Cinderella: The Beginning

I walked through the streets of my happy little town, basket in hand and my daughters beside me. The houses stood row on row, made from the regular wood, flax straw for roofing, some with stone in the fronts, and all with their windows open.

"Bella, Anna, go fetch some bread from Mr. Matthews for Mummy," I said softly, putting a few of our coins into their tiny hands. Bella nodded enthusiastically, grabbing Anna's hand and pulling her away. I watched with a loving expression, shaking my head as I turned to the smaller shops in the market.

I waited for the girls to come back, looking up at the clouds and smiling as they seemed to part just for me.

"Beautiful day, isn't it?" a man said, surprising me.

I turned and met his eyes, taken aback by the intenseness in his gaze. His eyes were a bright blue, almost silver, and his hair was dark like tar, the faintest whisps of gray visible near his temples. He wore a black suit, like the ones worn by wealthier men, and he was holding the hand of a tiny girl with golden hair.

"Y-Yes," I stammered, feeling heat rise from my heart to my cheeks and throat. "Very nice out."

The man smiled. It was kind, soft, and full, curving upwards. I'd never received a smile like that. "You're not from around here, are you, sir?"

"No, I am not," he answered. "I'm from up north. My family and I are travelling and selling wares."

My heart sunk a bit as he spoke, but I maintained a smile. "Your family?"

"Yes," he began. A woman with gold hair, similar to the little girl's, came forward, putting her arm around the man. "This is my beautiful wife, Lenora. And our daughter, Ella."

I nodded, looking backwards at a tiny tug on my dress. Bella was behind me, pointing back to Anna, who was carrying various loaves of bread.

"Look, Mama!" she called, putting the bread in my basket. "Mr. Matthews gave us so much bread!"

"How much did you spend, Anna?" I asked, excusing myself from the conversation and giving my daughter my full attention.

"Only eight coins," she replied, and I internally groaned.

"Baby, you can't spend that much on bread," I whispered.

Anna nodded, and I followed her gaze back to the man. "I.. Well, we never got your name, sir."

"Apologies, Miss," he said, tipping his hat. "I'm Calvin. Though my friends call me Cal. I also didn't catch your name."

"Very nice to meet you, Mr. Cal," I said, smiling. "My name is Teresa."

Lenora shook my hand, her hands gentle. I could see why Calvin loved her, but I couldn't help but be jealous. "You'll have to come over sometime, Teresa. I'm sure Ella would be positively ecstatic."

-💮-💮-💮- 2 Years Pass -💮-💮-💮-

After two years of playing nice with Lenora, I grew closer and closer with Calvin. It turned out that Ella was the same age as Bella and Anna, and that they all enjoyed playing together.

One day, however, my relationship with them all changed.

I'd brought lunch to their family because Lenora had gotten very sick. The next day, Calvin wrote a letter to me.

Dear Teresa,

She's gone. After you brought the meal, she ate and was gone this morning. I don't know how to do this. Your girls are so close with my Ella, and I can't raise her on my own. She's only ten. She needs a mother, and now hers is gone.

Please. I need someone to be here for me. Would you, Bella, and Anna come to our home? Just for a little while.

Sincerely yours, Calvin.

His note was crumpled and some of the words were smudged - signs of tears, frustration, and anger. My heart went out to Calvin. I'd been through my own losses in life, and this was something more we shared in common.

"Bella, Anna, go get your nice dresses," I said, pulling on a shawl and grabbing my bag. "We're going to Calvin's house to have a talk."

- - - - - - -

After a few hours of just talking, it ended with Calvin asking me to join him for lunch the next day. I agreed, hiding my joy under a facade of mourning for his late wife.

Ella stayed with Bella and Anna at my home while Cal and I were out, and I gave my girls full responsibility over making sure the house was clean. We went to a cafe just near his home, eating coffee and salads and just talking.

"Teresa, I know how soon it is, considering Lenora just passed," Calvin began, threading his fingers together, "but I'd like you and your daughters to stay with Ella and I. She needs a mother."

I reached across the table, putting my hand over Calvin's. "I'll be there whenever you need me to be."

He smiled. It was the same smile that he gave me when we first met two years ago, but this one was sadder and more tired. We stayed like that for a while, eventually going back to my home.

---------

The house was clean. Every surface was wiped down, every floor mopped, and every surface dusted. I smiled widely, kissing my girls on the heads and praising them for their hard work.

"Yeah, we did really good," Anna said, staring up at me. "We got tons of time to play! Ella was just sitting there, though."

I sighed, stroking Anna's hair. "Some people are just lazy, my love."

Calvin was kneeling beside Ella, whispering softly into her ears. She nodded at whatever he said, looking back at me and tugging my dress.

"Yes?" I asked, looking down at her with barely hidden disdain.

"Papa says that you're going to be my new mommy for a while," she said, rocking on her heels. "Is that true?"

I nodded, my lips turning up in a chesire grin. "Yes, little one. It is. And the correct term is 'stepmother'. Can you say that?"

Ella bristled, clearly taken aback by how I spoke to her. Good, I thought. She should get used to not being a princess. Not when my little girls are around.

"Stepmother," Ella answered, looking straight up into my eyes.

"Good."

Calvin took my hand, slipping the ring onto my finger. I kissed his cheek, finally feeling full - and free of Ella's actual mother weighing me back from showing my feelings.

Ella frowned. Bella and Anna smiled, clapping and whispering to each other.

"It's like a fairy tale!"

"He's going to be like a prince for Mother to be a princess!"

"That's awesome!"

As we drove away in the coach, Ella still looked upset.

"What's wrong, little one?" I asked, feigning interest.

"I was the one who cleaned up your house. Not Bella and Anna."

I frowned. Who was she to take the credit? This little ten-year-old.

"Don't take credit for things that you didn't do, Ella," I say, my voice stern. "That's not kind."

"But-"

I cut her off with a wave of my hand. "Your father is driving this coach, and I can stop him at any moment."

Ella shook her head, hugging her knees.

As we approached the new home, I took Bella and Anna's hands, watching Calvin hold Ella. She gave me a glare that told me everything she thought about me, and I smirked despite myself.

She thought I was wicked.

Oh, well.

I guess that I'm her wicked stepmother, then.