Alice walked most of the way home with her eyes closed, rubbing Fairy Godmother�s stomach and mumbling her wish.
So Alice wished. And waited and waited. Was that the door bell? It was a man delivering a package. Was the package from Jenny? No, it was some of Grandma�s medicine. Would they put a plate at the dinner table for Jenny? Did Alice have to go to bed? What if Jenny came after she had fallen asleep? She was going to come. She was going to come.
Fairy Godmother went with Alice everywhere in the house, except the bathroom. Grandma said that even fairy godmothers shouldn�t see everything. But Alice slept with Fairy Godmother for two nights. She�d show Fairy Godmother to Jenny when she came, and then she and Jenny could make wishes together.
Ever since the afternoon at the park, Grandma gave Alice her lunch earlier than usual. She also now jingled more because she was wearing extra jewelry. Grandma seemed excited in the mornings and early afternoons, but sad as it got later and later. Alice was confused. These weren�t things she had wished for. On the second day of these changes in Grandma, the doorbell rang while Grandma was still doing Alice�s dishes.
Alice looked at Fairy Godmother. The bell rang again.
�Don�t just sit there, Alice. Go open the door,� Grandma said.
Alice slid down from the kitchen chair and walked towards the door. She kissed Fairy Godmother�s stomach, and then opened the door.
�Jenny!� she said.
She found herself looking at Dominoes Man, with a bouquet of flowers. He patted her head.
Where was Jenny? Grandma had said that if you kept on wishing for something, it would come true. Alice had wished and wished. Someone must have heard her wishes. Why didn�t they want to give Jenny back to Alice? Why couldn�t Alice have her Mommy and Daddy?
Alice threw Fairy Godmother on the floor.
�Why, what�s the matter, little lady?� Dominoes Man said.
She kicked him before he could pat her on the head again. Grandma came to the door with a smile. Her smile changed into a frown when she saw that Dominoes Man was bent over, clutching his left shin.
�I want her back! I want Mommy and Daddy back!� Alice said. She stomped on Fairy Godmother.
Grandma smiled at Dominoes Man and let out a little laugh.
�She�s usually such a good little girl, really,� she said to him.
�I am a good little girl!� Alice screamed. �But why do they all move away and leave me?�
Dominoes Man stood up and backed down the steps.
�Why don�t they love me?� Alice continued.
He was down the walkway.
�What�s wrong with me?� she sobbed.
He was gone. Alice didn�t care about him. But Jenny was gone. She said she�d take care of Alice. But she couldn�t anymore. Mommy and Daddy weren�t coming back to take care of Alice either.
�I wish I went with them all!� Alice wept.
Grandma picked Fairy Godmother off the floor. Alice looked at her. Grandma closed her eyes and rubbed Fairy Godmother�s stomach. Her hands were shaking.
�It doesn�t work,� Alice said, in between sobs.
Grandma waited a moment. She then opened her eyes and looked down at Alice.
�No, no, it doesn�t,� Grandma said.
home || blog ramblings || answers to unasked questions || throw laurels or tomatoes || received laurels and tomatoes || email