Once Upon a Miserable Soul

Chapter 7: Heartbroken

"Daddy!" Veruca, Le Toad's most spoiled daughter yelled. "I saw Rita!"

"Nonsense." Said Le Toad. "Rita's at home, relaxing."

"But I saw her run over there."

"Now I think you've had enough cake." He looked out the window and saw a girl run inside a boat with red hair. "But I do wonder... You be good. I'm going home to check on everybody."

Rita was frightened. She had a strange feeling that Le Toad was already home waiting for her. She took several deep breaths as Le Toad's boat zoomed past her. She wondered why he didn't stop as the raising water splashed her. When she reached the place, she already saw Le Toad walk in.

"Wheres Rita?" Le Toad asked as he moved into the warmth of his home.

"Rita? Uh..." Marie stumbled upon her words. "That really isn't a huge deal now. Mercedes is having the baby. I didn't expect you..."

"A new servant? How splendid."

"I need to get to her now." She ran away from him. Suspicious, Le Toad walked upstairs to Rita's room. He knocked politely.

"Rita... what are you doing in there?"

When he didn't immediately get his answer, he began to believe his daughter.

"Rita, you respond to me or I'll march right in!"

Later, in frustration, he crashed the door down.

"Rita!"

"What?" he found her in the bathtub.

"Oh my god why didn't you warn me?"

"Why didn't you knock? A gentleman always knocks."

Le Toad stuck his finger in the water.

"It's cold." He said.

"Your cold blooded so why do you care?"

"I would just like to inform you that Mercedes is having the baby. Finish your bath and meet with Maria if you care."

"The babies coming now?" she asked in shock.

"Well I must be off. Back to the ball."

"You have fun." She sneered.

When he finally stopped wasting her time, she got up, put her underwear on and her wet clothes. Somebody must have done her laundry because they were still drying on a clothesline.

"Maria!" she yelled.

"She's in here." Said Ofelia, one of the servant women. She heard the sound of a baby crying and ran in.

"Did he catch you?" Laura asked, the moment she saw Rita.

"Almost." She said as she sighed with relief. She got closer to the bed to see Mercedes holding her baby boy. The sight of the newborn scared away all of Rita's worries.

"Rita, this is my son, Francisco Estaban Carlos Ruiz."

"He's adorable."

"Do you wanna hold him? Don't be shy." She handed the sobbing baby to Rita who cradled the child in her arms.

"Cant wait for his eyes to open." She said. Francisco stopped crying. "Hey there Senor Francisco."

A male servant came walking through the door.

"Miss Malone, I have a letter for you."

"Who's it from?" she asked. "My parents?"

"No. Someone else."

Rita returned the child to his mother and looked to see that the envelope was gold. Her named was printed in cursive with a heart above the "I". She tore it open, knowing it was from Roddy. Her happiness died quickly as every word put scares in her heart. She folded it back and left without saying another word.

She went to bed earlier than everybody else because she felt as if she needed more personal space. She lay in bed as tears rolled down her eyes. How could he? She read the note over and over, believing she misread it. She felt knives thrust into her throat as she held her tears back. She began to hear huge footsteps come up. She rolled back and ignored it. The door cracked open and Maria stepped in.

"Oh child..." seeing one of her dearest friends devastated broke her heart. She ran up to her, sat on the bedside and held her, soothing her and caressing her head, as Rita sobbed.

"What happened?"

"He was using me." She said. "To get to another girl..."

"What?"

"He even told me he liked me. We had dinner together, we danced in public and in a private room and he saved me from Le Toad."

"What happened with Le Toad?"

"I almost got caught. Roddy put a sword to his neck and threatened him. He thought Le Toad was some pedophile."

"Well he's an experienced actor.."

"We almost kissed."

"Men are nasty sometimes. You want to know why you haven't met my husband? He ran off with some Latin girl and they had kids."

"What?"

"It can be worse. As women, we learn to move on." Maria explained. "It's just the way men are."

"He's completely different from that!" Rita snapped. She shot off Maria's lap and sat at the window.

"How do you know that?" Maria sneered. "How long have you known him for?"

After Rita said nothing Maria smirked with evil pride.

"I knew it. You know nothing about him. He may be a nice guy but when it comes to women, he's not too nice about it."

"And how do you know that? How do you know it's not some kind of sick joke?"

"Well I don't know what his handwriting looks like but neither do you. Chances are he wrote this, dear. You'll have to move on."

"Like I will." Rita sneered. That night, she cried herself to sleep. She had troubled nightmares of the town nicely decorated for Roddy and Sharpay's wedding. Everyone was dressed in colorful clothing but she was wearing a wash cloth, cleaning up all the messes the newlyweds made. Every time he looked at her she said, "Why?" and he wouldn't answer. Instead he'd say, "Clean the fireplace servant!"

The most exciting night of her life, turned out to be her worst.😖😔