Cinderella: A Retelling of an Old Classic

The Unique Proposition - Chapter 4

Adela was thunderstruck when she heard the word's 'get married again' fall  from her father's lips. What could he be thinking? Had he really fallen in love so quickly? Her father had never done anything so spontaneous before and she had no idea what had prompter him to begin now.

She sat very still with her face to the fire, her hair covering part of her face.

"Are you alright my dear?" her father asked her gently when he saw the kind of affect his words had on her. 

Adela's hand trembled slightly as she moved to brush her hair back from her eyes.

"Father, I know you think that I should have had a mother growing up. I know you've always felt badly about my not having someone to talk too about little delicate topics but it hasn't hurt me one bit! You have always been there for me and you have always taken care of all my needs. Everything I ever wanted or needed you gave me and what I couldn't ask you I had my friends here to help me."
"Your friends," Her father scoffed slightly. "They are servants Adela. They are nothing compared to what should have been yours to accept." He saw her begin to protest and quickly added, "Of course there is nothing wrong with knowing servants on friendly terms but to get intimate with one of them would be unthinkable!"

This was most likely the one point that Adela and her Father disagreed upon. Growing up with  only her father for company she relied on the presense of the servants to help her blossom. She knew each and every one of them by name and her relationships with her went far beyond mere friendly terms. Her father always had the impression that one should always be content with ones circumstances. He didn't mix with the downstairs maid so why should she mix with him? Apart from a genial goodmorning the servants and their master rarely mixed two words together.

"That is not true! How could you not be friends with dear old Lucy or sweet little Peter?? They have been with us for years and years Father and I think its rude not to talk to them. Lucy helped me through many hard times when mother first died and I can't tell you how many times little Paul has tried to make me smile when I'm sad or lonely." Adela protested.

"But that's just it my darling, you shouldn't have to have servants comfort you when you're lonely! In fact you shouldn't be lonely at all..... Now listen to me, the women I am thinking of has two wonderful daughters that could be your playmates. There would be no need to look in the servants quarters for companions when they arrive."
Adela, knowing she would get nowhere with her father argueing the topic that had for so long been contended tried another tactic.

"Father, you shouldn't be thinking about marraige simply for my sake. Marriage isn't only a bond between mother and children but most importantly between husband and wife. Haven't you always told me that the intimacy between a husband and wife is sacred on all levels? Father, you should marry this women because you want to. Because you want another wife, and you are longly yourself, certainly not because you think I am in need of a new mother."

Her father was silent a good long while before he spoke again and this time in a much softer voice than he had used hertofore.

"Adela, my little Ella, I suppose in a way I was hoping you would feel lonely so I would have an excuse to feel the same. The truth is I miss the companionship of having a wife and a best friend like your mother. I don't mean to say that if I married again it would be the same thing but it could be very pleasant living together and perhaps we could find common ground and be happy."
"Father, don't you think you should get to know this women so you can know if you have the ability to live compatibly?"
"She was married to a gentleman whom I regard with great respect. I cannot imagine him marrying anyone but a proper lady. I do not feel I would be taking a chance by writing to her and submiting my proposition."
Adela did not agree with the way her father was handeling this arrangement but as she had said before, it was completely his choice. If he wanted a new wife, someone he could share his life with, who was she to deny him? She knew he had been alone many years and she could guess sometimes that he was lonely. She never thought he would take such a drastic step but perhaps this could work for the best. Afterall the widow and her daughter couldn't be terribly aweful could they?