The Cinderella Moment (9 page)

Angel thought of the sketches she’d seen in Clarissa’s room. “There’s nothing very original in her drawings, but she’s a brilliant copyist. In fact, she could probably set up as a very successful forger,” she added bitterly. Angel suddenly remembered the sketchbook she’d found under Clarissa’s bed. The flash of red that had seemed so strangely familiar must have been a drawing of Angel’s cocktail sheath. No wonder Clarissa had leapt at her.

“I can’t get my head around it,” said Lily. “You really think Clarissa’s ambitious enough to enter the Teen Couture with your designs?”

Angel nodded.

“It’s incredible,” said Lily, shaking her head.

“The only thing I don’t get,” said Angel, “is how the heck did Clarissa know I was entering the Teen Couture?”

Lily paled. “OMG, it was me,” she groaned. “It was Dad’s birthday dinner—Clarissa kept going on about Miki Merua admiring her designs. Apparently he’d told her she should enter the Teen Couture. He said he’d give her a full-time place in his studio if she made the finals.” Lily scowled. “Then she said that if I was lucky, she’d consider designing my prom dress. So I told her not to bother because my best friend was a brilliant fashion designer and if anyone was going to win the Teen Couture, it’d be her.”

“Oh, Lily,” whispered Angel.

“I am
so
sorry.”

“It doesn’t matter.” The light of battle gleamed in Angel’s eyes. “Because Clarissa’s not going to get away with it.”

“Absolutely,” agreed Lily, frisbeeing a Harrington’s lid across the room.

“I’m taking these.” Angel reached for the clothes scattered on the bed.

“What the
hell
is this?”

Startled, both girls looked up to find Clarissa standing in the doorway, her face contorted with rage. “How dare you let this—this
nobody
touch my things, Lily!” she shrieked.

“
Your
things!” cried Angel and Lily in unison.

“You’ve gone too far this time, Angelique! I’m calling Mother.” And before they could stop her, Clarissa was gone.

Angel ran after her. She caught Clarissa at the top of the stairs and spun her around. “I know what you’re planning, Clarissa, but you won’t get away with it. Those are
my
designs and I—” Angel's head snapped round.

Her mother was calling her name, “Angel!” There was a note of panic in Simone’s voice that struck terror in her.

Looking over the balustrade, Angel’s heart stopped beating. Her mother was leaning against the banister, clutching her side, barely able to stand. Pushing past Clarissa, Angel raced down the stairs and reached the bottom just as Simone collapsed.

Chapter Nine

The rest of the day passed in a blur. After a nightmare ride in the ambulance, during which Simone's moans of pain almost convinced Angel her mother was going to die, Angel was directed to a sterile waiting room to wait for news. Lily found her there soon after and spent the next few hours trying to convince Angel that Simone would be all right.

Eventually a nurse came. “Your mother is resting comfortably,” she told Angel. “She's got some abdominal trouble and will need surgery but a doctor will come and speak to you about that.”

“Can I see her?”

“She’s heavily sedated, she won’t know you’re there.”

“
Please
, I—”

“My friend needs to see her mother,” said Lily firmly.

The nurse frowned.

“After that I’ll take her home,” promised Lily.

***

Back home, Lily coerced Angel into eating a bowl of soup and made her watch two of their favorite movies before helping her into bed.

She offered to stay with her, but Angel insisted she was fine and wanted only to sleep. But after Lily had gone she lay awake staring into the darkness and wondering if her mother would be okay.

All she could think of was Maman lying pale and still in the hospital bed. It had reminded her of Papa in the days before he’d finally slipped away. Angel felt terrified at the thought of losing Maman as well. The surgeon had come to speak to her in the hospital and had said that they would need to operate. Her mother had pancreatitis and Lily had tried to call her father, but she couldn't get through, and eventually the two of them left the hospital.

It was long past midnight before Angel finally fell asleep, so she woke late the next day. She rushed to the kitchen to ring the hospital and found that Lily had already spoken to the nurse. They hadn't told her much—only that Simone was out of surgery and resting comfortably. Angel burst into tears.

She wanted to go straight to the hospital, but Lily was firm. “You need breakfast. There’s no point going to see your mom half-starved. Besides, the nurse said to visit after three.”

Angel hugged her.

Simone was sleeping when Angel arrived at the hospital. To Lily's disgust, Margot had insisted on taking her shopping for something she could wear to Paris, so she hadn't been able to come.

Angel couldn't help feeling relieved. She'd been terrified of breaking down again and hadn't wanted to share her worst fears with anyone.

It was a shock to find her mother looking so pale and fragile. As she sat beside the bed Angel had to fight hard not to cry.

“I love you, Maman,” she whispered, and wondered what she would do if her mother died.

She forced the thought from her mind and tried to think of something else.

She suddenly remembered the Teen Couture. Her entry should have gone to Paris this morning, but the courier must have come and gone away empty-handed. She’d been so worried about Maman she hadn’t even thought about it.

Was it really only yesterday she’d been so full of hope, imagining her designs at Vidal’s? How quickly everything had changed. It seemed like eons since Maman had collapsed, but Angel could still hear her cries of pain as they’d loaded her into the ambulance.

She mustn't think about it. She wouldn't.

Angel pulled the magazines she'd brought for Simone from her bag and settled down to read.

***

It was nearly six when Simone stirred, opened her eyes and whispered, “
Chérie? C’est toi?
”

Angel smiled down at her. “Yes, it’s me, Maman. You’ve had an operation, but you’re going to be fine.”

Simone frowned. “I can’t stay here.” She tried to sit up and gasped, pulling at the oxygen tubes and her drip.

Angel gently pushed her back down. “It’s okay, Maman, you’re in the hospital. Just rest.”

