Diamonds and Toads: A Modern Fairy Tale Read Online Free PDF

before I went
to sleep. I’m actually in some kind of sugar and alcohol induced
nightmare,”—she swung her glance around the room and slapped her
cheek—“I must be.”
    “Don’t be silly, dear, and I see no reason to
abuse yourself in such a manner. Sit still and I shall finish this
business and be off on my next assignment.”
    Delilah’s eyes narrowed. “Okay, if this isn’t
a dream, why do you look like a television character from the last
show I remember watching?”
    The fairy laughed. It was full-throated, yet
gentle. “Why, dear,” she said, “is it not plain? Because it amuses me to do so!” She lifted both hands and snapped her
fingers three times, her thin silver bangles clinking with each new
movement. “Now, listen closely, or all will fall to muck and mire:
Under no circumstances are you to release control of your fortune
to your fiancé.”
    Delilah’s spine stiffened. “Bu—”
    The fairy waved her finger at her.
“Tut-tut.”
    “But Chas is a financial genius—”
    “Yes, dear, but if you give over control, the
fortune will—,” snapping her fingers again, a puff of
patchouli-scented purple smoke burst forth and just as quickly
dissipated, “vanish. Just like that the moment he tries to use
it.”
    “But why?”
    The fairy gave a Gallic shrug. “It is the way
of the magic: It is for you and you alone.” She tapped her finger
on her fuchsia-lined lips. “Unless…”
    “Unless?”
    “Well, there is one way to prevent that
outcome: You must find the key.”
    “The key?”
    “Why, yes, dear. The key to your heart’s
desire, of course.”
    “But, I already know what my heart’s desire
is—Chas.”
    “Precisely. See? You’re already halfway
there!”
    “I—I don’t understand.”
    The fairy patted her lacquered bouffant hair.
“I’m confident you will in time.”
    “How am I supposed to do this?”
    “I cannot say, dear. As the charm is yours,
so is the task of unlocking it.” She stood and moved a couple of
paces away. “Well, I’m off again. Do not forget what I’ve told you,
dear. Ta-ta.”
    In a blink, she was gone.
    * * *
    “So you see, Delilah, it’s probably a good
idea if I try and invest at least, oh, I’d say maybe five million
to start. I’ll just need you to sign over the rights for me to
manage it,” Chas said. He could feel the perspiration under his
arms and made a show of wiping his mouth with his napkin to get the
sweat off his upper lip before she could see it. He slid the legal
documents and the Mont Blanc fountain pen across the white-linen
tablecloth until it bumped her left hand.
    She settled her fork onto her plate with
little sound and then cleared her throat, which put his nerves
further on edge, before she said, “I-I’ve decided to handle the
investments myself, Chas.”
    Chas’s heart dipped into his stomach. “Wow,”
he managed to say with an unconcerned smile, “that’s a big shift
from yesterday when you told me you had no idea how to handle them
on your own. What changed your mind?”
    She looked down at her lap and straightened
the napkin there. “Oh, you know. I just thought it was time to be a
grown up and learn these things for myself.” Finally, she lifted
her gaze to his and smiled. “Now,” she said in a brighter voice,
“let’s plan our engagement party, shall we?”
    “This is really not a good idea,
Delilah.”
    “Chas, don’t worry! It’s going to be fine, I
promise. Do you want to hire an orchestra or go with a DJ?”
    “What if you lose your shirt? It could
happen, you know.”
    “I’ll be careful. Should we have dinner
served by wait staff or serve it buffet style?”
    Chas could do nothing but follow her lead at
this point or risk looking like the fortune hunter he truly was.
“Yes,” he said and put the documents back inside his briefcase
before taking hold of her hand across the table.
    * * *
    Delilah let out an inaudible sigh and did a
quick look at her watch. “Where should we have