Free The Fairy-Tale Matchmaker by E. D. Baker

overhead, Gladys sighed and said, “That would be my son Tom Tom. Shortly after he graduated from school, he was arrested for stealing a pig. He just got out of jail. Can you believe the boy found a job already? He works the strangest hours, though. I’d ask him to watch his brothers and sisters when he’s home, except I know he’d just yell at them and lock himself in his room. Of all mychildren, he’s the most like his father. But then again, he’s the only one I birthed. The rest were all adopted, thanks to my husband. You don’t know who my husband is, do you?”
    â€œI’m sorry, I don’t,” said Cory. “Should I?”
    â€œNo, I suppose not. It’s just that most people do. My husband used to be known as the Pied Piper. He was a young musician when I met him, but he had a way with music. We were married for five years before we had Tom Tom. We wanted more after that, but eventually we realized that wasn’t going to happen. Marvin, my husband, knew how much I wanted them, so he got it into his head that he was going to get them for me. He went to the human world and used his pipe to lead the children here. I did want more children, but I meant one or two! Then he was arrested and went to prison. The authorities left the children here with me. They couldn’t go back to the human world, and somebody had to raise them. I did the best I could by myself.”
    â€œYou raised forty-three children by yourself?” Cory asked, incredulous.
    Gladys nodded. “Of course, they were all different ages when they got here, from little tykes up to teenagers. The older ones helped me with the younger ones. The ones that were old enough to work got odd jobs to help buy groceries. We made do, but it wasn’t easy. So that’smy situation. What do you think?” Gladys said, leaning forward in her chair. “Are you interested in babysitting my children? It wouldn’t be very often—just when school is out and I have to work.”
    â€œSure,” Cory said slowly. “Although I have to tell you up front that I intend to find a career. I’m not going to be able to babysit for long.”
    â€œOh, that’s all right!” said Gladys. “I might not need you for long. A few of my older children are having a hard time making it on their own. Any one of them could move back any day and they’re all more responsible than Tom Tom. I just wanted to find someone who could watch the kids for now and knew our story beforehand so she wouldn’t run off the first time she helped me out. Thanks for coming by. You’ll be hearing from me soon!”
    Cory found herself standing on the walk in front of the house, not sure what had just happened. It had felt as if she was interviewing the woman more than that the woman was interviewing her. At least Gladys understood that Cory wasn’t going to babysit for long.
    But then I don’t want to mow lawns forever, either
, she thought as she landed facing 123 Cozynest Lane a few minutes later. It was a tidy, little brick house at the end of a dead-end street. A well-trimmed hedge surrounded the house, serving as a background for masses of daisies, dahlias, snapdragons, and zinnias. The grass, however,was quite long, reaching almost to her knees. A short, little man dressed in yellow slacks, a flowered orange-and-pink shirt, and a wide straw hat was bending over the flowers, picking the largest and prettiest.
    â€œPardon me,” Cory said, coming up behind him. “Are you Mr. Porcine?”
    The little man straightened suddenly as if startled, and turned to face Cory.
    Cory was surprised to see that he was a pig; not that he looked like one, but was an actual pig with a snout holding up a pair of sunglasses and pointed ears poking through slits cut in his hat. She had met dogs who looked and acted like people, as well as cats, monkeys, a blue dinosaur, and even an alligator, but she