A Fairy Godmother's Once Upon a Time: Fairy Godmother's once upon a time, #1

Chapter 1

H ey Charley, want to go to the pool with some of us this afternoon? Shayla asked as she kicked her shoes off coming through the door.

I was flipping through the pages of the book dad had just bought me for my fourteenth birthday, it was the first Harry Potter book, and I was dying to read it. Finally, I looked up at her as she plopped down on the couch beside me. Can’t, I promised I would volunteer at Sunny Ridge this afternoon.

Seriously, your only fourteen and you want to go hang out with the old folks? She squealed and I couldn’t help but laugh.

I do actually. I love to see them smile and hear them tell their stories. You should come sometime; you would like it too.

She laughed as she jumped up and shook her head, Charley, you are like my sister, and I would follow you to the ends of the earth, but I’m not going there. Tell your dad, it’s mom’s turn to cook, she said it will be done by seven. I will see you later.

Okay, bye. I shouted as she exited back the same way she came.

Shayla’s dad had run off with another woman about four years ago, and her mom was raising her by herself. Her and my dad had become friends and they shared parental duties; like cooking dinner, taking me and Shayla where we needed to go and so on and so forth. My mom was in the wind with my brother, and we hadn’t heard from either of them since they had left on my thirteenth birthday. It broke my heart and I know it did my dad’s, but we held onto each other, and we were getting stronger each day, but it did help having Shayla and her mom, Selene, so close.

Four o’clock came and I found myself strolling up the sidewalk to Sunny Ridge. It was a beautiful day with the sun high in the sky, a slight breeze, and about eighty degrees. There were residents all over the lawn under the huge shade trees. They were mainly just talking amongst each other, but there were a few knitting, a couple of men playing chess, and some I think were asleep in their chairs. When they noticed me, they all waved and hollered a hello, and I reciprocated.

Hi Charley, Nurse Betty greeted as I entered the main entry way.

Hi. I chirped like a little bird. Where do you want me today?

Actually, Charley I have a huge favor to ask. She wrapped her arm around my shoulder as we began our walk down the hall. We have a new resident; she is kind of grumpy and no one wants to be around her. Her family basically dumped her in here and no one has been to see or tried to contact her.

How sad, I wiped a tear from my eye. I hated that for her in every way, I knew how it felt to just be abandoned.

It’s very sad Charley, we stopped in front of the arts and crafts room, I thought maybe you could get through to her and make her feel more welcome.

Absolutely, what’s her name and where is she? I had a mission, and not just any mission, one that I loved to do more than anything, making people happy and smiling.

Her name is Elizabeth Groundwater, and she is in there She pointed to the arts and crafts room. She stays in here from the time she gets up in the morning until bedtime.

Groundwater? Betty nodded, That name sounds so familiar. We both stood silently for a minute wondering where I might know that name. I finally shrugged and smiled at Betty. I got this. See you later.

I slowly opened the door to the arts and craft room and stepped in closing the door behind me. My eyes glanced around and there was no one else in there but me and a woman sitting over in front of the window looking out. Walking slowly over to her, I was going through all the ways to say hi while being respectful but also lighthearted, maybe that was all she needed, just someone lighthearted to talk to.

Ms. Groundwater? I asked as sweetly as I could walking around in front of her.

She slowly raised her head and I smiled as big as I could, in my eyes she was the very epitome of the fairy godmother. Her perfect white hair in a neat little bun on top of her head, her little wire rimmed glasses, those stormy grey eyes, and elegantly aged face, with the little round cheeks. My smile only grew bigger remembering all those stories dad use to read to me, and the dreams I had had over the years about the fairy godmother.

Excuse me, she grunted as she snapped her fingers in my face and I blinked several times grounding myself back out of the daydream. I asked your name young lady.

I am so, so sorry. I’m Charley. I stuck my hand out, feeling slightly embarrassed for completely zoning out in my own little fairy tale world.

She took it and her little dainty fingers wrapped around mine. Charlotte or Charlene?

Charlotte.

