My Fairy Godmonster (19 page)

Claire wakes me up when she brings lunch in
the afternoon. “Hey, sleepyhead.” She sets a tray full of meats,
cheeses and fruit on the bed.

“Do I look like an army?” I ask.

“You need to eat. Thought your dog might be
hungry and I wanted you to have enough. I swiped this from the
reception food.”

“Thanks. You aren’t supposed to be waiting on
me. This is your big day.”

She smiles. “It’s only three. The wedding is
not until seven-thirty. I have lots of time to get ready. I came up
to see if you need help.”

“I’m the one who is supposed to be helping
you.”

Claire laughs. “You know Mother. And I have
my matron-of-honor as a referee. Besides, you need to stay here and
get ready. It’s a zoo downstairs with all the out-of-town guests
arriving ahead of time.”

“
Claire, I’m glad we’re
going to be family. I really mean it.”

She gives me a huge hug. “Me, too. When
you’re ready, come into the small tent. That’s where the women in
the wedding party are meeting. You can use the makeup there and get
your bouquet.”

“Thanks, Claire.”

“I’m relieved you look so much better than
last night,” she says, waving from the door. “You really had us
scared.”

I share my lunch with Kong. It tastes so
good. We both lie down on the bed. I have so many things to think
about, I wonder how I will fall asleep.

It’s not a problem.

Music floats through the window and wakes me
from my nap. The clock says six. Drowsy, I hear an orchestra
warming up. Wonder what this wedding is costing the Dudley’s?

I head for the bathroom, hoping I don’t run
into Daria. Empty. I ignore the frizzy, red-haired girl staring
back at me in the mirror, shower and wash my hair.

Daria bangs on the door. “I need to get
ready.”

I put on my robe and grab the hairdryer.
Opening the door, I say, “Don’t you ever say please? You are the
rudest child I have ever met.”

She sticks out her tongue as I sail past
her.

I stomp to my attic. One more day and I’ll be
free.

Plugging in the dryer, I plop on the bed and
dry my hair. It hangs like red string and my bangs need trimming. I
pull it back into a ponytail and stand in front of the mirror. Ugh,
a ghost with a bad hair day. Wish that I had taken Jac’s advice and
learned how to put on makeup.

I slip on the stupid pink dress and moan when
I look in the mirror. I look like cotton candy on a stick. I pull
on pantyhose and slip into the heels. They’re too big! Frantic, I
close my door and hobble down the attic stairs to the bathroom.
Maybe stuffing the toes with tissue will help.

Daria is in the bathroom putting blue
fingernail polish on her nails. What’s a seven-year-old doing with
polish? Godzilla sits on the edge of the bathtub, licking her fur
like she owns the house.

“I thought you were supposed to keep your cat
in the bedroom,” I tell her.

Daria glares at me. “You’re not my
mother.”

Kong dashes through the door. I forgot to
lock him in!

GRRRR! His growl is scary, even to me.

Daria screams and freezes.

HSST!

Kong barks wildly and jumps for the cat.

Godzilla leaps over Kong’s head and hits me
in the chest. Her claws rip down the front of my dress before she
races out the door.

Kong lands in the bathtub, his legs slipping
in all directions when he tries to scramble after the cat. He gets
two feet over the edge and bumps Daria.

She screams and throws the nail polish at me.
It slops on my dress.

White-faced, she whispers, “Not my fault.”
She rushes out of the bathroom.

I grab Kong by the collar and help him out of
the bathtub. His paws get tangled in my dress and rip off a chunk
of the skirt.

I stare at my dress in horror. How could such
a disaster happen in ten seconds? Numb, I take off the heels and
haul Kong back to the attic.

What now? I have nothing fancy enough to
wear. I don’t think Mrs. Garcia can fix this mess. Jac is too
short. Claire is too tall. I run to Mom’s trunks. Holding my
breath, I open one and lift out a lace dress. Too big. I carefully
look at a few others. No luck. Maybe someday.

I crash on the bed. What am I going to tell
David?

Kong slobbers on the ruined dress. Tears of
frustration trickle down my face.

Suddenly, the door locks. Electricity
crackles through the room.

I yell.

Fairy Godmonster appears in a flash of purple
mist.

“Oh, chill. It’s me.”

