door, "Can we just move on?" and forcibly pulled Makenna close to him.

She stumbled and whispered, "Ow."

Tracey, noticing that, growled and aimed his ninja star at Makenna's so-called boyfriend. "Let go of her," he whispered. "You're disgusting." He stepped forward on the branch he rested on but slipped, and the branch he held onto broke. It fell to the tree's base, and a loud crack invaded the atmosphere.

"Huh?" Peter asked, letting Makenna go.

She rubbed her arm and started up the stairs, joining Mrs. Nelson halfway to the top. They became involved in a conversation.

While they chitchatted, Peter focused on the tree Tracey hid in.

Seeing that he was being watched, Tracey quickly disappeared behind the leaves and branches.

Peter saw his green blur vanishing and narrowed his eyes to a suspicious position. He carefully approached the tree and stopped over the fallen branch. Peter peered down on it. He then looked into the tree, but Tracey performed the Shrinking Spell and shrunk down to two inches tall.

He hid in a knothole of the tree and waited for the coast to clear. A pile of acorns surrounded him, and he took deep breaths.

Finally, Liana and Makenna glanced back at him, and Liana asked, "Are you coming, Pete?"

"Yeah," Peter quickly called, still looking suspicious. "I'm coming, Mom. I just thought I saw something."

A surge of magical energy invaded Makenna's body, and she gasped. Tracey's aura! She felt his aura! "Tracey," she whispered.

Mrs. Nelson heard her. "Who?"

"Nothing," quickly spoke Makenna. She forced a smile. "Sorry. I tend to talk to myself." She chuckled and scratched the back of her head.

Peter soon reached them and locked arms with Makenna again. He headed up the stairs and passed his mother, glancing at her. "Mom, I think we're having a problem with squirrels. If I were you, I would check out that tree back there. Makenna and I will meet you inside." With that, he reached the top of the staircase, and his mother confusingly watched him open the door and slip inside.

***

Tracey felt the coast was finally clear. He sighed and said, "That was too close." He cautiously opened his aching wings and flapped them. Remaining two inches tall, Tracey flittered out of the knothole and flew to the top of the tree, soaring out of its leaves and branches. He now hovered over the tree.

For a moment, Tracey peered at the sun and saw it getting lower in the sky. He clenched his teeth and hurried to the front door of Peter's house, following his mother into it. The second he was in, before she could turn and see him, he soared to the ceiling and hid in the corner. However, it was dusty there, and the dust tickled his throat.

Lifting his hand, Tracey muffled coughs and glanced down. He was looking at the living room of Peter's house. A large, flat-screen TV hung over the fireplace, stretched across the wall.

Makenna and Peter found the living room. Mrs. Nelson entered the kitchen, and Makenna examined the area, saying, "Wow." Her eyes landed on the flat-screen TV. "Oh, sweet! " She put her hands together. "It's a flat-screen TV! I wish we had a flat-screen TV!" Her beautiful blue eyes sparkled, and Peter chuckled behind her.

Mrs. Nelson soon entered the living room and placed a tray of tea and cookies on the coffee table. "All right, kids, help yourself."

Peter and Makenna turned to the tray.

Peter reached for a cookie, but his mother slapped his hand away.

"Peter," she sternly spoke. "Let your guest go first."

Peter glared slightly. Holding up his hands, he stepped away and let Makenna grab a cookie first.

She put the bouquet down on the face of the table and picked up a cookie, sniffing it. "Mmm," she said, popping it in her mouth. She and Peter sat on the couch and snacked away.

While snacking, Mrs. Nelson shuffled to a closed door almost directly under Tracey. She lifted her hand and knocked on it. "Cody darling, your guest is here. Would you please come out to say hello to her?"

Makenna and Peter turned their heads and peered over their shoulders at the door Liana was before.

Tracey, too, peeked down.

A few moments passed. Nobody exited from the office's door. "Cody," Liana spoke, crossing her arms, "we don't have all day." She huffed and stood beside the door.

It opened, and a tall, auburn-haired man with blue eyes stepped out from the doorframe. He wore a plaid, short-sleeved shirt, a hat, brown shoes, pants, and spectacles.

Not realizing he had left the office, Liana closed her eyes and yelled, "Cody!" in his face.

"I'm here, dear," he friendlily spoke.

Liana lifted her hand to chew him out, but before she could, Mr. Nelson's eyes landed on Makenna sitting on the couch.

He gasped and put his hands together. "Oh, so you must be Makenna Delling!"

Mrs. Nelson stared and lowered her hand.

"That I am," chuckled Makenna, glancing at Peter. Just how crazy was his father again?

Mr. Nelson soon approached Makenna, who quickly stood. "Oh, wonderful to meet you, miss!" he cheerfully spoke. He grabbed Makenna's hand and forcibly shook it.

