Page 42 of Fairy Godmothers Aren't Cheap

“This karmic price list has to be out of date,” Josie muttered. “Carrying someone’s groceries for one block or less: 50 cents. Seriously? Changing a flat tire for a stranger: $1.50. Shovelling a neighbour’s walkway: $0.75. Baking a treat for someone: $0.35. Where are the ideas that are worth more than a buck? And what decade is this list from?” I heard the crinkle of paper, like she was checking the back of the page for more details.

“You guys,” Tamara said in an exasperated tone like we were children, “of course, being a courteous person and doing things such as helping an old lady cross the road doesn’t pay well. It falls under the domain of good citizenry and being a decent human being.”

“Yeah, well, it looks like I’m going to have to become Mother freaking Theresa,” I muttered.

Trying to avoid the temptation to spiral into panic, I performed some quick and dirty mental math. No, that couldn’t be right. I reached into the back and snatched the list, scanning it. These prices really were rock-bottom low. If this was accurate, then a good deed average was closer to seventy cents rather than a dollar. And that meant I needed to perform closer to sixteen-hundred good deeds a day, rather than a thousand. How could I ever do that?

I couldn’t. Plain and simple. In August, I was still going to owe my fairy godmother a big stack of cash that I didn’t have.

“Stop the car.” I reached for the door handle, a tidal wave of panic hitting me, nearly pulling me under. I unclipped my seatbelt before Tamara stopped, my door swinging open.

“Whoa! Where are you going?” Josie demanded as Tamara ran one tire up over the curb in her haste to stop the car for me.

“I need to walk.”

“You okay?” Josie jumped out with me.

“I need to walk.” I began marching, Josie falling into step beside me as Tamara coasted slowly alongside us, windows down. “Just need a minute,” I called, waving Tamara away. “Go ahead home.”

“I’ve got her,” Josie assured her, and after giving me a doubtful look, Tamara complied, pulling away.

Tugging my coat closer around me as the spring wind whistled down the street, I spied a man carrying a box into one of the brick buildings close to our apartment. I jogged ahead to hold the door for him.

Actually, maybe this was going to be a snap. I was a natural at good deeds. Only a couple more thousand left for today.

“One deed in the bank,” Josie commented as we met up again.

I groaned. “I forgot to do the chant thing in my head.”

Estelle had been very clear that I had to empty my mind before performing a good deed, and mentally say that I was acting to pay off my debt with Estelle. I hadn’t done that, which meant the positive energy I’d just created hadn’t been sent to Estelle’s account.

“Next time.”

“This is going to take me forever, and I have less than ninety days.” I turned to her. “You believe in this stuff, right? Could good deeds actually work?” I was nodding, subconsciously encouraging her to echo me in a reassuring way.

She chewed on her bottom lip, and I could see the doubt in her big brown eyes.

I groaned. “This is impossible.” I started marching again, my heels hitting the sidewalk with every step, filled with frustration and anger. Anger at myself, and at Estelle. I thought of my dad and the birthday wish that had betrayed my family’s security. That wish shouldn’t have happened. It shouldn’t have been granted.

Josie snagged my jacket, pulling me to a stop, her look thoughtful. “You need to think bigger. A lot bigger.”

“How do I do that? What’s bigger?”

“Something that helps more than just one person.”

“Volunteer at an animal shelter?”

“Maybe?” She didn’t look convinced, and I continued walking again.

“That’s got to be good karma,” I argued. “It’s for poor abandoned animals. It’s definitely got to be better than baking cookies for a neighbour.”

“Unless it’s for Randy.” She giggled. “That’s automatically worth more.”

I snorted a half-laugh.

“Maybe I could start a charity?” I suggested. Although, I wasn’t sure I had the time or expertise to get one up and running before mid-August. And even if I managed that, there wouldn’t be enough time for it to create the amount of good energy needed to bring down my debt.

“You need a project that benefits many, and can grow like a snowball,” Josie mused.

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