too,” whispers Winnie.
Their lips meet, the two of them oblivious to our voyeuristic stares. Envy comes over me unlike any I’ve ever felt.
So, this must be love.
***
By dinnertime, I’m totally drained. All I want to do is crawl into bed, pull the covers over my head, and close my eyes. The last thing I want to do is have dinner with Elz, Sasperilla, and their mother. And to be honest, I should be working on an escape plan.
When I arrive at the banquet hall, Winnie and her husband, holding hands, are intimately engaged in conversation at the table in the corner. At another table, What’s-His-Name is busily chatting with Hook. My spirits rise a little--at least, he’s not sitting alone for once.
Elz is at our usual table with Sasperilla and their mother, whose back is to me. As I head over to them, I overhear their conversation.
“Sasperilla, what in heavens happened to your nose?” asks their mother, sounding more disgusted than concerned.
“It’s all Elzmerelda’s fault!”
“It was an accident,” protests Elz. “I didn’t mean for it to happen.”
“Did so!”
“Did not!”
“Well, let’s hope it doesn’t leave a scar because no prince is going to marry a marred woman,” says their mother, cutting their argument short.
Elz is relieved to see me. She introduces me to her mother, Lady Germaine, who bears a striking resemblance to Sasperilla. She’s tall and bony with a pointy, aristocratic nose and sharp, jutting chin that could probably cut through glass. Dressed in an austere high-neck gray dress that matches the color of her upswept hair, she nods with a coldness that sends a chill up my spine. Her eyes fixate on my bandaged finger before shifting back to her daughters.
“I’m beginning to think I’ve sent you two to an emergency room, not a rehabilitation center,” she says, her voice brimming with contempt.
Sasperilla pushes a few peas around her plate with her fork.
“Why aren’t you eating, Sasperilla?” Lady Germaine asks.
“Mother, I’m having an issue with the food here. I’m eating less and less but getting bigger and bigger.” She gives me a hard kick under the table. “Jane, don’t you agree I look fat?”
“Yes!” I say, unable to resist. Truthfully, she’s scary-skinnier than ever.
“I knew it!” Sasperilla shoves her plate away. “I’m going to have to stop eating altogether!”
Seriously, how much skinnier can she get? My imagination doesn’t get far. Hook, as dapper as ever, swaggers up to our table. Sasperilla fixes her curls, then grimaces when she catches him winking at me. Luckily, Elz doesn’t notice. Her face radiates with excitement as she introduces Hook to her mother.
Lady Germaine runs her frosty eyes over him. They stay glued on his hook.
“So, Captain , exactly what royal army do you command?” she asks, her tone haughty and suspicious.
“Lady, I am a pirate,” he replies, full of macho pride.
Lady Germaine puckers her face in disgust while Elz gazes at Hook adoringly.
“Mother, when I get out of here, I want to sail away with him.”
Lady Germaine arches her brows. “What are you talking about, Elzmerelda? Have you gone completely mad?”
“Yes, Mother,” jumps in Sasperilla. “She’s totally lost her mind. She should be permanently confined to a mental institution.”
“Elzmerelda, you know perfectly well that I have spent considerable time and money grooming both you and your sister to marry a prince.”
“Mother, I’m perfect marriage material.” Sasperilla smiles smugly.
“Actually, I do know of one available prince. His name is Gallant. His wife died several years ago, and now he’s ready to remarry. We’d better hurry because I’ve heard there may be a princess-in-waiting ahead of you.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” Sasperilla leaps up like a frog. “Sign me out of here!”
“Actually, I thought he would be perfect for Elzmerelda.”
Sasperilla’s beady
Their lips meet, the two of them oblivious to our voyeuristic stares. Envy comes over me unlike any I’ve ever felt.
So, this must be love.
***
By dinnertime, I’m totally drained. All I want to do is crawl into bed, pull the covers over my head, and close my eyes. The last thing I want to do is have dinner with Elz, Sasperilla, and their mother. And to be honest, I should be working on an escape plan.
When I arrive at the banquet hall, Winnie and her husband, holding hands, are intimately engaged in conversation at the table in the corner. At another table, What’s-His-Name is busily chatting with Hook. My spirits rise a little--at least, he’s not sitting alone for once.
Elz is at our usual table with Sasperilla and their mother, whose back is to me. As I head over to them, I overhear their conversation.
“Sasperilla, what in heavens happened to your nose?” asks their mother, sounding more disgusted than concerned.
“It’s all Elzmerelda’s fault!”
“It was an accident,” protests Elz. “I didn’t mean for it to happen.”
“Did so!”
“Did not!”
“Well, let’s hope it doesn’t leave a scar because no prince is going to marry a marred woman,” says their mother, cutting their argument short.
Elz is relieved to see me. She introduces me to her mother, Lady Germaine, who bears a striking resemblance to Sasperilla. She’s tall and bony with a pointy, aristocratic nose and sharp, jutting chin that could probably cut through glass. Dressed in an austere high-neck gray dress that matches the color of her upswept hair, she nods with a coldness that sends a chill up my spine. Her eyes fixate on my bandaged finger before shifting back to her daughters.
“I’m beginning to think I’ve sent you two to an emergency room, not a rehabilitation center,” she says, her voice brimming with contempt.
Sasperilla pushes a few peas around her plate with her fork.
“Why aren’t you eating, Sasperilla?” Lady Germaine asks.
“Mother, I’m having an issue with the food here. I’m eating less and less but getting bigger and bigger.” She gives me a hard kick under the table. “Jane, don’t you agree I look fat?”
“Yes!” I say, unable to resist. Truthfully, she’s scary-skinnier than ever.
“I knew it!” Sasperilla shoves her plate away. “I’m going to have to stop eating altogether!”
Seriously, how much skinnier can she get? My imagination doesn’t get far. Hook, as dapper as ever, swaggers up to our table. Sasperilla fixes her curls, then grimaces when she catches him winking at me. Luckily, Elz doesn’t notice. Her face radiates with excitement as she introduces Hook to her mother.
Lady Germaine runs her frosty eyes over him. They stay glued on his hook.
“So, Captain , exactly what royal army do you command?” she asks, her tone haughty and suspicious.
“Lady, I am a pirate,” he replies, full of macho pride.
Lady Germaine puckers her face in disgust while Elz gazes at Hook adoringly.
“Mother, when I get out of here, I want to sail away with him.”
Lady Germaine arches her brows. “What are you talking about, Elzmerelda? Have you gone completely mad?”
“Yes, Mother,” jumps in Sasperilla. “She’s totally lost her mind. She should be permanently confined to a mental institution.”
“Elzmerelda, you know perfectly well that I have spent considerable time and money grooming both you and your sister to marry a prince.”
“Mother, I’m perfect marriage material.” Sasperilla smiles smugly.
“Actually, I do know of one available prince. His name is Gallant. His wife died several years ago, and now he’s ready to remarry. We’d better hurry because I’ve heard there may be a princess-in-waiting ahead of you.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” Sasperilla leaps up like a frog. “Sign me out of here!”
“Actually, I thought he would be perfect for Elzmerelda.”
Sasperilla’s beady
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