Since arriving at The Emporium all it had done was sulk, and it seemed very good at doing it.
“Girl,” Thrumps began gently.
The child folded her arms and turned to face the wall.
Thrumps sighed, this was not going to be easy. He tried to put it all in perspective. She was a changeling-gone-wrong. Apparently, he had once refused her entrance and so she had tricked a fire sprite into burning down The Emporium. But the Fairy Queen wanted rid of her so struck a deal, of sorts. All he had to do was swap her back and all would be well. Easy-peasy … right?
Time for tea he thought and put the kettle on. Making a big thing of it, he clattered his best China cups and saucers onto the table followed by the most enormous chocolate cake you could imagine. There was one thing to be said for all this magic living kind of stuff and that was never having any need to go shopping. All he had to do was to think about what he wanted and it would be there ready and waiting.
It was obvious that the child knew it was there, I mean how could she not, the whole room smelt of chocolate, icing and vanilla cream, but she would not budge. In fact, Thrumps thought the whole place smelt like some kind of bakery. He carefully drew the curtain aside and peered into the shop.
Sure enough it was now some kind of cafe, not a modern establishment but one of old charm and grace. Lace doilies on ornately decorated plates, silver cutlery, real cotton napkins and sugar cubes in glass jars, all sitting on round tables covered in linen cloths.
The grandfather clock, he didn’t know he had struck 4pm.
“Time for tea,” the waitress announced as she bustled about unlocking the doors. Thrumps knew he’d not had any staff before, but apparently, he did now.
“Ummm …” he mumbled in her direction.
“Gladys,” she said cheerfully. “Ohh Mr Thrumps, you’ll forget your own name one of these days.” She giggled and busied herself behind the counter.
It wasn’t long before the place was heaving, with people queuing halfway around the block for a table. Thrumps watched enthralled as one by one the customers chose a cake, took one nibble and disappeared only to return again before their tea had even had time to cool. Smiling they would settle the bill and leave, obviously a lot happier than when they had arrived.
“Gladys …” Thrumps began cautiously, watching as she wheeled the cake-trolly back behind the counter, where it was magically replenished. “Where do they go?”
She put her hands on her hips as if thinking really hard.
“I don’t know,” she started. “But every cake holds a wish and every bite makes it come true. They always look the better for it when they get back.” She laughed.
Thumps couldn’t argue with that so he simply settled himself behind his desk to watch things as they unfolded. The candle instantly lit itself, and the fire spirit flickered with anticipation.
There were too many people to describe them all but one table caught Thrumps eye, but not for any obvious reason. The lady looked kind of familiar, as if he’d met her before. The young lady that accompanied her seemed shy, almost as if it was all too much for her.
“Stop fidgeting.”
“Yes Maam,” she replied sweetly.
Her mother sighed. “That girl will be the death of me.” She told Gladys as she pushed the trolly to their table. “She is such a little goodie-two-shoes, she is positively boring. Why-oh-why was I so dammed as to have a daughter with no gumption what so-ever?”
Gladys knew it was a rhetorical question, so just smiled.
The cake of choice was chocolate.
As the girl removed her bonnet and gloves Thrumps knew why they were there, or at least he hoped he did. Holding the tiny silver forks in their hands they took a morsal simultaneously and blinked out of the shop. They seemed to be gone a little longer than most people and Thrumps was beginning to wonder if they would come back. Letting out a sigh of relief when they did, he also wondered what the wishes were.
“Will they tell?” He asked Gladys.
“Tell what.”
“What they wished for?” She shrugged. “Don’t think anyone has ever asked before.”
“Excuse me ladies.” Thrumps said bowing slightly.
“I am the proprietor of this fine establishment and was wondering if I might have the presumption of enquiring as to the wishes that were just made?”
“We are not at liberty to say them aloud or they will not come true.” The lady replied.
That made sense after all everyone know the same applies to birthday wishes when candles are blown out. “But …” she went on. “I suppose we could write them down, but just for your eyes only.” She insisted they would have to be burnt as soon as he had read them.
Thrumps handed her the Book of Un-reality and a beautiful self-replenishing ink pen.
I wished for a daughter more like me she wrote.
Turning the page he handed it to the young lady. As she looked up her clear blue eyes were unmistakable. He smiled at her, hoping beyond hope for the answer to his prayers.
I wish to be a fairy princess.
Ripping the pages loose, he held them to the fire sprite and as the wishes were consigned to ash it vanished.
After locking the doors at midnight, Thrumps searched everywhere just to make entirely sure, but the sulky little urchin was nowhere to be found.