Prologue

Telephone rings, once, twice, three times, followed by a brief digital audio dropout.

"Thank you for calling Q. Fabray Outfitters. We're sorry that you've reached us after hours and we aren't available to take your call personally at this time.

If you know your party's direct extension please enter it now.

If you're trying to reach Charlie Fabray, please press "1" now.

"1"

Hi, this is Charlie Fabray.

This may seem like an odd question, but do you believe in fate? Do you believe in concepts like love at first sight and once upon a time and happily ever after?

I know, right. Me, neither.

Five months ago, if someone told me that you could encounter something or someone so compelling that in the blink of an eye you would be willing to turn your entire life upside down I would have promptly laughed, quite possibly in their face, and declared them another victim of fairy-princess-syndrome and a delusional fool. I mean, that's the stuff of fairy tales and rom-coms, right?

Well, funny thing happened on the way to the sarcastic commentary and smug superiority.

Call it fate, call it kismet, call it good old-fashioned serendipity. Call it Karmic Bowling. Whatever you want to called it, it stepped in and put the Oh Really cosmic smack-down of all smack-downs right on my head.

The Universe dumped one tiny titanic irresistible force right in my path. There I was just happily minding my own business, doing the work that I loved and cashing the nice paychecks for the privilege of doing so – life was good. Suddenly, I was not only shaken, but stirred and frappe'd as well. Before I even knew it, my unmovable existence was turned upside down, flung across the room and smeared on the wall.

Is this all TMI? Probably. My apologies: the company I've been keeping lately has obviously been rubbing off on me.

This is all a strangely roundabout way of explaining that for the immediate future, I'm unavailable due to a prior commitment.

I am presently on location somewhere in the Pacific Northwest making modern-day fairy tales come to life. I'm still doing what I've been doing all along and biding my sweet time while pursing my real passion: chasing Sundance. Who knows, maybe I'll even get to direct someday, too.

So, if you're looking to get in touch with me, please leave your number, any message you wish to express and the time that you called and I will get back to you as soon as I possibly can.

I hope to speak with you soon and until then, much peace, love and lucky charms. :)~

If you have an emergency that requires immediate assistance, please call the alternate listing on your contact information or press "0" and then you're go for Puck."

Beeeeeep.

~oOo~