The Fairy Godmother Part 55

“There’s Mummy and Daddy,” said Ella pointing, we rushed over to them and walked along beside the stretcher. I didn’t want to think about what Enid was doing, but the thought still crossed my mind, I just pushed it to the back again there was enough with the here and now to occupy anyone’s mind.

Jessie was taken to a delivery room, Ian followed her in without question.

“I think we have enough in here,” said someone as Ella and I got to the door.

“Could you look after her for us?” Ian asked me. “Is there somewhere they could wait?” he asked a nurse.

“Of course, I’ll take you to the waiting room,” she said, smiling. “Though I don’t know how long you are going to be there.”

“Don’t worry,” I smiled and we followed the nurse to a room nearby full of chairs, tables, magazines and toys along with a lot of mothers, children and babies.

“If you’re needed, someone will come for you,” said the nurse and disappeared off back to the room Jessie and Ian had gone into.

“How long do you think it’s going to take?” Ella asked me.

“I don’t know,” I said. “Would you like to read a book?”

“They’re all baby books,” said Ella after looking through the nearest pile.

“Would you like to draw a picture,” asked the receptionist.

“That would be an idea,” I said. “You can give it to you Mummy when the baby is born.”

“I don’t like drawing,” Ella replied, sounding really angry, though I wasn’t sure why.

“I’d like to draw something,” I said. “You can always watch me, till you think of something else to do,” Ella said nothing, just sat next to me looking angry.

“What don’t you like about drawing?” I asked sketching the horizon on the sheet of paper.

“Whatever I do, someone tells me that it’s wrong,” she said, looking out of the window.

“Who?” I asked, drawing in the beach as I remembered it from the first time I went to the hotel. “The teacher,” said Ella, so quietly I almost didn’t hear her. “She thinks I should draw a dark line around everything.”

“Strange person, I don’t see any dark lines on me, or you,” I replied.

“Exactly,” said Ella. “But she wouldn’t accept my picture of a lizard because I hadn’t drawn a dark line round the edge.”

“Well, she isn’t here now and I don’t think she’s going to see anything you draw, unless you want her to,” I said. “However, your Mum and Dad will see and they will think you are very good.”

“OK,” said Ella, getting a piece of paper and sitting next to me at the table.

One by one the other people in the waiting room went to there appointments and left, till we were the only ones there.

“There is a cafe downstairs,” said the receptionist. “If anything happens, I’ll tell them where you are.”

“Thank-you,” I said. “How about some food?” I suggested to Ella.

“That would be a very good idea,” said Ella. “But what about Mum and Dad?”

“I think they are a bit busy at the moment,” I smiled. “However, we can always get some snacks for them and something to drink.”

“What about the baby?” asked Ella.

“I’m sure they will be able to sort something for the baby when it’s born,” I said.

“Good, because I don’t know what babies eat,” Ella smiled.

“Neither do I,” I said as we headed off for the cafe.

We returned from the cafe, having had a decent tea and bought some snacks and drinks for Ian and Jessie to find Enid and all of Ella’s grandparents in the waiting room.

“Did Ian ask you to come here?” I asked.

“No,” said Enid. “But I think they aught to be here.”

“It is not your place to decide who is and isn’t here,” I snapped.

“Well I’m glad she told us about it,” said Jessie’s Mum. “Jessie needs me, whether she knows it or not.”

“It’s for Jessie to decide on that,” said Ian, from the doorway. “And she doesn’t want to know you.”

“Is the baby born?” Ella asked, dancing about in front of her Dad.

“Not yet,” said Ian. “I just came out to check up on you. You’ll be needing something to eat.”

“Myrtle took me to the cafe for tea,” said Ella. “And we got some snacks for you and Mummy,” she added handing the bag of snacks to him. He took a quick look.

“All our favourites,” said Ian smiling. “I’ll take these in to your Mum. Thanks Myrtle. As for you lot,” he added looking at the grandparents. “When we want you here we’ll let you know.”

“You need family to look after Ella,” said his Mother.

“I can do that,” said Jessie’s Mother.

“I wouldn’t leave you to look after a dead hamster,” said Ian’s Mother.

“I’m not choosing any of you, Myrtle is doing a very good job and you lot would only argue, so you are all going. I could do without the stress,” said Ian.

“That’s no way to talk to your elders,” said Enid.

“It’s the way to talk to people who butt in without being asked,” I told Enid. “And that includes you, by the way, Mother.”

“Really!” she replied.

“I think we’d better go,” said Ian’s father, looking at Enid.

“Fine,” she said waving her wand, they all vanished.

“Sorry about that,” I said to Ian. “Parents!”

“I know what you mean,” he sighed. “Anyway, thanks for the snacks and looking after Ella.”

“She’s been drawing a picture for you and Jessie,” I replied.

“That’s very good,” said Ian looking at the picture. “It looks like it could walk off the page.”

“You don’t mind that it doesn’t have a dark line round it?” asked Ella.

“It’s perfect the way it is, just like you,” said Ian.

“Your wife needs you,” said a nurse standing at the door.

“You’d better go,” I said and he dashed out of the door.

“What do you think’s happened?” asked Ella.

“I don’t know,” I said. “But I get the impression we wont be waiting long. Your Dad will let us know as soon as he can.”

“What should we do?” Ella asked.

“You could draw another picture,” I suggested. “Maybe something for the baby.”

“Our pet rabbit just had babies,” said Ella. “I could draw a picture of them for the baby.”

“Sounds like a good idea,” I smiled, she set to work on that and I set to work trying to find out what was going on with Jessie. My mind wandered to an operating theatre, Jessie was on the table and they were performing a caesarian section. Things didn’t look too good, so I tapped my wand and things started to improve, the Doctor relaxed as did all the people round him.

Ella had just finished the picture of the baby bunnies when her Dad came back, he looked strained, tired, but relieved.

“Would you like to see your new little sister?” Ian asked.

“Yes please,” said Ella jumping up from the table and running over to give him a hug. “Can I see Mummy as well.”

“Of course,” said Ian, sounding very relieved, taking us though to a side ward where a very tired looking Jessie was lying in bed next to a cot containing a sleeping baby.

“She’s wonderful,” said Ella, leaning over the cot and kissing her on the head. The baby yawned and turned round. “Yes, you are,” she said to the baby.

“Hello Ella,” said Jessie sleepily.

“Hello Mummy,” said Ella nipping round to the other side of the bed and hugging her.

“You two aught to go home and get a good night’s sleep,” said Jessie. “Me and the little one will be fine here.”

“Small problem there,” said Ian. “I came in the ambulance with you.”

“So the car?” she asked.

“Is at home,” he said.

“Don’t worry,” I told them. “I can sort this, after all, I am your Fairy Godmother.”

“Thank-you,” said Jessie.

When we got to the car park I waved my wand and we were back at Jessie and Ian’s home.

“Could have done with a bit of your magic earlier,” said Ian after we tucked Ella into bed, she was fast asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.

“You had it,” I smiled. “Now, I’ll watch the phones, you get some sleep.”

By Janice Nye © 2020