My Fairy Godmonster (8 page)

“Are you home?” I ask. Please say yes. Please
say yes.

“Hi to you, too,” Jac says. “We’re still in
Mexico.”

“Oh, Jac. I need you here. I’ve had two bad
days.”

“Bad as in awesome or really bad.”

“Really bad. When are you coming back?”

“We’re hoping to be home a few days before
the wedding. “What’s going on? She asks.

I tell her everything. Except about Fairy
Godmonster.

“Scott sounds cool. Do you like him?”

I think about it. My heart beats faster.
“Yeah.”

“I knew it!” she exclaims. “Your voice sounds
different when you talk about him.”

I’m glad she can’t see my face.

“Here’s my advice,” she adds. “Be careful
around Weasel. She could give you big trouble. Ignore the
brat.”

She chats on. “This is what you do.
Everything they tell you to. It’s the only way to keep the peace.
Weddings are very stressful. Once I was a bridesmaid for my cousin,
Perlita. She locked herself in the bathroom with the groom and made
the wedding two hours late. The guests ate the reception buffet
while they were waiting.”

We laugh and Jac catches me up on her
vacation and the three boys competing for

her attention. She keeps talking, her
favorite thing to do, until her mother makes her hang up.

I feel better. Until I walk back into the
house.

Chapter 13: Road Closed - Deserted

Weasel is waiting for me in the hall. “I need
the invitations, Winifred.”

Dad strides into the room. “I’m sorry to
interrupt, Erminia. I need to talk to Winifred privately. I haven’t
had time to discuss my business plans with her.”

“Of course, Charles.” She smiles at him and
joins her husband who is on the phone in the living room. Daria
sits next to him, kicking Mr. Dudley’s leg. He ignores her.

I turn to Dad. “What’s up?”

“Let’s go outside.”

I follow him out the back door.

“Win, I’m buying the stallion we wanted.”

“Awesome! This is so great! Wow! Who will you
breed him to first? Mitsu? Delilah, Sonora - ?”

Dad interrupts, laughing. “Calm down. I’m as
excited as you are. There’s a hitch. The owner won’t hold him until
after the wedding. I have to get him now.”

“A road trip.” I sigh with happiness. “It’ll
be great, just the two of us.”

“I’m sorry, Win. As much as I want you with
me, you have to stay home.”

“What!”

“The stallion is in Florida. If I leave now,
I can just make it back before the rehearsal dinner,” Dad says.

“You can’t leave me here. Hire a
transport.”

“You know I personally take care of our
horses, Win.”

“Please, let me go. You have trouble staying
awake. Mr. Winters and his son always take over the ranch when we
have to go on a trip.”

“Not this time. Mr. Winters is on vacation
and I won’t trust my ranch to anyone else. David is too busy with
the wedding.”

He hesitates.

A horrible heaviness seeps into me. I wait
for the bomb to explode.

“Now don’t be mad. I asked Scott to go with
me. He’s old enough to help drive.”

The world stops. My heart explodes and the
ground seems mushy under my feet. I can barely breathe. I stand
there, dazed.

“It’s awkward enough, having to leave our
guests for over two weeks. Luckily, the

Dudley’s understand and support my decision.
I want you to be very grownup.”

“I don’t want to be grownup if it means I
can’t be with you,” I mumble.

“We don’t always have a choice. I need you to
stay here.”

Stay here? With the rat, the brat and the
cat?

“But, Dad - ”

“We’re leaving in a few minutes.”

I shout, “I’m glad you decided to inform me
before you left!”

Dad frowns. “Your sarcasm is getting out of
control, young lady. I know it won’t be easy for you. Erminia can
be demanding. Impossible, even. I don’t have a choice. I expect you
to do everything she wants or needs. With respect. I don’t want to
come home and hear that you have misbehaved. She is in charge.”

“It’s my house.”

“I know. She’s the adult. Do you
understand?”

“I understand that you are leaving me in the
hands of a closet dictator. I’ll be lucky to be alive when you
return.”

“Don’t be so melodramatic.”

My heart is breaking and he keeps
talking.

“I left all the directions for everything on
my desk in the stable. I know you can handle it. David and John
will help with the outside chores. Can I count on you?”

