Chapter 3: Cinderella's Stepmother

Cinderella's Stepmother

Aiden's Pov

"How dare you split the sauce on my luxurious finery!" The man in the cinnamon suit yelled at Mary with a gravelly voice barging through his beard.

What if meeting problems is an unnecessary task in your life? And if you could get rid of them, would you try to?

"My apologies'', her voice was tranquil and she trembled at the man's casticate. "I didn't see you coming this way" she was facing down in an apologetic way.

She was shuddering for the first time. Although, this wasn't happening the first time.

"Barnacle! Silly monkey!" He brushed his shirt by rubbing it. Does he cuss around everyone? His harsh and loud words caught the attention of other people in the restaurant.

"What is happening?"

"Look at the girl, she is standing there faintly"

"Oh, his suit looks expensive. They must compensate him" I could hear people murmuring around.

Instead of mumbling something, I turned around to face a couple and asked them to be quiet. "What?" The male member of the duo muttered in silence while expressing mild irritation.

Oh. This couple was not particularly interested in the circumstance; they were simply enjoying each other's company.

Oops. I instantly turned around in shame. I was attempting to ignore the fact that I had erred. "Sir... please calm down-" I beamed gradiently to calm the scenario. But I was interrupted by a loud, dark and aggressive voice emerging at the edge of the restaurant entrance.

"Hey!" She barked. Everyone turned around awaiting for her next step. She was the lady who appeared scary to Mary.

"Apologize!" She yelled stridently. Mary bent knee down, bowing towards the man, apologizing loudly "Sorry Sir-"

"Not you" her intimidating voice thrilled the other bodies present around. Not me though.

She took a closer step towards the man. "I told you... Mr. Bernard, Apologize to... ME!" She snarled hard with her dreadful eyes gawping at him. "I was having an important chat on the call. Your deafening voice made me hang up the call."

"Excuse me, madam you are getting it wrong. She was first to spoil my precious outfit with red sauce-" he pointed towards Mary, who was already shuddering.

"Uh... it looks better on you, 'A cinnamon suit with wonderful red sauce', it's almost camouflaging with your suit" She smirks unreasonably and observes Mary.

"Look at her uniform." She placed her palm over Mary's shoulder, firmly. "It's white and almost spoiled with the sauce. She bent on her knees, and cleared her throat. "Oh! And her leg is hurt from the glass piece."

"Ma'am, are you blaming me?-" his frightened voice was barged in by her fierce expressions. "I am not blaming you. You are culpable here." she raised, grasping the glass piece at the edge, detaching it from Mary's leg. "Ouch..." Mary whimpered. "Thank you"

She raised herself and forced the glass piece towards Mr.Bernard's face. "Ahhh!" He squeaked even before she hit him. The sharp edge of the glass piece was covered with Mary's blood, roughly closed towards his face.

The glass fragment in her hand pierced my palm as soon as I stopped her fist in midair. "I warned you that making mistakes shouldn't be avoided but should be replaced with improved plans instead of harsh penalties."

She spent some minutes looking at me, as though time had been at halt for her. Her straight dark hair and dark brown eyes embody 'The Leaden Cinderella' in its truest sense.

"I also told you not to interrupt me." A sigh escaped her lips as she released the glass fragment and threw it away. "What do you identify as—a playboy or a people's boy?" She smiled smugly while stooping down low.

"Huh?" What she was trying to say eluded me. She regarded my hand cut and said, "You love helping people, even though you are hurt."

"I see. You know, I was just going to give him a small cut on his cheeks but your overreaction injured you. Sigh..." She crossed her arms and observed everyone looking at us. As her sharp gaze caught them, everyone quickly turned around and started as they were already engaged.

"It's not an overreaction." I covered my palm with my other fist. "There are several people out there, in the world. Out of which, many of them are lunatic and cold-hearted and to suppress their aggressive behavior, a bunch of calm and serene people should occupy them."

"So?-" I didn't let her complete it as I continued speaking. "And out of a hundred people only one comes out like this, pacific. Lunatics are not created, they are born that way" my voice reassured the calmness within me.

"You mean to say-" she hyped up with fuming anger shaking her index finger towards me.

"I didn't say you are lunatic. I just explained my behavior. Simple." I grinned towards her to lock her anger and turn it to a smile too.

She neither smiled nor frowned. Her vacant face was monitoring me. It was the first time someone wasn't smiling even after watching me smile at them. Am I not good-looking to her?

***

Soon the customers vacated the crowded place. The only best thing today was–Our manager was on a day trip.

After dusting off the tables with a wiper, I calculated the income today. "I left the keys to the shutter, after you leave don't forget to lock it." Mary ordered with a smile before clinging to her branded bag, recently bought with her income.

I work almost everywhere I can, but still would never be able to buy a branded material.

