The Stepsisters

Chapter 15

The next week goes by so fast it feels like it's only been a day since we received the invitation.  Drizella and I travel to town every single day to go to work, while Cinderella stayed at home and worked on her list of chores.  Mother was becoming extremely fond of her cat, Lucifer.  She seemed to take him with her everywhere she went, but at least she was leaving her bed again.  I couldn't help but notice something different about Mother.  Almost her entire hair was grey now, and her wrinkles were spreading all over her pale skin, which made her eyes look even more intense.  But it wasn't just a change in her appearance. Her voice was always so harsh and empty, like she was saying words but they didn't mean anything, there was no emotion.  But it also kind of sounded like every time she would talk there would be a slight tune to her words, as if she was singing everything she would say.  But she never actually sang anymore, not the way she used to sing in her garden.  The frost was almost all melted now, but she still refused to even step outside. She also never smiled anymore.  I mean, she smiled a lot but it just never went back to the same warm smile that she always had before.  It was like my mother's body was still here, but her soul had died with Rupert.

It was the last day before the ball and I couldn't wait to leave work and finish up my dress.  "Are you going to the ball tonight?" I asked the baker. 

I had only been working there for a little over a week, but we had grown so close.  Sometimes the things he said were just so unrealistic, it was like he was speaking out of a fairy-tale.  He always knew exactly what to say, and he always reassured me with his smile. I told him everything about my family, things that Drizella would never understand.  He understood when I told him that I had no parents.  Even though my father was probably somewhere out there, and I saw my mother every morning, there was no one to take care of me.  My father was gone and I was the one taking care of my mother. 

The baker smoothed his apron down.  "I'm not sure, I think I should, but I don't know if I want to."

I smile.  "You should go, I am so excited to go."  I did hope that the baker would go to the ball, too.  It would be nice to see a familiar face, and I had begun to grow very fond of the baker.  I tried to avoid ever even thinking about it because I knew Mother would never approve. 

He gives me a shy smile before I leave.  "I hope you meet Charming."

Excitement overwhelms my entire body and I feel like a child all over again. It felt like months had passed, but the day had finally come.  Cinderella helped me finish sewing my dress, and it was probably the most beautiful dress I had ever owned.  It was similar to my usual purple dress, but it had a lot of extra ornate detailing on the trim and the sleeves.  The cut of the dress was also a lot deeper than my other dresses, and a thin layer of lace covered the bust area. 

Drizella was running around the house, trying to last minute finish her dress, and Lucifer sat around watching her.  Cinderella was still working away at her list of chores, and I helped her finish as many of the tasks that I could.  Drizella offered to help me with my makeup, since I didn't own any. 

"Let's start with this mess." Drizella gestured towards my frizzy hair.  She combed it through, and curled the ends, loosely.  Then she swept the majority of my hair into a low bun, with a couple curled pieces peaking out.  She swept something black in my eyelashes, put a bunch of powder all over my face, and put something on my lips that looked like a red crayon. 

"There." She announced and I turned to look in the mirror. 

The person in the mirror was not me.  I mean, it was obviously me, but I looked like a completely different person. My hair was perfectly not perfect, and my makeup was really natural but just made everything look a little better. I looked like my mother when she was younger.  "Wow." I whispered.

Drizella nodded, proudly.  "See, you look beautiful."

All that was left to do was put on my dress.  I walked downstairs, and my mother was sitting in the kitchen, and she looked the most put together she had in a while. 

"Where's Cinderella?" I asked.

Cinderella walked into the room and approached my mother.  "I finished everything on the list, stepmother."

Mother paused for a few seconds before responding.  "But you have nothing to wear."

Cinderella looked back at me.  "I managed to finish a dress for myself."

"How would you be able to finish everything on the list, finish the dresses for Drizella and Anastasia, and finish a dress for yourself? That's impossible."  Mother stated.

"Well, I may have had a little help."  She whispered, looking down at her feet.

"Who helped you?" Mother demanded.

"I did." I hear myself say.

Mother shakes her head.  "So, you didn't finish all of your tasks alone, which is honestly cheating.  What kind of mother would I be if I taught you that cheating is okay?"

Cinderella looked like she was about to cry.  "Please, I'm sorry.  I really want to go to the ball, please let me go."  She pleaded.

"It was my fault, I insisted she let me help." I added.

"Fine, I'll let it go this once.  Hurry up and get dressed."  Mother rolled her eyes.

Everyone was ready to leave, and we were just waiting for Cinderella to come downstairs.  Her hair was curled with little braids at the side of her head, her dress was pink and simple, and she had a green beaded necklace.  I could feel my mother's anger growing as she stood beside me.

"Where did you get that necklace? Did you steal that from my room?"  Mother yelled, marching straight up to Cinderella.

Cinderella looked shocked and she shook her head.  "No, I swear I didn't.  This is my necklace."

Mother grabbed ahold of the necklace and ripped it off Cinderella's neck.  "This is my necklace, your father gave it to me! You are a liar and a thief!" 

"This is my mother's necklace! My father gave it to her on her wedding day, this is her necklace not yours."  Cinderella defended, rubbing her sore neck.

Mother shook her head three times. "No.  He wouldn't give that to her, that's the same one he gave me."

Cinderella shrugged. "Why? Did you really think you would ever be more special than my mother?  He'd never hurt my mother." 

Mother simply walked away, like nothing had happened.  She grabbed her coat and opened the front door revealing our carriage waiting outside.  "You are to stay home from the ball, Cinderella."