Cinderella, The Return of Genevieve

Cinderella

The Return of Genevieve

By Elektra Carter

Published by
Elektra Carter, Amazon Edition. Copyright 2014 Elektra Carter

Table of Contents

Chapter 1……………………………………………………………………. 4

Chapter 2
……………………………………………………………………. 10

Chapter 3
……………………………………………………………………. 22

Chapter 4
……………………………………………………………………. 35

Chapter One

Auction chanting, bounced off of the tunnel walls,
“25, do I have 30? 35, 45…50? 50 going once? 50 twice? SOLD for $45!”
Cold bodies bumped and pressed against one another politely bowing their heads in an,
I apologize
, kind of way. They were all in a rush trying to make it to a vending station, the bidding wars would end soon, and nobody liked paying full price.

“
Excuse me…excuse me sir, hurry Richard!”
A brunette woman shouted to the young boy working hard to tail her.

“Moving as fast as I can Mother.
”

Soft champagne
aglow from strung globe lights dangling from various merchant stations, barely giving light to the dark, damp tunnel. Pebbles showered down from the ceiling as the train rushed through just above them, Cinderella blinked over and over, hoping to flush her eyes of the debris.
Damn!

“Manhattan has a better bazaar!”
She shouted at the back of her sister’s blonde head, her hair swaying along with her hips.

Liza only shrugged and kept at her slow pace, stopping to look at every damned thing that sparkled.
Cinderella loathed shopping, especially with her step-sister. Liza was spoiled and bratty and treated her like crap. In fact it was probably the worst way she could be punished, being stuck alone with Liza for a period of time. I shouldn’t have drank that bottle of AB, I knew how much they loved that type. And I knew the consequences... Oh but it was lovely wasn’t it? She smiled to herself. She hadn’t had the exquisite taste of AB in a long while, she thought.

Staggering
down the bazaar way, damn near juggling all of the purchases. “Liza, slow down…please!”

“I’m sorry, remind me, who’s the maid here?”
She stopped, flinching her eyes at Cinderella. “Watch your tone… and hurry up will you! We need to buy more AB since you drank the last of it last night.” Liza sniggered. “Bet you thought that was pretty funny. I think you did it just to piss us off.” Liza always had a catty way of speaking, everything sounded like a threat. “To think of all we’ve done for you.”

A hard bump sent
Cinderella, off balance and stumbling this way and that. She caught her balance and everything else she carried just in time. Cinderella flinched and shrank back as Liza’s hand fan came down onto her head. “Surely, Mother will be pleased to further your punishment if you drop any of my purchases today. You do this to yourself you know?”

They continued to walk, stopping off at random stands. Liza continued to pile more onto Cinderella.
She held about ten bags in each hand, her arms extended out loaded with dresses and boxes. “Sweet Liza,” she began, while eyeing a wire push basket at a vendor across from the jeweler. “May you please, purchase that wire basket? I am only capable of carrying so much. If you had that basket, you can purchase even more. Think of it!” Trying to make her voice as sweet and humble as possible.

“
Oh I’m sorry, is it too heavy?”

“It’s not that it’s heavy, I can’t see I’m afraid I’ll run into so
mething and drop your things. This subway floor is filthy, it can ruin this lovely dress of yours. Gertrude normally brings a basket along.”

“How
sweet of her. She was always the soft one.” Cinderella watched as Liza flicked her hand, sending a diamond necklace sailing into the air. Blinking, and sparkling under the dim lighting of the subway tunnel. She balanced the mountain of goods on one arm, quickly setting some of the bags onto the floor. She shuffled to the left with her free arm out and caught the necklace before it hit the ground.

“Good job.” Liza smirked.

Cinderella
let out a labored exhale. Thank God.

***

Cinderella made it to Fifth Avenue without incident. She walked up their stoop steps—Liza leading the way—and entered the brownstone. She exhaled a sigh of relief when she made it into the kitchen and was able to set things down. First she put away Liza’s new dresses, shoes and jewelry. Then she carried the bottles of AB- and O- down into the wine cellar. She put away the groceries and searched for dinner instructions, but found none.

