The Fairy Godmother Part 42

“What are you doing here?” Enid asked.

“Everybody’s got to be somewhere?” I replied.

“Yes and you are supposed to be with Ethel making sure she doesn’t make a complete mess of this Christening,” Enid snapped.

“She’s doing a great job of sorting out the invitations and organising the seating plan,” I replied. “She didn’t need me getting in her way.”

“So you’ve left her to it?” asked Enid.

“She knows where I am if she needs any help,” I sighed. “And not standing over her all the time is the best way I know of showing her that I have full confidence in her ability to do the job.”

“You just didn’t like being in the background,” said Enid. “Couldn’t stand not back and let someone else do the work.”

“No, that’s what I’m doing, she doesn’t need me there getting under her feet,” I replied. “Not everyone is like you.”

“And what do you mean by that?” Enid snapped.

“I’ve seen your idea of standing back,” I replied. “You leap in way before anyone asks for help.”

“Just because you didn’t know when you were out of your depth,” said Enid.

“If I’m that incompetent, how come you’ve got me watching over Ethel?” I asked.

“I didn’t say you were incompetent,” Enid replied. “It’s just, Ethel knows you, she doesn’t run a mile when you walk into the room.”

“And she does with some of the others?” I asked.

“Yes, literally,” said Enid. “How do you think she’s doing?”

“She’s doing fine,” I said. “I wouldn’t leave her to handle things by herself if I thought she was in anyway out of her depth. I know how tricky that kingdom can be.”

“Have you been there before?” asked Enid.

“I was a cherub at the last Christening,” I replied.

“I remember, there was a problem with the cherubs,” she said.

“That was why I left,” I said. “Also, it’s not the most dignified of jobs, the costume doesn’t leave much to the imagination.”

“Wasn’t that when you moved over to being a Fairy Godmother?” she asked.

“Yes,” I said. “Now what did you want to talk to me about, I’m sure it wasn’t my great time as a cherub that has suddenly become of interest.”

“The Fairy Council were looking for me to suggest a replacement as Head of the Fairy Godmothers,” said Enid.

“Elderflower would do a good job,” I said. “She’s very good at organisation.”

“She’s got no imagination,” said Enid.

“That’s why she’s good at organisation,” I said. “And a Head of Department needs to be good at organisation.”

“The Department would stagnate under her,” said Enid.

“Wallflower, is good at,” I paused for a moment.

“Exactly, at what?” said Enid. “She was well named, she is a wall flower and has a tendency to sit in the corner and stay unobtrusive. There is no way she’ fight for the department in the council meetings.”

“Why should she, you’re there,” I replied.

“But I have to be impartial,” she said. “I can’t just run the council in the interests of the Fairy Godmothers.”

“When you are here, you are the Head of the Fairy Godmothers,” I said. “When you are in the Council you are Head of the Fairy Council, unless you are putting something forward for the Fairy Godmothers, in which case you are Head of the Fairy Godmothers. Simple really.”

“Sounds simple, till you are in the council room and they are asking you which hat you are wearing,” Enid sighed.

“Well, wear a different hat when you are representing the Fairy Godmothers and stand on the other side of the table,” I suggested.

“And what good would that do?” she asked.

“Even the thickest of them would know who you were representing,” I replied.

“I’ll think about it,” she said. “Are you sure you wouldn’t like to be head of the Fairy Godmothers?”

“Absolutely certain,” I said. “Anyway, making me head would put out quite a lot of people, Wallflower and Elderflower would be the least of your worries.”

“I don’t know how you managed to upset so many people,” sighed Enid.

“Don’t you?” I asked. “I know I’ve never been one of your favourites.”

“Then I got to know you and appreciate your,” she paused. “I had a word there, but it’s gone. Safe to say that I appreciate your methods now that I have seen them working at close quarters. They aren’t as mad as I thought they were.”

“Thanks,” I said.

“It’s why I thought you’d bring a breath of fresh air into the running of the department,” she added.

“Sorry, you can’t butter me up,” I said. “You’ll have to think of something better than that if you want me to take on the job.”

“Can’t blame me for trying,” said Enid.

“So, what do you want me to do?” I asked.

“Well, whilst you are waiting for Ethel to contact you,” Enid started.

“I don’t expect her to need any help,” I replied.

“Whilst you are doing that, I was wondering if you could give them a hand with the laundry,” she added, looking like she had a quick exit lined up in case she didn’t like my reply.

“What’s wrong at the laundry, I mean, Maude has it running like a humming top, it couldn’t go better,” I replied.

“She’s off sick,” said Enid. “And it doesn’t look like she’s going back any time soon.”

“She hasn’t died, has she!” I asked cautiously.

“Not as far as I know, but the Doctor does say she wont be going back, not this century at any rate,” Enid sighed.

“You want me to run the laundry?” I asked.

“You’re good at that sort of thing,” Enid smiled and I got the impression that she was trying to sell the job to me.

“No way am I going to spend my time chasing round laundry that someone couldn’t be bothered to label properly,” I told her.

“See, you know the problems already,” said Enid. “I’m sure you’d soon get on top of them.”

“The laundry,” said Wallflower, wandering into the room slowly. I have never seen her dash about anything.

“It needs someone to sort things out,” said Enid vaguely.

“I like it down there,” said Wallflower. “So peaceful.”

“With all that machinery?” Enid and I asked together.

“It’s all part of the flow of things,” said Wallflower, getting really rather dreamy about the whole subject.

“Perhaps Wallflower is the one for the job,” I whispered to Enid.

“Yes,” said Enid, smiling at Wallflower. “Would you mind going down to the laundry to sort out things, we don’t want Maude going back to chaos.”

“Will she be going back soon?” asked Wallflower.

“Really don’t know about that,” said Enid. “She is off for the foreseeable, but you never know.”

“I see,” said Wallflower. “I’d better get on with it, the last lot of washing I got back wasn’t up to her usual standard. I know she’d be upset if she saw what they are sending out.”

“Thank-you,” said Enid and Wallflower headed off with more purpose in her step than I’d ever seen.

“I wouldn’t have thought of her for that job,” said Enid.

“Wallflower knows the results she expects from the laundry,” I said.

“So, you thought she’d be good for the job,” Enid smiled.

“That doesn’t mean I would be any good as Head of Department,” I replied.

“You should think about it,” Enid smiled.

“I shall go and check up on Ethel,” I said waving my wand, I don’t know know if that was her intention or if she really thought that I should be Head of the Fairy Godmothers, but somewhere other than the office seemed like a good place to be.

By Janice Nye © 2020