Hotel "Fairy Tale"

[MistyTales]

On 3/26/2023 at 1:17 AM, junyour said:

Great chapter.  I get the feeling that Alex is going Alex might become part of the hotel staff as well, but it is too early for me to say for sure.

Please, keep the story going and I will keep reading.  Thank  you for the update

 

On 3/26/2023 at 4:05 AM, Little_Mouse said:

Does Alex have a plan - or is there another big plan for Alex, Elisabeth and Eva. I'm starting to think Eva is the person Elizabeth referred to as "My mom works at the hotel" in the first chapter. And if so, who are Eva and Arthur really? How old are they? I have a feeling that the reason Eva is smiling in her own room is because she really likes taking care of Ellie and Alex as "siblings" and secretly dreams of being a mother to them as they grow up again. Or keep them as her little happy children for years.….

Looking forward to the next chapter in this amazing story ?

I am genuinely scared to publish the finale of this story because you have suggested so many different possible developments that I fear disappointing you. Well, the ending has already been written.

so, the final part:

 

Alex confidently went to recover. The next evening, the little boy tried to sneak out for a walk, which caused Eva's indignation.

"Alex, have you gone mad?" she exclaimed. "Just yesterday you couldn't get out of bed, and today you're already running off to play in the park," the nanny scolded her charge, caught red-handed in the hotel lobby.

"But I'm already well," the boy insisted. He was determined to spend this warm summer evening in the park, riding his scooter.

"In that case, young man, I'll have to ask Arthur to send you back to an even earlier childhood!" Eva threatened. "One-year-olds are much more obedient!"

The threat of becoming even younger and returning to infancy worked its magic on the boy. The last thing he wanted was to become a one-year-old, confined to a stroller and sucking on a pacifier.

Alex already thought his current age of four was too tender and unsuitable for him. In his opinion, the ideal age would be nine or even ten years old. When you're not so small that you're constantly being told what to do and monitored, but not so grown-up that you have to shoulder all the responsibility. A happy medium!

But he didn't have much choice, and Alex decided to continue enjoying his current four-year-old state, trying not to annoy the nanny.

Ellie tried to keep caring for her friend. Over the past few days of Alex's illness, she had grown so attached to him that she even sometimes called him her little brother. From the outside, it indeed looked sweet and familial, as if an older sister were looking after a baby. But as soon as the boy regained his strength, he firmly declined to be fed with a spoon, help with morning and evening washes, and other procedures that every grown-up four-year-old child should do independently. At first, Elizabeth was somewhat upset, but later she concluded that Alex was better for her as a reliable and cheerful friend rather than a clueless younger brother. Several more days passed until Alex fully recovered from his illness.

On a warm summer evening, as the sun set beyond the horizon and twilight approached the hotel, Alex and Elizabeth had already brushed their teeth and lay in their separate beds, waiting for sleep to envelop their consciousness. They had spent the whole day in the park, where the boy, still a grown man then, first remembered and tasted the carelessness of childhood. Now, Alex lay in his blue pajamas with an embroidered teddy bear on the chest, staring at the ceiling.

"Ellie, are you asleep?" the boy called to his friend.

"No," she replied.

After hesitating a bit longer, Alex continued, "Ellie, what's it like to be little?"

"You tell me, out of the two of us, only you sleep in diapers!" the girl giggled. Despite her love for Alex, Ellie couldn't resist teasing him on such a personal matter. Alex would periodically get upset, but not this time.

"Yeah, I didn't mean that," he went on. "Do you remember what happened to you when you turned two?"

The girl understood that her jokes were inappropriate and that Alex was aiming for a rather serious conversation.

"Yes, I remember absolutely everything down to the smallest detail," she began. "I remember how we played in the sandbox and how you admired my sand swan!"

"Yeah, that was fun," Alex agreed.

"And how you asked me to try to fall asleep in the stroller."

"You were surprisingly obedient back then, not like now," the boy quipped.

Ellie sat up in bed, tucking her legs under her, and looked at the boy, who was still examining the white ceiling.

"I also remember how worried you were about me and said that I was your best friend," added Elizabeth with a smile.

Alex didn't respond, but simply looked at Ellie and smiled.

"And I remember how you tricked me with that disgusting porridge!" Ellie exclaimed indignantly. "I'll never forgive you for that!" The girl dramatically pouted her lips, folded her arms across her chest, and turned her nose up.

"Yeah, that wasn't hard," Alex laughed. The boy sat up in bed, scooped up an imaginary spoonful of non-existent porridge, and, moving his hand towards Ellie, said, "The train goes into the tunnel..." Ellie opened her mouth, pretending to eat the porridge, and the children laughed.

Having calmed down a bit, Alex continued:

"So, who's your mom? You said she works here."

"Alex, you're really like a little kid," the girl replied cheerfully. "I don't have any relatives. Brother, mom, dad who's always on business trips – it's all just a made-up story, a legend so that guests perceive me accordingly," she explained. "You don't think I should introduce myself as Elizabeth – the girl who's 130 years old, do you?" she finished.

"One hundred and twenty-nine," the boy corrected her.

