Magical Memories, by Morpher

Chapter 1
Prologue

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Chapter Description: By Morpher. The story has ties with Sebtomato's Parkdale universe.

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Prologue

 

“You’re joking.”

 

“You know I’m not one to joke. I’m being serious, Gerty.”

 

“Gerty,” or Gertrude as most people address her, continues to twirl her pen as she watches Viola from across her desk. “And we’re certain it’s not April Fool’s day?”

 

“Enough of your nonsense.” Viola brushes aside a few of her curly blonde locks as she awaits a real response from her superior. “I’m asking permission to go. That poor family could use my special brand of help, don’t you agree?”

 

“Viola, what they want you to do isn’t possible, at least not outside of Parkdale. Were we to invite them here, then yes, it would very much be possible. But you know how special this town is, how much easier the process is here. Why not let them know that coming here-”

 

“Isn’t an option,” Viola interrupts, much to Gertrude’s annoyance. “Mr. and Mrs. Arast were quite specific: if this is going to happen, they want it to be a truly special experience. And I have to agree with them. What they have in mind is brilliant! Add in a few of my own special touches and it’ll be just perfect.”

 

Gertrude shakes her head. “The technology you’ll need, the precautions you need to take, it’s all going to add up really quickly. Do you have any idea how expensive an operation it would be? How many things could go wrong?”

 

Viola gasps, a hurt look on her face as she brings a hand to her heart. “Do you so doubt me so, Gerty?”

 

“Oh knock it off.” Viola shrugs before she starts to rummage around in her totebag. “Yes, your legendary bag. Tell me, what are you planning to pull out of there today?”

 

“The thing that will make you realize that accepting this job would be of great interest to our lovely little community.” Gertrude blinks as Viola slides a letter over to her, the slightly pudgy woman inspecting it for a moment. “Go on, you know you want to see what’s inside!”

 

“Save it, Viola. I’m not one of your troubled children.” Gertrude rips it open with her letter opener, curious as to what its contents are. Her hands rest upon two folded pieces of paper, Viola now egging her on to read them.

 

Unfolding the first, Gertrude studies the letter addressed to “Nanny Viola” with great interest. Especially as her eyes fall upon a series of numbers about halfway down the page.

 

“Well?”

 

“This must be some mistake. There can’t be that many zeroes.”

 

“But there are. Read on.” Viola’s grin widens, the nanny quite confident that “Gerty” will soon see things her way. She knows she’s already won, and it won’t take Gertrude long before she knows it too.

 

The older woman continues to scan the letter, her eyes absorbing its contents as her heart nearly misses beats on several occasions. Words fail her by the time she reaches “Mr. Jonathan Arast” at the bottom, her eyes simply locking onto Viola’s as she gulps.

 

“Fifteen million dollars.”

 

“Think about what we could do with all that money, Gerty! Think about how far ahead that could push our technology! Do you realize how much that money could help us?”

 

“And,” Gerty has to clear her throat before she can continue. “And you’re certain that this isn’t some fraud?”

 

“The Arast family is one of America’s wealthiest. They have a ton of old money, although I can’t remember exactly from what. And if you doubt me, why don’t you take a look at that?”

 

Gertrude’s hands tremble as she slowly unfolds the creases of the check, her eyes wondering once more if one or two additional zeroes were added to the paper’s amount. “Three million dollars. All upfront.”

 

“And twelve million once I regress the two troublesome twins of the family into nappy-messing infants. There’s something else they want me to take care of too, but for that much money? Gladly. So, what do you think, Gerty?”

 

Gertrude’s eyes close as she lets out a sigh. “Parkdale has never been about the money. But I can’t deny how much this much would help us when it comes to developing future methods. Not to mention, we’ve taken on cases like this before, just here. Alright Viola, I may be insane for agreeing to this, but you have our full cooperation.”

 

Viola smiles sweetly as she shuts her bag. “I’m so very happy to hear that, Gerty.”

 

Gertrude shakes her head, the woman still unable to believe the number mentioned in the letter. “Fifteen million dollars. What did those two do to warrant such an expensive change?”

 

“They didn’t exactly grow up to be the heirs their parents wanted them to be I suppose. I’m still learning a good deal about them from my communication with their parents, but it truly seems that Mr. and Mrs. Arast would like a fresh start with their children.”

 

“So it seems. And I take it you are up for this?”

 

“Of course I am,” Viola says. “How often does a Parkdale Agent get to change twins at ‘Happiest Place on Earth’?”

 

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