That’s a good strong name Charley. Call me Lizzy, please.

So nice to meet you Lizzy. Mind if I sit a while with you?

She patted the empty seat beside her and finally let a small smile creep across her face. You are the first nice person I have met since I have been here, so by all means take a seat.

I wanted to ask why her name sounded so familiar, but I talked myself out of it and decided to try and make small talk. So, Betty tells me you stay in here all day, is there an activity you like to do in here?

Not anymore. She turned her knowing eyes to me and tilted her head. You are kind of young to be working here, aren’t you?

I pointed my finger inward at myself and smiled, I’m fourteen today actually. And yes, I don’t work, I come to volunteer as often as I can, I love coming here.

Kind of an odd duck, aren’t you?

Who me?

Yes, you Charley, what fourteen-year-old girl willingly comes to volunteer at a nursing home?

It’s a long story. I sighed.

She laughed and I couldn’t help but giggle, she even sounded like what I imagined the fairy godmother would sound like. Child I am not going anywhere; I got all the time in the world so please indulge and old lady.

Chapter 2

Lizzy sat there and listened to me tell her all about my life; my dad, my mom, my brother, school, Shayla, and everything in between. I finally took a deep breath and wiped a stray tear away, That pretty much sums up my life.

She leaned over and lightly patted my back, No child should ever have to endure their mother leaving. I am truly sorry, but happy birthday. And you keep smiling, things will get better.

Thanks Lizzy. I cleared my throat. So, what about you?

Well, she turned her head to look back out the window, My life has been long, some good and some bad memories, but long none the less.

I got all day. I beamed.

She chuckled, Very well then. I was born in England, London to be exact. My father was an officer in the military and was stationed overseas when he met my mother and then I came along. We lived there until I was fourteen and my father decided to retire from the military, and we moved to the states, mom had never been here, and she wanted to go where the movies were made, so we moved to Hollywood. Lived there for four years until mom had all she wanted of big city life, and we left there and moved to Denver. I fell in love with Hollywood so when I graduated in Denver, I left home and moved back to Hollywood. That’s when I found my love for design and decorating. I started working on movie sets for basically pennies, picking out costumes for the actors and helping decorate the sets. After two years of working my fingers to the bone, one of the producers approached me and sewed the seed I needed in my brain to go further in life.

What was that? I asked with enthusiasm, her story was fascinating, and I found myself hanging on every word.

I started going to night school and working the sets through the day. I majored in business management and design. After four years I graduated and the producer who had set me on that path gave me a promotion to actually design some of the clothing the actors would wear and design the layouts of the sets. It wasn’t much and it started with the lower end films, but after another couple of years everyone loved my work so much that I started working on some of the bigger movie sets. That’s when I met the love of my life, Edward Groundwater, he was a screen writer and producer, and it was love at first sight. And boy was he the most handsome man I had ever laid eyes on."

Oh my, where is he now?

I will get there, child, just let me continue. She scolded and I just nodded with my big sea-green eyes. Eddie and I dated for a year, and at the end of the year he asked me to marry him, and I didn’t think twice about it. Six months later we were married and nine months after that we had the first of three children, our daughter, Mary Elizabeth. Eddie didn’t want me working the long hours on the sets anymore, and truthfully, I didn’t want to either with a new baby at home, so I quit, and when Mary Elizabeth was one and I was pregnant with Duncan, Eddie started a business for me out of our home.

Oh my gosh, I can’t believe it didn’t dawn on me, you have the huge kids costume line; cowboy outfits, and princess gowns, and prince charming suits. I couldn’t believe it was her.

That’s right. I also made baby clothes up to one t and when my third child, Layla was born four years after Mary Elizabeth, I started a line of toddler clothes. My business outgrew our small home and seven years after the start of the business Eddie bought a warehouse and we moved everything there.

So, what happened next? I still couldn’t believe that Three Little Groundwater’s was her line of clothing, and I had actually had one of her gowns when I was five.

