Taming Cinderella

Chapter 4 : Melodrama :/

Ella:

I pop a kiss to Joe and head over to Trader Joe’s for a grocery trip before going back home. The rest of the team was heading over to a nearby bar for a few drinks. I couldn't go because I did not have a life besides work. 

Mary expected me to be back home by 6.30 pm to prepare dinner and finish the rest of the household chores. If I would prepare the meals in bulk, she would have other alternative errands lined up such as “Ellaaa, I spilled my nail paint on the carpet, can you clean it up? Or Beatrice has her mid-term exams, can you complete her assignments?

Every day the closer I walked home, the heavier my heart would get at the thought of dealing with my so-called family. I open the door and keep the groceries in the refrigerator. Tossing some pasta in a large pot of water, I head over to the bathroom for a quick shower to relieve all the stress at work.

I wrap a towel around my hair and head downstairs to the kitchen to prepare the meal. After turning another stove on, I start chopping some onions, carrots and celery sticks to prepare the stock. 

I pluck a few strands of rosemary I had carefully grown over the number of years. Growing, harvesting and cooking your own food from scratch was something my mother taught me. This habit had turned out to be therapeutic for me over the years. I would plant random herbs and vegetables in our backyard. Whenever a plant bore a fruit or vegetable, I would be as excited as a kid in a candy store. In a way, this made me feel closer to her.

“Oh there you are” Mary walked into the kitchen with green goop plastered across her face. It was one of her weird beauty routines every evening where she slathered a slew of serums and beauty products on her face for youthful skin. Lol! I was so tempted to laugh on her face.

“Can you cut some slices of cucumber for my eyes?” she said inspecting what I was doing in the kitchen.

“I just deseeded and cut a red chilli for the Bolognese sauce, can you just…?”

Mary interrupted midway grumbling, “Alright fine whatever, also can you make some garlic bread on the side for Beatrice?”

“Sure” I nodded and started cutting some sourdough bread for toasting in the oven. I heard the door click at 9 pm; It must be her highness Bridget back from office.

I set the table as Mary and her daughters prance downstairs for dinner. After serving everybody, I sit down to eat. Normally Beatrice would talk about how awesome her day was while Bridget would brag about her new workplace while I turned a deaf ear to all of it. Today everybody was unusually quiet and exchanged some sort of sign language for all I cared!

“How was your day Ella?” Bridget looked at her mother and then towards me. I was surprised my day was even being discussed. I looked up from my plate and responded, “ It went well Bridget, thanks for asking”

“What is it that you exactly do again?” Mary joined into our conversation.

“I develop and increase our company’s business by bringing in newer companies onboard who consult Accent to solve their operative hassles” I explained, surprised at everybody’s sudden interest in my professional life.

“Oh that sounds fairly boring, tell me something exciting, are you dating anybody?” Bridget slyly winked at me and then looked at Mary.

“No, I am not!” I looked up facing all the three of them, all calm and confident but deep down I was shocked and scared. Why was she asking me this question all of a sudden!?

“Oh c’mon, will you lie to your own family now?” Bridget continued to dig further.

I stood firm with my answer and said, “ No, I ain’t lying Bridget!”

“What is this then?” She flipped out her phone and showed a picture where I was kissing Joe, It was today, outside the office!!! What was Bridget doing there? What should I do now? I panicked and prayed for some of Helen’s quick thinking to come to my rescue.

Forking on the last bit of pasta I calmly responded “ Well, it’s not something serious, hence I did not mention it!” 

“Oh you naughty girl! I did a little background social media check though, just to be on the safer side, you know how protective we feel about you” Bridget giggled.

“Oh tell us, what is his name and where is he from?” Beatrice joined in thoroughly enjoying the conversation at my expense.

“Our brother-in-law’s name is Joe Jackson, his friends like to call him Joey, he isn’t as cute as the one in the sitcom, but he’s way too good for Ella momma, look!!” she showed the profile picture on his social media handle to Mary.

She put on her glasses to inspect the rest of the information murmuring, “ He is from Detroit, Michigan, ughhhh” she made a face before saying, “Ella, I wasn’t expecting you to find someone whose family must have been even lower than the one washing dishes at Four Seasons. We are so happy for you”

“I’m still a bit upset though, that you did not feel we are close enough to share such great news!” she let out a fake tear of concern.

“I’m sorry Mary, it was fairly recent, I certainly did not mean to hurt you.” I knew some sort of drama would follow this conversation.

“If you had good intentions towards me and your sisters, you wouldn’t have lied and kept such good news from us. Oh I am so sad today, Richard had married me thinking Ella would have another mother in her life but today I came to know Ella has not accepted me as her mother at all!” she lamented in her melodramatic tone.

“Awww I am really very sorry Mary!  From now onwards, I won’t hide anything from you. How shall I make it up to you?” I asked her upfront because I knew she would make me pay for it in one way or another.

“By spending weekends with me from now on before my little bird flies to make her own nest” she sweetly replied caressing my hand. Now, when roughly translated into Marish(Mary’s code of conduct in English), this meant “I’m going to make sure you don’t get to date/marry anyone anytime soon”

I was really looking forward to going to the business conference this weekend with Joe. Ah how much more will I have to endure?