Cinderella was not her real name. She was born Millicent Elizabeth. Cinderella was what her stepmother and stepsisters began calling her the very day they moved into her father’s house.
On that particular spring day, Millie had been cleaning the fireplace and hearth. Indeed she was somewhat covered in soot and ash. Though she bathed thoroughly immediately after completing the job, the nickname stuck.
“So what,” she thought as she scrubbed the floor. “They can call me what they like, but I will not live in this filth.”
Millie’s mother had called her “Silly” Millie when they played in the garden behind the house. They would make mud pies and Millie would begin to cry when she saw how grubby her hands had become.
“Oh come now “Silly” Millie. Let’s go wash you up. You’ll be good as new.”
Mother understood her. Too bad mother had been dead six years now.
For a time after her mother’s death Millie and her father had lived alone in the large house. There were rooms they never went in during that time. The memory and pain were just too much.
Father was lost then. Lost in the sense that he didn’t pay attention to eating, keeping up his appearance or his business.
He had almost lost his haberdashery. He enlisted the help of a school chum Arthur Forgy. Arthur had invested his own money over the years and had earned enough to live off these funds and now assisted others with their money and business matters, (For a nominal fee, of course.)
Arthur got Father’s store back in the black to the point he was ready to expand the business. Then he made investments for Father. Always making a nice commission for his services.
Millie helped with everything else. Cleaning, cooking and keeping her father on track.
Millie had been attending the local university until her mother took ill. As soon as she was diagnosed Millie dropped out. Her parents objected. She had a promising career in environmental law. It was all she’d talked about. But, Millie stood firm, “I can always go back to school. Family comes first.”
Millie hadn’t returned. Her mother was diagnosed in January and passed away in April. The doctors had caught her cancer too late.
Arthur was also the catalyst in another big change for her father.
A friend of Arthur’s sister had recently lost her husband to a heart attack. Arthur arranged for them to meet. They clicked right away and they were married less than six months later.
Her name was Anastasia Pope Prince. She had two daughters, Faith and Hope.They were bookends to Millie age wise. Faith a year older than Millie and Hope a year younger.
After she finished the floors, Millie began polishing the silverware. Anastasia and the sisters returned from shopping just as she finished the task.
“Oh, Cinderella, I would have helped you with that if you had waited a bit,” Hope said.
“That’s alright, I like it done just so,” Millie replied.
“Like everything around here,” Faith remarked. “I see the floors are spotless.”
“And they’ll stay that way as long as you remember to wipe your feet.”
Faith backed up two steps to the mat by the door and wiped her feet. Hope followed suit as did Anastasia.
The women put their bags on the table and began to put away the provisions they had purchased.
“Let me do that,” Millie said. Then added, “Please.”
Anastasia and her daughters backed away from the table.
“You know if I don’t, things will be all over and I won’t be able to find a thing.”
Millie pulled all of the items out of the bags, placing them neatly on the table, then folding the bags and putting them away. Finally, she put the items away methodically, labels facing out and sorted alphabetically.
“Your father requested a nice beef stew for dinner,” said Anastasia.
“I’ll start it right away so it will be ready when he gets home.”
Millie washed her hands thoroughly. Then she grabbed a large stock pot. She washed it out even though she had washed it after the previous night’s dinner. She then filled it with water and put it on the stove to boil. After gathering the ingredients required, she set about chopping vegetables and beef into bite sized chunks. She added the chunks to the pot of water. Soon the entire house began to smell lovely as the ingredients started to cook together.
“Cinderella?”, said Hope. “Is there anything I can help you with? Maybe I could fold the laundry”
“And I could help, too,” Faith chimed in.
“No, thank you, I have it all under control. If you two folded the laundry Hope’s stockings would be in Anastasia’s bureau and Father’s shirts would be hung up in my closet. It has to be done just so.”
Anastasia took this all in from her easy chair as she sorted through the day’s mail. “They won’t learn the “right” way if you don’t allow them the chance to learn.”
Anastasia opened an envelope and read the card that had been inside.
“Oh, how wonderful. We’ve all been invited to the Forgy’s for a party,”she exclaimed.
“ Right, Ian’s homecoming,” said Hope with a smile.
“Homecoming from where?” asked Millie.
“He’s been studying abroad for the last two years, Cinderella!”said Faith. She had a dreamy look in her eyes that reminded Millie of someone about to be unwell all over. Millie grabbed a trashcan and handed it to Faith.
“What are you going to wear, Cinderella,” asked Hope.
“I’m not going to dress up and put on airs for the Forgys. That boy of theirs isn’t much of a prize. He bullied me all through school.”