"Well, one hundred and twenty-nine," she agreed and continued: "Today it's one hundred and twenty-nine, tomorrow it's one hundred and thirty, in another year it's one hundred and thirty-one. When you spend most of your life as a seven-year-old child, it doesn't really matter," she said. "You live like a seven-year-old, play with toys for seven-year-olds, eat children's food, and people see you as a seven-year-old girl."

"Must be hard, huh?" asked Alex.

Ellie smiled. "Not at all, you just put your adulthood away in a closet at some point and only open it when you need certain skills or knowledge."

"Have you ever wanted to go back?" asked the boy.

"Where?" Ellie didn't understand the question.

"Well, to the normal world, where people grow up, have children and grandchildren."

"I wanted to, but it's not that simple," Ellie replied and sighed before continuing. "You see, now I only know two people whose age would be suitable for me, and I don't really want to go back to a normal life as a four-year-old," she explained her choice to stay at the hotel and added with a slight tremble in her voice: "Besides, there's no one to go back to, everyone I knew and who knew me is long gone."

"Two? Who's the second one?" Alex perked up.

At that moment, the door to the nursery cracked open, and the nanny whispered: "Children, stop chatting and go to sleep."

"Okay, Nanny!" Ellie and Alex promised in unison. They lay back down in their beds and covered themselves with fluffy blankets.

The nanny quietly approached them, kissed each on the forehead, and turned off the nightlights.

"So, who's the second one?" Alex repeated the question.

"What does it matter," Ellie shrugged.

Alex fell silent. From Ellie's rapid breathing, it was clear that the girl was still awake.

"Ellie, when's your birthday?" the boy whispered.

"Your attention span is really like a little kid's," Elizabeth whispered back. "I told you, it's tomorrow."

"You mean, tomorrow?!" the boy exclaimed loudly at the unexpected news.

The nursery door swung open, and Eva stood on the threshold. The nanny was clearly unhappy with the behavior of her charges.

"Oops!" the children squeaked and dove under the covers headfirst.

—

In the morning, Alex woke up earlier than usual. The boy quietly sat up in his bed and looked around. Ellie was still sound asleep, sucking her thumb in her sleep. Alex giggled, "I'm not the only one, after all, you can't fool nature; I'll have something to say when she teases me about diapers." He carefully got out of bed, took his stuffed bear with him, and tiptoed out of the nursery, quietly closing the door behind him. Alex left the room and headed to the first floor. Walking down the hallway and timidly glancing at the portraits that still scared him a little, the child reached the staircase. Descending it with more confident steps than before, Alex entered the hotel lobby. Arthur was nowhere to be seen. "Good, no unnecessary questions," and the little boy headed to the hotel's inner courtyard. Upon arriving, the boy approached a flowerbed with colorful daisies. "Well, I hope Arthur won't notice the loss," the boy thought.

"Let's not do this, sunshine," a gentle voice sounded from behind.

"Oh," the boy caught in the act turned towards the source of the sound. "Nanny, I just wanted to pick a small bouquet for Ellie," the boy began to justify himself. "It's her birthday today! Can you believe it?" Alex was waving his hands with excitement.

"In that case, this would be better," the nanny took the boy by the hand and led him deeper into the courtyard. They approached a small flowerbed with a mix of purple, blue, yellow, and white irises. Eva gently crouched down and cut a few flowers.

"In the language of flowers," she explained her choice, "purple symbolizes wisdom and intuition. White represents purity and innocence. Blue irises mean courage, fearlessness, and bravery, while yellow ones signify admiration."

Alex watched in fascination as Eva assembled the bouquet. After a couple of minutes, when the bouquet was ready, the nanny handed it to the boy. "Here," she said. Alex took the flowers with awe. "Thank you, Nanny," he barely whispered in response. "You're welcome, little one," she smiled back. "Ellie will be happy; it's been a long time since she celebrated her birthday."

"You mean, how long has she not celebrated?" the boy asked in astonishment.

Eva shrugged. "It's very simple; for her, it's just another day like any other."

"We must fix this! How can you not celebrate a birthday!?" Alex exclaimed in surprise, his brown eyes wide open. "It's settled; there will be a party in Ellie's honor today," he concluded.

"Run to the room! Ellie has probably woken up by now," Eva reminded him.

"Ah, yes, of course! Bear, let's run!" the little boy said, running off with the bouquet of flowers. "Thanks again!" he yelled, disappearing into the hotel lobby.

"And irises also symbolize sorrow, consolation, and hope," Eva thought to herself.

Ellie woke up and opened her eyes. She turned towards the bed where Alex slept, expecting to see the snoring boy. But the bed was empty, with no sign of the boy or his stuffed bear.

"Strange, where could he have gone already?" the girl wondered. "Usually, he sleeps much longer than me, and I have to wake him up."

At that moment, rustling and muffled footsteps could be heard outside the door. Ellie sat up in bed, waiting. The door to the children's room creaked slightly ajar, and from behind it appeared the boy's hair, ear, and one eye. Assured that Ellie was awake, the boy fully opened the door and confidently entered the room. The embroidered bear on his pajamas smiled in greeting to the girl, and a bouquet of flowers could be seen behind the boy's back. Tossing the stuffed bear onto his bed, Alex approached Ellie and pulled the bouquet from behind his back.

