“Winifred! My God!” Dad and Scott come running. Dad picks me up. Scott’s expression looks like thunder as he snatches open the door.
Daria’s face is white, her eyes terrified. She sees my bloody shirt, screams and faints.
Weasel comes running from the bedroom. “Daria!” She scoops up her daughter. “Otis, Otis, get off the phone!”
Dad carries me into the bathroom. It’s a relief to get away from them for a few minutes.
I hug Dad with one arm. “I’m so glad you’re home! Tell me everything.”
“Let’s get you fixed up first.”
My cheek throbs. I’m afraid to move my bloody hand and look in the mirror.
Dad sits me on the sink, gets a washrag and turns on the water. “Come on, Win. Move your hand.”
“I’m afraid to.”
“I’ll hold pressure on it.”
Dad turns me away from the mirror. He washes the wound, but I can tell he’s worried. I hold still and try not to cry. Finally he says, “Hand me the aloe vera.”
I do as I’m told. I turn to see my face.
“Don’t move. I want to get the bandage on to stop the bleeding.” He gently dabs on the aloe.
“Ooohh, it stings!”
“It’ll only last a minute.” He puts on a butterfly bandage. “We need to call Doc Waverly. He might want to put in stitches.”
“How big is it?”
“Little over an inch.”
“I don’t want stitches in my face for the wedding,” I moan.
“How did you fall?”
I shrug. “You know me.”
I want to tell him everything that has happened and talk to him about Mom. Suddenly, I realize it can wait two more days when we can be alone.
Dad looks me over from head to foot. “You look different.”
“You haven’t seen me for two weeks.”
“You’ve lost weight. Have you been eating?” Dad kisses me on the forehead.
“When I have time.”
“I missed you,” Dad says.
“Don’t ever leave me again.”
“Not on your life.”
“Can I see the stallion?” I ask.
“You’re a mess. You need to change your clothes. I’ll get some from the attic.”
“No! Er, I don’t want to wait another minute to see the horse. I have clean clothes in the laundry room that I haven’t taken upstairs yet.”
I slide off the counter, a little dizzy.
“Stay here.”
He returns with a clean shirt. “Thanks, Dad.” I smile. Ouch. Smiling is not good.
We walk through the hall. My legs are shaky so I grab Dad’s arm. We pass the
living room. Daria’s parents fuss over her. I’ve never seen her look so happy. Claire drops Daria’s hand and rushes up to me.
“Winifred, are you all right?”
“I will be.” I don’t tell her about my wobbly knees.
Dad leads me to the front porch. “Sit down, Win. I’ll bring out the stallion.” He hurries to the trailer.
Scott follows us out and whispers in my ear, “Daria deliberately tripped you.”
“What?” I melt when I stare up into his face. He looks even better than I remember. My heart does gymnastics inside my chest.
“Please, don’t say anything.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t want to spoil this moment. We’ve worked very hard and saved a long time to be able to buy this horse.”
Dad opens the trailer’s back doors and disappears inside. He walks out proudly, leading the stallion. The horse takes my breath away. He’s the most beautiful bay I have ever seen, shiny brown with a black mane, tail and stockings. A white diamond shines on his forehead. He snorts and tosses his long mane, feet prancing. His muscles ripple in the dusk.
“He’s magnificent! What’s his name?” I ask.
“Romero.”
I laugh and wince. “It suits him.”
Mr. Dudley comes onto the porch. “Handsome animal, Charles. Come in and tell us about your trip.”
“I’ll be in after I stable the horse.” He leads Romero around the corner.
I sigh with happiness. Our Paso Fino stock is going to be fantastic.
When I stand up, my cheek pounds and my eyes blur.
Scott grabs my arm. “Easy there. Let me help you.”
“I need a drink of water,” I whisper.
He puts his arm around my shoulder and we slowly walk into the kitchen. Warmth radiates from his body. I like this boy thing.
Scott gets me a drink. His brown eyes bore into mine and warm waves sweep up and down my spine. “What’s been going on?” You look terrible,” he says.
“Just what a girl wants to hear.”
“Tell me.”
So I do. Except about Fairy Godmonster.
“You need to tell your father.”
“What good would it do?”
Scott says, “I don’t know. It’s kind of awkward with them being David’s new in-laws.”
“I’m trying to be mature about this. I don’t want to worry Dad. I can muddle through two more days. It’ll be busy tomorrow. The wedding people will be swarming all over to set up.”
“I’m going to keep my eye on the brat. And I’ll help you as much as possible,” says Scott.
“Thanks.” I wish I could tell him how good he looks.
Dad comes in the back door with David and John. David is so excited he can hardly
get his words out fast enough.
“Wait until you see it!” he exclaims. “It’s my best work. I could never have done it without John.”
John laughs. “His brain, my brawn.”
David sees my face and strides over to me. “What did you do now?”
Those are David’s famous words. I was a clumsy child, my mind faster than my feet. He always fixed me up.
“Tripped. When do we get to see the garden?”
“Let’s get the rest of the family so I can show you together.” He practically runs into the living room.
The Dudley’s meet us in the kitchen.
