CHAPTER TEN
Luther and Agatha – who had POOF-ed back into their hat and watch disguises on Tootie – watched their godchild throughout the drive back with concern. She had not burst into tears, but she was deathly quiet and expressionless during the entire trip back. If not for the fact that she was breathing, she could have passed for a statue.
After Mr. Flannigan drove the car home, and parked it outside the garage, Tootie got out of the car, but without saying a word, went inside the house, went upstairs, and went up to her room.
"Is something the matter with Tootie?" Mrs. Flannigan asked her husband, "She's been so quiet since we departed from the beach".
"She's probably tired", Mr. Flannigan replied, "I know I am".
"Well, let's all nap for a while", Mrs. Flannigan suggested, "and we can order pizza tonight for dinner. Let's leave the unloading of the car until tomorrow".
"Works for me", Mr. Flannigan agreed.
After locking the car, both of them walked into the house.
Up in Tootie's bedroom, Luther and Agatha POOF-ed back into their fairy forms and looked down at their godchild. Tootie had just gone to her bed to lay down on top of it, but she did not close her eyes. She just stared up at the ceiling without speaking. After a few minutes of silence, Agatha floated down to her.
"Are you all right, Sweetie?" she gently asked.
Tootie turned briefly to face Agatha, nodded, then stared back up at the ceiling.
"It would help to talk it out, you know", Agatha said next, "holding it in can be the worst thing to do".
Sighing, Tootie sat up so that she was sitting – rather than laying – in the bed, then she looked back at her.
"I know that after my Timmy wish earlier this week fizzled, I should have accepted what you told me", Tootie began, "that his heart is with another girl. It's just that seeing them both with my own eyes really hit me hard".
"Tootie", Luther said as he floated down next to Agatha, "love can be both pleasant and painful. It is a strong emotion. I wish at times that we can use our magic more to help those in such pain, but there are some things that we just cannot do".
"I know, Luther", Tootie replied, "but seeing that it is Trixie Tang of all people just makes it harder for me to take!" At that, she started to sob.
Luther and Agatha watched Tootie quietly as she cried herself out. After a couple of minutes, they POOF-ed up some handkerchiefs, which they passed to her.
"Thank you both", Tootie replied after wiping her eyes and blowing her nose, "I'm really sorry for being like this".
"Don't apologize for being human, Tootie", Agatha said kindly, "Emotions are something that defines humanity – and fairies as well. Take those away and we would all be - well – nothing by robots".
"Its ironic in a way. Trixie Tang has – since the fourth grade – treated Timmy like trash", Tootie said, "I thought that would eventually cool Timmy towards her and thus make me more attractive to him, but now it seems that Timmy finally has the girl of his dreams… and it's not me!"
"Easy, dear", Agatha soothed, alarmed by the sudden vehemence in Tootie's voice at that last comment.
"Sorry, Agatha", Tootie replied, after seeing the look of worry on her face, "it just seems so unfair!"
Tootie got up and walked to the mirror. She looked at her reflection in it without speaking.
"Trixie Tang is a pretty person", Tootie said after a couple of minutes of silence, "but I wish that something nasty would happen to her at times!"
"Uh, Tootie", Luther said, "I hope that that last wish of yours is rhetorical, because according to DA RULES, we cannot wish a person to be harmed, maimed, or killed, plus any wish of that type aimed at Trixie would be interference in true love, which DA RULES would also forbid".
Tootie thought about that, then turned back to face Luther.
"If Timmy decided – of his own accord – to break things off with Trixie in favor of another girl, that would be permissible, wouldn't it?" Tootie asked.
Luther and Agatha reluctantly nodded.
"So the question is this: why was Timmy originally attracted to Trixie?" she asked rhetorically before answering, "Because she is pretty".
"Most likely", Luther agreed, "she is that".
Turning to Agatha, Tootie asked, "I can wish to alter my appearance, right?"
"Well, yes, Sweetie", Agatha slowly replied, "but if you're thinking of changing yourself to look like Trixie, that would be a technical violation of DA RULES".
"Why?" Tootie asked.
"Because it would be for the purpose of breaking Timmy away from Trixie, and since our magic would be involved…" Agatha explained.
"Not to mention the fact that two Trixie Tangs walking around Dimmsdale would attract some attention", Luther added, "thus risking our discovery".
"Good point", Tootie replied, but she added while looking back at her reflection in the mirror, "getting rid of my glasses and braces, making my eyesight and teeth perfect, plus having a great hairstyle could be things that you could do, right?"
"Oh, that kind of magically altering appearances is permissible", Agatha said.
"Even enhancing some of my 'curves', if you know what I mean?" she added. Luther and Agatha nodded.
"In that case, please make it so", Tootie wished.
Luther and Agatha raised their wands and pointed them at Tootie. POOF.
"Well", Tootie asked, "how do I look?"
Just then, Brendan POOF-ed in beside his parents.
He started to say, "Hi, Mom and Dad", when he looked at Tootie. His jaw dropped.
"Who is this beautiful young woman?" he breathed.
"Tootie, after a magical makeover", Agatha replied, "pretty good, huh?"
Brendan nodded without speaking.
Tootie turned and looked at her self in the mirror. Her jaw dropped as well at the reflection staring back at her.
"Wow!" she breathed, "I'm gorgeous!"
"It might be an idea for you to POOF your parents into thinking that your new look is nothing out of the ordinary for them", Agatha suggested, "after all, we don't want them finding out about us either".
"Good idea, Agatha", Tootie replied, "Please do so".
As that latter wish was granted, Tootie said, "Maybe this new look will make Timmy notice me".
"He probably will notice you, along with a lot of other boys", Agatha replied, "but remember that it will be Timmy's choice alone to make", she cautioned.
"I understand", Tootie said.
"I hope so, Sweetie, because I don't want to see you hurt", Agatha said.
Brendan said nothing. Tootie really looked beautiful now, but this could very likely alert new Timmy to the presence of Tootie having fairy godparents.
"Uh, Mom", Brendan said, "I left something back with my girlfriend. You mind if I go back and get it?"
Luther and Agatha knew what Brendan actually meant. They nodded.
"Take all the time you need, dear", Agatha replied. Brendan POOF-ed out.
"Tomorrow at the mall, I'll see if my new look will work", Tootie said to Luther, "but for now, do you think we can get back to some ballet training? I'd like to practice that pirouette routine of yours"
Luther nodded. POOF-ing the room back into the ballet studio, Luther got ready to do some more instruction, but he was hoping that Cosmo, Wanda, and Timantha can find some way of heading off a potential problem regarding Tootie's plan…