Once upon a time, in a land very, very far away, there lived a fair maiden named Kate Johnson. When Kate was just a little girl her parents passed away in a horrific car accident. Fortunately, a very nice family adopted her just months after. The family was nice, with the exception of Ruth. Ruth was an only child at the time, and she was spoiled and heartless. When Kate came around, Ruth was ruthless. She wanted to be the only one in her parent’s lives, but with Kate in the picture, she could not. Ruth was the same age as Kate, but she had extremely poorer manners. Ruth made Kate do all of her chores and she laughed at Kate when she did them. Kate didn’t want to make Ruth upset; for she was a very affectionate girl, so she did all that she was asked.

During the summer, Kate and her family took a vacation to another land, all the way around the globe. They were there to visit the Mendoza family, some friends of theirs. While they were there, the Mendoza’s were going to have a birthday party for their son Derrick. Derrick claimed that he was going to invite all the citizens of the land. And so he did.

On the day of the party, Kate was extremely excited. She had decorated the living room, where the guests would be dancing, and made it depict a scene of a majestic ballroom. She had even made her own dress! Unfortunately, just when Kate was starting to get ready, Ruth barged in the room.

“Kate,” she said, “Make me a dress this instant!”

“Oh Ruth, but there is only an hour left till the party begins! You can have my dress if you want.”

Ruth smirked, “I want a real dress, not a filthy rag.”

Kate felt a lump form in her throat, but she swallowed it down and said nothing.


“Well don’t just stand there!” shouted Ruth. “Get moving you slug!”

“Yes Ruth.”

“I shall be leaving now. I will come back in time for the party to retrieve my dress. I shall take this thing off your hands and throw it in the garbage where it belongs.”

Kate made the dress just in time for the party, and Ruth came and took it without a word. Sadness crept up Kate’s bones and she broke down in desolation. Years of Ruth being unkind to her made her fall to the ground. She could not take it anymore. She had already lost her biological parents, and now she was losing her faith. Kate had thought that things were going to get better for her, if she would only believe, but now those thoughts were crushed.

Kate could not stop crying. All she could think about was her mother and father, and how she missed them so. Then, out of nowhere, she felt a cool hand on her shoulder. She quickly turned around and saw the angels of her mother and father. They were dressed all in white and had golden, shimmering wings mounted on their backs. Their faces were a rich, cream color and their hair was like the color of moonlight.

“Hello my dear Kate! My sweetheart! How much you’ve grown! It seems that you are in need of assistance. How may we help you?”

“Mom? Dad? Is it really you?”

This time it was Kate’s father who spoke. “My darling Kate,” he said, “It is us my dear! It is! We have been watching you from above and we are very proud of you. You are very well mannered my dear. You have taught yourself right from wrong, and good from bad. We admire that and in return for your good doings, we will grant you three wishes.”

Kate did not know how to respond, but she knew what she wanted.

“Thank you so much! I know what I would like my first wish to be.”

“What is that Kate?”

“Well, there is this huge birthday party going on downstairs, and I would like to go, but I haven’t the proper attire.”

“No matter,” said Kate’s mother, “With our magic, we can have you looking like an angel!” Kate’s mother began to think for a while. Then, she pointed at Kate, and said, “An angel this one shall be, make her look exactly like me!” And so it was. Kate looked like she was from Heaven. She had on a white, silk, capped-sleeved dress and a pair of golden wings on her back. She was an angel. When Kate twirled around in a circle, she looked like flawless ballerina.

“Wow,” Kate said, “This is so unbelievable! I can’t thank you enough!”

“You are so welcome my dear! Just make sure to use your three wishes by midnight.”

“Thanks mom. Thanks dad. I love you so much!”

“We love you to dear! Remember that we’ll only be here until midnight!” Kate nodded in understanding, and she began to run downstairs.

Fearing that Ruth would spot her and make her go back to her room, Kate went all the way around the house, to the front door. What she was presented with at the door was not what she expected. She was expecting Derrick’s parents to open the door, but what she was greeted with was a young man, just a little older than Kate, who had staggering green eyes and curly, blonde hair.

“Hello mi’ lady,” said the man, “My name is Leon.”

“Hello Leon. It is nice to meet you. I’m… well, never mind.” If Kate told Leon who she was, Ruth would find out and force her to leave the party.

“Why don’t you want to tell me your name?” inquired Leon.

“Well, technically, I’m not supposed to be here.”

“Ah, I see! You’re a sneaky one, then.”

Kate giggled. “Mom,” Kate thought, “I wish that Leon will ask me to dance.”