Cinderella
took the back way up to Mother’s room, the narrow winding stairwell echoed as her shoes shuffled against the stone. She knocked at Mother’s study door. “Come in.” Her frigid voice called out.

Cinderella entered the study
, Mother’s silver hair reached her waist in big ringlets. She became a vampire at a ripe age, she didn’t look as haggard as she ought, being vampire always gave a few years back.

“What are you doing?” Pausing from smoothing on her eye liner. Her green eyes gleamed a flash of frost. Immediately Cinderella sat on her knees and kept her head down as she had done every time she spoke to Mother. “Mother Minerva, I noticed there were no dinner instructions left for me.”

Minerva never turned to look at her step
-daughter. “That’s because we will not be dining in tonight. We have reservations at Fleur du Soir.” Cinderella imagined Mother’s elegant nose turning up with pride as she named the restaurant.

“Mother, will you be meeting Liza’s in-laws tonight?”

“In fact we will. Prince Patrick will be by for a drink first, so please set out a fresh bottle of AB- for us. Use the Bordeaux Grand Cru glasses, for five. Set out the Crepe cake, dress it with powdered sugar, the center with sliced strawberries drizzled with warm chocolate.”

“Dessert before dinner Mother?”

“Yes, we have a bit of celebrating to do, don’t we? Your sister will be married off soon. Then all I’ll have to worry about is Gertrude.”

“When will Gertrude return?”

“I don’t know. I guess she’s having the time of her life in Paris. You miss her don’t you? Gertrude has always shown interest in you.” A hint of jealousy laced in her words. “She will never be on your side, you do know that? She has a heart, but she is still
my
daughter.”

“
I enjoy her stories.” Gertrude always brought Cinderella souvenirs and pictures from her travels. It was the only way she could see the world…again.

“She is a bit more adventurous than Liza. If she stayed in one place, perhaps she’d find a man.”
Minerva thought silently for a moment. “Oh well, maybe, Liza’s nuptials will encourage her.”

“Wonderful and exciting news for Liza. I’m happy for her. For you, for us.” Once Liza’s gone, that means you’ll be gone. And I’ll get what’s rightfully mine.

“As you should, now go on and get to it. And
thank the stars. I have forgiven you. Go on now.”

“Thank you Mother.” Cinderella bowed humbly and went on about her duties.

“Set the ginger biscuits, on the coffee table in the living room along with five dessert plates. I heard it’s the Prince’s favorite biscuit.”

“How do you know?” Hilda
, always nervous and on edge. She had permanent worry eyes, always wide with question and uncertainty.

“Research, Hilda. I want Liza to make the best impression.”

“Cinderella.” Always suspicious Hilda. “Why are you being so kind? You should be setting out marshmallows and frogs for that…” she lowered her voice, looked around and in a barely audible whisper, “Witch.”

“It’s not about Liza, is it? If we can help her, it will help us get rid of her.
This is the first time the Prince has been to the house. We have to make it count.”

“Oh, brilliant! A life without Liza
, the staff would be so grateful! Ask Winfred to set out the biscuits, I’m going straight to Liza’s room to help her get ready. You always were a smart one.” Hilda winked then dashed off. Cinderella, dressed the golden sponge cake and warmed the bottle of AB-. After the dessert and drinks were prepared, she went into the living room and arranged the seating, and table. Instead of everyone sitting in a circle she made sure everyone would sit across from one another—imagining that the prince and Liza would stare lovingly into one another’s eyes as they conversed, hoping for a moment to escape the company and be alone.

She switched out the usual coffee table with an even lower one so that when Liza went to serve the prince she would have to bend lower to reveal more of her bosom.
Sure he’d respond,
nice broach
and cough uncomfortably, because gentlemen do not peek.

“I should have told Hilda to dress Liza in pink. Hmm…”
Cinderella didn’t have time to redress Liza. She had to put on her best housekeeping dress, which was the best and most expensive article of clothing she owned. Silk, garnet red, double breasted and knee length. It was tailored to fit her body and it was the only and best gift she had ever received from Mother—only meant to wear for special occasions.

