This charming couple decided on a one month long engagement. During this time they went shopping, to social events, and dinner with his parents. Suspicious, Cinderella said little, and acted as gentile as she could, considering she had never been in society.
She tried to buy the most affordable options, but her prince of a fiancé insisted she get the finest and best they carried. She ducked her head to avoid prying eyes, but Emmerett smiled to the crowd and waved. And at dinner she sat uncomfortably at the table with the rest of the family. She was served her food and waited upon as if she was a princess. She couldn't remember a time when she sat at the table and ate dinner with a family.
As much as she was hesitant to trust them, she liked the way it felt. She wanted to like them. To keep them.
The wedding was as grand as their three-day party had been. Scrumptious food. Elaborate decorations. And the most exquisite dress she had ever seen. And it was hers to wear.
On her wedding night her new husband approached her with gentle kindness. He wasn't rough or aggressive like she had feared. He kissed her tenderly and this time it tasted like cream cheese frosting. His cologne smelled sweet to her and drew her in. She was nervous to be close to him, but didn't want to escape. Before she let him undress her she couldn't stop herself from asking, "How many girls have you brought here?" She was afraid he had brought Anastasia here that awful night of the party.
Emmerett looked confused. "To our wedding suite?"
"No." Cinderella didn't know how to proceed. She huffed, "Why did you choose me? Why am I here? Is it because I wasn't as easy as those other girls you kissed at your party?"
"Other girls? I didn't kiss any other girls-"
Cinderella's mouth fell open. And she stormed across the room. "You didn't kiss any other girls? You didn't seduce anyone else like you did to me that first day?"
"Seduce you? I was enchanted by you. Cinny, you're amazing!"
"I forgot something at my home."
"This is your home."
"It's not my home without my friends. I need to go get them."
"I'd love to meet them."
"Likely not. No one ever likes to meet my friends."
"Why? If they're friends with you I'm sure we would get along."
"You really want to meet them?"
"If it's important to you, of course." He approached her slowly and tried to lead her back to the bed.
"Let's go now. This is their favorite time of day."
"Now?"
Cinderella left the room and went directly to Emmerett's car. Emmerett followed behind her.
When they arrived at her house she told him to have a seat and wait for her to return with her friends. She then grabbed a basket and walked out the back door. First she went to she shed to collect a box of poison. She wrapped that in a kitchen cloth and put it in the bottom of the basket and laid another cloth over that. Then she went to her mothers grave and foraged for a mouse. They loved to play at night so it was easy for her to find them.
When Cinderella stepped inside her house with the basket Emmerett's eye brows went up as he peered inside. His mouth formed an "O" and he let out a high pitched noise that surprised hi new wife. He reached in to hold one.
"I didn't know you had pets. We can bring them home and let them live in the courtyard sanctuary. They would be the perfect addition to the flowers and trees."
"You like my friends?"
He smiled and let out a soft laugh. "I knew there was more to you, and I'm sure I will never stop being surprised by you. But yes. When I was a kid I used to bring them inside to show my mother. She was not amused." He took her hand that was not holding the basket and kissed it. Then he scooped her up and carried her upstairs to the bedroom.
The following week was full of newly wedded bliss. They took a trip to New York City where she saw buildings that went all the way up to the sky. They listened to jazz music and saw the city from from the Queensboro Bridge. It was spectacular.
Mr. Cadmotter entered the kitchen and Emmerett offered him a cookie.
"I'd be delighted, thank you." Mr. Cadmotter took a gooey one from the middle of the pan. Cinderella's face paled as she watched him eat it. He was always kind to her and had never kept a secret from her (so she thought).
"These cookies are as delightful as you are, Ms. Cinny. I have enjoyed every encounter I have had with you. I do apologize for not stepping in sooner with that misunderstanding, but I'm glad it has all worked out."
"What misunderstanding?" Emmerett asked.
"Oh, on the second night of the ball. What a disastrous night." He turned to Cinderella, "I had been asked to keep an eye on you, because Emmerett knew you were the one he had been looking for after the first evening. I watched you both feel betrayed by the other."
Emmerett and Cinderella were intrigued. Mr. Cadmotter felt uncomfortable as he shifted his eyes from one confused face to the other. He took another cookie from the tray and as he backed out of the kitchen suggested, "You should discuss what happened that night."
The newlyweds stood in awkward silence for what felt like an eternity.
Finally, Emmerett admitted, "He's right. I was jealous. I watched you dance with every man in the room other than me. It hurt. I had already had a bad encounter so I distracted myself with too much to drink. I'm deeply sorry for my behavior."
Cinderella glared at him. "I only avoided you because I saw you kissing another girl on our balcony." she scolded.
He gaped. "You saw that?"
"You lied to me! You said you didn't kiss anyone else."
"I didn't. She kissed me!" He protested. "That girl was crazy. When I couldn't find you in the ball room I went upstairs to the balcony. She followed me up there and cornered me. She was a flirt and was obviously only interested in me for my money. She grabbed my collar and kissed me. I tried to be polite but I had to hide in the restroom for 20 minutes to escape her."
Cinderella looked like she was about to throw up. She reevaluated her choices from the last two months. Then she looked at him and kissed him more passionately than she ever had. "I love you, Emmerett." Then she took the tray of cookies and dumped them in the trash.
"Hey, I was going to eat those."
"You don't need those." Then she took his hand and led him upstairs to their room.
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