THE MOMENT
"You don't care?" The fairy squeaked in surprise. She hovered in the freshly-painted pink nursery while a very angry mother held her daughter in her arms. Then, she shook her head in annoyance. "It doesn't make a difference to the contract whether you care or not," she said.
"I didn't sign anything!" the mother snapped quietly. The child was sleeping and she was rocking in place on her feet to keep it asleep.
"I don't have time to argue," the fairy sighed and her tiny shoulders slumped. "Good luck," she said suddenly, then she disappeared with a pop of green and golden sparkles.
"Go on, get!" the mother nodded in victory at the empty space. Then she looked down and smiled at her child. "That's the last we'll see of them," she giggled.
"I wouldn't bet on it," a new voice spoke up. The mother looked up and found a pale teenage girl with rainbow hair standing in the nursery.
"Who are you? What do you want?" the mother asked. She turned as much as she could to protect her daughter while still keeping an eye on the new stranger.
"My name is Monday," the teen nodded at the baby. "That child is property of Sharp Development and I'm here to collect her," she said.
"I'll tell you the same thing I told that fluttering child thief that was just here; I don't care about my ex's deal with you! You are not taking my child! I didn't sign anything! You fairies need to update this firstborn shtick you've got going on and take Divorce into account!"
"It's funny that you mention updating...," Monday said. She flicked her wrist up and a large glass square appeared in front of her. She grabbed it on opposite corners and stretched it out wider. Then, she gripped the bottom right corner and swung it around until it hovered in the air facing mother and child. "...because the contract signing was recorded."
There on screen sat the very pregnant mother next to a portly bearded man. They sat in the unfinished nursery with a fairy hovering in front of them.
"I guarantee my firstborn in exchange for the promised riches...," the man agreed loudly; then, he hunched over and signed a document.
"You may not have signed anything, but you didn't seem to object either," Monday said.
"He FORCED me!" the mother half yelled and half whispered.
"Really? I wonder when...," Monday turned and aimed her hand at the display as if she had a remote. "...here maybe?" she asked aloud. The scene changed. Mother and Father were in the nursery admiring their newborn.
"What are we going to do about the fairies?" the mother asked. The father leaned closer into his wife and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
"I'm thinking we should get a divorce...," he said. The mother turned and looked at her husband with wide, hopeful eyes.
"Do you think that'll work?" she asked.
"No, that's not it...," Monday shook her head and paused the screen. "I guess it probably happened before the deal, huh?" she asked the mom with a giggle. The scene changed again.
The man and the woman stood inside the computer room that would one day be a nursery. The woman was seated at the computer while the husband stood behind her looking over her shoulder.
"I found out how to make a deal with fairies...," she said. She turned and grabbed her husband's hand. She stared up at him with pleading eyes. "We can get enough money that we never have to worry about anything for our baby again!"
"How...have you been spying on me???" the mom asked. She was annoyed at being caught and needed to shift the blame to someone else.
"It's in the contract that your husband signed," Monday nodded. "The one neither of you really read."
"What about the things that happened before I signed??" Monday grinned and shrugged.
"It's quite a contract," she said. "And, I have other appointments to get to...," she stepped closer to the baby and the mother pulled it closer and took a step back.
"I didn't sign anything! My ex made that deal, not me!" Monday sighed.
"I've shown you undeniable proof that you were willing to go through this. And you were willing to try and cheat Sharp Development out of its rightful property," she said. "I don't know why you thought your ploy would slip through the cracks."
"You 100% brought this on yourself, you can't blame anyone else for it," Monday said. "Sharp Development understands that it's not easy for a parent to surrender their child; but, I have to remind you. You ALREADY did," she explained.
"I love her, she's mine!!" the mother began to cry; but, Monday shook her head and sighed again.
"Then you should have considered that before you gave her away," Monday said. A rainbow crown of light appeared over her head and she stared at the sobbing woman. She snuggled the baby close; it was awake now.
"Stop crying," Monday said. The woman immediately went silent under Monday's command.
"Give me the child," Monday said. Without hesitation, the woman took two steps forward and gave the child to Monday. The baby began to wail the moment she left her mother's arms.
"Stop crying, "Monday repeated her command as she looked down at the child. It went silent and stared at her with large brown eyes. She looked into its eyes for a moment, then she sighed.
"Faelia," Monday spoke the name and the fairy appeared.
"You got it! Thanks!" The fairy fluttered up to take the baby from the teen; but, the teen shook her head.
"I changed my mind," Monday said. "This contract is complete," Monday said with a firm, commanding voice.
"Deal done!" The fairy nodded, then it disappeared again.
"Your parents are idiots...," Monday told the baby. "...but, they do love you. I just can't have them thinking they outsmarted Sharp Development or a fairy." She stood in front of the mother and her crown glowed brighter.
"Raise a good daughter," Monday said. The woman nodded, then Monday returned the baby. "Forget about fairies and deals; this never happened. But, you will still raise a good daughter," she added. The woman nodded again. Then, Monday left the nursery through a black portal; mother and child stayed behind together.