“He picked on you because he liked you,” Faith said.
“Ian bullied me because he thought he was better than me!”
“Now, now. Faith has a point. Many young gentlemen don’t know how to properly communicate with young ladies,” Anastasia explained. “He was probably shy.”
“Come on, Cinderella, go to the party,” urged Hope. “You’ll have fun. And even if you don’t they might let you help clean up.”
“You think they would?”
“The Forgy’s have a staff to take care of that,” said Anastasia. “You should go and have a good time. These kind of events can be magical. Dancing in the moonlight in the autumn night.”
“That sounds like a night to remember,” Faith teased.
“I must admit I did have my share of suitors, long ago.”
“Long, long ago,” added Faith.
“Did they have courting back then or did men just drag women back to their cave, by their hair?” joked Hope.
Millie couldn’t help but chuckle at that.
“No, it wasn’t that long ago. The men jousted for women's hearts in my day,” responded Anastasia. “Seriously, I do wish you would consider going to the party, dear. Mr. Forgy is one of father’s closest friends. It would be nice if the entire family would at least make an appearance.”
“An appearance. I’d be a sight. I don’t think I'd have enough time to put together a nice dress,” Millie said as she twisted a dish towel between her fingers.
“Well, that’s something we could truly help you with,” Hope offered, “Right, Faith?”
“Absolutely,” agreed Faith, “We can start after dinner!”
Father entered having half heard the conversation.
“We can start what right after dinner?”,he asked as he removed his jacket.
“They’re going to help Millie make a dress for the Forgy’s party,” answered Anastasia. She stood and gave her husband a kiss on the cheek.
“I’m not much at dress making, but I'll give it a go as long as it’s after dinner. I’m starved.”
After dinner as Millie cleared the table and washed the dishes. Father and Anastasia spoke about the events of the day. As Millie dried her hands Father motioned her over to where he and her stepmother sat.
“Millie, my sweet girl, how was your day?”
“Fine, Father. And yours?”
“Good enough. We can open again tomorrow,” Father joked. “Millie, I need to ask you a favor.”
“What is it, Father? What can I do for you?”
“It’s not a thing to do per se, it’s...,” answered Father.
“Yes, sir,”.
“I want you to go to the party at Arthur’s. I know it’s not something you normally do, but it would mean the world to Anastasia and me.”
“I know Father. But, their awful son is going to be there!”
“Exactly. Arthur says Ian’s been asking after you. He wants to see you.”
“Me? The last time I saw him he kicked a soccer ball right at my face.”
“It’s like the girls and I were trying to tell you earlier,” Anastasia said, “He did those things to get your attention.”
“He gave me a nice bruise on my cheek.”
“Young boys… young people do a lot of things they don’t understand themselves.”
“I myself dipped your mother’s pigtail in peanut butter once,” Father added.
“Peanut butter?”
“She had a dog named Muffin. Muffin loved peanut butter. So when she got home Muffin was all over her, trying to get at the peanut butter,” Father laughed his big belly laugh.
“I’ll give it a try.”
“That’s my girl.”
“Maybe he’ll hit me with a croquet mallet this time.”
“Hopefully not,” Father chuckled.
Millie bent down and gave her Father a kiss.
As Millie started to leave Father said,”And, please, allow Hope and Faith help you with the dress.”
“Yes, sir, I will.”
“I’d help but I’m all thumbs with women’s clothing.”
Millie joined her stepsisters in the sewing room to see how they had progressed.
The room was a total mess. Material was flung all about, Buttons here, spools of thread there. It was all Millie could do to maintain her composure. She felt her skin crawl at the sight. As calmly as possible, Millie began sorting through the disarray. As she picked up a pile of fabric she asked, “So, how is it going?”
“Wonderfully,” chirped Hope.
As Millie stacked the folded fabric pieces on a chair Faith added, “We know just the style and just the fabric we want to use.”
Millie gulped and asked, “Which fabric?”
Faith peered at the stack Millie had just put down and said, “The teal. The one on the bottom.”
Millie blushed slightly and pulled the teal fabric from the bottom of the pile.
“Doesn’t this look sort of…” Millie fumbled looking for the right word, “froggy.”
“Oh, no,” said Hope. “It will look wonderful on you.”
Millie felt a horrible headache coming on.
“Trust us, Cinderella. You’ll be the talk of the party,” said Faith.
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
“Come now, sister, trust us,” Hope implored. “Let us do this one thing for you. Please,”
Millie remembered how Anastasia and Father had begged her to be more flexible with her step siblings. And the headache was only getting worse.
