#anywhere

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The day after Carnivale... and Irene wakes up with the most wonderful dreams in her head. Her mom was a queen, and there was music...and OH, that was real!

A happy sigh!

And she hears something unusual. ..her mom, singing!

She drifts down to see.

They're in their house, and her mom's glow is gone. And that's sad, for she cannot see her daughter as she is, but her mom seems to be singing a song that Snitch and Melwyn were singing last night. Some part of her remembers.

Irene chimes in. She likes singing!

And they sing together, her mom blushes after then laughs "Hello my little songbird. Are you the reason that's in my head?"

"Maybe! I like when you sing."

"I think you're in the minority." A grin "But thank you. Now, you're not going to believe it, but your mom got a day off"

"What? No way! That's awesome!" Bouncing on her toes.

"I'm still not sure it happened. Work called. Some computer error they said"

"Well, yay!"

"Apparently I Have FIVE vacation days from last year... and even in Texas that makes some state laws jangle" A chuckle "Of course I am NOT getting five days in a row, but I have to spend them by a certain time. Still not sure how this happened"

"Soooo... you'll have to use them."

"So it seems" She says and has to admit, she's flummuxed. Of course, how could she know what sluagh can do when asked to slip into an office and make changes"

"Maybe we could go see a movie and get ice cream?"

"Or we could go to the mall." The closest mall is over an hour away - a special treat.

"Mmm doesn't the mall have a movie theatre? I wonder if that's doing anything"

"It does! You like movies, right?"

"I used to love movies" She admits. God, she wonders , when did I last GO to one?

"Right? And we could have popcorn."

"With Butter?"

"Lots and lots!"

"go get dressed for the mall. if their theatre is open we'll watch something, you and I. And if they aren't? We shop at the mall, and come home, and watch something here"

Irene impulsively catches her mom in a tight hug. "best computer error, ever!"

A BIG Hug back "You know, it might just be"

"I'll get dressed!" One more hug and she's back off in a flash.

And shortly, they're out to the mall, they have masks

Irene is willing to pay that price to be out with her mom!

And it turns out they have a movie they can watch- but it will be another 40 minutes. "Should we go shopping?"

"Uh-huh. Where do you want to go?"

"How about the store where they sell DVDS? maybe we can get TWO movies? "

"oooo..."

And whle her mom focuses on the ones on sale... there's still a good collection

But the five dollar bin is fun to go through!

And she finds it, a Jack and the Beanstalk movie! for just five bucks!

"Mom, Mom, Mom, look..."

"Mmm what?" She leans over "Oh, you like that?"

"It has giants, and magic, and Jack is the cleverest..."

"Welll..." She says "Jack is kind of handsome" She admits

"It's only five dollars" Coaxing sing-song.

"Mmm welll.... it does have giants, and magic" Echoing her daughter "And Jack is the cleverest. Right?"

"He is. There's the beanstalk, and then the all the other fairy tales..."

Her mother picks up the DVD. It looks like it's goinng home with them.

"Maybe it will be different from the story - movies sometimes are. It's nice to be surprised, too."

"You have a fantastic attitude" Her mom says .

"Irene?" A voice says surprised

It's Felicity

She looks. "Hi!"