The sound of her phone ringing dragged Myrtle out of a dream in which she had explained for the millionth time that she was there for a wedding, not a Christening and that it was not necessary to hide all the spinning wheels in the country.
“Hello,” said Myrtle answering her phone.
“I’m sorry to ring, but I didn’t know who else to turn to,” said the voice.
“No problem,” said Myrtle. “Sorry for asking, I am half asleep. Who are you?”
“I’m Princess August,” came the reply.
“You are marrying King Rufus tomorrow,” said Myrtle. “At least I hope it’s tomorrow.”
“Yes, it’s tomorrow,” Princess August replied.
“Thank God for that,” sighed Myrtle. “I wouldn’t want to be late.”
“There’s no danger of that, not yet anyway,” Princess August replied.
“So what is the problem?” asked Myrtle. “I’m sure we can think of a solution, whatever it is.”
“The wedding dress, my wedding dress, I can’t get into it,” replied Princess August. “I didn’t think it would show this soon! I don’t know what to do! I know that when it’s born there will be some people questioning the date, but I sort of thought we could fudge it at the time, say the baby was early or something. I don’t want anyone saying that I had to get married. I know you are Rufus’s Fairy Godmother, but I don’t have anyone to turn to.”
“Don’t worry,” said Myrtle, getting out of bed slowly. “Next to me anyone would look slim.”
“I,” Princess August stuttered.
“I’ve just had my dress altered to accommodate the fact that my baby is due in about a months time,” said Myrtle. “Am I right in assuming this is a similar problem?”
“Yes,” said Princess August. “I didn’t think it would show yet.”
“The fashions today,” sighed Myrtle. “Eat a bag of chips and you look like you’re about to give birth to a whale.”
“Yes,” sighed Princess August.
“A friend of mine has just worked miracles on my dress,” said Myrtle. “I’ll give her a ring, I’m sure she would be more than happy to give you a hand.”
“Are you sure?” asked Princess August.
“She’s just setting up business by herself, your recommendation would be a great help to her,” said Myrtle. “Don’t worry, we will get this sorted. By the way, have you told Rufus about this.”
“That’s another thing, how do I tell him. The day before his wedding!” sobbed Princess August.
“I’ll make a phone call and be there,” said Myrtle.
“Thank-you,” sobbed Princess August.
“Megan,” Myrtle said when her phone was answered.
“Hello Myrtle. Nothing has happened to the dress, you haven’t put a lot more weight on over night?” asked Megan.
“Not as far as I know,” said Myrtle. “You put plenty of ease into the dress anyway. I’m ringing because someone else wants some ease added to their dress.”
“Is this also for the wedding?” asked Megan.
“Yes,” said Myrtle, trying to work out how to put it. “The bride can’t get into her dress,” she explained, time being of the essence.
“The bride’s dress!” exclaimed Megan.
“Is that OK?” asked Myrtle. “I could come over when I’ve got dressed and take us there if that’s OK.”
“OK! It’s more than OK, it’s wonderful,” said Megan.
“Right,” said Myrtle hanging up the phone and dressing quickly. She sent a quick text to her husband and mother and with a quick flick of her wand appeared next to Megan.
“I just need to get my bag,” said Megan, picking it up. “I’m ready to go,” she smiled as Myrtle waved her wand and they were standing next to Princess August.
“You’re even bigger than you were last time I saw you!” said Princess August before she could stop herself.
“My Mother thinks it might be twins,” Myrtle smiled. “The scan only showed one baby, but I have been told that it is easy to miss one on the scan and it seems twins run in the family.”
“There are a lot of twins in my family,” said Megan.
“It will be easier to fudge the dates if you do have twins,” said Myrtle.
“I hope so,” sighed Princess August.
“This is Megan,” said Myrtle. “She’s here to make adjustments to your dress.”
“The dress,” said Princess August. “It’s through here,” she added taking them through to her dressing room.”
“That is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen,” said Megan. “Could you put it on to see exactly where we need to make the adjustments.”
“Shall I leave you to it,” said Myrtle. “I’m not really needed here, if I am I can be here with a flick of the wand.”
“But what can I do about King Rufus?” asked Princess August.
“Do you want me to talk to him?” asked Myrtle.
“If you would,” said Princess August getting as much into the dress as she could.
“No sooner the word than the wand,” said Myrtle.
“How did you get in here?” asked King Rufus, looking rather startled.
“I’m your Fairy Godmother,” smiled Myrtle. “And you don’t look like someone who is about to marry the love of his life tomorrow, what’s the problem?”
“I don’t know, everything was going fine, till about a month ago, then she was sick,” Rufus said. “She said something must have disagreed with her and that she’d be OK the next day. But she wasn’t.”
“She was sick again?” asked Myrtle.
“Not that she’d tell me about,” said Rufus. “But I got the impression that she was hiding something from me. I can’t loose her. She means everything to me. Please tell me she isn’t dying of something,” he sobbed. “I ask her if she’s OK and she keeps changing the subject. I’m going out of my head.”
“I’ve just been talking to her,” said Myrtle. “She has a problem and she doesn’t know how to explain it to you,” Myrtle said, taking a deep breath.
“Tell me please,” begged Rufus. “If she wants the wedding postponed anything.”
“That’s one thing she doesn’t want,” said Myrtle. “My friend is making adjustments to her wedding dress to hide the fact that she is expecting your child. She doesn't know how to explain it to you because she’s afraid that you will run a mile when you find out. She never wants you to think that you married her because of the baby.”
“I want to marry her because I don’t want to think about life without her,” said Rufus.
“Then she needs to know this,” said Myrtle.
“But it’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding,” said Rufus.
“I think that only counts on the day of the wedding,” said Myrtle. “But if we give her a call, you wont be seeing her, but you can talk to her.”
“That’s true,” said Rufus. “But I tried ringing her earlier, but she wouldn’t answer the call.”
“I’ll use my phone,” said Myrtle.
“Hello?” said Princess August.
“I’ve been talking to King Rufus,” said Myrtle.
“He doesn’t want to see me again does he?” asked August.
“I love you,” said Rufus. “I want to grow old with you. I never want to be apart from you, ever.”
“But I’m pregnant!” August stuttered.
“Then it will be the most wonderful baby in the world and I would love to help you look after it,” said Rufus. “I can’t wait to be your husband.”
“There is the possibility that we might have twins,” said August.
“Even better,” said Rufus.
“Everybody happy?” asked Myrtle.
“Ever so,” said Rufus and August.
“Can I leave you to sort out the dress, Megan?” Myrtle asked.
“Fine by me,” said Megan.
“If I can have my phone back,” she asked Rufus. “I’ll be along early tomorrow, but if anyone needs me in the meantime, I’m only a wand away,” she added as King Rufus handed the phone back to her.
By Janice Nye © 2021
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