The day nothing much happened 4/4

Mary was most relieved that Lieutenant Moonshine had cheered up again and seemed to think that her idea was a good one. However her surprises for the day were not over yet.

Lieutenant Moonshine put her head out of the office door.

"Polly, put the kettle on," she shouted, "my usual and one with milk and no sugar.”

What are you laughing at?” she asked Mary as she came back in and sat down at her desk.

"Do you really have a fairy called Polly working here?" giggled Mary.

"Yes of course, what's so funny about that?"

"And she always makes the tea?"

"Yes and she's very good at it too. I still don't see what's so funny."

Mary was giggling helplessly. "You don't have another fairy called Suky?" she asked almost crying with laughter.

"No we don't, what a silly name for a fairy," said Moonshine getting quite cross, "whatever is the matter with you?"

Fortunately Polly arrived at that moment with a tray carrying two cups of tea and a plate of biscuits.

Mary drank her tea, which was as good as she'd been promised and ate two of the biscuits.

"I really think I ought to be getting back, I've got to get the family their tea," she giggled, "before they come back from their trip."

"Right, I think we'll send you back on a puff of wind," said Moonshine with rather a strange smile on her face. It wasn't a really nasty smile but Mary had the feeling that she was still a bit cross about her giggling fit and that a puff of wind would somehow help her to get her own back.

"It's the way we usually move Jennifer Jane about and if you're going to be on our books very often you may as well get used to it sooner rather than later."

A fairy arrived with a small wooden box which she handed to Lieutenant Moonshine.

"Good bye," she said, "thanks for your wonderful ideas and enjoy your trip home," then she opened the box.

Mary was blown head over heels, rushed through the air and sat down with a bump in the magic clearing.

"Ouch! Now I know why she was smiling. Still I suppose I was a bit rude giggling like that, but really, 'Polly put the kettle on.'"

She giggled again as she got to her feet and was still chuckling to herself as she came out of the wood into the garden. As she walked towards the house she could see the windows sparkling in the afternoon sunshine. Indoors she found every room spotlessly clean. The curtains that she'd left in the washing machine had been taken out, dried and re-hung at the windows. She went into every room trying to find somewhere that hadn't been cleaned properly. She even rubbed her finger along the tops of the doors. Not a speck of dust anywhere. She couldn't believe that young Jim had been able to do such a wonderful job in so short a time.

She set about getting the tea for the family and was ready just as they both came in.

"Waste of time," said Dave as he flopped tiredly into his chair. "Those cleats were just a pretty picture in an advert, but no good for practical use. What sort of day have you had?"

"Oh the housework's done and I've sorted out a few other problems, but nothing much happened really".