"Happy birthday!" he said joyfully and handed the bouquet to Ellie. The girl smiled at him and accepted the flowers. She lifted the bouquet to her face, tilted her head slightly, and inhaled the sweet scent of the flowers, mixed with the smell of morning dew.

"These are irises," the boy announced cheerfully. "The nanny said they symbolize purity, wisdom, fearlessness...", he rushed to share his newfound knowledge. "And they are also given to those who are admired," Alex finished, blushing.

"Thank you!" Ellie set the bouquet aside, kissed the boy on the cheek, and hugged him.

"Johnny and Jenny, sitting in a park, K-I-S-S-I-N-G in the dark!," a voice echoed from Alex's bed.

The nanny stood in the doorway of the children's room, observing this touching and tender moment, seeing a single teardrop roll down the girl's cheek.

After Alex had changed and eaten breakfast, he hurried away, citing urgent matters that Ellie didn't understand. Although Ellie could barely imagine what kind of business a four-year-old boy could have, she didn't question him.

Alex spent the entire day running around the hotel, preparing for the upcoming evening. He arranged with the chef to prepare a more grown-up dinner, rather than the traditional mac and cheese and nuggets. The boy persuaded the pastry chef to make a small cake, decorated with the inscription "Happy Birthday!". He even tried to bargain with Arthur for balloons, to which the porter wisely remarked:

"Sir, if you want to impress, balloons and clowns are not the best choice for a romantic evening."

"Yes, you're right, I've been acting like a child," the boy agreed. "Can you prepare a tuxedo in my size for tonight and leave it in my old room?"

"Of course, sir, everything will be in the best order," the porter replied. "Allow me one more question, sir!"

"Yes, Arthur, what is it?" the boy raised his eyebrows.

"Do the pants need to accommodate a diaper?" the porter asked, barely holding back laughter.

"I'll manage," the blushing boy gritted his teeth. He grabbed his stuffed bear and ran to the restaurant to arrange the music and check on the cake's progress.

Ellie hadn't seen Alex all day: he kept appearing in the room and then disappearing again. The nanny went about her business as if she didn't notice her young charge's unusual behavior. Ellie, of course, suspected what the boy was up to, but she didn't ask him directly so as not to spoil the surprise. When it was time for their afternoon nap, Ellie lay in her bed and looked at Alex's empty bed. Apparently, the nanny had allowed him to skip his rest today. Eva, the nanny, entered the room.

"Elizabeth, may I have a word with you?" Eva addressed the girl. Her tone wasn't like that of an adult speaking to a child; she spoke to Ellie as an equal.

"Of course, Eva," Ellie gestured for the nanny to sit down on the bed.

"You do realize that the day after tomorrow, Alex will have to leave us - and he most likely won't return," Eva got straight to the point.

"Yes, I understand that," the girl replied, looking her in the eye.

"And what do you intend to do?" Eva asked.

"Nothing, I'll just say goodbye to him," Ellie answered just as coldly and calmly.

"Elizabeth, we've known each other for almost a century. Do you really think you can deceive me that easily?" the nanny smiled.

"What can I do, Eva? Leave with him and a four-year-old girl? You know as well as I do that it's not the best option for Alex. Asking him to stay with me at the hotel would be extremely selfish," she replied calmly, then continued: "The best thing is to just let him go... and forget," the girl concluded.

"I understand," Eva said, getting up from the bed and leaving the room, closing the door behind her. The woman stood outside the door for a while, listening to little Ellie sobbing into her pillow.

Dinner time came. Eva went to the room, holding an evening dress for the girl. She gently cracked open the door to the nursery. Ellie sat on the floor in her pajamas, playing with dolls.

"Daddy, daddy! When will we go on vacation?" the little doll-baby in a blue dress asked the plush teddy bear.

"Very soon!" the bear replied. "We're just waiting for our mommy," Ellie continued, imitating the bear's voice and voicing the characters. She put down the doll-baby and picked up a fairy doll.

"Yes, dear, I'll just pack everything our daughter needs," Ellie answered as the fairy in her usual voice.

Eva couldn't bring herself to interrupt Elizabeth and carefully left the room, quietly closing the door behind her. A few minutes later, she knocked on the door. Elizabeth opened it. "You usually come in without knocking," the girl noticed. "Usually, yes," the nanny replied, and added: "This dress is for you, it's time for dinner."

Alex stood alone in the bathroom of his room, struggling with his unruly boyish hair. He either applied too much gel, making it seem as if the boy had been caught in the rain, or not enough, leaving his hair sticking out in all directions. In Alex's opinion, he had already washed and dried his head about 500 times, but he just couldn't manage to style his hair.

The little boy was ready to burst into tears, even the cheerful smiling elephant couldn't cheer him up. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Sniffling, Alex opened it. On the doorstep stood Arthur, holding a black tuxedo in his hands. "Good evening, sir. Your tuxedo, just as you requested...", seeing the upset boy, the porter stopped himself from delivering his favorite joke about pants and instead said: "Sir, if I can help you with anything, please don't hesitate to ask."

