The Fairy Godmother Part 59

“What are you thinking?” asked Jessie, as she looked up after putting Joy back down into her cot.

“Just how well you are doing,” I said. “Not that you were doing badly at any point,” I added quickly.

“But and extra pair of hands is always useful when you have a new little one in the house,” said Jessie.

“I hope I’ve been of help,” I said smiling down on Joy. “Not that this one has been any trouble.”

“Makes it sound as if you are planning on leaving,” said Jessie.

“There are things I should be doing,” I replied. “A Fairy Godmothers work is never done and you don’t really need my help any more.”

“We shall miss you,” said Jessie.

“You have my number, should you need any help,” I said.

“That’s one number I shall never loose,” said Jessie.

“Good, because I mean it,” I replied.

“I know,” said Jessie, smiling down at Joy. “What are you going to do about Enid?” she asked.

“I’ve told her what I think of her,” I said.

“Not really the best of ways to leave it though,” said Jessie. “And before you say it, I know you aren’t happy with it.”

“No more than you are happy with the way things ended with Joy and Ella’s Grandparents,” I replied.

“The problem is, how to solve it,” said Jessie.

“I suspect it’s one of those things that has to be talked through,” I sighed. “By the way, what was the argument with Ian’s parents?”

“They basically agreed with my Mum about Rosie, what I didn’t know about wouldn’t hurt me, but they also thought my Mum should have done better with keeping me in the dark about her,” Jessie replied. “So they had a row about that. Mum thought I should back her up.”

“And what does your Dad think?” I asked.

“He thought that I should have been told about it at the start, that I should have a say about Rosie and then they wouldn’t have had to spirit her away like that,” Jessie said.

“It would have saved all that subterfuge when Rosie fell ill,” I said.

“Ian and I could have been killed,” said Jessie.

“I don’t think anyone thought that was possible when Rosie was born, I think things got out of control,” I replied.

“Lily, that’s who I blame for it all,” said Jessie. “She’s never once been to apologise. All that manipulation and she just walked away from it without an explanation or anything. Is sorry too much to ask?”

“I think it is the least she could have done, but it isn’t going to happen now,” I sighed.

“Why not?” asked Jessie.

“She killed herself,” I said, my mind wandering back to the moment when she vanished and her clothes fell empty on the sofa.

“Over this?” asked Jessie.

“She had dug herself down a hole and couldn’t see a way out,” I said.

“I’m sorry,” said Jessie.

“It’s not your fault,” I said. “But it hasn’t helped with Enid.”

“How come?” asked Jessie.

“They were sisters, not very close, but she was talked into becoming Head of the Fairy Council when Lily died. Then she wanted me to take on the role of Head of the Fairy Godmothers, because she was finding she couldn’t do both jobs at the same time,” I explained. “She probably thought she could carry on telling me what to do and then I’d do it all for her.”

“Don’t you want to be Head of the Fairy Godmothers?” asked Jessie.

“No,” I said. “I prefer to be working with people, not sorting out the paperwork and there is a lot of that when you become Head of a department.”

“I can’t see Enid doing paperwork,” Jessie smiled.

“She didn’t,” I said. “She’d hide it or delegate it to someone else, who also hide it. When I did the job, temporarily, I kept finding things that should have been sorted out years ago. A good half of my work involved sorting out things that she didn’t feel like doing at the time.”

“So you didn’t want the job?” asked Jessie.

“I found someone who was ideal for it, loves all the detail of contracts and accounts,” I said.

“But she didn’t like her?” asked Jessie.

“You’ve got it in one,” I sighed. “She hasn’t forgiven her for her Mother steeling Dad away from her. I suppose she’s also the reason I ended up in the Fairy nursery.”

“She dumped you! Her own daughter!” Jessie asked.

“Said she couldn’t bring me up on her own,” I said.

“And that is why you didn’t know who she was?” asked Jessie

“Not till she couldn’t deny it any more,” I said. “I still don’t know who my Father is or was and as for my Grandparents, I know Mum rang their Mum when Lily died, but I don’t know who she is and I have no idea about the other three grandparents.”

“Would you like to know about them?” asked Enid.

“I would like the option of knowing them,” I snapped. “And, how long have you been listening?”

“Ever since you told me to leave,” said Enid.

“Why?” I asked.

“I was waiting for you to talk Jessie here into seeing this little one’s Grandparents,” Enid replied.

“Is that why you stayed?” Jessie asked.

“No,” I replied. “I stayed because I thought you could do with a hand, whilst you were getting used to things.”

“So you had no intention of getting her to see the Grandparents,” snapped Enid. “You were just saying that to keep me quiet?”

“And it had been working so well,” I replied.

“You are about to leave, unless I am mistaken,” Enid said. “And there has been no reconciliation.”

“There might have been if you hadn’t butted in,” said Jessie. “I was just beginning to think that Ella and Joy should know their Grandparents, then you turned up and stuck your oar in.”

“It would be a shame for them to miss out,” I said. “And they may have learnt their lesson.”

“I suppose I could give it a go,” said Jessie. “But how would we do this?”

“I think it would be nice to have a party,” I replied. “It will be Ella and Rosie’s birthday next week. Perhaps we should get them all together.”

“I’m not sure if that is awfully wise,” said Enid.

“Ella and Rosie should know each other and Rosie should know Joy,” I said.

“You’re right,” said Jessie.

“OK,” said Enid. “I’ll talk to Rosie’s family,” she agreed and with a wave of her wand she was gone.

“And you will stay till after the party?” asked Jessie.

“I wouldn’t miss that party for all the world,” I smiled. “And I’ll help with the clean up job afterwards.”

“It is the recipe for either the greatest bun fight the world has seen,” said Jessie.

“Or it will go happily ever after,” I said. “The typical fairy tale ending.”

by Janice Nye © 2020