“Alright,” she said, “I have a headache anyway. Perhaps I should be off to bed.”
“Yes, exactly, you get some sleep and leave this to us,” said Faith with a smile.
“Feel better,” said Hope.
Millie left them and went directly to bed. She was so shaken she didn’t perform her nightly routine. She even slept in her clothes.
The next morning Millie awoke without her headache but she had an awful taste in her mouth. It was then that she realized she hadn’t brushed her teeth or washed her face before bed. She jumped out of the bed and began making herself presentable. First she had to get that terrible taste out of her mouth. She began brushing her teeth with vigor. How could she have forgotten to… The dress! Oh no, the dress!
Millie ran to the sewing room with the toothbrush still in her mouth. The room was an absolute mess again. But in the corner on a hanger was a pretty teal dress.
“They did it,” Millie thought, ”They actually did it!”.
Millie walked over to the dress and examined it. She took the hangar and twirled it around. It spun about wonderfully. She spun it and twirled and then she saw something that stopped her dead in her twirl.
On the back of the dress was a huge, garish bow that looked like the blades on a windmill. If a big wind came along during the party she would blown out to sea.
She dropped the dress as if it were a tarantula. Then had to scoop it up and hang it back up because she couldn’t bear it being on the floor. She rushed out of the sewing room and nearly knocked over Faith and Hope.
“Cinderella, are you alright?” asked Hope.
“Yes, of course I am. Why do you ask?”
“For one thing you’re as pale as a ghost and for another you have a toothbrush hanging from your mouth!”
Millie blushed and removed the toothbrush.
“Did you see the dress?,” asked Faith.
“I did.”
“Well, what do you think?”, Hope questioned.
“Isn’t it something?”, Faith exclaimed.
“Yes. Yes it’s something alright,” said Millie trying to choose her words carefully.
Faith nudged Millie back into the sewing room, “You have got to try it on. I’ll bet it looks even better on.”
Millie tried to leave saying,”I really must get to making breakfast.”
“ Breakfast?,” laughed Hope,”Why, Cinderella it’s nearly ten o’clock. Mother made breakfast hours ago.”
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“Come on,” Faith urged, “Try it on. It’ll only take a minute.”
Millie decided that the sisters wouldn’t leave her alone until she relented. With their help she put on the pretty teal dress.
Again it looked quite lovely. She admired it the mirror, twirling like before. But then she glimpsed that ridiculous bow. Her heart started to race and her skin began to crawl. She started pulling off the dress wanting to be rid of it.
“Cinderella, take it easy,” said Hope.
“Yeah, you’ll ruin it,” warned Faith.
“It was ruined when I put it on,” muttered Millie as they helped pull the dress over her head.
“What’s that?”
“Nothing, I’ve got to go finish brushing my teeth.” Millie wiggled the rest of the way out of the dress and darted away to her room. She stayed there all day. Anastasia and her daughters knew Millie well enough to leave her alone.
That evening there was a knock at her bedroom door.
“Millie?”, Father’s voice called through the door. “May I come in?”
“Ok,” Millie’s voice called back from under the pillow she had pulled over her head to further distance herself from the dress.
Father entered. “Why are you barricaded in here? Are you feeling unwell?”
Millie had always tried to be honest with her father. But how to tell him how awful that dress was. She decided this time a white lie was better than the truth.
“Yes, Father, headache from last night has set up residence in my cranium.”
“Oh, you poor thing. I’ll have Anastasia bring you some tea and a little something to eat.”
“Thank you. I’m sorry to be such a burden. I should be up and around in the morning.”
“You’re no burden. Rest is just what you need. I’ll send Anastasia right up.” As he was about to leave the room he turned and said, “The girls did quite a good job on the dress.”
“Yes, they did. It’s lovely,” Millie said in a soft voice. Angry with herself for telling such a big lie.
The night of the party arrived. Millie’s stomach was in knots. She didn’t want to disappoint her father. However, just the thought of putting on the dress again made her feel like crying.
Anastasia was dressed beautifully in a blue gown. Her hair up in a tidy bun. Hope wore a dress of yellow and Faith sported a red flowy garment. Their hair flowed over their shoulders, shiny and soft.
“Millie, you’re not dressed for the party,” exclaimed Father. He wore a handsome charcoal gray suit tailored by one his best employees.
“I didn’t want to wrinkle or smudge it while I was washing the dishes,” Millie lied. Truthfully being in that thing any longer than necessary would make her a nervous wreck.
“We’re about to leave,” said Anastasia.
“We don’t want to be late,” said Faith.