Wiping away the tears that had already begun to fall, Alex told him about the problem with his hairstyle. "No worries, sir. Allow me to help you," with these words, he gestured for the boy to step back into the bathroom. Arthur picked up a tube of hair gel and frowned. "Sir, gel is not suitable for you, you're not going to a punk concert," with that, the porter rummaged in a drawer hanging above the sink and pulled out a small black jar.

“Hair paste,” he announced to the boy, showing him the jar, “matte texture and impeccable hairstyle.” With these words, he applied a small amount of paste to his palm, sprayed it with some water, rubbed the resulting mixture between his hands, and set to work. In just a couple of minutes, Alex saw himself with perfectly styled hair.

“Arthur, you saved me! Thank you!” The boy hugged the porter around the leg.

“You're welcome, sir!” Arthur replied, gently detaching the boy from himself. “Please hurry, Miss Ellie should not be kept waiting.”

Arthur and Alex arrived in the hall first. The boy critically examined the table prepared for them and was quite satisfied. But Ellie never came.

The little boy sat at the table, then walked around the hall, returned to the table, and stood shifting from toe to heel. With a habitual gesture, Alex raised his hand and looked to where a watch should have been, but there was no watch, and no Ellie either.

"What if she doesn't come?" the boy thought to himself. But at that moment, the heavy doors of the restaurant hall creaked, and she entered. She fluttered in, rather, like a fresh morning breeze, the boy thought. She looked like a little princess in her delicate pale blue dress with white lace. The dress wasn't puffy like dolls', but just the kind that suited Ellie. Her light hair was styled into soft curls, and a silver headband glittered on her head. Her blue eyes shone with joy, and her cheeks flushed with excitement. A little to the side, Eva walked in her usual uniform. Alex straightened up, standing at attention, unable to say or do anything. Ellie approached the boy and cheerfully said: "Hello!" Snapping out of it, Alex replied: "You look very beautiful. Happy birthday again. Hello." Ellie smiled. "Clumsy, got all the words mixed up," the boy thought to himself.

Ellie and Alex sat down at the table. A smiling waiter brought them a white mushroom risotto. The children eagerly began their dinner.

"This is delightful," said Ellie. "You can't imagine how much I've missed evenings like this."

Alex smiled shyly in response. Despite the fact that there were no secrets left between him and Ellie, the boy was still timid.

The waiter approached and offered the children a glass of something straw-colored and bubbly, which strongly resembled champagne. Alex looked at it in surprise and thought, "Isn't it a bit early to drink alcohol at the age of four?". The boy glanced at Eva and Arthur, who were standing some distance away from the children and smiling as they watched them. The porter gave a barely noticeable nod. Alex and Ellie each took a glass. A festive clink rang out. Alex took a small sip and realized it was "apple soda" and smiled, the porter winked at the boy.

Ellie was simply thrilled. She seemed to be on cloud nine and kept talking nonstop to Alex, smiling and laughing. The boy just watched Ellie, trying to remember her this happy. Music began to play, something slow and romantic from the 1920s. Ellie stood up from her chair, took Alex by the hand, and led him to the center of the room.

"I haven't danced in so long," she said. The girl placed Alex's hands on her waist and settled her own palms on his shoulders. The children began to sway gently in time with the tender music.

"Aren't they a wonder?" Eva cooed at the scene.

"A wonder," Arthur confirmed. "But wonders end sooner or later," he added. "Have you already told the boy that tomorrow is the last day?"

"Not today, Arthur, not today," replied Eva. She decisively took the porter by the hand. "Will you ask a girl to dance?" she asked, laughing.

"Eva, what are you doing?" Arthur protested. "This is unprofessional." Nevertheless, there were now two couples dancing in the center of the room.

The music ended, and amidst the applause from Alex, Arthur, and Eva, a cake was brought out. It was covered in chocolate cream and adorned with colorful candies and sugar stars. In the center of the cake stood a single lit candle.

Eva clapped her hands and, after a moment's thought, blew out the candle. Alex cut the cake and served a piece to both himself and Ellie.

"Come on, I have something to show you," Ellie told Alex. The children grabbed their plates with cake and left the room. The porter wanted to follow them, but Eva stopped him. "Leave them be, Arthur, it's their last night."

Ellie led Alex to the elevator. "It won't work, we don't have enough weight," the boy remarked, recalling his unsuccessful attempt.

"We're together - we can do it," Ellie cheerfully winked at him. Entering the elevator, the girl pressed the button for the top floor, the elevator hummed, closed its doors, and started moving up.

On the top floor, the girl took Alex by the hand and led him to the emergency exit. Opening the door and climbing the stairs a little, the children found themselves on the roof. It was already getting dark outside, and the starry sky enveloped the entire area. It seemed that a blanket of stars covered the whole area, and if desired, one could reach it in an hour or two.

"This is my favorite place in this hotel. I come here when I'm happy or sad, when I'm rejoicing or grieving," Ellie confided in Alex.

"It's magical," the boy stood with his head tilted back, gazing up at the starry dome. "I've never seen so many stars, and they're all so close."