Life was perfect for years. Eddie continued screen writing and producing, I ran my business, my children grew up, graduated, moved away from home, and got lives of their own. Eddie and I were married for fifty perfect and beautiful years. When he died, I didn’t think I could go on living, the kids had their own lives and were much too busy to find time to come home and see their mother, I barely got to see my nine grandchildren and three great grandchildren, so I decided I needed a change. I closed up my business and put all mine and Eddie’s money in our account and left California without looking back.

So how did you end up here in this small town?

She laughed again, You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.

Try me Lizzy.

I laid a map in my lap, closed my eyes and stuck my finger to it, and well, here I am. She looked around the room and then back at me. I didn’t however plan on moving to a nursing home, if I hadn’t fell and broke my hip when I got off the bus, I would be living in a house somewhere.

Can I ask something? She looked at me and nodded. Why does Nurse Betty and the other’s assume your family dumped you?

Because when the hospital contacted my next of kin when I was injured, my eldest Mary, told them to just put me in a nursing home she couldn’t take care of me. She huffed, I don’t need my children to take care of me. I am as sound minded as you and as soon as my rehabilitation is over, I am out of here.

I am so sorry. Shame on them. I scolded. Well, if you don’t mind, I would love to come visit as often as I could.

You come anytime you like Charley.

I glanced up at the clock over the window and sighed, Lizzy I am going to have to go, I was having so much fun listening to you I didn’t realize it was already after six. Dad will kill me if I am late for dinner.

Go on honey, I will be here. See you tomorrow?

Absolutely. I stood up and before she had time to object, I wrapped my arms around her neck and gave her a quick hug. See you tomorrow, Lizzy.

Chapter 3

Aweek passed and every day was the same routine; I got up, got breakfast, kissed my dad goodbye, went to school, left school, and went straight to see Lizzy and listened all afternoon as she talked about how she got the inspiration about her designs while I did my homework. Then it was home, dinner, watch some tv with dad and talk about my day and then to bed where my dreams I had quit having years before were slowly starting to make their way back into my subconscious.

Sunday finally came and I couldn’t wait to go spend the day with Lizzy; Shayla and her mom were gone out of town shopping, and dad had to work a double so I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my day. That morning I got up and fixed us a lunch, peanut butter, and jelly sandwiches, but still it was the thought that counted. Like every day, Lizzy was waiting for me in the arts and crafts room when I arrived, except that morning she was fooling with some kind of machine I had never seen and a piece of torn material.

Good morning, Lizzy, I greeted as I approached her and sat my lunch bag down. I brought lunch, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

She looked over at me with that big smile I had come to love seeing, You are too sweet my girl.

I rounded in front of her and pointed, What is that, and what are you doing?

This, she held the material up that I could now see was a shirt, this is my favorite blouse, and the washing machine tore it up. And this, she pointed to the contraption. This is an old-fashioned sewing machine, and I am trying to get the thing to work so I can fix my shirt, but my fingers aren’t quite working with me here. Arthritis will get you every time.

I squatted down eye level to the machine and looked it over; there was something magical feeling about it, it was the very thing that could put beautiful things together and I wanted one. Lizzy let me be your fingers, just tell me what to do.

Have you ever used one of these? She asked laying her hand on top of the machine.

Nope, never even seen one, but I am willing to learn, and I catch on fast.

Very well then, she began explaining what every part of the machine was as I watched with enthusiasm. After she had explained she showed me the pedal and where to thread it and she had to walk me through that part, the eye was so small it took me forever to get the thread threaded through. Okay, here you go, follow the old seam line, and hold it like this. Just take your time and don’t get your fingers near that needle.

Taking a deep breath, I placed her shirt near the needle as I lined the seam line up, I placed my foot on the pedal and slowly pumped as the needle began to pump up and down. My fingers slowly inched the material under the needle, and I worked it slowly through until there was no more material left, moving my foot and grabbing the thread, I tied it off like she had told me, and when I held it up and looked it over, not only did I feel a sense of accomplishment, but I also had a thousand ideas starting to fire off in my