Fairy Godmothers, Inc. flash fiction: Snookums

Snookums
By Jenniffer Wardell

Once the dress was finished, Minerva lifted her skirt and twirled. “See?” she announced, stopping just long enough to strike a pose. “Gorgeous.” Knowing their cue, a nearby servant stopped weeding the flower bed and applauded appropriately.

Finally giving up, Kate gave her client the same smile she always used on Bubbles. The girl had insisted on enough ruffles to make her look like an enormous, particularly fattening cake. She’d also insisted it be lemon yellow, which was turning her skin tone into a very similar color. “It’s great.”

“Of course it is.” Minerva posed again, a haughty expression on her face. “And now I insist you do one for my Snookums.”

The sudden announcement threw Kate, though she was careful not to let it show on her face. “Snookums?” she asked carefully, once again cursing whoever had put the assignment file together. There’d been no mention of anyone that could reasonably be referred to as ‘Snookums,’ and if the client was hallucinating this could be as bad as that assignment with that Thumbelina girl. It was extremely hard to reason with someone who insisted they were only six inches tall. “I’m sorry, but the contract your grandfather purchased only covers one transformation.”

“Oh, nonsense. Grampy knows I don’t go anywhere without my Snookums.” She whistled shrilly. “Come out here!”

At the sudden whooshing noise above her head, Kate immediately ducked. She looked up just in time to see the elephant swoop down and land in a nearby tree, nearly bending it in half under its weight. It was wearing an enormous pink silk jacket, with a matching bow just behind its ears.

Kate stared in horror. “I take it that’s Snookums.”

“Of course. I’ll start a new fashion trend.” Minerva gestured to the servant to throw the elephant a treat. “Make her a dress just like mine. Then we’ll go into the ball together.”

Now that was an image designed to give a person nightmares. “I’ve been to the castle. Snookums won’t fit through the door.”

Minerva pouted, then brightened. “She can wait for me outside. Big romantic moments are always supposed to happen outside, anyway.”

Kate sighed. Clearly, she was going to have to figure out how to hide a flying elephant.