Dad looks around. “I’ve never seen this house look so good, Erminia.”
“I’ve done my best,” she says.
Claire stares at her mother in shock. “Winifred is responsible for how the house looks, Mr. Smith. She’s done it all.”
Weasel sniffs, “She’s been very helpful.”
“My Win did all this?” Dad asks. He looks at me. Pride shines in his eyes. Warmth spreads through my whole body. I feel so good. It’s worth all the hard work and sore muscles.
David pulls on Claire’s hand. “Come on!”
We follow them out the back door. All the barricades around the garden are down.
David says, “Please don’t talk until you have seen everything. I want you to experience it.”
I stop, unable to breathe. Thousands and thousands of tiny white lights nestle in the trees, plants and flowers. Like all the stars fell out of the sky and landed in the garden. Magic. I swallow hard. Oh, Mom, I think. It’s like heaven.
Instead of being bunched together, the benches are scattered separately among the trees and shrubs. They look like they have been there for years. I can’t even see them all.
David leads us down a curving path of moss that has white, star-shaped flowers. I walk on the delicate blossoms and they squish into the moss unhurt. The path leads to one bench, then around to the next and the next. It continues to wind around the benches until it comes to an end.
I stare in awe. In front of the white lilac tree under my attic window, is a heart made of twisted vines and stems. Tall, wide and about five feet deep, it rises from the grass like it’s growing out of the ground. On each side are plants in different heights, all with white blooms and real-looking white birds.
Claire whispers, “Oh, David, it’s perfect.”
Dad pats David on the back. “Beautiful. Well done, Son.” Dad shakes hands with John. “Terrific
job, young man. If you ever decide you don’t want to be a lawyer, I’m sure David will hire you.”
“Thanks, Mr. Smith.”
“Win, come and stand under the heart.” David grabs my hand and leads me inside. He turns me around.
I can’t believe what I see. Every bench in the garden has a view of the heart, yet they don’t distract from the garden itself.
“How did you do it?”
David laughs. “Inspiration and hard work.”
“Come look, Claire,” I say.
Claire turns and sighs. She touches David’s cheek with her hand. “Thank you, David.”
I look at Weasel. I know she’s trying hard to find something to complain about. She says, “You will have to be careful, Claire, walking in heels on this moss.”
Mr. Dudley shakes David’s hand. “Fantastic job.” He kisses Claire on the head. “You are a very lucky girl.”
Daria is quiet for once.
I hug David. “You made the garden even better.”
“Thanks, Win,” he says hugging me back.
My cheek throbs. “I need to go to bed. Tomorrow is going to be a big day.”
Dad says, “Sure you don’t want to see the doctor?”
“I’m fine. As much as I’d like to hear about your trip, I think I’d better get some sleep.”
Scott says, “I’ll help you upstairs.”
I smile at him. “Thanks.”
We reach the upstairs hall and I stick a hand in my pocket. No key. Whoa. Fairy Godmonster will have to let me in the attic. I can’t let Scott know about her.
“You don’t have to walk me to my door. It’s not like a date or anything.”
He smiles.
I lock my knees so I don’t fall down. My words come out in a croak. “You need to unload your stuff from the trailer. Dad could use your help.”
“You sure?”
“Go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight.” He whistles as he leaves.
I can’t wait to talk to Jac about Scott when she gets home tomorrow night.
Knocking on the attic door, I wonder how Fairy Godmonster is going to unlock it. I hear the click five minutes later.
“CRIPES! I knew I wasn’t eating enough red meat,” she groans. She examines one claw. It’s missing the sharp point.
“Does it hurt?”
“Of course not.” She looks up. “What happened to your face?”
I go to the mirror and peel up the bandage. I gasp when I see the cut. I hold in the tears.
“Who did this to you!” Fairy Godmonster’s eyes flash black.
I’m glad she’s on my side. I tell her everything.
“That child and her mother will regret their actions before I leave here.”
“I’m really worried about the key,” I say. “No one can come in here and see the hot tub or you. What am I going to do?”
Fairy Godmonster glares at the whip lying on the bed. “Wretched thing.” Her eyes glow purple. “How about a trap?”
I laugh, even if it hurts my face.
How did I know what horror was to follow?
Chapter 23: Danger! Disaster Ahead
Fairy Godmonster gets a large plastic bowl from her NTMT chip.
I ask, “What are you going to do?”
“Keep the brat out. Fill this bowl with water.”
I do as she says and return from the bathroom to find handcuffs and other creepy devices hooked together and hanging over the door. She sets the bowl of water into the thing and hooks a dangling wire from it to the doorknob.
By the time we finish, I can hardly keep my eyes open. I collapse on the bed and fall asleep instantly.
It’s still dark when a noise wakes me up. I look at the clock. One.
The door creaks and opens an inch.
My heart leaps to my throat. I can hardly see with the clouds covering the moon. I put my hand on Fairy Godmonster’s mouth. She wakes with a start and grabs my neck in a flash.
“Urrp.”
“Sorry,” she whispers, letting go.
I point frantically to the door. She glides to her motorcycle and pushes it toward the window.
Creeping out of bed, I whisper in her ear. “You can’t start the motor.”
