The World's Worst Fairy Godmother Read Free Page B

no longer had to keep her feet on the ground.
    They waited in silence, except for once when Maybelle sneezed.
    After about ten minutes Susan came out of her house. Her golden hair was done up in a pair of braids from which not a single strand escaped. Her spotless white dress was perfectly pressed.
    â€œGood-bye, mother!” she called in a voice that sounded like honey and sunshine. “I’ll see you this afternoon. I love you!”
    â€œGood-bye, dear,” replied a tired looking woman. She was leaning against the doorframe, and her eyes were bleary with exhaustion. “You look lovely.”
    â€œThank you, mother dearest!”
    The truth was, Susan had been looking lovely for more than an hour. She had refused to leave for school, however, until she thought she looked perfect.
    Mornings were never easy at the Pfenstermacher house.
    As Maybelle and Edna watched, Susan walked slowly along the cobbled streets of the little village—past the bakery, past the candlemaker’s shop, past the house where Dr. Derek Dekter lived and worked. Though other children were on the way to school as well, Susan did not walk with them. And none of them called out to her to join them. In fact, they seemed to go out of their way to avoid her.
    Near the church sat a blind beggar. He was holding a tin cup in front of him. Flouncing up to the beggar, Susan looked around. She waited until the woman who was sweeping her front step on the other side of the street glanced up, then pulled a coin from her pocket. “Oh, gracious!” she cried dramatically. “A poor, blind beggar. I must help the dear man!”
    Smiling, Susan threw the coin into the beggar’s cup with such force that the clink could be heard up and down the street.
    â€œThere,” she said loudly. “That’s good.” Looking upward, she added piously, “After all, we must be ever mindful of those less fortunate than ourselves.”

    The woman across the street rolled her eyes. With a snort, she went back into the house and slammed the door.
    For just an instant, Susan let her shoulders slump. Then she straightened her back so that her posture was once again perfect and continued toward the school.
    â€œWhy did that woman give Susan such a nasty look?” whispered Maybelle.
    Edna sighed. “Really, Maybelle. Sometimes I think you’re hopeless.”
    â€œBut Susan did a good thing.”
    â€œSusan only gave that beggar some money to make herself look good.”
    â€œNO!” cried Maybelle in astonishment.
    â€œYes. Now come along. We need to have a little chat with Susan’s mother.”
    Mrs. Pfenstermacher had already gone back into her house. This did not stop Edna, who simply marched up to the door and knocked firmly three times. She counted to six, then quickly stepped aside, so that when the door opened a slightly surprised Maybelle found herself facing Mrs. Pfenstermacher.
    Looking past the frazzled woman, Maybelle could see that the house was considerably tidier than most places in heaven.
    â€œYes?” asked the woman.
    â€œUh…” said Maybelle, painfully aware that Edna would be listening to whatever she said. “Uh…”
    Edna poked her.
    â€œUh… it’s about your daughter!”
    Mrs. Pfenstermacher looked suspicious. “What about her?”
    â€œUm, she’s very… she’s very… nice!”
    Mrs. Pfenstermacher’s eyes widened. “Do you really think so?” she asked. She sounded quite surprised.
    Maybelle felt as surprised as Mrs. Pfenstermacher looked. “Well, yes, I guess so.” She paused, then asked, “Don’t you?”
    â€œOh, of course!” said Mrs. Pfenstermacher quickly. “But something about Susan seems to—well, to upset people.”
    â€œIn what way?” asked Maybelle.
    Mrs. Pfenstermacher looked sad. “Well, she doesn’t seem to have any friends. In fact, most of the