The Fairy Godmother Part 45

“Ethel?” I asked as soon as I got back in the office. Everyone pointed to her desk where a group of monitors was failing to hide her.

“Ethel,” I repeated, sitting down next to her.

“I’m a total failure, I stuffed up royally,” she started to say.

“The day passed without incident, well, apart from the babies throwing up on the Christening robes, but a quick wave of the wand sorted that,” I smiled. “It’s a shame you weren’t there, the Princess was asking after you. She wants to get on top of all this computer stuff.”

“I’m sure you could do that better than me,” Ethel sniffed and pressed her nose so close to the keyboard that I worried about it getting gummed up with the stuff dripping from the end of it.

“I doubt that,” I smiled. “I know who I go to when my computer does something I didn’t mean for it to do and I think that is the one who is best giving instruction to the whole of the court on computers and how to make the most of them.”

“Then go to them,” Ethel sniffed.

“I have done,” I smiled.

“So where are they?” Ethel asked.

“They are you,” I said. “Who did I ask to set up an e-mail address and tell me how to use it?”

“But I made a complete mess of things,” said Ethel.

“No you didn’t, my e-mail is running perfectly well,” I said.

“I messed up with the Christening,” said Ethel. “You had to sort out the invitations.”

“The King didn’t understand what you were talking about, we were on a tight deadline and he had a bit of a melt down. He is used to being in command and knowing what’s what, being face with something he had no understanding about wasn’t easy,” I explained.

“I should’ve known that,” Ethel sobbed.

“You have grown-up with computers, they have always been around for you,” I said. “It is hard for you to put yourself in the mind of someone who doesn’t even understand what electricity is, let alone what a computer is.”

“I should have understood,” said Ethel. “I should have had more patience. This is all my fault.”

“I should have stepped in before that happened,” I replied.

“If you had, I wouldn’t have learned,” said Ethel.

“The bottom line is, the Christening went well and the family want someone to bring them up to date on computers, them and the rest of the court,” I said.

“That is going to take forever,” said Ethel.

“I don’t think so,” I smiled. “You just have to understand what level they are starting from and what level they want to get to and find a way to do it.”

“You make it sound so simple,” Ethel sighed.

“It isn’t as if you wont have us here to support you,” said Enid. I do wish she wouldn’t keep appearing like that.

“If it’s what you want me to do,” Ethel told Enid.

“I can’t think of a job that you would be more suited to,” I said, not that anyone noticed, when Enid appears I seem to disappear.

“You wont be gone forever,” Enid told her. “And I’ll be dropping in from time to time to see how you are doing.”

“Good,” said Ethel smiling. “When do they want me?”

“Now,” Enid smiled. “You know how humans are, half an hour is a long wait.”

“But I need to pack, don’t I?” Ethel asked. Enid waved her wand and a bag appeared next to her.

“Is that everything?” I asked.

“Just need my laptop,” said Ethel picking it up.

“Wont you need a power supply?” I asked.

“They don’t have electricity, yet,” said Enid. “Even I know that a power supply needs a mains socket.

“So what’s she going to do when the battery goes flat?” I asked Enid.

“Fairy batteries don’t go flat,” said Ethel. “Didn’t you know that!”

“My battery,” I stopped, I couldn’t remember when I last put it on charge, but I had put it on charge, I think.

“Don’t worry about it,” Enid said waving her wand, she and Ethel vanished and I was left wondering.

I had done the rounds of the department, making sure everything was running as it aught to before Enid got back to the office.

“Are you sure you don’t want to be Head of Department?” asked Enid. “You are doing a great job of keeping things running smoothly.”

“Only till you find someone permanent for the job,” I said. “Don’t for one moment think I will do this for long.”

“Is there a time scale?” asked Enid.

“Yes, there is, you need to have someone chosen by the end of the week and I’ll help them get used to the job for a further month, after that they should be able to cope,” I said.

“What if I haven’t come up with a name?” Enid asked.

“Then I will pick someone,” I said.

“But,” Enid paused.

“The department has had enough confusion, it needs stability to get on with the work, I would be irresponsible as temporary Head not to see that and set about solving it,” I replied, looking at Ethel’s desk.

“If you touch one thing on that, you will catch all hell from her when she gets back,” said Enid.

“I shall put it in a bubble, we don’t want it accumulating dust,” I replied.

“Nor do we want people taking things from it,” said Enid, returning Ethel’s pen from someone’s desk.

“For someone who never said a great deal, she is going to be missed,” I said.

“Are you sure you don’t want the job?” asked Enid.

“Yes,” I said. “I don’t want to be stuck in here day in day out for the rest of my life.”

“OK, just asking,” Enid sighed. “I shall give it some thought.”

“You better had,” I replied as she disappeared.

“What will you do if she doesn’t come up with a name?” asked a small voice beside me.

“Violet, I didn’t see you there,” I said jumping.

“No body ever does,” sighed Violet. “But you haven’t answered my question, what will you do if she doesn’t come up with a name by the end of the week?”

“I shall start reminding her and if she doesn’t take the hint, then I shall start asking her advice on problems, things that I don’t know how to solve,” I said.

“What if we don’t have any major problems?” Violet asked.

“We will,” I smiled.

“Is there anything I can do to help you?” Violet asked.

“There will be,” I replied. “I don’t know what, but I’m sure there will be something. I hope I can rely on your discretion?”

“Of course,” smiled Violet. “This is for the greater good of the Department after all.”

“Of course,” I assured her.

By Janice Nye © 2020