“It was an unusual wish, actually. She wished that her father and sister would get what they wanted from her. What they wanted was that Nellie not interfere with their comfort.”
“Their comfort?”
“Yes,” Pauline said. “Nellie’s third wish has made her virtually a slave to her father and sister. She can’t leave the house unless she’s sure it won’t interfere with the ease of her family. Look at her.” Pauline turned back to the screen. “She’s much worse off now than she was to begin with. At least she had free choice before you gave her the wishes.”
Berni watched Nellie scurrying from room to room, both her sister and her father hissing at her that she wasn’t moving quickly enough. In the kitchen, when Nellie wasn’t there, Berni could see the maid Anna sneaking in and stealing food to give to a disreputable-looking boyfriend who hid outside. When Nellie was in the kitchen she would call for Anna, but the maid would hide and giggle.
“Why didn’t she use her wishes for herself?” Berni asked. “She could have had anything.”
“You didn’t let her know she had three wishes, and you said her wishes were for what she really wanted. Nellie wants other people to be happy.”
Berni frowned. “What happened to the hunk?”
“He’s still around, and he’s in love with Nellie, but I’m afraid something is going to happen.”
“Such as?”
“Yesterday there was a ball, and Nellie looked lovely. It made Terel very jealous, and—”
“Jealous? Pretty little Terel was jealous of a blimp like Nellie?”
“There is more to a person than fat,” Pauline said. “Everyone in town likes Nellie, and they are happy to see her looking pretty and with a man like Mr. Montgomery. For all Terel’s prettiness, she isn’t nice like Nellie is.”
Berni looked away. On earth there had been times in her life when she’d been eaten alive with jealousy, and it hadn’t been the beauty queens who’d made her jealous but women like—well, like Nellie—who seemed to inspire love wherever they went.
“So what do I do now?” Berni asked softly. “Give her more wishes? Can I override the wishes she messed up?”
“No. What’s done is done. You have to figure out how to help Nellie. It’s up to you.”
A new emotion was creeping into Berni. It was guilt. She’d bragged to Pauline that she’d never hurt anyone in her life, at least not anyone who hadn’t done something rotten to her. But this Nellie hadn’t done anything to Berni, yet she’d managed to genuinely harm her.
“Can I see what’s gone on since I last saw Nellie?”
“Of course.” Pauline waved her hand, and the screen changed back to that evening when Jace Montgomery had first come to dinner.
Berni settled down on a banquette and watched. She saw Jace persuade Nellie to walk out with him, saw him help her up on the wall, saw the way Nellie’s face lit when Jace touched her.
“And she doesn’t even know he’s rich,” Berni murmured. She saw Terel when she heard the news of Nellie’s having spent the day with Jace. Berni winced when she heard and saw the way Charles and Terel berated Nellie for having spent a day out.
“They’re only worried because Nellie didn’t fix dinner for them,” Berni muttered.
“What?” Pauline asked.
“I said they don’t care about Nellie, only about themselves.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because I—” Berni stopped, and her voice lowered. “Because I’ve done the same thing to my sister. All I had to do was tell her she was selfish and she’d do anything I wanted.” Berni looked back at the screen. “If only Nellie were thin…”
“How would that help?”
“I don’t know, but I’m sure all her problems come from her being fat.”
“I’m not sure you’re right. Maybe when you see all of what’s happened, see when Nellie gives her wishes away and—”
She broke off because a woman ran into the room. “A ship’s gone down!”
“Oh, my,” Pauline said, smiling.