"Yeah, by the way, will you zip your mouth about today's incident, please?" I requested.

"No I won't." Her answer gave me anxiety. She paused before leaving. "No, I won't tell anyone about it," she chuckled. After wearing her shoes, she left.

Mr. Bernard hadn't left the restaurant yet. I glanced at him and asked, "Sir, do you need anything?"

He beamed at my question. "Yes, a man like you"

Excuse me. I am a straight guy, and even if I wouldn't, I would never date someone like him.

"Pardon?" I asked again for reassurance. "You slayed today by saving me. Tell me how much I should pay you!" His voice resembled sincere admiration.

"Sir your payment is already done by the lady, might be your boss."

"Shuush... listen, You deserve a tip for saving me even though she paid for me. She would have slammed my dead corpse too if you hadn't arrived there", he replied with a glamorous grin.

"And who was she, by the way?" Even though she was responsible for the wound in my hand, my curiosity about her remained steadfast.

"She is the stepmother of Cinderella... ha...ha..." He cackled with laughter, while placing his palm in front of me for a high five.

"Ha... ha..." I mocked a laugh. Is he dumb, to simply answer me?

He walked outside the restaurant laughing and giggling insanely.

Huh? What about my tip? Nevermind.

***

Next day

Eleven AM.

"Frankie! Hurry up" I hastened my sound, and patted his shoulder. Frankie Falcone, an only supporter for me here, in New York City.

"Hmm... next time you ride a plane, or buy my Goofy wings to fly." His wit and humor, none other than that, made me laugh. "Sorry Goofy, instead of wheels, you are going to have wings... " he moaned fakely.

Why is our motorcycle's name Goofy though? We need to find his Clarabell then... ha... ha...

"Hey! You know I have a date now." I smacked playfully at his head as he moaned. "Date! How can you be serious about such a thing while you date every day?" He chastised at my novelty.

"Huh... yeah yeah stop here." It was a flower shop where I told him to stop. 'Gaterbeilds Rosary' It was a shop with numerous flowers under our budget. "So you want to impress her ? Go get those flowers, though your foul smell will convert their fragrance into stench." He giggled at his own comment and shrugged his shoulders.

"You are being too nosy now." I high fived him and walked towards the flower shop.

The shop owner had lots of flowers and bouquets but I was attracted to a certain flower. 'Melancholy Thistle' is a plant with sadness attracting it. But can it sway away sadness too.

I bought them for approx sixteen dollars. They were lovely in appearance and their fragrance resembled peace in my mind.

I came out of the shop and spotted him with two ice creams in his hand. "Hey! I bought two ice creams'', he shouted loudly with a gorgeous grin spreading across his face.

I quickly ran over to him with a bouquet of Melancholy Thistle. I gladly took one ice cream from his hand. It was 'Pistachio' flavored ice cream, melting half its way. "Umm... I guess you ordered the wrong flavor."

I hate pistachio flavor the most. He knows that. "Ha... ha... Not at all. I didn't order the wrong flavor, when did I say I ordered these ice creams for you. These are for me." He chuckled while licking his own ice cream and snatching the other ice cream from my hand. "Go buy yourself one." He said.

I was irritated with his statement but managed to mind my own situation. "That's fine." I answered back while glancing at the car speeding on the road, acing its performance.

"Wow!" Frankie dropped his jaw out. "It's Mercedes Benz-1, one in our whole residence."

Huh? One? Is it that expensive? I shrugged at his comment and said on the motorbike and gestured to him to start the engine. "Start-"

"I am eating, buddy please do it." He smiled widely and got out of his seat and pushed me further from my seat to drive. "Uh! Okay." I signaled him to take a seat.

"Eat wisely and sincerely. Do not spoil my shirt." I warned him after I started the engine. "Of course, you want your date to get impressed." He mocked me with his comment.

"Yeah... yeah..."I answered him and rode the motorcycle for a while.

***

I entered the classic coffee shop in my casual outfit, though appearing dressed formally. It was a date with the sweetest girl I ever met. This isn't a lie.

I peeped once at the parking zone, espying the Mercedes Benz-1. Wow! Can I ever own that? Its premium black look was giving me a hint of luxury and its dashing doors and windows suppressed the feeling of poverty around.

She was sitting by the grand window lane, watching the scenery outside. A lemon yellow frock, ooh.. that's my favorite color… and her hairs were beautifully straightened and long, curving into a ponytail.

I marched towards her seat and realized someone familiar, sitting with her. 'Stepmother of Cinderella' I guess...

I peered at my dear lady. "Uh... hello Caroline." A downward tilt felt my chin

and my gaze shifted from left to right, giving a stained smile.

What is she doing with 'Leaden Cinderella' or 'Cinderella's stepmother' ?