Cinderella

Chapter 3: A New Family and Life and Laughter

Ella closed the book she was reading to her dad. 

"Well, I do love happy endings." 

Her father smiled.

"Yes... I do quite like them." 

They both laughed for a little bit. 

"Listen Ella...." 

Ella looked at her father. 

"Yes father?" 

"I've been thinking.... it might be time to start a new chapter in life?" 

"Oh certainly!" 

Ella was excited, for the first time in forever her father was going to start a new, finding someone else to love... 

"As long as you're happy." Ella smiled at her father and he smiled back. 

"Yes.... Happiness....." 

Ella's father sat closer to Ella. 

"You may remember an old friend of mine, Lord Tremaine. Well, you see... he's passed away, leaving his wife Lady Tremaine alone." 

"So.... you want her to live with us?" 

"Certainly." 

"Of course.... Like I said, as long as you're happy." 

Ella smiled and got ready for her stepmother's arrival. 

"She also has 2 daughters, So be sure to love them as well." 

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The carriage rolled in from the front of the courtyard, inside would have been Ella's stepmother and stepsisters. Her two stepsisters stepped out of the carriage, their hair all curled up and styled, while the dresses looked like they were to big for them, they walked up to Ella and took a look at her. 

"You've got nice hair." Anastasia said. 

"You should style it." Said Drizella. 

"Yes... Yes... Maybe I should. Would you like a tour of the house?" 

"What did she say?" Anastasia said to her sister. 

"I think she wants us to see her old farmhouse. I think she's proud of it." 

"Do they keep animals in there?" 

Lady Tremaine stepped out of the carriage, she wore a dress with black decorations on it with a yellow background. She also wore a huge black hat, along with a little mask to cover her face. She stepped out of the carriage with her cat, Lucifer and stepped pass Ella and her daughters and walked straight into their house. 

She has known grief, and wore it well. She walked into the house examining it. 

"How long has your family lived here?" asked Anastasia. 

"Over hundreds of years..." Ella answered. 

Drizella spoke up, "And they never thought to decorate it?" 

All Ella could do was smile. 

Over the days and weeks, Ella's stepmother tried to restore the laughter in the house. Her father was happy, and that was all she cared about. Her father occasionally worked in his office, Her stepmother would often play cards with everyone in the household. Her stepsisters would do the same. Everything seemed great, and Ella was of course, happy because everyone else was.