The children sat down on the floor and started eating the cake, joking and laughing merrily, feeling simply content.

"I think it's time to start looking for them," the porter broke the silence in the hall.

"Arthur, can't you just be less of a bore for one evening?" Eva replied. "No need to search for anyone, they're on the roof, Ellie always goes there."

"On the roof?" Arthur exclaimed indignantly. "They could fall!"

"Calm down, no one is going to fall," Eva cut a piece of cake for herself and Arthur. "And as I can see, you've grown attached to Alex."

Arthur remained silent.

"If he asks to stay? And he will ask, I assure you, what will you say?" Eva continued.

"You know it's impossible!" the porter replied. "We were barely allowed to keep Elizabeth, it won't happen a second time."

"I thought so," the nanny replied, eating her first piece. "Oh my god, this is delicious. Why haven't we made this before?" Eva exclaimed.

"There were no occasions," Arthur replied sullenly, and then asked, "What if Ellie leaves with Alex?"

"She's against it," Eva answered. "And how do you imagine it? Our Ellie, 4 years old, leaving with a 35-year-old man. They won't have a future."

Arthur nodded in agreement.

"But there is one option," Eva smiled, "we'll talk about it tomorrow. For now, enjoy your cake, young man."

In half an hour, Arthur and Eva went up to the hotel roof and found the children sleeping in each other's arms. Next to them were two plates with unfinished pieces of the festive cake.

—

Alex opened his eyes and found himself in his childhood bedroom. He stretched lazily, glanced over at the neighboring bed where Ellie was sleeping. The boy tried to recall how he ended up in bed but couldn't. He looked at the clock: it was already 11 in the morning, and the sun was shining outside. Briskly jumping out of bed, Alex shouted cheerfully, "Ellie, wake up, or you'll sleep the whole day away!" and ran to the bathroom to wash up and change clothes. Returning to the bedroom, he found that his friend was still nestled in bed. Alex approached, sat on the edge of the bed, and said, "Get up, sleepyhead, it's morning already, let's go play!"

Ellie smiled. "Yes, Alex, I'm coming."

"Great," the little boy replied happily, "I'll be waiting for you at the table. I saw that the nanny made pancakes herself, let's hurry!" With those words, Alex rushed out of the nursery.

Ellie got up from the bed, walked over to the mirror, and looked at herself. A round-faced girl in unicorn pajamas stared back at her, with light hair and sad blue eyes.

"Pull yourself together," she told herself. "You have to get through this." With those words, Ellie confidently left the nursery.

Stepping out of the room, she saw Alex. The boy was already sitting at the table, devouring pancakes.

"And then we looked at the stars," the boy recounted details of the previous evening with his mouth full.

"Chew first, then talk," the nanny smiled in response. "And what stars did you see?"

"Different ones, even shooting stars," he replied, trying to stuff another pancake into himself.

"Good morning, Eva," Ellie walked over to the table.

"Good morning," the nanny and Alex responded.

Ellie took a seat and pulled a plate of pancakes towards her.

"Have you told him?" the girl asked the nanny.

Eva remained silent, looking at Alex, trying to find the right words. The conversation was not going to be an easy one.

"Told me what?" the little boy looked puzzled, glancing from Ellie to Eva.

"Do you think it's time?" Eva asked the girl seriously.

"Yes," Ellie replied tersely, her gaze cold.

By this time, the boy had already chewed everything he'd so eagerly crammed into his mouth.

"Hey, I'm here too," Alex protested. "Can you explain what's going on?"

The nanny sighed, and with all the tenderness she could muster, began:

"Alex, today is your..."

"Last day," Elizabeth finished for her.

Eva definitely wanted to deliver the news more gently and delicately, but Ellie chose otherwise.

Alex put down his fork.

"What last day?" the boy stared at his friend, not understanding.

"Your program's last day. Tomorrow, you'll become an adult again," Eva said, looking at him and smiling. "Isn't that wonderful? You'll be able to return to your adult life," the nanny continued, trying to somehow comfort the boy and soften the shocking news.

"No, it's not wonderful," Alex replied, put down his fork, got up from the table, and walked to the window. "Can I extend the program?" he asked Eva.

"I'm afraid not, sweetheart," she answered and gave him a sad smile.

"I need some time alone," the boy announced and disappeared into the nursery, closing the door behind him.

He sat on the bed, took his teddy bear in his hands, and stared into its small black eyes. Then he forcefully threw it against the wall and ran out of the room.

"Ellie, will you stay with me?" he asked the girl.

"I'm afraid that's impossible," she replied, her voice filled with bitterness. Gone was the icy gaze.

"What about me? Can I stay here in the hotel? Forever?" The boy looked at the nanny with tear-filled eyes, but she just barely shook her head.

Swallowing hard, Alex dashed out of the room. Ellie wanted to follow him, but Eva stopped her.

"Wait, he needs to go through this on his own."

Stumbling and falling, Alex ran down the corridor. Tears streamed from his eyes; he couldn't, he didn't want to, and he wouldn't leave this place. The boy hurriedly went down the stairs and found the porter standing behind the counter. He approached him and blurted out, "Arthur, I want to stay. What do I need to do?"