I hate those words. Count on you. Like it’s
okay to be a kid until a dad wants something from you. Why do
parents count on you when you don’t want them to?

“Winifred?”

I swallow the bitter taste in my mouth.
“Sure, Dad. I’ll take care of the zoo.” Don’t forget to bring back
a straitjacket, I think.

The lump in my throat grows when David drives
the green and gold horse van out of the barn. My home away from
home with all the comforts inside; beds, refrigerator, stove,
bathroom as well as horse compartments and hay storage.

David jumps out, leaving the motor
running.

I shut down inside.

David says, “Since you’re going to be gone,
I’ll use the barn for building everything I need for the garden,
Dad. The supplies are supposed to be delivered today. We’ll be
lucky to finish in time.”

Dad hugs David. “Good luck, Son. Help Win as
much as possible.”

Scott whistles as he comes out of the kitchen
with a duffel bag. He stops when he sees my face. “Er, ready to go,
Mr. Smith.”

I want to throw up.

John and Claire follow him outside. John
ruffles his brother’s hair. “Be good and drive carefully. You’re
not used to such a big rig.”

Scott says, “I’ll get lots of practice before
we pick up the horse.”

Dad looks at all of us. “I’m sorry I have to
leave. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to get this
stallion.”

“It’s okay, Dad,” says David. “Claire, John
and I will help Winifred. You be safe and don’t worry.”

Scott turns to me. “I’m sorry you can’t go,
too.”

I can’t speak, ‘cause if I do, I’ll burst
into tears.

Mr. Dudley comes outside. He shakes Dad’s
hand. “Have a good trip and don’t

worry about things here. Erminia is great at
organizing.”

He goes back inside and I hear Weasel. “I
don’t really want to do this, Otis.”

Otis says, “You have to do your part,
Erminia.”

“What will I cook?” she asks.

“We don’t need extravagant dinners, dear.
Cook something simple, like chili. You haven’t made chili in twenty
years.”

Dad winces. “Help as much as you can.” He
kisses me goodbye.

I grab his arm. He pats it. “You’ll be so
busy with the wedding, you won’t miss me. I’ll call to check in
with you. Be good.”

Dad and Scott climb into the van.

I can hardly stand up when Dad drives away.
At least, I could talk to Scott. And now he’s gone.

“Dad, don’t leave me. Please come back,” I
whisper.

The van disappears around a corner.

“Winfred!” commands Weasel from the back
door. “I need those invitations before the mail comes and we need
to discuss your chores.”

“I thought we were going to plan them
together.”

“You are always gone, so I made them. She
hands me a bunch of papers. “Here is the list of daily chores and
here is the list of things that absolutely have to be done before
the wedding.”

I don’t want to look. I know her lists. I
stuff them into a pocket.

“Sorry, the horses come first.” I take off
for the stable.

I collapse in Dad’s office chair and read his
list. Kong puts his head in my lap. Pain and betrayal wash over
me.

I gotta’ get out of here. I feed all the
horses, except Dancer. I bridle him, grab my hardhat and we ride
out of the stable.

Daria runs from the house shrieking,
“Winifred, Mommy wants you to come at once!”

Dancer does a little sideways hop and rears.
“Whoa, boy. Easy.” We were way too close to Daria.

I calm my horse down, burning inside. I see
red. “Don’t ever scream around a horse again. Do you want to be
trampled?”

Horrified, Daria bursts into tears and
scrambles toward the house. “Mommy! She tried to kill me with her
horse!” She slams through the kitchen door.

Squeezing Dancer’s sides, we gallop away. The
wind rushes through my hair. I wish I could ride and never come
back until after the wedding.

Remembering Dad’s instructions, I return two
hours later.

Big mistake.

Chapter 14: Detour - Trouble Ahead

I walk straight into the kitchen. Weasel
stirs a pot of chili that simmers on the stove.

“That smells good!” I say.

Her back stiffens. “I need the wedding
invitations.”

“Sorry, with Dad leaving, I forgot.”

I rush out of the room and hurry to unlock
the attic door. Drumbeats pound through my body. I rush inside.

My bedroom has changed into some kind of
crazy jungle of orange vines and purple trees with blue leaves.

Fairy Godmonster is dancing in the middle of
the room in a tiger-striped jumpsuit. Wild natives with strangely
painted faces peer out of the trees and bang on their big
drums.