Makenna yelled.

"I am Mr. Cody Nelson!" Cody announced. "But please, call me Cody or Mr. Nelson!"

"Great to meet you, sir," Makenna admitted, releasing her hand.

Liana soon rejoined the crowd. For a few moments before starting a conversation, they ate cookies and drank tea together.

Tracey fluttered out of the dusty corner of the ceiling. His eyes landed on Cody, smiling and sipping a cup of tea. "Hold on," Tracey whispered to himself. "He looks familiar." He squinted his eyes and carefully studied Mr. Nelson. To get a closer look at him, he soared into the living room and landed on a shelf hovering over the fireplace. Quickly, Tracey slipped behind a picture. Dropping his wings behind him, he gripped the side and peered out to the coffee table, where the tray of cookies and tea sat.

Tracey studied Mr. Nelson for just a little bit longer. He then gasped and whispered, "Oh no!" Mr. Nelson was the man who had seen him when he was ten years old. "What has Makenna gotten herself into?" Tracey asked. "If he finds Makenna's secret, she'll be toast! She'll be taken to a laboratory."

Within another minute, Mr. Nelson swallowed his third cookie and said, "Makenna, tell me..."

Makenna lowered her cup of tea, and she, Peter, and Mrs. Nelson glanced at Mr. Nelson.

He asked, "Since you first moved to Seabrook Island, have you ever felt that there may be something... magical about it?"

Makenna shivered. "Magical?" She set the cup on the coffee table and placed her hands in her lap, hearing Mrs. Nelson and Peter groaning.

"Ugh," Peter mumbled. "Here we go again."

Makenna fixed her attention back on Mr. Nelson.

"Yes," he said, nodding. "Magical, as in something may be hiding on this island? Magical, as in a person who has wings on their back?"

Makenna's eyes widened. Fairies? He, too, was into fairy nonsense? Makenna wanted to vomit. "Seriously?" she asked, trying to stay calm and not reveal her secret. "Fairies, Mr. Nelson? You still believe in all those childish fairytales?"

"Believe?" Cody asked with widened eyes, taking a step closer to her. "I saw one. I saw a fairy seven years ago."

From where Tracey hid, he shivered and felt his wings tingling behind his back.

Makenna stared at Mr. Nelson. Not even she believed him.

Peter nervously glanced at her and gave her a See what I mean? look.

Makenna chuckled sarcastically. "Shut up," she said, gripping her necklace pendant. It shook slightly under her hand.

"He was a young fairy," Mr. Nelson explained. "Maybe ten years old, and he was snooping around the alligator pond."

Makenna gasped. She again felt Tracey's aura. She tried her best to remain as calm and casual as she could. "Sir," she uttered, giving Mr. Nelson a snooty smile, "I've lived here for fourteen years; I've explored every inch of this island and can assure you that there are no so-called fairies or a magical world of fairies here." Hey, she liked that. Makenna thought she was blending in pretty well. "Excuse me," she added, standing. "I'm going out to get some fresh air. Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Nelson." Waving, she turned on her heel, and the Nelson family watched as she scurried to the front door and opened it. For a moment, she stood in the doorframe, staring outside. Then, she shook her head and sauntered out of the house, closing the door behind.

The Nelson family members sat silently in the living room.

Tracey continued to watch them from behind the picture.

Peter scoffed and glared at his father. "Nice going, Dad. She's gonna dump me now!"

"But it's the truth!" Cody yelped. He closed his eyes and banged the table's face with his fists. "I saw a fairy! I know I did! And I'm not going to rest until I find him again!"

"There are no such things as fairies!" Peter yelled at him. "When will you accept that? Not to mention that your so-called delusional belief in fairies has cost you your job, and now it's cost me a girlfriend! Way to go, Dad!" With that, he shoved the coffee table and stood. "Makenna!" he yelled, hurrying to the front door and opening it.

Tracey ensured his parents weren't watching. Then, as quick as a flash, he flew out from behind the picture and followed Peter outside.

He slammed the door shut, leaving Liana, Cody, and his parents alone in the living room.

Peering into her husband's eyes, Liana told him, "You know, he has a point, Cody. Excuse me." She rose—"I'm going to start dinner"—and left.

Cody plopped down on the floor and groaned, reaching for his head. Lowering his hand, he slipped it into his back pocket and drew a crinkly, folded piece of paper. Mr. Nelson held it before him and unfolded it, sighing. He had unfolded the blurry picture he had gotten of Tracey's wings flapping when he saw him seven years ago.

Mr. Nelson glared and tightened his grip on the picture. "I'll show them," he growled. "I'll show them I really did see a fairy. And when I do, no one will ever doubt me again. They will hail me as a hero. I merely have to find this fairy, wherever he is."