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Florence and Abigail were appraised of the situation and the potential dangers. They addressed the necklace themselves and were completely able to authenticate the reaction's validity and the memories flowed. Felicity reacted with pent up frustration at counseling, which was a good thing. Florence had got online with her and let her show the castle charm that most closely reminded her of the one she'd lost, and we ordered it for her. That cheered her for about three seconds and then she slumped into uncontrolled wailing.

So, I got out my phone and the charm website and let her (the spoiled little diva princess) order a few more. Sucker, I concluded to myself, manipulated by the master princess diva. She stopped crying a little longer while she played in the playroom and Florence and Abigail consulted.

Eli and Juan were in the play place, eating their lunch. Juan was his typical baffling aggressive whirlwind, jumping up and down off the bench he was supposed to be sitting at. It made me think he'd been drugged at church. Not really.

Felicity instantly started telling Eli about her new necklace--- she was actually wearing it now—and how she'd got it for her birthday. She totally didn't know that today was her birthday. She knew that birthdays were for cake and presents, but she didn't have a clue about the date. Eli handled it good-naturedly, hugging her amiably and examining her necklace with as much interest as he could muster. He even asked her about the different charms and if she'd had them a long time and just added to the necklace, or if the whole thing was new. They had a delightful conversation about it all, and she was very precocious.

I still thought it was weird that Eli and Juan were in our ward, but blew it off as coincidence, and enjoyed the company and insights of someone who had been through grief and was now attending grief counseling with a child. His thoughts were refreshing and helpful. I felt more normal as I heard the things he had to put up with from Juan.

We talked quite a while this time, more at ease with each other, he asked about Rafe and his band and how we'd met. It was a good story, and we both had time, so we let the kids play and I shared.

Eli seemed interested. He asked silly inconsequential questions that made me laugh and prompted stories of his own. It was all good fun, until it was time to leave.

"So, will you be having a party this afternoon, Senorita Felicity?" Eli asked her as we got ready to go.

She was sitting on the floor with her sandals on backward. She looked up. "It's my birthday." She nodded as if he was deliberately being obtuse. "Of course I'm having a party. You can come too."

His eyes crinkled up affectionately. "I'd love to, but we'd have to ask your mom."

My first thought was that we already had a houseful, and then hot on the heels of that one, I figured, why not? Eli seemed lonely, and Juan could still use some beach play time. I extended the invitation and the address, and he said he'd drop by.

Having done my good deed for the day I rounded up my munchkins and headed out with a few more things to do to get ready.

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