“What are you doing?” I yell over the
drumbeats.

“I need to keep in touch with my wild side.
Very therapeutic.”

I look around frantically. “Where are the
wedding invitations? I need them right away.”

Fairy Godmonster pulls out her NTMT chip and
when she pushes the buttons, it chirps like a hungry baby bird.
Mom’s bed and the invitations appear in the room. I grab them and
rush out the door.

When I return to the kitchen, I ask, “Where
would you like me to put them, Mrs. Dudley?”

Her voice shakes me to the core. “They missed
the mail today. It’s bad enough that I am not giving my guests the
proper amount of time to respond without you causing more delays.
Taking off without telling anyone is childish and inconsiderate. I
expect more from a teenaged girl.”

“I’m really sorry. It won’t happen
again.”

“In order to remind you of the importance of
minding me, you will miss dinner tonight,” she reprimands.

“You’re kidding, right?”

“What do you think?”

“You are not my father. You have no right to
punish me.”

“I am in charge until Charles returns.”

Weasel pauses. Her voice gets soft and
creepy. “You do not want to make me angry.”

I stalk toward the back door. “I’m talking to
my brother about this.”

“I wouldn’t. You do want him to get married?”
she asks.

I freeze. Can she stop the wedding? Looking
into those eyes and that satisfied smile, I believe she can do
anything.

Claire glides into the room and hugs me. I
almost burst into tears, but won’t cry in front of Weasel.

“Winifred, I’m sorry you didn’t get to go
with your dad. We’ll make it up to you. Would you like to go
shopping tomorrow? Mom has a dozen errands for me.”

Weasel says, “Her father has left her quite a
bit of responsibility.”

“Surely, she’ll have some time?” asks
Claire.

Weasel glares at me behind her daughter’s
back. I remember Dad’s orders about behaving and hold back the
words I’d like to yell at her.

“Thanks,” I say. “Until I get into the
routine of the extra chores, I’d better not. I’m going to bed.”

“You haven’t had dinner!” Claire
exclaims.

“I don’t feel so good.”

“Is there something I can do?”

“I’ll be okay with a little rest.
“‘Night.”

“Goodnight,” says Claire, frowning.

I have visions of drowning Weasel in her own
chili as I leave the kitchen.

I hear Claire ask her mother, “Did you say
something to upset Winifred?”

“Of course not.”

No wonder Daria lies. I run upstairs and slow
to a walk, reading Weasel’s first list. Household chores include
dusting, vacuuming and cleaning bathrooms, the dishes, laundry and
the ironing. Weasel’s chores are cooking and contacting the
caterers.

I don’t want to look at the other list. Well,
maybe a peek. I gasp. Wash all windows, shampoo all carpets, polish
the silver, wash and/or polish the floors, clean the refrigerator
and oven. I am only one person. Do I get to sleep?

I slump down the hall. Hear footsteps and
turn around. Daria is sneaking behind me. Godzilla creeps on the
floor at her side.

“You’re supposed to keep the cat locked in
your bedroom.”

She whines, “Your dad isn’t here. Besides,
Gazella needs exercise.”

“Cats sleep sixteen hours a day.”

“She’s bored.”

“You’re bored.”

“There’s nothing to do around here,” pouts
Daria.

“You could help your mother in the kitchen,”
I suggest. “Or if you want to help me in the stable or cleaning the
house, you can.”

Daria lifts her nose into the air. “I don’t
work.”

I hear a low growl and turn to see Fairy
Godmonster’s red claws curving around the attic stairwell.

Daria’s eyes grow huge in terror.

“EEEEKKKKK!”

Godzilla hisses and races down the hall, tail
flying and ears laid back. Daria flees, trips on Godzilla and
sprawls to the floor. The cat rolls to the top of the stairs.

“Gazella!” yells Daria. She reaches for the
cat. Godzilla rolls down the stairs.

“Meowrrr!”

“No!” screeches Daria. She hurries after her
cat.

“Serves them right.” Fairy Godmonster
laughs.

I want to know how to laugh like that and
still look sexy.

“Did she see you?” I ask.

“Only my claws.”

“I thought you told me nobody’s supposed to
see you,” I say.

“Monsters bend rules. Besides, who’s going to
believe her?”