You Never Know What You Might Find At The End Of The Rainbow...

As April sat at her desk bored and starring out her window, she longed to escape from her mundane paralegal job. She often worked through lunch and late into the evening being the force behind the lawyers who received big bucks and the glory for all the work she and the other paralegals did. She liked her job and her bosses were good to her, but some days, when the monotony got to be too much, she often wondered what the litigators would do without the dutiful slaves that made them look good. Today was one of those days. She couldn’t remember the last time she had taken a vacation or had done something fun, just for her. As she contemplated this, she ate a power bar at her desk while watching the crowds milling about outside all dressed in green for St. Patrick’s Day. Oh, how she longed to sneak out of the office and join them…

If I could have one wish right now it would be to escape these walls for an afternoon in the park to enjoy some fresh air and…

Interrupting her daydream, her boss Mr Hatami asks, “Are you done with your lunch? I need you to go across town and pick up files from Jake Dillon. Here’s his address.”

“I’m on it, sir,” April said, inwardly sighing. Just once it would be nice to have a full lunch hour.

April looked at the address and decided it wasn’t too far away so she would walk. Grabbing her purse, she headed out. After she had walked several blocks, she rechecked the address. “Well that’s odd. There is 712, and this is 714. What happened to 713?” She walked back a few steps and noticed a narrow gap between the two the two buildings that ended about eight feet in. She saw what looked like a two foot wide door at the back of what must be some sort of alley. “No, there can’t be anything in there. There’s barely enough room for me to fit.” But she decided to give it a try and edged into the tight space. Sure enough, It was a door with a faded 713 number plate. She tentatively knocked. The door opened inward and it was dark inside. As she stepped through, she called out, “Hello, Mr. Dillon?” The door abruptly shut behind her and everything lit up.

“Oh!” April found herself standing in a small field of flowers rimmed with trees. To her amazement, directly in front of her was a rainbow, or rather the end of one. She turned back towards the door but it was no longer there. In fact, there were no doors or buildings anywhere. However, the sight that made her breath hitch, her mouth go dry and her eyes blink was the most beautiful green-eyed man she had ever seen outside of her fantasies. He looked as if he had just stepped out of a romance novel. Not that she read those; well ok, occasionally, everyone needed to live vicariously sometime.

She continued to stare at the tall man before her. He was dressed in faded jeans and an emerald green plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up exposing his well formed arms. His black hair was short, his skin was sun-kissed and seemed to almost glow. He had a mischievous grin that spelled trouble. “Um, I’m looking for Mr. Dillon?” Ok, that even sounds lame to me, maybe I fell and hit my head, this can’t be real.

Chuckling, he said, “ I’m very real and you can call me, Jake.”

“Jake? Jake Dillon?”

“Who else would I be? You made a wish and here I am.” He took hold of her shoulders and gently turned her around. On the ground before them was a tartan blanket covered with all sorts of mouth-watering foods. “ You really should take time to have a proper lunch once in awhile.”

“Wait a minute. What do you mean I made a wish? And I had a power bar,” she said defiantly.

“Did you not wish for a break from monotony; to be outdoors, enjoying some fresh air, fun?” I heard your wish and granted it. And as I said, a proper lunch… shall we?” He motioned toward the blanket and helped her take a seat. As he poured a glass a amber colored liquid and handed it to her, unexpectedly he laughed.

“ How did you know what I wished?” she asked out loud, while in her mind she was running through the past hour… Did I say that out loud? What else have I said out loud that I thought I was only thinking? Is this some sort of trick? Are they… Her rambling thoughts were interrupted as he laughed even harder.

“What is so funny?”

“I’m sorry. It’s just that your mind is speaking non-stop as if there are two of you in there having a conversation, yet you speak so few words with your lips.” He had touched her forehead and then her lips as he said this, which made April lose all train of thought, she stared at the finger that had just left her lips.

She shook her head to recover, “You can hear my thoughts? Seriously? How?

“Well, all leprechauns can hear human thoughts, of course we do try to shut them out most of the time or they would drive us mad. It is why we don’t venture into your world often. But during the week before Ostara or the Spring Equinox, we are required to walk your world and pick someone to watch over and grant favors. Over your human years, I have kept an eye on you and decided this year, you needed me.”

This time, it was April who began laughing. “I’m supposed to believe you are a leprechaun? And you are going to grant me wishes? What, like three? Wait, you watched over me?”

Jake frowned at her amusement. “Whever you see a rainbow that is us entering your world, watching. I;m sure you think those are just caused by rain. And let me guess, you think leprechauns are little three foot men with long beards, dressed in green, and always trying to hide their gold?”

At his pointed stare, April abruptly stopped laughing and said, “ a.. well… no… well… maybe.. no… I don’t believe in leprechauns.”

“ You used to believe in leprechauns and since I will be with you until midnight on the 21st, I will have to make you a believer again.” As he made this statement he placed a grape in her mouth.

She quickly chewed it and replied, “Yes, and I used to believe in the tooth fairy too. Bt none of this can be real… wait, what happens at midnight on the 21st…”

Her protest and question were cut off as he leaned forward and with his lips less than an inch from her own, whispered, “I assure you, we are very real.” And then his lips lightly brushed hers….