“Sure thing, Kate,” said Kate’s mom through the night sky.

“Well, whoever you are, I think of you as a pearl. You are a pearl on a garnet necklace. It catches my eye, and it’s very sophisticated. Will you dance with me, pearl?”


Kate flushed as she nodded her head. Once they got inside, he took her by the hand and twirled her around and around and around. They danced to the beat of the songs and forgot all their worries.

When they got tired, Leon took Kate upstairs to the balcony.

“I love looking at the stars,” said Leon, “It’s beautiful out tonight.”

“Yes,” said Kate, “It’s perfect.”

Leon stared deeply into Kate’s eyes. “You’re perfect,” he whispered.” He leaned in closer to her, but just then, the clock struck a quarter to midnight.

“I’m sorry,” said Kate, “I have to leave.”

“No! Wait! Why? Why now?”

“If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me.” And with that, she ran off into the darkness. Fortunately, she made it to her room.

“Hi darling!” said her mother. “How was the party?”

“It was great, mom! I met a man named Leon, and I think I fell in love with him.”

“That is so fantastic! We were wondering when you were going to get married!”

“Mom, he hasn’t proposed yet! I just met him! But perhaps if I wish for him too…”

“No can do sweetheart. We can only grant you wishes that aren’t going to happen,” said Kate’s father.

“You mean?”

“That’s right,” answered Kate’s mom, beaming, “He will ask you! He will!”

Kate engulfed her mom in a gigantic bear hug and they started to cry.

“Mom, don’t you have to go back at midnight?”

“I am afraid we do, my dear.”

“I know! This is so perfect!”

“What is it my dear? What are you so excited about?!”

“Well, I do have one more wish left. I wish that you can come back to life! That way, you won’t miss any part of my life anymore!”

“Oh darling, that is perfect!” Kate’s parents said in unison.

And with a quick glance toward the sky, the color was brought back into the angel’s faces. Their hair was not silver any longer, but was as brown and rich as dark chocolate. And their faces were no longer pale, but flushed and rosy. Their wings had flown back to the sky, and their white robes had accompanied them.

“Darling, we love you so much! We have missed you tremendously!”

“I missed you too!”

As the family reunited together, all were in sobs of joy.



Meanwhile, Leon was trying to find Kate. He had searched everywhere for her, but as he grew older, his affinity for Kate never faded away.



Two years had past since that night at the party. Kate had told her step-parents the whole story, and as wary as they were of letting her go with her all-of-a-sudden live parents, they trusted her enough to let her. Kate and her parents bought a house near the Mendoza’s and they remained close friends with them. Kate had dreamt about Leon through all the nights, the months, and the years, but never complained, for she knew that her day would come.

Derrick continued to hold birthday parties and Kate always went, in hopes of finding Leon there. Until now, no luck had come her way. This year would be different, though.


Derrick’s birthday had come, and he was hosting it at his house as well. Kate was invited, but she stayed home, for her parents were ill and it was poring rain.


“Ding Dong!” rang the Mendoza’s front door.

“Leon!” exclaimed Derrick, “What are you doing here?”

“I am here to find the woman that I love. She was here about two years ago. At midnight, she ran off without saying why… She has chocolate brown hair and said something about… about me not believing her story…”

“Leon, I don’t know who you are talking about,” said Derrick. “But I can tell you an unbelievable, story about something that happened right here, in this very room! Gather ‘round everyone! Gather ‘round!”

“Once upon a time, there lived a girl named Kate…”

As Derrick proceeded with the story, Leon started to realize that his love was Kate. Kate was the pearl.

“I am truly sorry,” interrupted Leon, “But I believe that you are talking about the love of my life. Where can I find her?”

“She lives right over there,” said Derrick, a quizzical look on his face, pointing to a grey-stone house in the corner of the street.

Leon rushed out the door and into stepped into his future.


Kate was reading to her mother and father when a knock on the door startled her. She went to open it and there before her was the one and only Leon, standing cold in the rain, and not saying a word.

For what seemed like minutes, they stared into each other’s eyes, not daring to break the moment, not daring to wake up from this magnificent dream… But it wasn’t a dream. It was the realest of real, the truest of true.

“Kate,” he finally said, “I have been looking for you for years and I have finally found you. You are the sunshine of my rainy day and I love you immensely.”

Kate did none other than hug him. She hugged him so hard, he began to stumble backwards.
“And you,” said Kate smiling, “I think of you as a pearl. You are a pearl on a garnet necklace. It catches my eye, and it’s very sophisticated. Will you dance with me, pearl?” So they began to dance in the pouring rain and lived Happily Ever After.