Little Fairy Girl

another Creative Writing assignment and again i could expand it into a book.

Maryellen walked into the grocery store with her empty bag and patiently waited in line to the counter.  She looked about the room in her usual dreamy manner noticing small things such as Louise’s new pretty blue dress: I shall have to remember to compliment her on it, she thought idly, or Mr. Baker’s new hair cut, which did not become him well.  It made him look like and overgrown, brown mushroom.  Her turn in line came and she smiled brilliantly.

            “Hello Maryellen, what can I do for you today?”  Mr. Honeycutt said politely. 

            “Well,” she said, “I am running low on eggs, butter, and flour.”  He nodded and went behind the counter.

            “I’ve got the butter and flour, I’ve run out of eggs, but I’ll save some for you for tomorrow morning.”  Mr. Honeycutt said jollily as Maryellen put the butter and flour in her bag and smiled.

            “I think I shall have enough eggs to bake my bread for today so that is very well.”  She handed him her coins for her purchases and left.  She passed Louise on the way out and remembered to compliment her.

            “Oh my dear, Maryellen, have you heard about poor Caroline?” Louise said breathlessly.  Maryellen put a hand to her chest.

            “Caroline? No I’ve heard nothing of her.”  Louise brought her hands up dramatically ready to pass on the gossip.  Louise is a firm believer in the benefits of gossip even though Maryellen was not, Caroline was very dear to her and she had a family.

            “Well then, I just must tell you.  As you know she’s been ill this past week, but last night the illness took her, leaving her husband and little girl behind.  I’ve heard nothing from them.  They keep to their house, in mourning I presume.”  Louise, though a terrible gossip, knew when to sound sad at the telling of this news.   Maryellen had a hand across her mouth horrified.  Poor, poor Caroline, poor Mr. Jakob Pieser.  He just must be so distressed.

            “Excuse me Louise I must see the family immediately.”  With that she picked up her skirts and fled basket of flour and butter and all.

            She arrived at their door in such disarray that she took a moment to collect herself.  She rang the door bell.  One of the maids answered; you could see in her face the sadness in her heart.

            “May I speak to Mr. Pieser or Miss Pieser?”  She said sadly.  The maid looked at her a moment then asked her to wait in the entry hall.  It was a very nice house all in all.  The cherry wood floor buffed to a shine, the tables matching the floor perfectly as if they were from the same tree.  The maid returned saying that Mr. Pieser would not see anyone but the little Miss said she did not mind.  The maid brought her into the drawing room where the little Miss was waiting by a window, the expression on her face so terribly blank.  Miss Pieser looked at Maryellen as she walked in, there was a brief look of recognition but then the expression went back to blank.  Maryellen walked across the room to stand beside her.

            “Dear, dear Aideen I’ve just heard of what has happened.  I am sorry to hear it, Caroline was a wonderful person.”  Aideen just looked at her.  “How do you fare? Oh not well of course.  I’ve come to see if you and your father are in need of any help.  At least until you are old enough to take care of things yourself.” Twelve is such an unstable age.  Maryellen thought.  Aideen again just stared at her.  Maryellen bit her lip.  “Is there any chance I may speak to your father?”  Aideen thought for a minute then walked out of the room.  At a loss Maryellen followed.  Aideen brought Maryellen to her father’s study and lightly knocked on the door.  There were footsteps then the door opened to show a very worn down Jakob.  Aideen turned and walked away without ever saying a word.  Maryellen watched her go.

            “Miss Bethly…” Jakob said slowly.  He tried to smile but it was pained.  “I am surprised to see you here.”  He opened the door to his study wider letting her come in.

            “I am sorry to disturb you.”  She said earnestly walking in.  “But Caroline was my friend and I wish to help her family anyway I can.” Jakob walked around to a chair by the window.  Maryellen sat across from him.  “Aideen is still very young to take on the responsibilities of her mother.  I thought that I would come help her and you until you have no need of me.  Of course,” she added quickly, “Only if you wish.  I do not want to come where I am not wanted.”  This time the smile Jakob gave was not as pained.

            “I would very much appreciate that Miss Bethly.  I believe you are right.  Aideen is still yet very young.  Twelve,” he said quietly, “too young an age to lose one’s mother.” His voice strengthened as if steeling himself. “Aideen has not spoken much since the death of her mother and I believe she may need a women’s help to overcome this.  This makes your arrival even more welcome Miss Bethly.”  Maryellen straightened in her chair.

            “Please call me Maryellen, or Mary if you wish it is easier.”  She smiled. “I shall come every afternoon; help teach Aideen how to keep house, get everything ready for dinner, and I’ll spend some time with her and let her come at her own pace.  It will let her heal better.”  Jakob whole heartedly agreed.