Arthur set aside the pen and journal, came out from behind the counter, and crouched down so that his eyes were level with Alex's. "I'm afraid that's impossible."

"But why? Ellie stayed, didn't she? Why can't I?" Alex bombarded him with questions, smearing his tears across his cheeks.

Arthur remained silent, looking at him. Alex fell to his knees and began pounding the floor with his fists. Scratches appeared on his tiny childlike hands. Unable to bear it any longer, Alex collapsed on the floor and curled up into a ball. Sobs and wails shook his body.

Arthur crouched beside the boy and began.

"You see, Alex, there are many things in life that we cannot change, and this is one of them," he took out his flask again and took a sip. "Ah, it's not my habit to start the workday with whiskey, but that's what you've driven me to," he patted the boy on the back and continued. "Anyway, you always have a choice." Alex lifted his head and looked at Arthur with tear-reddened eyes. "What choice?" he sniffled, not understanding.

"You can turn today into a wonderful fairy tale or your worst nightmare," the porter smiled and tousled Alex's hair. "Choose," he finished and took another sip from his flask. "Good Lord, what a swill," Arthur grimaced. They sat like that for a few more minutes. Then Alex got to his feet, still shaken by periodic sobs. There was a light in his eyes. He smiled, "Thank you, Arthur," and ran back to his room. "You're always welcome, sir!" the porter called after him. "You're always welcome," he repeated softly and took a deep breath.

Alex raced up the stairs. Now, there was no more sadness or anger within him, only a desire to spend all the remaining time with Ellie, enjoying every minute of their time together. The boy burst into the room and cheerfully shouted, "One minute!" Then, he dashed into the nursery, where he picked up a teddy bear from the floor. "Forgive me, bear!" he addressed the toy, hugging it. "No worries, worse things have happened," the bear replied. The boy ran out of the nursery and quickly approached Ellie, who was confused, and hugged her. "Ellie, you're still in your pajamas!" he said to her. "Get dressed quickly!" "Nanny!" Alex turned his beaming gaze to Eva. "Where can we go today to make it memorable?!" "There's a lake with a small beach near the hotel!" she smiled. "I think that would be the best choice for today." "We're definitely going swimming!" the child exclaimed cheerfully and ran to gather his things. "What's gotten into him?" Ellie asked Eva, puzzled. "He'll be just fine," the nanny replied and began preparing for the walk to the lake.

Alex and Ellie spent the whole day at the lake, swimming and splashing in the water, spraying each other and laughing. Chilled, they climbed onto the sand and basked under the hot sun, then returned to the water again.

For lunch, they had sandwiches that Eva had thoughtfully brought with her. She even allowed the children not to return to the hotel for an afternoon nap, as this was a special day – their last day together.

With each hour spent on the beach, the sun crept closer to the horizon. The children had already returned to the hotel, and Alex, taking Ellie's hand, hurried with her to their shared nursery. "Let's go, Ellie! We still have to play cars with you!" the boy exclaimed joyfully.

However, as they approached the door to their room, Ellie slowed her pace and soon came to a complete stop. "Alex, it's time," she said gently and sadly.

"No, we still have the whole night ahead of us, we can still watch the stars!" Alex replied, not wanting to believe that this day had come to an end.

Ellie smiled, hugged Alex tenderly, kissed him on the cheek, and whispered softly: "I will always remember you," then disappeared into the room. The child wanted to follow her, but the nanny stopped him.

"Sweetheart, you have to sleep in your own room tonight," she said, hugging the boy's shoulders, and they went to the room he had lived in before. Upon entering the room, the boy saw no scattered toys or cheerful pictures on the walls - it was just a hotel room: beautiful, cozy, ordinary, and lonely.

Alex sat in the center of the sofa and silently swung his legs as the nanny prepared his evening bath. He looked so small and lonely in the midst of that vast room.

"Let's go," Eva said softly, leading the boy to the bathroom. There, she undressed him and seated him in a thick cap of rainbow foam with a calming and nighttime lavender scent. Eva tenderly washed Alex, and they remained silent throughout the process. The nanny rinsed the boy with warm water, washing away all the foam and soap, effortlessly lifted the child into her arms, wrapped him in a white, fluffy towel, and carried him to the bedroom.

Alex sat in Eva's arms and saw that the bedroom now had a typical adult appearance: a huge bed stood in the center, and curtains swayed gently in the warm evening breeze.

She placed the boy in the center of the bed, dried him off, and helped him put on his pajamas - warm, cozy, and ordinary, not betraying the age of their wearer. The pajamas were of a classic red and white checkered design. The boy got off the bed and walked over to the open window, where the evening mist was gathering. He looked at the forests and hills surrounding the hotel and turned to Eva:

"Why can't I stay?" he asked her sadly. "We would be your children and help you. We'd go to the lake on weekends and to the park on Mondays and Wednesdays. I could help you with chores, and Ellie would take care of the guests. In the evenings, you would tuck us in and tell us bedtime stories."