“Faro!” I scramble off the bed and throw
myself into her arms. “You came back!” I can’t stop the tears of
relief dripping down my face.

Kong jumps happily around her.

“And not a second too soon. Are you jinxed or
just clumsy?” she teases.

“Where have you been?”

She grumbles, “The techs fixed FIMM and
beamed me out of the forest before I knew what was happening.”

“I’m so glad to see you.” I cling to her.

Fairy Godmonster doesn’t let go. “Those
morons in the council wouldn’t let me return, as they phrased it,
‘to a place out of my jurisdiction.’ Especially when they saw the
destruction I caused in the garden. I explained that it was much
better with humans doing the fixing instead of using magic.”

I ask, “How come they let you come back?”

“They had no precedent for this problem.
Finally, I threatened to lock them up in my NTMT chip.”

I laugh and can’t stop.

“Buck up.” She stares into my eyes. Her words
don’t match the affection I see there.

I sober immediately.

Fairy Godmonster’s eyes turn black. “Of
course, I’m on probation. What do I care? I don’t leave a job
unfinished. Your fairy godmother was bummed. Totally unable to
replace me here after her experiences in Monsterdome.”

“Is she okay?”

“She will be. I’m giving her a few pointers
when I return.”

“Winifred, are you ready?” asks Dad, knocking
on the door. “Wedding’s in twenty

minutes.”

“I’ll be right down.” I look at Fairy
Godmonster. “I hope your whip works.”

She laughs. I love her tiny fangs.

“I knew all those magazines would come in
handy,” she says. “And eavesdropping. I know everything about the
wedding. Stand still and don’t move. I want this to be
perfect.”

She lifts her whip. Closes her eyes in
concentration. I worry about the eye-closing stuff. What if she
misses? No way, not my Fairy Godmonster.

I close my eyes. “Is this going to be like
Cinderella?”

“Better. The magic doesn’t wear off at
midnight and you already have your Prince Charming.”

Fairy Godmonster swings her arm around.

SNAP!

The whip streaks over my head. I look up and
see tiny, lightning bolts. A silver mist

covers me in sparkling lights. Warm chills
slither up and down my body. When the mist disappears, Fairy
Godmonster smiles in satisfaction. “I am so bad.”

I’m afraid to look.

“Oh go see,” she orders.

I walk slowly to the mirror, looking down at
the skirt. A thrill streaks through me. It’s blue. I can’t look
up.

“Chicken?” Fairy Godmonster asks. “That’s not
my Winifred.”

I square my shoulders and raise my head. I
can’t breathe. I gasp in shock when I look into the mirror at the
stranger staring back at me.

“Is this a trick?”

Fairy Godmonster chuckles. “You are a real
beauty. Didn’t you know?”

“No,” I whisper in awe.

Curls are piled on my head, a few falling
softly around my face. The dress matches my eyes and makes me look
like a princess

I wiggle my bare toes. “What about
shoes?”

Fairy Godmonster cracks her whip. Shoes
matching the dress appear on my feet.

“Do all high-heeled shoes feel this good?” I
ask.

Fairy Godmonster smiles. “Created from a
special material. Indestructible. Great for dancing.”

I twirl around and feel weightless. “These
are magic, right?” I ask.

“Nothing less. Any more questions?”

“What if I don’t match with the rest of the
wedding party?”

“Weasel ordered that monstrosity,” Fairy
Godmonster says, pointing to the pink dress. “Claire wanted this
one. She chose it to enhance your beauty. A truly unselfish
human.”

I choke up.

“Chill, you’ll ruin the makeup.”

I lean closer to the mirror. Mascara makes my
eyes enormous. Mysterious, too. My eyebrows are darkened just
enough to frame my eyes. My lips shine and somehow look, well -
kissable.

“Don’t forget your jewelry.” Fairy Godmonster
cracks her whip. The necklace and earrings from Claire magically
appear on my neck and ears.

“One more thing,” she says. The whip
flashes.

My face tingles. I stare in the mirror in
shock. The cut on my cheek has disappeared. There isn’t even a
scar.

“Oh Faro. Thank you!”

She hugs me. “Time for your debut.”

“I can’t leave Kong here.”

Fairy Godmonster smiles. “I’ll take him to
the stable. Go.”

“You won’t leave me?” I ask.

“You haven’t gone to the ball, yet,” she
purrs.