            “Thank-you very much Mary, you may call me Jakob if you wish.” He smiled and though it wasn’t too its normal happiness, it was still genuine.  Maryellen smiled back.

            She came back the next do and helped Aideen with the house keeping.  Aideen followed her direction absolutely but never once did she say a word unless she must.  Maryellen found it troubling.  A girl of 12 should be very sociable and effervescent.  Aideen was neither.  She would follow a direct order, but she would do nothing else.  She would not read.  She would not play.  All she would do was stare out the window.  Helping  Aideen became her first priority.

            Maryellen would spend about an hour a day, after all the housekeeping was finished, with Aideen; just talking to her at first then asking questions waiting for responses.  If the questions were yes or no questions Aideen would answer, but if they were more complicated, requiring more than a head bob, she would just stare.  It took about two weeks before Maryellen her to answer a question.

            “I see you staring out the window, little Aideen, you must have a magical imagination.  Do you ever write?”  Maryellen asked.  Aideen shook her head.  “Would you like to?”  Maryellen leaned forward a bit.  Aideen thought about this then nodded.  Maryellen smiled.  “What would you like to write about?”  Maryellen waited though not exactly expecting a response for it wasn’t a yes or no question.  Aideen looked down at the couch between them.

            “…Fairies…” She said quietly.  Maryellen about burst with happiness, she spoke she finally spoke.  Maryellen looked at the clock, disappointed.

            “Okay.  I must go for today but I’ll be back tomorrow and we will work on your writing about fairies.”  She smiled. “Think about it okay so that you know what to write about.”

            Maryellen left that night and went straight to the store buying a bound book full of blank page.  It will be so very exciting to see what she has stored up in that imagination of hers; she thought with a smile.

            The next few weeks Maryellen sat down with Aideen every day for that hour and let her write.  Each day Aideen would talk more and more, excitedly talking about her story and what was going to happen next.  When Maryellen presented her with the book, she glowed.  It was the happiest Maryellen had seen her yet.

            One day as Maryellen was sitting watching Aideen write, she asked the girl what she knew Aideen need to talk about.

            “Aideen honey, what happened to your mother?”  Maryellen already knew what had happened, the maids had told her, but Aideen needed to talk about it or she was never going to heal.  Aideen looked up startled.  Maryellen got up and sat next to her.  Aideen swallowed and took a deep breath.

            “She…she had been sick.  At first it was just a cough, but it got worse. She had to stay in bed all day.  Papa stayed with her all the time.  The night she d-died, I was supposed to bring her, her medicine from the kitchen because the maids were busy.  I g-got distracted and f-forgot” she was talking in hiccupping sobs now.  Maryellen nodded, it was very easy to be distracted when you’re twelve.  Aideen had no idea her mother was dying.  “It-it’s my fault…if-if I had re-remembered she would st-still be here with me.” She broke down then.  Maryellen put her arm around the girl.

            “Aideen honey it’s not your fault.  The maids told me that even if she had, had the medicine the doctor said she was too sick.”  Aideen was lying on her shoulder still sobbing.  Maryellen held her till she quieted.  Maryellen left for that day. Maybe I haven’t helped at all she thought maybe I’ve just made it worse.

            The next day when Maryellen came, Aideen was playing in the front yard with the dogs.  This was the first time Maryellen had seen Aideen outside.  A smile lit up Maryellen’s face.  She turned toward the house and walked in.  Jakob was sitting in the parlor watching his daughter through the window. He was smiling.  He looked up at her approach.

            “Maryellen, she’s playing…outside. Do you see this?” she knew he didn’t expect an answer.  “This must be because of you” he stood and walked to her.  “Thank-you” he said hugging her.  “Thank-you.”

Author's Note

Please comment good or bad I want them!

Reviews

[The Tea Party Mouse.]

You have a way with words, and that is not something everyone has. What kind of book would you think about expanding this into? The only suggestion I have is that it seems a bit too soon for Aideen to be out playing after she unloaded such an emotional burden off of her chest only the day prior. As I mentioned before, though, I think your writing is fantastic.

[DeliriousCerises]

This was just simply enjoyable to read. I felt like Maryellen could've been a real person. If you do expand this, I would definitely want to read the rest. Would it continue to be about Aideen through the view of Maryellen? Maryellen seems very perceptive to what other people need, want, and expect. This is a trait that could easily be overdone, but when you make her doubt herself, that's when she really becomes someone who could exist. I'm curious as to what the prompt in creative writing was.