Pandora's Box

10 - Dinner with Cinderella's evil step-mom

10 - DINNER WITH CINDERELLA'S EVIL STEP MOM

 It all started when my phone rang.

It was already two days since the press conference and the buzz of my engagement still hasn't died down.  There were millions of reporters just outside my building. From my view up here, they look like ants waiting for bread crumbs to fall.  

It is also because of this reason that I haven't seen Stephen for the last two days. Ugh, I wish he could just appear in my doorway and cuddle with me on the couch. Sadly that doesn't happen in real life. You may be thinking right now that even without the paparazzis, I won't have the guts to go and see him, and... well, you may or may not be rght. Life is so freaking complicated.

I'm now lying in bed and talking to sunshine while eating pickles. Pickles is now added to my list of strange cravings. My phone rang beside me and I answered it without checking the name of the caller. 

"Hello?"

"Audrey, my dear. You didn't say that you were getting engaged. You know how I hate being the last to know the news. Imagine a mother not even knowing that her daughter is already engaged with a child out of marriage"

My blood ran cold and all the happy thoughts were chased away by sad, deppressing ones.

"Mother." I said in a neutral tone of voice.

"Well, hello to you too, dearest daughter. Aren't you happy to hear from me? It's been a while since we last talked. "

"Why of course, I'm so elated to hear from you." Please note the sarcasm. 

"Audrey, that is no way for a lady to answer her mother. A lady never speaks with sarcasm."

"Whatever. Since when did you care?"

"Since I gave birth to you."

I internally scoffed, but I decided not to answer because I know that it will only lead to a fight and I don't want to get stressed for the sake of the baby.

I prayed for patience before I said through gritted teeth, "Why did you call mother?"

"Of course so I can know the man that trapped my daughter in marriage. I heard he's not one of us. Is that true?"

"First of all, Stephen didn't trap me. I willingly said yes to him, haven't you watched the video of his proposal? And second, so what if he's not rich? You don't need money to love someone and start a decent family with them. And lastly, I will never bring him anywhere within a 5 mile radius from you. "

"Audrey, I am your mother and you will do as I say and quite disrespecting me. Is that what they taught you at school?"

"The school taught me to love my mother, not someone who left me to be raised by nannies."

"Audrey! I will not have you talking to me like that! And I just did what I have to do to give you all that you wanted and more!"

I took a deep breath. Patience, patience.

"Whatever. Let's just agree to disagree. And regarding you meeting Stephen, it will never happen."

"Audrey, don't test me. You know I can do many things. Don't force me to do things I don't want to do."

My fists clenched at my sides. 

"Fine, mother." I gritted out. I think I need to see the dentist after this.

"Good, good. I'll just text you the venue and time. Don't be late and tell your fiancee to act and dress nicely. I don't want to be seen in public with someone who  has no manners."