Page 297 of Naughty Nelle

CHAPTER 37

One minute, I’m in Shrink’s office; the next, I’m in a cavernous room somewhere in Lalaland, sitting next to Elz and Winnie. Hugs all around. It’s so good to see them again. The compassionate look on their faces tells me they know about the recent tragic events in my life. What they can’t possibly know is the depth of my pain—a fiery, bottomless pit.

I learn from Winnie that I’m attending my first EPA meeting—Evil People Anonymous. It’s a mandatory weekly support group for Faraway alumni who’ve recovered from their addiction to evil.

I’m shocked by how many people are here. And by who’s here. Not surprisingly, I see Hook, Rump, The Wizard, and my sweet Pinocchio. But sitting in the front row are King Midas and his wife, The Queen of Hearts. To the right of them is The Emperor, who blows me a kiss. I also see my old buddy, that green ogre from the dungeon, and my roommate Gothel, who, seated next to Hook, eyes me with distrust. And lastly, Urma the masseuse, who waves to me with all eight arms.

I’m anxious, not knowing what to expect. And then, I get another shock when familiar, heavy footsteps drum in my ears. The Huntsman! What is he doing here? My eyes follow him as he heads toward the podium.

“Welcome,” he says. “Who would like to begin today and share their story?”

The King rises and marches up to the podium.

“My name is Midas, and I’m addicted to evil. My first wife was a social climber. To make her happy, I let a fairy grant me a wish: everything I touched would turn into gold. My wife was thrilled; she couldn’t spend the gold fast enough. Meanwhile, I began to throw my power around, hurting people around me. And then something terrible happened.”

He takes in a deep breath, wiping off a patch of sweat above his brow. I’ve never seen him like this. I’m not sure if he’ll continue. He inhales one more time and, on the exhale, picks up where he left off in a voice that’s now soft and wistful.

“I had a daughter. A beautiful bambina named Marigold whom I loved more than anything or anyone. Every morning, I would start my day by giving her kiss. And then one morning when I kissed her, my bambina turned into gold.”

Bambina.The word echoes in my head as the group gasps. Midas must have been the man who gave me that gold coin. I’m certain now. I’m all ears as he continues.

“I was devastated. I hated myself. I begged the fairy to break the spell. She granted me my wish and Marigold became a little girl again…”

The group cheers.

“But my angry wife ran away with her.”

The group quiets. What a tragic story!

“Did you ever see them again?” asks Winnie.

“No,” says Midas, his voice cracking. “I wanted to end my life when I heard about Faraway. I checked myself in and had the good fortune to learn how destructive my greed was. And to meet my lovely second wife who bore me two wonderful sons.

Only one son now.Fighting back tears, I wonder how The King and Queen have dealt with their loss and pain. I’m sure they’re taking care of Calla. Thank goodness. When I’m ready, I will ask them if I can visit my sweet little girl.

Midas, composing himself, continues. “While I have been blessed with success, I learned at Faraway that the power of giving is mightier than the power of gold.”

The Queen beams at her husband. Now, I understand why the ball was a fundraiser for Faraway.

“Dear, tell everyone about your latest project,” urges The Queen.

“Yes, I almost forgot. In lieu of building a luxury hotel on a site occupied by a former castle, I have chosen to build a school for boys and girls.”

I can’t believe my ears. He’s turning my former residence into a public school. Calla will have a place to learn and be with other children. Maybe they’ll dedicate it to Gallant. The Gallant School for Boys and Girls. His spirit will live in both my heart and my home.

Fraught with emotion, I stand up and applaud Midas. So do the others.

The Emperor volunteers next. Flamboyantly dressed as usual, he sashays up to the podium.

“Hello, dahlings. My name is Armando, and I’m addicted to evil.”

How could my darling fairy godmother be addicted to evil? I find out as he tells his story of how his addiction to clothes caused him to ignore his kingdom.

“I’m the original shopaholic. I changed my clothes every hour of the day. And I wouldn’t be caught dead in the same outfit twice. My palace was my closet.”

He confesses that an embarrassing incident led him to Faraway.

“What happened?” asks Elz.

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