The onset of April heralds a season of budding romance, inviting young hearts to dream of love. Among these hopefuls is Cecy Elliott, a seventeen-year-old with a unique gift that sets her apart. Armed with magical powers, Cecy's heart yearns for love, though fate dictates she can never marry a mortal.

A Magical Longing

Cecy Elliott's life is far from ordinary. Unlike other young women, she wields enchantment that allows her to travel freely, merging her spirit with animals, plants, and other living beings. By day, she rests in her modest, angular form, but by night, she roams the world in flight. Her abilities let her slip into the essence of creatures around her, escaping the confines of her human shell. Yet, her heart's desire remains elusive, tied down by the warning of her parents that marriage with a mortal would cost her powers.

Love by Proxy

Despite her parents' advice to proceed cautiously, Cecy seeks out love in her own unique fashion. Unable to experience romance firsthand, she decides to live vicariously through another. Her choice is nineteen-year-old Ann Leary, a reluctant participant in Cecy's magical scheme. Cecy infiltrates Ann's consciousness as she drinks from a well, making Ann an unwitting vessel for Cecy's exploration of human affection.

The Challenge of Control

Cecy faces a taxing task in navigating this newfound experience of love through Ann. She orchestrates a date between Ann and Tom, a suitor whom Ann has little interest in. Throughout the encounter, Cecy struggles to nurture a budding relationship, masking Ann's indifference with her own enthusiasm. When Tom kindly cleans Ann’s shoes after she accidentally spills water, Cecy compels Ann to offer thanks, despite Ann’s own reluctance.

An Evening to Remember

Joy surges through Cecy when Tom invites Ann to a dance, an opportunity for Cecy to indulge in experiences previously denied her. Ann, under Cecy's influence, prepares with excitement—heating bathwater, ironing a gown—anticipating Tom's arrival with his horse and buggy. That evening, they dance, and while Tom senses Ann’s unfamiliar poise, both Ann and Cecy revel in the enchantment of the night.

A Confession Under the Stars

As their evening concludes, Tom confesses his enduring affection for Ann, despite her capricious nature. Cecy, still ensconced within Ann’s body, urges Ann to reciprocate his feelings, but the response is muted. Tom shares his plans to move a hundred miles away for a job and inquires whether Ann will miss him. Both Cecy and Ann agree, though the words are more Cecy's than Ann's. When Tom asks for a goodnight kiss, it is Cecy's voice that leaps at the opportunity, answering before Ann can.

A Seemingly Impossible Dream

Following the kiss, Ann remains unmoving, unwilling to reciprocate the embrace that Cecy desperately desires. In this moment, Cecy acknowledges her willingness to forsake her magical gifts for a chance at genuine love. Her heart whispers a longing, "I’d need only to be with him. Only him. Only him.”

A Promise and a Goodbye

As Tom escorts Ann home, Cecy orchestrates a promise from Tom. Ann, under Cecy's direction, extracts from Tom the assurance he’ll visit a friend in Mellin Town, Illinois. Reluctantly, Tom consents, and Ann scribbles a name on a slip of paper: Cecy Elliott.

The Stroke of Midnight

As midnight approaches, Cecy senses the ebb of her mystical strength, akin to a fairy tale transformation. Before departing Ann's body, she ensures one last tender moment with Tom—a shared kiss, imbued with Cecy's own declaration of affection: "This is me kissing you."

A Lasting Impression

In the stillness of the night, Tom clutches the note from Ann, oblivious to the blackbird that pauses at his window, a silent witness to the evening's magic. The bird gazes quietly at him, then takes flight, vanishing into the eastern sky, leaving behind the promise of a connection never fully realized.