“Faith and I want to have our chance to talk to Ian before any of those other girls do,” added Hope.
“Why don’t you go ahead without me. I’ll be along as soon as I’m dressed.”
“I suppose that would be alright,” Father said as he opened the door for the others. Then he whispered to Millie, “Don’t make me come back to get you.”
“I won’t. I’ll see you soon”
After they left Millie slumped down in a chair on the brink of tears.
With a heavy sigh Millie stood up and went to her room. Preparing herself for the anxiety wearing the dress would cause.
Millie stood in front of the mirror on her bureau trying to summon the courage to put the green monstrosity on.
“On the count of three,” she said to herself. “One, two, three.” She grabbed the dress and put it on. Again she marveled at how nice it looked. She didn’t dare turn around.
Just then there was a knock at the door.
“Father,” she called as she hurried toward the door, “you didn’t give me very much time.”
She opened the door and standing there was a tiny woman in a maroon overcoat. She was very short, even elfish. She seemed quite old, but her eyes sparkled brilliantly and her smile was blinding.
“Hello,” she said, “I’m sorry to intrude but I was wondering if you might have a pair of scissors I could borrow.”
Millie was set aback having expected her father and instead seeing this woman. She composed herself then said, “Certainly. Please, come in.”
The woman walked in. She didn’t walk like an old lady. Rather she seemed to float.
“I’m sorry but I’m in a bit of a rush. I’m about to leave for a party,” Millie explained.
“You must mean the one at the big house on the hill. It seemed like a merry time was being had. No worries, my dear, I’ll be out of your hair in no time.”
Millie stopped in her tracks. She was on her way back from the sewing room with the scissors and thought out loud, “My hair. I haven’t done my hair!”
“Here dear let me help you,” said the woman. “Do you have any bobbie pins?”
“Yes, ma'am.”
“Bring them to me and we’ll have you looking spiffy in a jiffy.”
Millie handed over the scissors and darted to her room, grabbed a hairbrush and bobbie pins and ran back. The woman had moved a kitchen chair to the middle of the floor.
“Sit down young lady,” she said.
Millie did as she was told. The woman wrapped a dish towel around Millie’s neck. Suddenly, she was brushing Millie’s hair out and around and up and down, putting in a bobbie pin here, then there, then over there and in what only seemed like a minute she was done .
“Go have a look, dear.”
Millie went into the sewing room and what she saw was amazing. Her hair was put up in such a pretty pile she couldn’t believe her eyes. “Oh ...oh…” The woman walked up behind her.
“Oh..oh what? Did I do alright?”
“Alright?! It’s lovely. I never thought I could look this...this beautiful,” Millie declared.
“Well, look at the beauty I had to work with,” said the woman.
“Thank you very much.”
“You’re quite welcome, my dear,” said the woman. “Do you have shoes to go with the dress?”
“I have some nice shoes my sister lent me. They’re a bit big but I can stuff some paper down in them to make them do.”
“Pish posh,” said the woman. She reached behind her and brought out a sparkling pair of shoes that appeared to be made of glass. “Here. Try these on.”
“But, they’re so beautiful and delicate. I’m afraid they won’t fit or I’ll break them if I put them on.”
“Just put them on,” the woman said.
Millie put on first the left, then the right. The shoes seemed to mold around her feet.
“These are wonderful. They fit perfectly. And…” Millie twirled around a bit, her dress flowing around her, “They’re so comfortable.”
“They’re yours,” said the woman with a tiny smile.
“Goodness no! I can’t take these from you. They must be very valuable.”
“More than you may ever know. Look down at them.”
Millie looked down at the shoes and they had turned from clear to the exact shade of green as her dress.
“I can’t believe it. I love them. Please let me pay for them.”
“No, dear, your happiness is my reward and we’ll discuss it no more. I must be going and you, you have a party to attend.” The woman floated toward the door. Millie noticed the scissors on the table.
“Don’t forget the scissors!”
The woman turned around, “Oh, yes, the scissors.”
Millie handed them to her.
“Turn around for me.”
Millie did as she was told. She heard a snip and the scissors being placed on the table.
“What are you…”, Millie turned back around and the woman was gone.
Millie stood looking at the door for a moment. Then she shrugged her shoulders and took the scissors back to the sewing room where they belonged. As she turned to leave she caught her reflection in the mirror.
The bow was gone.
The shoes on her feet made the walk to the Forgy’s home pleasant. She could see the lights from the house up on the hill. Soon she could hear the music being played by the band the Forgy’s had hired for the affair.
Millie felt butterflies flitting around in her stomach but otherwise she felt confident.