Eva smiled, walked over to the boy, and caressed his cheek. She didn't answer, but the answer was clear. The nanny helped the boy get into bed, gave him a glass of milk and a plate of cookies. The boy sipped the milk in small gulps and nibbled on tiny pieces of cookies. He tried to stretch out these last hours of his childhood as long as possible. Eva understood and didn't rush her charge. When the boy finished his snack, Eva helped him lie down, gave him a teddy bear, covered him with a light blanket, kissed him on the forehead, and quietly left the room.

"Good night, sunshine. Sweet dreams," she said.

"Good night, nanny," Alex replied.

Alex woke up in the middle of the night. He felt himself, looked at his hands, and realized he was still a child. The boy got out of bed, put on his slippers, and left the room. Alex walked softly along the nighttime corridor, listening to the hotel's nocturnal sounds. He looked at the portraits hanging on its walls, no longer afraid of them. As he descended the stairs, he ran his childish hand along the railing, feeling and memorizing the texture of the varnished wood. Alex wanted to remember absolutely everything that surrounded him, what he felt and saw.

Down in the hotel lobby, a dim light flickered. Alex heard familiar voices: Arthur and Eva were arguing about something. Ellie was not among them. The boy crouched down on the steps and listened. The conversation revolved around some machinations with the years they had lived. The nanny clearly knew something, accusing the porter of something, but the little boy could not understand exactly what.

After sitting there for some time, Alex got up and returned to his room. He hoped to meet Ellie, to see her at least one more time, but his wishes were not meant to be fulfilled. The boy climbed into bed and pulled the warm, fluffy blanket over his head. For a moment, he thought that if he stayed up all night and didn't fall asleep, everything would remain unchanged, and tomorrow he would wake up again to Ellie's cheerful laughter. Alex hugged his teddy bear tightly, lay on his side, curled up his legs, and fell asleep.

A ray of morning sunlight fell on the guest's face. The man winced; he wanted to sleep a little longer. But the sunbeam was persistent, insistent on waking him up. Opening his eyes, Alex sat on the edge of the bed. His legs now easily reached the floor, the objects around him seemed smaller, and his body felt heavier. Alex looked at his hand; it was an ordinary hand of an adult.

There was a knock on the door.

"Who's there?" asked the man in a deep, thick voice.

"Your breakfast, sir," came the muffled voice of a waiter from behind the door.

Alex slowly got out of bed and opened the door. A smiling waiter carried a silver tray into the room and placed it on the table. The room filled with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and fried bacon.

"Thank you," said Alex indifferently. The waiter left the room, silently closing the door behind him.

The man sat at the table. Before him was a classic English breakfast with coffee, eggs, and fried bacon. Without much appetite, Alex poked at the food. He would have preferred porridge and cocoa at the moment.

Alex rose decisively, as there was no reason or anyone for him to stay in this hotel any longer. Picking up the internal phone, he informed the reception that he wanted to check out earlier and asked them to arrange a transfer to the airport.

Hurriedly gathering his few belongings, Alex strode confidently out of the room. A plush teddy bear lay alone on the couch.

The man took the elevator down to the hotel lobby and approached the counter where Arthur was always on duty.

"Sir, are you leaving us already?" the porter asked respectfully. Alex silently nodded.

"Well, I hope you enjoyed your stay. We look forward to having you again," Arthur said the standard phrase.

"Can I see Ellie?" Alex asked with a last hope. The porter silently shook his head.

"Just as I thought," the man concluded.

At that moment, a mischievous child's face appeared from behind the counter.

"Ellie?" Alex exclaimed, but upon closer inspection, he realized it was not her. "Well, Arthur, it's time to say goodbye," he sighed.

"Safe travels, sir," the porter smiled.

Alex turned, grabbed the handle of his suitcase, and left the hotel. A car was already waiting for him outside. The attentive driver helped Alex load his luggage into the trunk. The man sat in the back seat. "If only I could see her one more time," he thought to himself.

Alex took out his phone and began to review the news that had accumulated during his vacation.

"To the airport?" the driver inquired, looking at his passenger in the rearview mirror.

At that moment, the back door opened, and Alex heard a pleasant female voice. "Sir, may I ask you for a ride? I'm running very late and can't wait for my taxi."

"Get in," the man shrugged, not looking up. He was completely absorbed in his thoughts.

The woman got in and closed the door behind her.

The car started moving. Alex glanced away from his phone for a moment and looked at the bag his sudden fellow traveler had placed between them. A plush teddy bear smiled at him from it.

"I'm here with you, and we'll get through this together. Don't worry, okay?" he heard the familiar words.

Large tears streamed down Alex's cheeks.

Epilogue

The car slowly moved along the winding forest road. Behind the wheel sat a man dressed in a t-shirt and blue jeans, who appeared to be around 35-37 years old. Next to him in the passenger seat sat a cheerful, fair-haired woman with playfully mischievous blue eyes. In the back seat, a seven-year-old girl sat holding a plush bear in her arms.

The woman read a book aloud: "And I also like this part," she read a passage to her family: "He had already moved a meter and a half away from the sandbox, but the girl raised her curious eyes to him and asked..." She finished the quote from the book. "Do you remember that conversation, dear?" she asked the driver. "Who would have thought that this stern, bearded man had the soul of a romantic and a writer," Elizabeth smiled and patted Alex on his unshaven cheek. The man also smiled.

