On our second date, Leo invited me to his place and painted my portrait. It was so difficult to sit still because he kept making me laugh. When he was finished, he claimed it would one day be known as his masterpiece.

“I’ll call it the Mona Goosa,” he said.

“Oh, don’t name it that,” I said. “Just in case a warlord comes looking for me, I wouldn’t want you to get involved—it’s a long story.”

“Then how about the Mona Lisa?” he asked.

“Beautiful!” I told him. It takes a real gentleman to be so sensitive to a lady’s needs.

The next time I went into the Otherworld, I brought Lester with me so he could meet Leo. Lester wasn’t as taken with him as I was, but geese can be so territorial. Truth be told, I think Lester was a little jealous there was someone else in my life.

Leo loves going on flights with Lester and me. He enjoys it so much, he started sketching plans to build a flying machine so Lester doesn’t have to carry both of us on his back. Lester really appreciated this, and I think Leo won him over.

I know I’ve been making fun of those happily ever after idiots back home for years, but that’s because I’ve never felt like this before. Now I get why everyone is so smiley all the darn time. Leo makes me feel so complete, protected, and unstoppable—like I could take on the whole world if I had to! And if I don’t stop gambling with warlords, I just might have to!

Who knows, there just might be a Father Goose in Lester’s future.