Chapter 28: Stop - Wedding/Reception

Fairy Godmonster takes Kong’s collar, flicks
her whip and they vanish in a split second.

I can’t help one last look in the mirror.
Totally cool. I glide to the door on the magic high heels, amazed
that they don’t hurt. Floating down the stairs, I check to see if
there are clouds under my feet. Well. You never know.

Finding the kitchen empty, I push open the
backdoor and stop, amazed.

The decorators have made the yard look like
something you see in the movies. Sheer white panels of some kind of
gauzy material drape across the columns of the huge tent.

An enormous three-tiered water fountain
splashes in the center. Colored lights flash through the water. A
wooden dance floor surrounds the fountain.

Dining tables around the floor are filled
with ice sculptures, crystal vases of flowers and silver
candlesticks. Turf has been laid under the tables, the green in
bright contrast to all the white.

An orchestra in white tuxes warms up in one
corner. Waiters, waitresses, cooks and planners scurry around with
last minute details.

I spot the cake. Whoa. It’s huge. Instead of
a bride and groom on top, it has an angel.

I make my way into the small tent.

Flash! A photographer shoves a camera in my
face.

“Oh!” I exclaim.

Claire says, “James, at least warn a person
when you take a picture. Winifred, this is my cousin, James
Lancaster.”

Through spots, I see a small man who doesn’t
stop moving.

“Hi,” I say.

“Hmm,” he says snapping more pictures. I try
not to trip on him as he whirls around.

Weasel fusses with Claire’s wedding veil.
“Claire, turn and face the door. This veil has to be perfect.”

My breath catches in my throat. Claire looks
like a princess. Radiant. Her veil drapes like mist over her
sparkling dress and down her three-foot train.

“You’re beautiful!” I exclaim.

Claire smiles. “Thanks. You look amazing.
Mother, you got the dress I wanted for her. Thank you.”

Weasel looks at me. Her mouth drops open.
“But ... ” She’s speechless and blank-

faced, for once.

Thank you, Fairy Godmonster.

Claire says, “Guess you don’t need makeup for
your face, after all.”

Daria’s eyes are as wide as saucers. She
wears a pink dress that looks good with her dark hair. Sneaking
over to me, she whispers, “What happened to you?”

I smile. “Oh, my Fairy Godmother dropped
by.”

“Yeah, right,” she sneers.

I laugh.

Claire picks up a small tiara of tiny blue,
pink and purple flowers. “Let me put this on you.”

“Don’t move!” Weasel hastily grabs it from
Claire’s hand. “I’ll put it on her.”

I freeze as Weasel faces me. Her black eyes
bore into mine, but I stare right back. She glances away first and
puts the comb on the tiara through my curls.

“Thank goodness you won’t embarrass Claire,”
she whispers.

I want to punch her lights out, but ask, “You
don’t like embarrassment, do you?”

“I despise it, above all else,” she hisses,
turning back to Claire.

“You look perfect, Winifred,” Claire
says.

The matron-of-honor hands me flowers.

“You look great, Maggie,” I say to her.

“So do you.” Maggie smiles and gives the ring
pillow to her son. He smiles at me.

The bridal music begins to play.

“I’ll carry your train until we get there,
Claire,” announces Weasel.

We slowly walk toward the garden. Although
the orchestra is in the tent, the beautiful music drifts in the air
and fills the peaceful summer evening. Hard to believe we had such
a storm last night.

As we reach the garden entrance, Weasel says,
“Now be careful your heels don’t get caught in the moss, Claire.
Stand up straight. Oh, I wish you had more bridesmaids. Don’t -
”

“Ssh, Mother,” says Claire. “The guests will
hear.”

That shuts Weasel up.

John is waiting for us. I should be nervous
about showing my new self, but I’m not. I don’t have any time to
wonder why because Scott returns from seating a guest. His low wolf
whistle and the smoldering look in his eyes tell me everything. How
cool is that? I

can’t help blushing.

John smiles and takes my arm. “I always knew
you were a beauty.”

How come nobody ever told me? “Thanks,” I
say.

Scott winks at me and takes Maggie’s arm as
the wedding march fills the air. Joey squirms by her side, the ring
pillow dragging on the moss.

Daria starts down the aisle, throwing flower
petals from her basket. Maggie and Scott go next.