"Yeah, who would have thought that this book would become a bestseller," he remarked, glancing at the cover, which depicted a boy in pajamas standing opposite an open window. The inscription on the book read: "Fairy Tale Hotel, author - Alex Smith." Alex glanced at the rearview mirror.

"Eva, don't torture the bear, it's already had enough,"

The girl smiled and put the bear aside.

"Ellie, we need to figure something out about Eva's education, after all, she's already turned 7!" the head of the family began.

"Oh, don't be a bore," Ellie smiled. "Remember the last kindergarten she attended. The teachers didn't know what to do with her. A couple more months, and the entire staff would have started taking naps themselves."

Alex smiled, recalling the unyielding character of his former nanny.

"Still, you never told me how you managed to get Eva out of the hotel," Ellie perked up.

"Alright, Dad, tell us!" the girl in the back seat said excitedly. It seemed that Misha, too, was ready to listen.

"Well, there's not much to tell," Alex said, slightly embarrassed, and continued: "On the last night, I couldn't sleep, so I went for a walk around the hotel. As it happened, I accidentally overheard a conversation between Eva," Alex nodded towards the girl, "and Arthur. I didn't understand the details, but I got the gist: Arthur had a couple of skeletons in his closet that he didn't want anyone to find out about."

"You're quite the spy!" Ellie smiled. "Did you blackmail him?"

"No, not at all! Of course not!" the man objected. "Arthur may be a pain, but he's done a lot for us. After you told me that Eva gave you her age and became a little girl herself, I went back to the hotel and vividly told Arthur how little girls can keep secrets."

"I can keep secrets!" Eva pouted in the back seat, hugging teddy tightly.

"Of course you can, sunshine," Alex smiled. "Anyway, by the end of my speech, Arthur was already helping pack Eva's suitcase. That's it!"

"That's brilliant!" Elizabeth exclaimed, and Alex smiled. Silence hung in the car, only the soft rustle of tires on asphalt could be heard. Trees flickered past the window.

"So, where are we going now?" the girl in the back seat asked.

"Maybe we could stay home for a while," Alex pleaded. "Ever since we all left the hotel, all we've done is travel. I just want to lie on the couch and watch TV."

"No way!" Ellie and Eva both objected in unison.

"Listen, if you really want adventure, why don't we visit Arthur?" he suggested. "I'm sure Arthur would be happy to see us! We'll walk around the hotel, visit the lake," the Smith family patriarch described the possible vacation. "Relive our youth, so to speak."

Ellie smiled and ruffled Alex's hair.

"Oh, it seems someone misses wearing diapers!" she laughed brightly, recalling the boy's complicated relationship with that childish item. Alex just remained silent, blushing all the way to the tips of his ears.

 

The END.

 

Thank you to everyone who made it through the story to the end. I'm not a professional writer, and my current job has nothing to do with creativity, let alone literature. My last experience was limited to writing a school essay on "How I Spent My Summer." Now that the story of Alex's adventures is over, I realize that it doesn't quite fit the theme of this forum, but what's done is done.

I hope you enjoyed reading the story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

 

[Little_Mouse]

Thank you for an amazing different sweet story ??

[kerry]

Thank you so much for this. I'm smiling and crying at the same time. ?

[MistyTales]

19 hours ago, kerry said:

Thank you so much for this. I'm smiling and crying at the same time. ?

Thanks, I know what you mean

22 hours ago, Little_Mouse said:

Thank you for an amazing different sweet story ??

Maybe even too sweet.

[junyour]

Thank you misty for this wonderful story.  I wish it didn't have to end but all great must.  I am very glad that Ellie has mostly if not totally worked out most of her troubles and that Eva is going to be around to advise. the couple as things go on.  I also look forward to more writing from you, If this story is any indication of what you might produce.  let those of us know so that we can be on watch for it, PLEASE.

Once again, thank you for this wonderful.story.

[aldl4811]

Thank you x1000. Beautiful work

[MistyTales]

20 hours ago, junyour said:

Thank you misty for this wonderful story.  I wish it didn't have to end but all great must.  I am very glad that Ellie has mostly if not totally worked out most of her troubles and that Eva is going to be around to advise. the couple as things go on.  I also look forward to more writing from you, If this story is any indication of what you might produce.  let those of us know so that we can be on watch for it, PLEASE.

Once again, thank you for this wonderful.story.

Thank you so much for your feedback. I think in the future I'll try to return to the story of Alex and Ellie, the main challenge is to not turn the story into a soap opera where Alex cries every morning because of wet diapers, but I'm already considering a couple of ideas that will make Alex return to the hotel. Right now, I'm trying to write a story that touches on the issues of growing up, the relationship between children and parents, and other serious stuff I won't be posting it on this forum, as there's no ABDL theme planned in it, but for those who are interested, here's a link to Wattpad (I hope I won't get banned )

https://www.wattpad.com/1329041614
 

12 hours ago, aldl4811 said:

Thank you x1000. Beautiful work

Thanks x9999