As she entered the gate she saw people huddled in groups chatting, drinking, laughing, and enjoying themselves in the autumn air. Millie started to cheer up. Perhaps tonight wouldn’t be that bad after all.
“Hi, Millie,” said a young lady she remembered from Algebra class. “Don’t you look nice!”
“Ravishing,” said one of her male companions.
“Thank you, “ Millie responded, “You’re very kind, Bridget.”
“It’s the truth. That dress is lovely,” said Bridget. “And your hair!”
“Millie, you’re gorgeous. By the way, you probably don’t remember me. I’m Alex. From Mrs. Blackburn’s science class.”
“Alex! You...you…” Millie sputtered.
“I know. I was five foot nothing and weighed about a ton back then. I sprouted in college,” Alex chuckled.
Millie squinted at Alex for a moment. “Well, it certainly suits you. You’re quite the debonair gentleman. So nice to see both of you.”
“You know Ian has been looking out here every few minutes looking for you,” said Bridget.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Speak of the Devil,” said Alex.
“Does he have a soccer ball, a croquet mallet?”
“Nope, just a big goofy smile on his face.”
Millie turned around and there he was. Empty handed except for a pair of champagne glasses.
“Hi, Millie,” Ian said with a smile.
“Hi, Ian. Nice suit.”
He was wearing an expensive suit and tie she recognized as being from her father’s store.
“Thanks, they have some wonderful tailors over at your pop’s place.”
He had grown into his looks. He was very handsome and well groomed. “Did he get a manicure recently?”,she wondered.
“I’ve been looking forward to seeing you,” Ian said as he handed a glass to her.
“So I hear. Did you have a new soccer ball you wanted to kick at my face?”, Millie half joked.
“Oh, god, I was such a jerk!”
“Your words not mine.”
“Ok, I was worse than a jerk. I was a...a horse’s ass.”
“That’s about right.”
“You know I didn’t mean to hit you with that soccer ball.”
“You were aiming for another girl?”
“No,” Ian confessed, “I was trying to impress you with my skills. Sadly my skills weren’t that fantastic.”
“Why though? Why me?”
Ian took a long drink of champagne and said, “I must confess. I’ve had a huge crush on you since third grade.”
“You had a strange way of showing it,” said Millie.
“My psychiatrist says it’s pretty normal.”
“You see a psychiatrist?”, asked Millie.
“Sure. A whole team of them.”
Millie stared at Ian for a moment. Then Ian laughed a loud but pleasant laugh. Bridget and Alex joined him.
“I’m joking. I’ve been talking to your dad and stepmom already this evening.”
“Excellent,” Millie said sarcastically. “What have they been telling you?”
“Nothing but good stuff. I promise. And your step sisters! They really think the world of you. Is this the dress they made for you?”
“Do you always talk this fast?”
Bridget and Alex chuckled as Ian blushed.
Alex said, “As amusing as all this is, there is a party going on.”
“We’ll see you inside,” added Bridget and the two of them walked toward the house.
“Sorry, I’m a bit nervous,” said Ian.
“I understand. Coming back home after years away…”
“No, Millie, I’m nervous because I want to make the right impression...on you.”
Millie was touched. And a little sceptical.
“It’s alright, Ian. All is forgiven.”
“That’s not really it. You see, I don’t want to ruin the chance that maybe we could spend some time together.”
“No time like the present. There’s a party going on. Let’s go join the festivities.”
“Terrific!”, Ian exclaimed as he put his arm out to escort her like a proper gentleman. And up the hill to the brightly lit house they went.
Inside the music was ear splitting. Nevertheless, Ian and Millie made the rounds saying hello to friends and family. People Millie hadn’t seen for years, while she was tied up with taking care of Father and the house. Others Ian had lost touch with because he had been out of the country for over two years.
They made quite a dashing couple. They walked arm in arm until they met up with her family. Hope and Faith looked disappointed, but Father and Anastasia seemed elated.
“You two look like you’re enjoying yourselves,” Anastasia said.
“He hasn’t heaved any sporting goods at me yet,” joked Millie.
“The night is still young,” Ian retorted.
They all laughed a slightly champagne amplified laugh.
“You look beautiful, Millie,” Father said.
“Your hair is lovely, dear,” said Anastasia, “and your dress!”.
“Thank you. Hope and Faith deserve all the credit for the dress.”
“Yes, you two did a smashing job with her dress,” said Ian.
“Why thank you Ian?”they both said and they all laughed again.
“Wait, “ Anastasia said to Millie, “Turn around.”
Millie turned and Hope and Faith gasped.
