Cinderella's New Shoes

Waking up wasn't a big deal because I never slept.

How could I? Being forced to lay next to King after what he had just done to me only fueled the slow-burning rage that threatened my sanity. Combine that with the anxiety of knowing I had to appear before Lettie holding a syringe, and I was on overload.

Prepping breakfast was actually a blessing as it gave me an outlet for working off some of the negative energy. Facing the family, knowing they were all aware of what had happened and what would happen in the future, kept me on edge, though.

I tried to ignore the shrewd glances as I served the food, but at the same time, I couldn't help but look to King for a hint of the recognition he had given me last night. There was none. He did what he always did. He worked on his tablet while eating, ignoring me. Ignoring everyone at the table.

I'd served up the last platter when Lettie stopped me from returning to the kitchen. For once, I wasn't in a hurry to join the family to get my share of the food. As far as I was concerned, I could go without eating ever again.

That said, I wasn't stupid. I patted my pocket where I'd slipped a slice of toast earlier. I planned to eat it in the bathroom, where I could be alone and unjudged.

The room went silent when Lettie said, "Girl, do you have something to say to me?"

I froze and took a breath before pivoting. "I apologized yesterday. What would you like me to say?"

"What's with the attitude, Teela? Apologize to the entire family. You hurt me and created a lot of tension in the household."

Like Lettie didn't have anything to do with the tension. It didn't matter.

I sucked in a breath and blurted. "I apologize to everyone for any and all discomfort I've caused. I apologized for harming Mom. I apologize for not taking instructions obediently. I apologize for not living up to Heavenly standards. I apologize that I'm a constant reminder that King married an inferior. I'm truly sorry that I soil the very air you breathe.

"Is that good enough?"

"No, Teela, it isn't." Lettie grinned. "While everyone is here, you should go around the table and apologize to each family member individually. It is more personal and sincere than that sarcastic bull you just spewed."

I nodded.

Beginning with the twins, I squatted down between them. They looked concerned. I doubted they understood what was going on. I didn't want to make it any more confusing to them than it already was.

Taking their hands in mine, I offered first one and then the other a smile. "Teela did something she shouldn't have. I'm sorry if it upset you. I promised. I'll do better, okay?"

As they nodded, I held out my arms for a hug, which they gratefully returned. I didn't realize how much I needed the human contact until their little arms circled my neck. True, they were brats, but they never treated me any worse than everyone else.

I drew what energy and emotional support I could from that brief contact, cherishing the recharge to my long-forgotten soul.

One by one, I went around the table, offering a brief apology. The adult family members brushed it off, and I moved on until I reached King.

I waited for King to look up.

He didn't.

"Sorry." My word was barely a whisper.

It was all I could manage. I prayed Lettie wouldn't call me out for it, and for once, she didn't.

When I'd finished, I stopped beside Lettie. "Once more, Mom, I never meant to hurt you. I apologize. This is my sincerity."

"Yeah, yeah. It's done." Lettie waved me off. "Clean up the kitchen, then you'll do some errands for me."

Errands? If I left the Heavenly estate twice a month, it was a lot. Lettie ordered groceries based on the menu that she planned. I didn't have a job. I didn't visit friends. In essence, I didn't have a reason to leave. Without a reason, Lettie wouldn't approve an excursion.

Today, I had an excuse.

I rushed through cleaning up the kitchen and dashed to the bedroom to clean up. I stopped at the bedroom door. In the center of the perfectly made bed, which in and of itself was a surprise because King never made the bed and he was still asleep when I went to work in the kitchen, there was a package.

The package appeared to be a shoe box nestled in a designer shopping bag. Someone had stuck a Post-it note to the bag. My name was written on the note.

Someone had left me a gift. It couldn't be King. King never gave me anything, but who else? Not the twins. Definitely not Anya or Lettie. Ben. It had to be Ben. He was the only person in the house who had shown me any kindness.

I settled on the side of the bed and pulled the shoebox out of the bag, taking my time and savoring my first gift in such a long time. I leaned forward, taking in the new shoe smell emanating from the box.

I wasn't a girly girl. Shoes and clothes were more functional for me than anything. I didn't go all out for designer labels, partly because after Mom got sick, money was tight. Even so, who could resist new shoes?

Then I opened the box and looked inside. I stared down at stiletto heels with rhinestones and crystal heels. Cinderella would be envious. The shoes were the most beautiful things I'd ever seen, never mind held. They were functional artwork.

Well, they would be functional artwork for someone else. I doubted I could even stand in them. The heels must have been at least five inches tall. Much higher than the sneakers I usually wore.

Besides, where would I wear them? For errands? To the bathroom? To bed during my monthly intercourse sessions with King? Right, like King would notice.

Smiling, I decided it didn't matter if I ever wore them. They were mine, and they were beautiful.

Lettie called out for me from downstairs. Her voice reminded me I had other things to do today.

Scanning the room, I decided the best place to display the heels was beside my Mom's photo on the dresser. Mom loved heels. She would appreciate the fact that I was sharing them with her.

Cleaning up was a matter of washing and changing a baggy T-shirt for a baggy hoodie. It was one of my favorites. Mom bought it for me when I was a senior in high school. There was nothing special about it other than she bought it, and it was worn and soft and made me feel secure.

Throwing the least worn of my two pairs of high tops on, I rushed downstairs before Lettie changed her mind. Getting out of this house and away from the Heavenly Estate was the first step to finding myself again.

I had my hand on the doorknob when I had a bright idea. I rushed back to the closet and dug through one of the drawers until I pulled out a cell phone and charger.

I didn't carry the phone. It wasn't good for much. My cell phone plan had expired long ago, and I didn't have the funds to extend it and take care of my other personal expenses. Besides, no one called me anyway, and Lettie had a cow if she saw me on the phone browsing the internet during what she considered my work hours, which were basically all my waking hours.

The phone held phone numbers, though, and today, I wanted access to them. I could charge the phone in the car and borrow the driver's phone, I hoped, to make one short call. 

 King

King watched from the door as Teela opened the shoe box. Her eyes lit up like a child at Christmas.

Good. Maybe she would stop acting out now.

King liked consistency and tranquility. The scene at breakfast soured his mood. Teela had overreacted to Lettie's apology request, but then again, Lettie had gone out of her way to humble Teela.

The two women appeared to be engaged in some power struggle, and King didn't want to be in the middle of it. He had enough on his plate with the power struggles he controlled at work. There was no way he wanted to come home to more.

Teela wouldn't win. No one ever did against Lettie. Lettie was a powerhouse with a sadistic streak that she worked against showing the public. It was true she didn't believe in physical violence, but there was a lot she could do to break a person without ever touching them.

He should know. She'd spent years trying to break him before he'd learned to play the game.

Teela was weak. She should give up now and resign herself to the role Lettie had set out for her. It would be better for all of them.

King smiled when he saw Teela had displayed the shoes next to her mom's photo.

The smile fell when Teela came downstairs a little while later, and he noticed the ragged shoes on her feet.

Why didn't the woman buy herself new shoes? Everyone in the Heavenly family received an allowance for personal needs. As far as he could tell, Teela never spent hers. What was she doing? Saving it to buy something big?

Her attitude lately suggested she was more apt to be saving money to leave him.

That would never do.