Mary knew that the time was approaching for her to leave the Banks'. She had been given the morning off, so she had gone for a walk in the park with Bert, and he had insisted that he escort her home. They stood before the door of number 17 Cherry Tree Lane.
"I had a lovely time, Bert, and I'll see you tomorrow," she said brightly. The following day would be Tuesday, and she would get the whole day off. Taking one of her hands in his, he brought it to his lips, kissing her gloved fingers. He released her hand with one of his broad, lopsided grins, and turned to go, when from the house there came a great crash and much screaming. They both started and their eyes met with almost identical expressions. Quickly jumping into action, they opened the front door and shouted the children's names.
"Michael, now look what you've done'" they heard Jane exclaim.
"Me? You had the other half of it!" Michael protested.
Then there was the voice of Mrs Brill. "Never mind who's fault, let's just clean it up."
Ellen could be heard next, saying, "I knew this weren't a good idea, I said so, didn't I?"
Mary darted across the entry, Bert close behind, and flung open the door to the kitchen, from whence the voices came. Upon opening the door however, she could not keep the shock from her face. All four in the kitchen stood covered head to toe in white powder which settled over the whole of the kitchen, a large burlap sack marked 'Flour' in the middle of the floor, between Jane and Michael.
Everyone was completely silent, the four staring at Mary, while she and Bert gazed around the space, now appearing rather like it had snowed. From behind her, Bert broke the silence by beginning to laugh. Jane and Michael were the next to giggle, soon joined by the hearty laughs of Mrs Brill and Ellen, and at last even Mary Poppins smiled, her musical laughter joining the rest. Mary raised her right hand and snapped her fingers. The white dust lifted from everything and everyone it covered, hovered in the air a moment, and then shot back into the bag, as the bag stitched itself back together at the seam than had ripped.
Laughter began to die down but smiles still remained. "Now, what were we trying to do with the flour bag?" Mary Poppins asked.
Jane spoke up. "Well you see, Mary Poppins, we thought we'd surprise you and make cookies. But I guess the surprise isn't going to happen."
"Nonsense, we can still surprise your parents, can't we?" replied the nanny. The children nodded vigorously, beaming.
In a few minutes, all six had each taken on a different task contributing to the overall goal of making cookies. Mary Poppins, now in her blouse and skirt covered by an apron with a perfect bow in the back (though everyone was at a loss to explain how she'd changed, as she hadn't gone upstairs and they hadn't seen her do it), Bert (now scrubbed clean of all soot), Mrs Brill, Ellen, Jane, and Michael. Conversation, requests such as "The butter, please", or "I need another egg", and spontaneous laughter flowed easily from all.
Almost an hour later, Winifred Banks waltzed through the door and was met by a "positively heavenly scent", and was shortly followed by Mr Banks, who remarked "something smells delicious!". The surprise did work after all, and both parents and children were delighted.