“I don’t need the motor. It’s just for show. If I can get it out the window, I can fly away.”
“What about the hot tub?”
She whispers back. “I doubt it will be noticed. Keep the lights off.”
Creak. The door opens farther. The bowl wobbles overhead. WHOOSH! Water splashes all over Daria and Godzilla.
“EEEKKK!” Daria slips to the floor.
MEOWWRRR!
The cat jumps out of Daria’s arms. The bowl clatters to the floor.
Fairy Godmonster has half of the Harley out the window. Her muscles strain to hold it. She hurries to climb out, fox tail twitching. Godzilla leaps through the air and bites down on it.
“CRIPES!”
I reach for the cat. Too late. Fairy Godmonster tumbles out the window taking Godzilla with her.
What happens next is like a slow motion nightmare. The motorcycle, Fairy Godmonster and Godzilla crash through the top of the wedding heart with a sickening crack. Bushes and flowers smash. Godzilla hangs on until Fairy Godmonster hits the ground then jumps under a bush.
Fairy Godmonster flies away without starting her motor.
The cat howls.
I freeze in shock at the destruction below. Lights go on outside.
Daria drags herself off the floor and rushes to the window. She pushes me out of the way screaming, “Gazella! Gazella!” Something slips from her hand out the window, but I can’t see what it is in the dark.
She turns to me in frightened horror. “You threw her out the window! I was coming
to apologize and you killed my cat!” She runs from the room screeching, “Mommy! Mommy!”
“Wait, Daria. Your cat jumped out the window.”
She’s gone.
I close the door and sit on the bed. What am I going to do? I don’t think there is anything in Mom’s diary that covers this.
I stare at the hot tub. No way can I hide it.
I leave the room and close the door. Slide down to the floor and wait. I can’t leave the bedroom unlocked without protection. I hear lots of noise, but I don’t go downstairs. What can I say? I hope Fairy Godmonster got away, but she can’t help me now.
I cringe when Dad stomps down the hall. I’ve never seen him so mad.
“What were you thinking?” he yells. “Why would you destroy the wedding decorations? The heart can never be fixed in time!”
“What are you talking about?”
He shoves the key to the attic into my hand.
“I found this on the ground outside. Near the heart.”
“I don’t know how it got there. I lost it this morning,” I say.
“Daria says you threw her cat from the window!”
I stand, furious. “I didn’t! I tried to catch her!”
“Were you trying to blame the cat for the destruction?”
“One cat couldn’t do that much damage, no matter how big she is!” I yell back.
“Luckily, the cat is unharmed.”
“Dad, how can you think I would throw a cat out a window or ruin David’s wedding?”
He still doesn’t look into my eyes.
My heart turns to stone. “Dad, look at me! I never lie to you.”
He says, “There’s no other explanation. We saw no animal tracks. Everyone else was in bed.”
I scream, “Daria wasn’t in bed!”
“She’s a child.”
“She was sneaking into my room in the middle of the night.”
He scowls. “It’s obvious that you don’t like your future in-laws.”
“I love Claire. Her dad’s okay. You don’t know what it’s been like since you left. I worked day and night. I had no help, except with the horses. David was too busy with late shipments and was gone
. John had to study for exams and Claire’s mom kept her busy running errands.”
He interrupts, “I was hoping you would grow out of your melodramatic stage, Winifred.”
“I’m not being melodramatic. Daria stalked me. Her stupid cat got hair on everything. She even spit up on me.”
“Daria said you left a water trap over your door. Why would you do that?”
He’d never believe the truth. “I needed privacy.”
“Who destroyed the heart? I don’t understand any of this. I have no other choice but to ground you.”
I can’t believe this is happening. “If I did this horrible thing you are accusing me of, how did I get back up here with everyone downstairs?”
He shakes his head, his face gray with tension. “I’m asking you to remain in the attic until the wedding. Your meals will be brought up to you. You can be at the rehearsal and that’s all. When we go to the rehearsal dinner at the restaurant in Salem, I want you to stay home.”
I stare at Dad, mortified.
“Dad, do you know how embarrassing this will be for me?”
“You should have thought of that before you set the trap.”
“I was protecting myself. Did you know Daria tripped me and that’s why I fell on the porch?”
“What? Why would she do such a thing?” asks Dad.
“Ask her. Better yet, ask Scott. He saw her do it.”
Dad jaw tightens. “For the safety of all concerned, I’d like you to stay in your room, except for using the bathroom. Don’t make me lock you in.”
“What about the horses?”
“I’ll take care of them. Two days without exercise won’t hurt.” He turns away.
“Dad, please don’t do this,” I plead.
“Don’t make this any harder than it is, Winifred.”
“Mom would have believed me. Did you know she left me a diary?”
Dad pales.
“What?”
“A book that explains her life, her beliefs, how she faced possible death during childbirth.”
He sags.
“Thanks for telling me, Dad.”
“I’m not up to your sarcasm tonight or any more discussion. I’m sorry. We’ll talk about your mother after the wedding. Tomorrow will be a circus. I can’t worry about you. Please, stay in your room.”
My Fairy Godmonster Page 12
