Surprises from the Sketchbook

The sun, a cheerful yellow smudge on Lily’s windowpane, was already nudging her awake. Pip, curled at the foot of her bed, thumped his tail a happy rhythm against the duvet. "Morning, Lily-bean!" he barked, his voice a surprisingly deep rumble for someone so small. "Ready for another day of drawing brilliance?"

Lily, still a little sleepy, giggled and sat up, stretching her arms towards the ceiling. The magical notebook lay on her bedside table, its blank pages shimmering invitingly. Since the whole pixie-chaos incident, she’d been a little more careful with her drawings. No more spontaneous, giggling sprites. Instead, she’d been practicing making things that made people smile, things that were lovely and fleeting, like sunshine on a rainy day.

She padded into the kitchen, Pip trotting faithfully beside her, his tail a blur of excitement. Her mom was at the counter, looking a bit tired. She’d been working late at the bakery, and her usual bright smile seemed a little dimmed. Lily’s heart gave a little squeeze. She reached for her notebook, her fingers itching to create.