I was in no better mood when I returned home that night. I had skipped out on Wendy's for the much healthier Subway sandwich (that whole health campaign thing was getting to me) and I was ready to see when a bunch of jalapeno peppers would do for my mood. Turn me into a fire-breathing dragon? Nothing surprised me much anymore. Mr. Maser had apparently disappeared off the face of the earth that day and no one, including Mary, had any idea where he was. Someone suggested naively that he was giving a presentation at a high school. What a wonderful way to scare young and impressionable girls out of the art of beauty. Frankly, I doubted it. His disappearing act had set me in a worse mood than Princess Deanna.

The light was on when I opened the door. Kendra sat on my couch, which had a brand-new slipcover upon it.

"Kendra?"

She smiled. "I have tickets."

I tried to smile back. "I like the new slipcover. Who are the tickets?"

"Rascal Flatts. You know you want them."

Ooh, it was certainly a temptation to break me out of my current mood. "I do love Rascal Flatts. You are my best friend forever."

She tilted her head to the side with a beaming grin that screamed she knew. "Tansy, darling, you seem to be in a funk."

I put a finger to my head in imitation of a gun, not to make light of suicide. "I have an incredibly weird life." Suddenly I had an urge to spill out everything to her. No, she would not believe me.

"Subway," she observed. "You're eating healthy. I thought you were the woman with super-metabolism."

"I don't risk it. And the veggies sounded helpful. Peaceful."

"Just don't make me do yoga."

"I actually find yoga fun!" I set the food on the counter and pulled out a real plate. "Thanks for being here."

"I'm afraid to leave you alone since the break-in," Kendra said. "And lately, you have been so strange. Since this new job. Tansy, I have not even been over to watch you! You are supposed to set me up with a free manicure or something."

I groaned and plopped down next to her, minus my sandwich. "Sweetie, I can give you a manicure and a pedicure and a facial and anything else you want! I have all the junk for it in the closet!"

She slapped me on the leg. "I'm kidding. I'm here for you."

"And I thank you for it. You are wonderful."

She put a pillow in her lap and squeezed it. "So tell me, then. What is going on? If you keep it all in your head will explode."

I did not want my head to explode. "You will never, ever believe me on this."

"Try me."

I closed my eyes and tried to focus. Was there any way to make the story sound believable? No, probably not. "If you are my best friend like you say you are, you must promise to believe me."

She held up her hand. "Scout's Honor."

"Were you in Girl Scouts?"

"No."

I rolled my eyes. A giggle had almost considered coming out. "And if you find it that impossible to believe what I say, at least promise not to call the guys in the white coats or whatever."

"I promise. Spill."

I took a deep breath. "Kendra, my name is Tansy and I am a fairy godmother."

Her dark eyes stared at me. "What?"

"I'm a fairy godmother."

And before I knew it the entire story had spilled out. In the beginning, I had not planned to tell everything. Heck, I had originally planned to tell her nothing. But as the miniscule details of the Salon and the girls and Mr. Maser flowed out there came the drama of Rowe and Mary and even Monica. Monica was the part that seemed to surprise Kendra the most. I must admit, Kendra was an excellent listener. Probably because she was too confused to interrupt.

When I was finished, I laid back, heart pounding. My sandwich sounded really, really good right then, but I would probably puke if I tried to eat it. I had just did the craziest thing I had ever done after entering this entire crazy life. I had told someone normal.

"Wow," Kendra said softly. "Wow."

I nodded. "I swear it's true. I know it sounds made-up but…."

"Tansy, you don't make stuff up. I know you don't. So…" She shook her had. "This is insane. Do you have any proof?"

I thought for a moment. My supply bag was next to the door. "My wand is in there," I said, pointing.

"How am I supposed to believe a little stick is a wand?" Kendra said. The "duh" thing, of course.

"It will do magic," I replied. I pulled myself up from the couch and walked over to the bag. After some rummaging I found the wand, smooth and powerful and, well, boring. Was it proof? I barely knew what to do with it?

It could be like Harry Potter. I squeezed my eyes shut and flicked the wand about. My hair suddenly rearranged itself.

Kendra jumped to her feet. "You were telling the truth!"

I nodded. Now I was smiling. "Some friend you are for not believing me."

"I know. I'm sorry. I shall do penance. Could I see?"

I hung back. "I don't think I should…"

"It does hair. What harm can I do beyond split ends?" She reached for it like a greedy child.

"Just be careful," I said.

It was the dumbest thing I had ever done, except I did not know so at the time. All I knew is at the moment Kendra touched the stupid wand she was out the door, only calling a distinct "I'm sorry!" to follow.

For one weird moment I thought she was joking. So I ran after her, shrieking her name like we were at recess in the fourth grade. But I could hear her pumps pounding down the stairs.

"Kendra!" I screamed.

She rounded a corner into the parking lot, and I slid behind her. I was not used to running. Kendra was a little more athletic than I and I still was not sure of what was happening.

But she jumped into her PT Cruiser and was off. I stood there in the parking lot.

What the heck had just happened?