Cinderella pulled the sleek and soft
dress over her body and, slipped on her black knee high boots and gloves. She stood in front of her mirror and brushed her hair, making sure her face didn’t show. Minerva hated to see her face. She assumed that her face only reminded Mother of her father. Maybe somewhere in Mother’s cold interior she loved her him.

The door
bell rang and Cinderella rushed out of her attic room and down to the foyer. Hilda stood by the door, they wore identical dresses. Nervous as always, Hilda took a deep breath, looked to Cinderella for the OK, then opened the door.

Sure not to make
eye contact with the company, they both bowed deeply—making certain their heads were as low as possible. This was the greatest form of respect and wonderful Minerva made sure hands of help gave all important guests what they deserved.

“Good evening, please follow me.”
Cinderella straightened up and turned so the company could follow her. On cue, Mozart’s Requiem Mass in D minor began to play gently as the Prince and his guest made it past the threshold. She knew Mozart was the Prince’s favorite and it paid off well. As she sat the company, she said, “The Misses requested Mozart for the evening, please enjoy. The ladies of the house will be down shortly.” Bowing her head, she backed away and stood near the entrance of the living room.

Curiosity began to tug at her, she was dying to know if the P
rince was as handsome as he appeared on magazine covers. She tilted her head slightly to the left, a single brown eye peeking out from under her shiny black hair. She looked past the Prince’s friend who sat very still and onto the face of the Prince, sitting back in his chair, eyes closed humming to the sound of Mozart.

The prince was nicely filled out in his
evening jacket, “Gucci,” she whispered to herself, “black wool mohair, velvet trim lapel, two button closure, five button cuff…60’s cut. Father owned several.” She fell into her wonder of the prince. He was tall and handsome, soft blonde hair, blue eyes. “He tans? I thought it was photo shop. No vampire is that dark, unless of course the obvious. His friend was just as tan. Perhaps, they walk among the living? Hybrid?” Prince Patrick opened his eyes and caught Cinderella staring at him. He smiled genial.

“Wonderful music don’t you think? I find that if you close your eyes, the music dances in colors and movement. It’s the best way to understand and feel the music. It’s like looking at a painting. Try it. Go on, close those beautiful brown eyes of yours.” Cinderella, caught Hilda’s eye who seemed to be urging her to obey the prince so she closed her eyes and listened and watched as the
colors splashed across her mind. “What do you see?” He whispered, his voice oozing with passion. “Tell me, what do you see?”

“Dark, black
, evening, someone running, danger, anger, red, rage, purple passion, more red. Death, white.”

“Yes. Yes.
Victor she has the eye!”

“It’s like paint, being splashed violently onto canvas and…”

“You’re a painter?” His eyes lit up, rivers of blue flowing with life.

You’re getting too comfortable.
“Umm…Hardly, I’m sorry. Liza will be down any moment.”

Liza
’s eyes cut into Cinderella with utter repugnance. “Patrick, please forgive me. Had I known the help would be so rude tonight I…”

“Do not worry Love,
” He waved a hand carelessly and stood to his feet, arms open to her. “I was simply sharing my passion. Thank you for requesting Mozart for the evening, how did you know?”

Liza cut her eyes at Cinderella
again, and then gazed into Patrick’s eyes, “you are a man of class.”

“Am I that transparent?”
He asked.

“Only to me of cou
rse. It’s why we are perfect for one another.” Liza cupped his hands, pulled him a little lower and kissed his cheek. She took her seat and so did Mother, but not after giving Cinderella a grim stare.

“Drinks please.” Mother smiled at Patrick and he returned the gesture.

“Oh, Cinderella. Please, I’d love to see your work one day.” He then turned to Minerva and said, “Mother please do not punish Cinderella, it was my fault. I asked her to join me while I waited for my lovely bride. It was harmless.” He smiled at Mother, and waved his hand at Cinderella who then bowed and exited the room.