The Button on Juniper Tree — Every evening, Tessa pressed a dull brown button into the hollow of Juniper Tree and whispered the names she knew: Dad, Uncle Ro, Cousin Nell, Great-Aunt Sima. Read the full story →
Every evening, Tessa pressed a dull brown button into the hollow of Juniper Tree and whispered the names she knew: Dad, Uncle Ro, Cousin Nell, Great-Aunt Sima. The button had fallen from Sima’s travel coat, the one she wore when she crossed the ocean with only bread, a map, and a whistle. Tessa wanted to add the oldest family name to the reunion banner, but Sima’s memory came and went like sparrows in wind.
Until one day, thunder cracked over the moonlit arboretum, and Juniper Tree’s roots wriggled free with a wet, earthy groan. Because of that, the button rolled into a tunnel between the roots. Because of that, Tessa had to crawl after it, knees muddy, heart banging, while branches slapped and acorns ticked down like tiny drums. “Wait for me,” she puffed, though her voice shook.
At the deepest root, the button clicked into a round knot. Leaves flashed silver, and Sima’s voice rustled out: “The first name was Orli.” Tessa burst back into rain, shouted the name, and wrote it high on the banner as the whole family cheered. If you trace the twisting roots next time, you may find where Tessa pressed the dull brown button.
