Dreams Come True

find out?
    And then the answer came to her. Mrs Fontana . Mrs Fontana was the only other person in the world who knew Twilight’s secret. She’d told Lauren that unicorns existed and had given Lauren an old book that contained the words of the Turning Spell. If anyone would be able to help, she would.
    As soon as she got home, Lauren ran into the house. Her mum was working on her computer.
    ‘Mum,’ Lauren said, ‘can you take me to Mrs Fontana’s bookshop?’
    Mrs Foster frowned. ‘Why?’
    Lauren didn’t know what to say. ‘I… I want to ask Mrs Fontana something,’ she said. ‘It’s for a project I’m doing. I thought Mrs Fontana might be able to help.’
    ‘Well, actually I was going to go into town,’ Mrs Foster said. ‘I need to get some film for the camera. Max wants to take some photos of Buddy to show to his teacher. You could go and see Mrs Fontana while I pick up the film.’
    ‘Great!’ Lauren said.
    ‘Get changed then,’ Mrs Foster said. ‘We’ll go right now.’
    Almost before Mrs Foster had parked, Lauren scrambled out of the car.
    ‘I’ll meet you there,’ Mrs Foster said. ‘Don’t go anywhere else.’
    ‘Don’t worry, I won’t,’ Lauren promised.
    She raced over to the bookshop with its brown and gold sign. A chime jangled as she pushed open the door. There was the familiar rose-patterned carpet on the floor and the air smelled faintly of blackcurrants. Books spilled off every shelf and surface.
    Walter, Mrs Fontana’s terrier, came trotting over as soon as Lauren walked inside. ‘Hi, boy,’ Lauren said, bending down to pat him. As she straightened up, she saw that the old lady had appeared, as if by magic. Mrs Fontana’s face was lined and wrinkled but her blue eyes shone out, bright and clear. She had a mustard-yellow shawl clasped loosely around her shoulders and her long grey hair was pinned up in a bun.
    ‘Hello, Lauren,’ she said. ‘What can I do for you today?’
    Lauren hesitated. It was so hard to launch straight into a discussion about unicorns in broad daylight. ‘Well… er…’
    Mrs Fontana looked over her shoulder to where a couple of people were browsing along a bookshelf. ‘Come down to the children’s section,’ she said softly. ‘Walter will tell me if I’m needed.’
    The black and white terrier jumped up on to the counter by the till and sat down, his ears pricked. It was as if he’d understood every word Mrs Fontana had said.
    Lauren followed Mrs Fontana to the children’s section at one side of the shop. There was an armchair and cushions on the floor. ‘So how’s Twilight?’ Mrs Fontana said, sitting down.
    ‘Fine,’ Lauren replied. She lowered her voice. ‘We’re trying to help this pony, Mrs Fontana. He belongs to my friend and he’s scared of jumping.’ She quickly explained about Shadow. ‘He’s so scared that it might take ages to get him jumping properly,’ she said. ‘Do you know if Twilight has any magical powers that could help?’
    Mrs Fontana smiled. ‘Twilight has many magical powers, Lauren. But I cannot tell you what they are. A unicorn has to discover his powers for himself.’ She leaned forward and took Lauren’s hands in hers. ‘Don’t worry, Twilight is able to help this pony,’ she said. ‘But it is up to you to help him work out how, Lauren. You became a Unicorn Friend because you have a good heart and the imagination to believe in magic. Use those qualities and together you and Twilight will discover his powers.’
    Letting go of Lauren’s hands, she straightened up. Her face looked less serious now. ‘So,’ she said, her eyes crinkling up at the corners in a smile, ‘has Buddy found out Twilight’s secret yet?’
    Lauren stared at her. How had Mrs Fontana known about the problems she was having with Buddy?
    Mrs Fontana seemed to sense her astonishment. ‘When I was a Unicorn Friend I had a dog who was very curious about my unicorn,’ she explained. ‘He almost found my secret out several times.’
    ‘You had your own unicorn?’ Lauren gasped. She’d known that Mrs Fontana had seen a unicorn, but the old lady had never told her that she too had once been a Unicorn Friend.
    ‘I did,’ Mrs Fontana said softly. ‘A long time ago.’
    A hundred questions bubbled up inside Lauren. What had Mrs Fontana’s unicorn been like? What had it been called? How had Mrs Fontana discovered that it was a unicorn? And, most of all, what had happened to it? Why didn’t Mrs Fontana have it any