by Ann T Bugg
“Hello, men,” she said to the dwarves. She addressed Valerie and Samantha with a wide smile. “Hello, girls.”
“Are you a fairy godmother?” asked Samantha.
“I’m not just a fairy godmother; I’m your fairy godmother…both of yours. My name is Odette.”
“We have a fairy godmother?” Valerie shouted. “Way cool!”
“But why were you a possum?” asked Samantha.
“You can see how Snow needed you both very much. I had to turn into something real in your time so you two would chase after me and follow me here. I’m not allowed to come right out and ask. I suppose I could have been another one of your barn cats, but I don’t think you would have noticed me or tried to follow if I was merely another cat. Sir Lexington and I have had wonderful conversations about the two of you. He thinks the world of you both.”
“You talk to Lex?” Valerie replied with wide eyes.
“Of course, dear. I go to your place often. I love to listen to your mother tell her stories.”
“You were the lady at the fruit stand, and the one who gave the dress to Danielle too, weren’t you?” asked Samantha.
“Yes. Indeed I was.”
“I was waiting for you to get that.” Valerie smiled at Samantha. That got her a punch in the arm. “Ow!”
“Now I owe you one free doorknob.” Sam playfully stuck out her tongue.
“Why did you have us follow after you in the forest? Didn’t you know the queen was going to be there to use the comb on Snow?”
“I could see there was going to be trouble, but I couldn’t make out all the details. I knew she was coming, and had to lead you away from Wilhelm’s cottage. I guess she was determined to find you one way or another. I can’t see and prevent everything, you know.” She took a few steps closer to them. “There’s only so much meddling I’m allowed to do. I knew the story of the comb and what was to come, but I can’t change history. It’s already written; it just needed a little shove from you two.”
“And help from us, of course,” Toby said as he walked up behind them and jabbed Val and Sam in the sides, causing them to jump.
“You’re so silly, Toby,” Sam said.
Doc stepped up. “Is there a chance she’ll follow them through the mirror, Odette?”
“I don’t believe so. Her magic is no good in their world. It’s Snow that she wants. I can sense there will be more trouble, although I cannot see when or how yet. You and the rest of dwarves will just have to do your best to take care of her. I’ll do what I can, of course.” She turned back to Val and Sam.
“Do you like how Wilhelm and Jacob have re-told your tales?”
“Who?”
“Wilhelm and his brother Jacob. Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm, my dears: the Grimm brothers.”
They both smiled wide, not able to believe it. They were truly living the fairy tales before they were told.
“He was that Wilhelm?” Valerie said in astonishment. She was well acquainted with the Grimm Fairy Tales.
“Indeed. You see, girls, some stories are just that: stories. Some stories are legends and get passed on from generation to generation. Of course, the details do get changed here and there as the story gets told and retold again, but the main parts remain the same, especially if it is one that is of true love and a kind heart. Remember these days always, young ladies. You’ve helped these things come to pass. You may not be mentioned on paper, but you have touched the hearts of those here now. Let these lessons be a part of you always.”
With that, she vanished. The area behind her no longer looked like a part of the forest. It turned into a scene from the tack room. It was surrounded by a lovely metal frame. Toby, Doc, and Grady walked them over to it.
The girls turned to the dwarves to say their goodbyes.
“You make sure you hug Snow for me,” Val said as she hugged Toby.
“Me too,” Sam said with her hug to Grady.
“We will. We promise we’ll protect her. She’s safe with us,” Doc said.
Otter took charge, and was the first to bound through the mirror. After the slightest of hesitations, the girls followed through, halfheartedly. They had never before known such mixed feelings. Of course they were happy to be going home, but also very sad to be leaving their new friends and the magical land that now seemed like a second home.
Once they were through, they clasped hands and turned around to face the mirror. It showed only the reflection of the tack room.
“Darn it, Val. I was hoping to be able to wave goodbye.”
“Me too. Come on, we have a lot of explaining to do.”
“What are we going to say?”
“I haven’t gotten that far yet. I have no idea.”
They walked up to the house, expecting to see a police car or their parents waiting up with worry.
“It’s too quiet. This is weird, Val,” Sam said.
“I know,” Val whispered back.
They snuck back into the house, hoping they wouldn't be discovered. As far as they could tell, nothing had changed. They got Otter settled in, said their hellos to Dottie, and climbed over the gate. They tip-toed over to the computer, where Valerie checked the date.
“Samantha! It’s the same night! It’s like we weren’t gone at all! Time must be different there.” They gave each other a big hug of relief and went upstairs. After changing into their own pajamas, Val put the clothes and shoes into a small plastic bag and buried it at the back of her closet. “My mom will never go digging in here.”
“Afraid of what she’ll find since the sandwich she dubbed ‘the greatest science experiment of all time?’”
Val laughed. “Yeah, something like that. Will your mom get mad that you lost your shoes?”
“Nah, I’ll just tell her they got too muddy to clean with all the rain, and that I stepped in horse poop. She’ll be glad they didn’t come home.”
The two best friends yawned wide and climbed in bed without another peep.
Val’s dad came home early the next morning, before the girls were even awake. As usual, he had been anxious to get home and slipped away as soon as he could from his business trip. He kissed his wife good morning, and they sat down to share what happened during their time away from each other.
“How was your week with the girls?”
“Great. I hardly knew they were here, they were so good. You know how they are when they get together. I finally got the last chapters of my book done just before Sam got here, and had printed it out. The girls were sneaking reading it. I found it upstairs this morning when I couldn’t find it on the desk. They were sleeping so soundly, I hated to wake them. I couldn’t risk climbing over them to get it. I can’t be too mad; they knew they were the main characters. I shouldn’t have teased them so much.” Valerie’s mom enjoyed telling stories so much that she had started her own fairy tale as a gift to her princess. “Come to think of it, I dusted off that messy desk yesterday and didn’t miss it. They must have read the whole thing in two days. I’m actually excited to see what they think.”
“Are you going to let me read it, or are you going to keep torturing me, too?”
“Well, I guess if Val read it, you’ll have to read it, as well. Otherwise she won’t stop talking about it, and it’ll drive you insane.”
He laughed. “That does seem to be one of Valerie’s favorite pastimes.”
“Hon, would you mind hanging that old mirror for me today? I'm afraid Otter will chase whatever that thing in the barn was, and run into it.”
“I’ll get right on it this morning, really I will.”
Chapter 19