Simone stared up at her and Angel saw the same fear in her face that had haunted her in the weeks after the surgeon had told them that, despite all their hopes, Papa’s final operation had not succeeded and he would need full-time care.

Angel’s stomach churned. “What is it, Maman?”

Simone plucked at the sheet. “I heard them talking. They are sending me to a rehabilitation home, but I know our medical insurance won’t cover it.” She clutched Angel’s hand. “We can’t afford it,
chérie
. Your father
…
Most of our money—”

“Went to his care,” cut in Angel softly. “I know, Maman, but it’ll be okay. If the insurance company won’t help, I can ask Philip.”

“No!”

The tortured cry made Angel flinch.

“Promise me, you will not accept charity from Philip,” whispered Simone. She moved restlessly in the bed. “I have never—I will
never
take charity from him and you must not either!”

“No, I won’t—of course not.” Angel managed a tiny smile. “Don’t worry. First thing tomorrow I’ll talk to the insurance people. It’ll be okay—I promise. Just focus on getting well. Please, Maman.”

Simone seemed suddenly aware of the worry in Angel’s face. She stroked her cheek and said softly, “I am being foolish,
chérie
. Do not listen to my crazy talk, it is only the drugs for the pain that make me speak so.
Certainement
, all will be well.”

The nurse came in. “The doctor’s here. He wants to talk to you.” Angel followed her into the hall.

Outside, the doctor was talking to a smartly dressed woman. Angel blinked. It was Margot.

The doctor turned. “Here she is,” he said heartily, “the lucky young lady whose mother got to the hospital in the nick of time.” Noticing Angel’s pale face, he added, “But all’s well. Your mother has acute pancreatitis and biliary colic. She had several large gall stones so I’ve had to remove her gall bladder. We are treating her pancreatitis,” he patted Angel’s shoulder in a fatherly fashion, “and I’m confident that with the right care your mother will make a full recovery.”

He gestured to Margot. “I’ve been chatting with Ms. Kane and we have a plan.”

Angel stared. Margot was smiling at her. Not a nasty, malicious smirk, but a gracious, caring smile.

Margot stepped forward. “My dear,” she said gently, “your mother has had a serious operation and what she needs now is rest and the finest care.” She took Angel’s hand. “Doctor Somers and I agree that a rehabilitation home in Florida would be ideal.”

“Florida!” exclaimed Angel. “No, I—”

“Sunnydale is one of the finest facilities in the country,” said Dr. Somers. “With an outstanding patient recovery record.”

“Good food, rest and sunshine are what your mother needs now,” added Margot.

Dr. Somers nodded. “Ms. Kane has generously agreed to fly your mother down on Saturday with a private nurse and pay all the expenses.” He patted Angel’s hand. “Your mother’s very lucky to have such a kind and generous employer.” He looked at Margot. “You’ll leave it to me to make all the arrangements?”

“Certainly, Dr. Somers, and you’ll send me the bill?”

He nodded and she smiled graciously. “Then I’ll take this young lady home now, it’s been a long day.”

As shaken as she was by Margot’s change of personality, Angel could not agree to this. “I’m not tired and Maman—”

“Needs to sleep,” said the doctor. “You can come back on Saturday to say goodbye. Tell your mother that Ms. Kane is looking after you
and
the bills and she’ll have nothing to worry about.”

He smiled at them as Margot put her arm around Angel’s shoulders, her face a picture of tender concern as she walked her down the corridor.

Angel was trying to think of how to express her gratitude when they reached the exit door. As they passed through, Margot whipped her arm from Angel’s shoulders.

“Right,” she snapped. “Follow me.”

Minutes later Angel found herself in the back of the Rolls. The kindly Margot of the hospital corridor had vanished and the woman Lily insisted was the real Margot sat beside her, calmly lighting a cigarette.

“Clarissa tells me there was some sort of mix-up with her designs,” she said, sending a thin stream of smoke towards Angel. “My daughter is so excited at having sent off her Teen Couture entry to Paris. She’s made the most beautiful blue velvet ball gown.”

“
She
didn’t make it,” declared Angel.

Margot inhaled and regarded Angel through narrowed eyes. “Clarissa has her heart set on a career in fashion design. Becoming a finalist in the Teen Couture will ensure she succeeds.”

“Those are
my
designs,” said Angel.

Margot’s eyes glinted and she leaned forward. “Dr. Somers told me it was touch and go with your mother. She nearly died. Without the proper treatment she may never recover fully. You are lucky that I am able to send her to Sunnydale.”

Angel shifted uncomfortably. She
was
incredibly grateful to Margot. She was helping save Maman’s life and how could she ever repay her for that?

“You’re very kind—”

“It would be
so
unfortunate if anything should happen to upset the arrangements I’ve made for Simone’s recovery.” Margot inhaled deeply. “Clarissa has worked
so
hard on her Teen Couture entry. She was very upset when that Japanese silk proved to be sub-standard and I
won’t
have her upset again. I’d find that
very
distracting. I might even forget to pay my bills, and that,” she stubbed out her cigarette, “could be fatal.”

She smiled.
Like a snake about to eat its prey
, thought Angel.

“But I’m sure I’ll have no trouble remembering so long as I’m convinced that Clarissa’s Teen Couture entry will have its chance in Paris without interference.”

Angel stared at her. What could she say? Her mother had almost died—she might still die without proper care. She thought of Papa and how much she missed him. If she lost Simone, Angel would be all alone
…

She pushed the vision of Clarissa wearing her midnight-blue velvet ball gown from her mind. What did the Teen Couture matter, when Maman’s life hung in the balance?

The car pulled up outside the townhouse and Margot laid a hand on Angel’s knee. “There's no need for you to say anything to anyone about our
…
arrangement
,” she said silkily. “I’m so glad we’ve had this little chat, it makes everything
so
much clearer.”