“What happened to the bow,” Anastasia asked.
“I thought it uh, it streamlined the design,” Millie fibbed. She knew they wouldn’t believe the truth.
“You know,” said Faith, “It does look better without it. Don’t you think, Hope?”
“Absolutely, good eye, Cinda… I mean’ Millie,” stammered Hope.
Feeling a little tension Ian said, “Millie, why don’t we spread ourselves around?”
“We?”
“Yes, if you don’t mind. It will be a pleasure having the prettiest girl at the party on my arm. Besides, we still have some catching up to do, some more partygoers to stun with our glorious presence.”
Millie blushed brightly, “Sure, see you all later!”
“It does my heart good to see Millie having fun for a change,” Father said smiling.
“It’ll do you some good to have some fun yourself,” said Anastasia. “Let’s dance!”
“Okay, but watch your feet!”, her husband joked.
They stepped out on the dance floor along with a multitude of party goers.
Meanwhile, Ian and Millie were walking and talking. Sometimes to each other. Other times to family and friends they met as they walked through the ballroom. Millie liked the one on one discussions the best.
Ian’s studies overseas had taken him to many exotic places. The Galapagos Islands to study the giant turtles that resided there, to the Australian outback for the kangaroos and koalas. His home base was Oxford, but he was rarely there.
He asked Millie about her aspirations to work for the environment. She told him about taking care of the house and seeing to the needs of her family.
“Maybe,” Ian offered,”and this is just my opinion, maybe it’s time for you to take care of you. Go back to school. Get your degree. Have fun.”
“You make it sound so easy.”
“It might not be. It might be incredibly hard. But, you’ll never know if you don’t try.”
The band ended a song and the people on the dance floor applauded. Another tune began and even more people hopped out on the dance floor.
“I love this song,” exclaimed Millie.
“Shall we?”
Ian escorted Millie to the dance floor. As they danced Millie tried to remember the last time she had danced. The last time she really enjoyed herself. Not by cleaning the rugs exceptionally well, or by trimming the hydrangea bush just so. But, really cutting loose and having a great time.
The song ended and another one began. It was a slow romantic song from long ago. She remembered her mother telling her that it was the first song she and Father had danced to at the VFW lodge dance.
Ian pulled her close. Millie wasn’t a fan of being touched or hugged. This was different. This might, just might be love.
As they danced Millie noticed the others on the dance floor noticing them and smiling. It felt delightful.
The song ended and a disco tune took over. The older party guests applauded and cheered while the younger ones stepped off the dance floor to watch the “dinosaurs” wriggle and bob to the prehistoric beat.
Millie saw Anastasia and her father boogie to beat the band.She smiled and thought, “They deserve to be happy. And you know what? So do I.”
“Whatcha’ thinkin about?”, asked Ian. Millie smiled and pointed toward the happy pair.
“Isn’t that nice. You know your mom was a helluva lady, but Anastasia is special too. In her own way.”
“Yeah,” Millie replied,”she’s alright.” Better than she had ever wanted to admit. Holding her up to comparison of her mother was unfair. Millie realized she needed to give Anastasia a break.
And what was this she was feeling about Ian? Did she like him? Did she “like,like” him?
The disco tune ended and the band played a fanfare.
“Ladies and gents,” said the lead singer, “we’d like to introduce you to the man of the hour, Ian Forgy!”
There was a wave of applause and a spotlight glared down on Ian and Millie.
“This is humiliating,” Ian whispered to Millie.
“I think it’s nice,” Millie said.
Ian waved timidly to the crowd.
Another fanfare and from the kitchen area a pair of waiters carried a large impressively decorated cake. The two were obviously struggling with the weight of the thing. As they approached Ian and Mille, a partygoer, Mister Janovitch the owner of Bob’s Bakery, the providers of the cake, backed his chair up to get a better look. One of the waiters caught his foot on it.
Suddenly, the two and the cake went flying straight at Ian.
And Millie.
Millie defensively put up her arms. But, both she and Ian were covered with cake.
At first the crowd seemed stunned. Then, Ian started laughing. Realizing no one was hurt the others laughed too. They were covered in cake. Ian playfully dipped a finger into the icing on Millie’s shoulder and put it in his mouth. He gave a thumbs up giving his opinion of the confection.
Millie, on the other hand was not laughing. She was feeling humiliated. Ian had gotten the better of her again.
Ian looked at her and asked,”Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m great! A great fool for ever believing I could ever be anything but a joke to you.”
Millie ran for the door. Cake falling off her as she went. Alex reached out to comfort her as she walked by but she pulled herself out of reach.
