The Taste of Seduction

"It won\'t… I know there are real leprechauns… but this won\'t magically disappear, I hope."

"Oh, don\'t say that as if we\'re asleep and dreaming right now…" Fiona mumbled, giving her cheeks a squeeze. "Anyway… we\'ll go the the bank first thing tomorrow morning. We are set to visit Doug today. We need to inform the hospital that we are to pay our delayed fees tomorrow, too."

"Alright," Celine said, letting out a sigh. "You stay here with Erin. I\'ll go to the hospital right now to inform them before visiting Doug in his room."

Celine took the bus going to the hospital. As she remembered the conversation she had with the couple, she shook her head in disbelief as she still couldn\'t believe how generous they both were, giving them more than enough funds to pay their debts. Even giving Erin future school funds!

They introduced themselves as writers… but it seems that there is more to it. How can they give this much if they are writers?

Celine didn\'t mean to downplay writers and their income… but it seemed that they are rich--like CEO type rich to give this much.

Still, a smile tugged the corners of her lips. Indeed they were blessed to meet wonderful people who helped them. Like what her mother said, they are indeed very generous and didn\'t expect for nothing in return but the story they just told them.

What are the odds of meeting kind people like them?

However, it did make her think why they found their story interesting and important. Still, the story helped them get what they needed. They were told to trust them and so she will. She will never forget the help she received from them.

Soon, Celine already arrived in front of the hospital. She let out a sigh as she realized that she will be greeted by incessant questions on when to pay for the funds but still, she braced herself and then will instead tell them that they will pay tomorrow even if they believe her or not.

Also, even though her husband is not awake, she\'d tell this beautiful story of them meeting generous people who did not even hesitate to help them. If Doug were awake, she wondered how he would\'ve reacted?

The hospital was a small one that is 30 minutes away from the village. So the moment Celine entered, she was immediately greeted by nurses who seemed to be very excited and she didn\'t know why.

They were always looking at her with pity because of her husband\'s condition. Why do they look so happy now?

"Ms. Celine, Ms. Celine!"

"Er, yes?" she asked, the nurses not containing their joy.

"You wouldn\'t believe it… finally, after four years… your husband is awake!"

"I…"

Celine stood frozen. She couldn\'t believe what she just heard. Did she hear correctly? Her husband is awake? He had fallen into a deep sleep even before Erin was born! How is he awake?

"We were just about to inform you until you came here! Ms. Celine, what are you waiting for? Visit him!"

\'Could it be true? What Atlas said to them a while ago?\'

Without wasting another second, she almost ran in the halls of the hospital. As she made turns going towards Doug\'s room, she stopped right in front of the door, seeing that it was already open since the doctor is inside.

"Ms. Celine," he greeted, a smile on his face. "Congratulations. We do not know how… but your husband is awake and is healthy as if nothing happened."

Celine dropped her bag to the floor. As tears uncontrollably escaped her eyes, she trembled and walked towards the bed, seeing that her husband Doug is indeed sitting up and leaning on the bed frame, looking straight at her with a smile on her face.

"Celine," he said, her heart racing when he said her name. "I\'m back."

"Oh, Doug!"

She burst into tears as she embraced him tightly. She could no longer contain her relief and joy, seeing that her husband is awake after five unresponsive years.

Since the couple\'s visit a moment ago, nothing but miracles happened. They gave them funds to pay off their debts, funds for Erin\'s future education… and then just like Atlas said, her husband waking up sooner before they know it?

Miracles arrived the moment they met them!

What did they do to deserve this?

"Oh… miracles are true," Celine mumbled to herself, now breaking from the hug and looking at her husband as tears still streamed from her face. "They are indeed true."

"Indeed they are," he added, the two of them hugging once more. "I don\'t know why and how since the curse," he whispered, only heard by Celine. "But I\'m here now."

The two of them didn\'t say anything. As Celine tried her best to process all of the things that were happening, she believed that Atlas and Meredith were not only writers.

She also believed that not only leprechauns existed because she believed that the two of them are angels in their lives.

From afar, concealed from the public, was Atlas, Meredith, and Austin atop the tree to watch the lovely reunion before them. With Atlas and Meredith\'s smile not leaving their face, Austin cocked his head to the side, asking them a question.

"So… I met you guys here and doing you two a favor to help this family. Why?"

They didn\'t answer for a while. As they now jumped down from the tree, Atlas answered his question, making him smile.

"They gave us important clues that may lead us to the leprechauns. We\'ll tell you along the way as we hike Glendalough and Wicklow mountains."

And so, the three of them no longer concealed their presence. They walked away from the hospital, already on their way to hike the mountains in search for the leprechauns.

The joy never left Atlas and Meredith as they were more than happy that they helped Fiona and her family.