A Fairytale Ending

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Magic Retreat House.

Marilyn stared at the ornately painted sign in horror, then sighed. What on earth was Eamon thinking? This weekend was supposed to save their marriage, not drive an even bigger wedge between them.  He knew she hated whimsy and here was a perfect example of all that whimsy represented -  a large sign decorated with toadstools, fairies and gnomes, festooned with butterflies, smiling caterpillars, busy bees with baskets and something that looked like a dancing star. She really wanted to go home now.

Eamon who was grinning widely. She gave him one of her most threatening looks, but he wasn't perturbed in the slightest, so she resorted to rolling her eyes.

“Oh come on, love, don't be like that,” he chided, still grinning. “It's just a bit of fun.”

A bit of fun! Hah. That was a phrase that people used when they knew they were doing something questionable, yet refused to accept responsibility for the consequences. A bit of fun, my arse! Marilyn pulled out her compact, touched up her lipstick, and smoothed her hair. At least, she looked gorgeous. Not that there was anyone here who noticed. She scowled at Eamon but he pretended not to notice.

The drive wound up and around a hillside covered with trees. It hardly looked like there was any house there at all. Perhaps it has burned down and no-one had told them. One could always hope. That thought had only just finished when they rounded a corner and were faced with what Marilyn could only describe as a gothic monstrosity of epic proportions. Mad King Ludwig would have traded one of his castles for this place in a heartbeat.

As they drew up to the end of the drive, the front door swung open and out tumbled a parade of tiny people dressed as gnomes, all waving and smiling happily.

“Take me home now,” Marilyn muttered. “Did you hear me, Eamon?”

“Of course he heard you, ma'am,” said a tinkling voice close to her ear. Marilyn turned her head sharply to see the shimmering shape of an exquisite green and gold fairy.

“But you don't exist!” Marilyn stammered.

“Obviously I do,” answered the fairy. “My name is Esmerelda. Welcome to Magic Retreat House.”

With that she waved her wand over Marilyn's head. The last thing Marilyn saw before she sank into a deep slumber was Eamon's grinning face swimming in front of hers as he said:

“Bye, bye, sleeping beauty. See, I told you this place was great!”

Inspired by a prompt from Cynthia Morris in her quarterly Free Write Fling.