“Millie! Wait!,” Bridget called after her.
Millie didn’t acknowledge Bridget. She was too furious. Besides Alex and Bridget were most likely in on the joke.
She waited until she was outside to cry. She wouldn’t give Ian or the others the satisfaction of seeing her cry.
She didn’t break her stride until she was halfway home. It was then that she noticed she had lost one of her shoes. And her hair had fallen down in to a Huge mess. She just sat down and cried.
“Why? What did I ever do to him to deserve this?” Great gobs of mucus flowed out of her nose. She didn’t care. She didn’t care that she was sitting on the dirty street. She just didn’t care.
“Please don’t cry, darling.”
Millie turned to see it was the woman in the overcoat. She handed Millie a handkerchief.
“Here, Honey, wipe away those tears.”
“Thank you,” Millie took the hanky, “Why am I thanking you? If you hadn’t come along, I wouldn’t have gotten my hopes up.”
“Child, please don’t be so angry.”
“By the way, I lost one of your shoes.”
“They are your shoes. I gave them to you. Don’t worry your pretty head, the shoe will be returned to you.”
“How do you know?” asked Millie between sniffles.
“I just do. Now get up. I’ll walk you the rest of the way home.” The woman offered her hand for assistance. Millie got to her feet and they walked the short distance in silence.
When they got to the door Millie wiped her nose once more and started to give the handkerchief back to the woman. “I’ll wash it and then return it to you.”
“That’s okay. Keep it.”
“I’m sorry I was so nasty to you back there.”
“I understand, sweetheart. But, do you?”
“Do I what?” asked Millie.
“Do you understand the opportunity you were given tonight?”
“No, I guess I don’t,” answered Millie.
“Think about it,” said the woman,”Think about what a good time you were having until…”
"I got pummeled with cake."
“Yes,” said the woman excitedly,”Consider how much you enjoyed yourself talking to Ian, to old friends. How fun it was to dance and celebrate your youth, your life!” The woman turned to leave. “Think about the opportunity you have to change your life!“ The woman walked away walking that floaty walk of hers.
“It was all a trick! It was all a lie!” shouted Millie after the woman.
“If that’s really what you think,” the woman said. She floated around the corner and was gone.
When the rest of the family returned from the party, Milie was already in bed. She wasn’t asleep. She was going over and over the evenings events in her head as she twisted the corner of the top sheet in her hands.
At first everything was fine. They were talking and visiting. They were laughing and dancing. It did feel good. Until.... Until.
Before she could process that thought for the millionth time, there was a knock at the door.
“Go away,” she grouched.
“But, it’s...it’s me… Daddy.”
Father was obviously feeling a bit tipsy.
“Go to bed, I don’t want to talk.”
“But… you’re upset...you need your daddy.”
“I’m fine. Please go to bed. We can talk in the morning.”
Millie heard a scuffle in the hall outside her door.
“Come along, dear. You need some sleep.”
It was Anastasia helping her father to bed. Maybe Ian was right about one thing. Anastasia was all right.
“Millie, I’ll be awake for a while if you need anything.”
“Thank you, Anastasia. I appreciate it. Good night.”
“Good night.”
Suddenly Father burst into song,”Good night, ladies! Good night ladies! Goo…”
“Come along, Dino!”
A line or two of "That's Amore" floated down the hall until Anastasia closed their bedroom door cutting off the serenade.
That night Millie had terrible nightmares. They cycled like the thoughts she had just before she fell asleep. All of them different versions of the events at the party. Though each one started began the same. But, midway through changes occured.
Ian and everyone at the party was kind and welcoming. As the dream proceeded a noticeable meanness in Ian’s eyes, his words and his gestures. The party attendees followed a similar trajectory. Later they became sinister and robotic. Ian was the Devil himself. He literally pushed Millie into the cake. The crowd chanting, “Push her in! Push her in!”
Millie awoke frightened and covered in sweat. Her sheets and pillowcase were ripped and twisted in knots from the nocturnal twisting, tearing and twirling her hands had given them.
She went to the bathroom. She switched the lightswitch on, then off, then on again, off again, five times in total before leaving it on again to keep her safe from the electricity. She splashed her face with cold water, for there would be no more sleep that night.
When Anastasia came downstairs, she was expecting to have to prepare breakfast, however, before she was halfway down the stairs she smelled coffee brewing, bacon frying and something baking in the oven.
In the kitchen she saw Millie busying herself around the kitchen.
“Good morning, dear!”
“Good morning, Anastasia,” Millie said without looking up from washing out a mixing bowl. “The coffee’s ready. The rest will be up momentarily.”
