The Fairy Godmother Part 23

There is usually a low time after Christmas, there is less to do and so everyone can rest up in time for the next big rush. So I thought it was safe to stay with the little girl and keep an eye on her progress, after all, Fairy Godmothers usually stick with someone for life all this dashing from one person to another didn’t seem right. It felt a bit like there was too much work to go round and we were dashing in when things got too bad. Which wasn’t good for us, we were always looking for a quick fix, and wasn’t good for our ward, they couldn’t rely on their Fairy Godmother to be there when they needed them. Chances are the help would arrive late and would probably be someone they didn’t know. I always thought continuity was a key part in the whole system, but somehow it seemed to have got lost in the rush. So, I stayed put and kept an eye on the little girl and started to learn things about her.

First of all, her name was Rosie, when I found this out I realised that this was the first person who’s name I had know. Hard to be personal when you don’t know the person’s name.

Rosie was in the orphanage because no one knew who she was. She was found wandering around in the town, no one did anything until she was found unconscious one morning, in the market square. She spent a short time in hospital, but, as she didn’t speak and no one knew who she was, she ended up in the orphanage. This got me interested, somewhere out there, this little girl could have family and I, as her Fairy Godmother was determined to find them. It was a reason to hang around, at least that is what I told myself. The fact was, I couldn’t think of anywhere that I would rather be.

Nearly three weeks later Rosie was well enough to go back to the orphanage and I had got myself a job there as a live-in helper. I had to hide the wings, or not fly when anyone was about, but it gave me a reason to be there and no one questioned me working in the office, searching through the files to see if there were any clues as to who she was, not that there were likely to be. Rosie Sinclair was a name given to her because they had to call her something.

I went with the girl who had gone with her to the hospital to collect Rosie, it was my first day in the job and I was both nervous and excited. I’d never had an actual job job before, not one with a pay packet and pension scheme. I had to lie about my age, didn’t think they’d go for 345 years, I am one of the younger Fairy Godmothers, didn’t want them to think I was too young for the job. Also, things like National Insurance number and references took a bit of sorting, but I knew a few people in the right places and they sorted them.

“Do you often have to collect children from the hospital?” I asked as I got into the taxi.

“No,” she said. “It’s the first time I have done it and I’ve worked here for nearly three years. Why do you ask?”

“I was just wondering,” I said shuffling along the seat so that she could get in. I don’t know why she didn’t just use the other door. “My name is Daisy,” I added. She smiled. Well, she did her best not to laugh out loud.

“My name is Mary,” she said.

“That’s a nice name, a kind name,” I replied. “Better than a cow’s name,” I smiled.

“It could have been worse,” Mary replied. “They could have called you Buttercup.”

“Yes,” I said. “I like the flower, but the name is too associated with cows.”

“Mind you, some people choose such odd names now-a-days, Autumn, Rain and probably quite a few more,” Mary replied, though I got the strange impression she was just talking to fill the silence.

“What do you know about the little girl we are going to collect?” I asked.

“She was given the name Rosie Sinclair when she was found and taken to hospital about three years ago,” Mary said. “There has been a nasty bug going round just before Christmas, we thought she was getting better, but on 12^th night she took a turn for the worst, it was a miracle that we got her here OK and it was touch and go for a while. The Doctors really thought we were going to loose her.”

“They must have been working very hard,” I said, trying to think of something to say.

“They were, but, you’ll probably think I’m silly, but it felt as if there was magic in the air that night. I felt as if someone up there, her Fairy Godmother or something, was watching over her and that she would pull through,” Mary laughed self-consciously.

“May-be you are right,” I smiled. “After all, we are here to collect her.”

“You wont tell anyone I said that?” she asked.

“Of course not,” I said as the taxi drew up outside the hospital.

“Shall I wait for you?” the driver asked.

“Yes,” said Mary. “We shouldn’t be long. Just some paperwork to sign.”

Rosie and a nurse were waiting for us in the reception. Rosie gave me a long look as if she recognised me but couldn’t work out why.

“The papers,” said the nurse handing a clip board to Mary.

“Where do I sign?” she asked.

The nurse pointed the places out, handed a bag of medicines to Mary and we headed for the doors, I brought up the rear carrying Rosie’s bags.

“You’ll be home soon,” said Mary. “Will you like that?”

Rosie said nothing.

“She doesn’t talk,” Mary said, talking over her head. “But you’ve got to keep trying.” I saw Rosie’s eyes roll.

“She may not talk, but she can certainly hear,” I thought. “And she doesn’t like being talked about like that.”

I smiled at her and she looked confused.

“Hello,” I said. “My name is Daisy,” I added holding out my hand to her. She took it and we shook hands.

“Don’t expect her to remember your name,” Mary said. “I don’t think she knows mine yet and I’ve known her for three years, she arrived on the same day as me.”

“And now you are coming back on my first day,” I said to her. She looked puzzled, probably because most people talked over her.

“Put the seat belt on her,” Mary said, sitting down and looking away from us. I did as I was told and we headed back to the orphanage.

“Look, there are some horses,” I told Rosie as we passed a field full of them all running around and enjoying the day. She said nothing, but looked over to the horses and her eyes seemed to follow them for as long as she could see them. There was almost a smile on her face.

“Humph,” Mary muttered under her breath. “There’s the orphanage,” she added pointing it out to Rosie. Rosie sat back in the seat, put her hands on her lap and lowered her gaze to her hands. Something didn’t seem right about it, but I couldn’t say what.

By Janice Nye © 2020