Anastasia poured herself a cup of coffee, adding just enough cream to lighten its color, then she sat down at the table. She scanned Millie’s handywork: pancakes, sausages, bacon and a breakfast casserole she was just pulling out of the oven.
“This must have taken hours. Didn’t you sleep last night?”
“A little,” said Millie.
“Nightmares?”
“No, thanks, I had a bunch of them last night.”
Anastasia laughed, “At least you haven’t lost your sense of humor.”
There were loud footsteps coming from upstairs along with the moan familiar to those who have suffered a hangover before. Father came shambling down the stairs.
“Oooooooh, my head,” he grumbled,”What happened last night? Start with our arrival.”
Anastasia popped up from her seat. Before she could take a step Millie opened the refrigerator and grabbed a beer, an egg and some ice. She wrapped the ice in a dish towel, poured the beer into a glass, cracked the egg and added it to the glass. She carried all this to her father.
“Thank you, sweetheart,” he said putting the ice on his head and chugging the beer and egg concoction.
“Breakfast is ready whenever you are,” Millie announced.
“Bur...bru...breakfast…” her father irked.
“Maybe you should wait a little while for that,” Anastasia said. She sat back down to the table with a healthy serving of everything.
Father looked at the plate and had to leave the table to avoid vomiting.
Just before he sat down, there was a knock at the door.
“I’ll get it,” he said somewhat overcoming his nausea, for the moment.
He opened the door.
There stood Ian, dressed in casual but very neat attire. He carried a small paper bag with him.
“Good morning!”
“If you say so.”
“A little hungover, are we?”
“I don’t know about you, but I’m a lot hungover.”
“I was wondering if I might talk to Millie.”
From behind Father, Anastasia said, “I don’t know that she wants to see you. She was very upset last night.”
“I know that’s why I came. I wanted to make sure she was alright.”
“It’s alright, Anastasia,’ Millie called from the kitchen. “You can let him in.”
Anastasia backed up and went back to her breakfast.
“Come in, come in,” coaxed Father.
Millie steadied herself. Prepared to give Ian a piece of her mind.
Just then, Ian did something unexpected. As he entered, he stopped just inside the door and wiped his feet on the doormat.
Millie was dumbstruck.
Ian approached her. “Hi, Millie.”
She couldn’t speak. “Oh my gosh! He wiped his feet .” The thought made lightning fast loops in her mind.
Ian opened the paper bag he was carrying and pulled something out. Millie heard the rustling of the bag but was still caught up in her thought loop she didn’t notice what it was.
Ian cleared his throat, feeling that she wasn’t in a forgiving mood he put aside his apologies for the moment.
“I believe this is yours.” Millie looked at what was handed to her. It was the shoe she had lost last night. “As I say I believe it’s yours. It looks a little different than it did. I mean it’s not the same size or color.”
Millie stared at the shoe.
“Something told me it was yours:”
Millie was still stuck in her head. Was she completely wrong about Ian? If she was, had she blown it now?
Ian sensed Millie was not going to be receptive, “I’ll leave you alone. I wanted to apologize for last night. I promise it was an accident. I didn’t set you up. I really like you. I’m… never mind.”
Ian turned to walk out the door.
“Ian. Wait,” Millie said finally regaining her composure. Ian turned back to see Millie removing something from the kitchen trash can. It was the other shoe,.She took it and the one Ian had brought and sat down at the kitchen table.
She removed her usual old, comfortable sandals and put the others on. Just like last night they conformed to her feet perfectly and changed to a bright blue to match the house dress she was wearing.
“Wow!” was all Ian could say.
Millie walked over to Ian.
“I really am sorry about last night…” Millie put a finger to his lips.
“There’s nothing to apologize for. I had a wonderful time last night. Up until the cake incident.”
“I had a great time too.”
“Shhh, let me finish. I have certain triggers that just make me…”
“Anxious?”
“Yes.”
“Remember last night when I joked about having a “team of psychiatrists? I really do see one. While I was abroad I had a bit of a tough time. I was only supposed to be there a year but...”
“It’s okay,” Millie said,”You don’t have to give me all the details. There’s one thing I want from you now.”
“What’s that?”
“This.” Millie kissed Ian and Ian kissed back. Suddenly a smattering of applause broke out. Hope and Faith had joined the group. Anastasia smiled. Father smiled between belches.
“Are you hungry? I made plenty for breakfast.”
“Absolutely famished.”
They walked hand in hand to join the rest.
Outside the kitchen window a tiny figure looked in. She smiled and floated on her way.