Balotelli-Bale Series Book #4: THE OTHER MAN PART 1

Chapter 40: Odd Endings

Marianna's POV
"Wait a damn minute..." I frowned at the book. "It can't be the last page.

"Nonna you said a bad word!" The little girl giggled.

"Damn? It's a bad word?" I asked her.

"Yes. You have a potty mouth." She leaned against me.

She's a pretty little thing. "Would you happen to know where the rest of the pages are bambina?"

"That's the end."

"Oh no! I have read these stories many times and this cannot be the end."

She frowned at me. "But that is the end. They suffer because they have evil step mothers."

It's my turn to frown at her. I can clearly see that the pages have been ripped off. "Did you rip off the pages Maddie?'

"No."

"Then who did? Look here. There are missing pages." I showed her the rough edges. "We are missing the pages that tell the ending of the story." I closed the book. "But you're in luck because I know the story."

I read Nickolas fairy tales. I wanted a daughter. I got a son. So  I read him stories about palaces and fairytales. I know them off head.

"So after Cinderella was locked up, the little mice that were her friends came in and saved her. With the help of her fairy godmother, she got the prettiest dress and a pumpkin changed into a carriage! The little mice became horses that  drew the carriage all the way to the palace! You see even if her evil stepmother forbid her from going to the ball, she  went anyway and she danced with the prince!"

She smiled at me. "What was the colour of her dress?"

"Blue!" My eyes looked around and I can't see that blue in here. "A pretty blue! As pretty as your eyes bambina." I pulled her little nose playfully. Noses remind of Pinocchio. Nick knows that story because I used to tell him that he will turn into a wooden boy if he lies. I never forgot to mention that his nose got longer each time he lies.

"And did her evil stepmother and step sisters see her?"

"They couldn't recognize her! She was so beautiful everyone was in awe!"

"What happened next?" She climbed on my lap eager to hear more.

"Well, she danced and danced with the prince. She was the only one the prince wanted to dance with. She had so much fun until the clock struck midnight. She had to run away because the fairy godmother's spell was wearing off. She forgot her glass slipper while escaping. But the prince found it and he went on a search to find Cinderella. Because he didn't know who she was, all the women in the kingdom had to try on the shoe. But it didn't fit anyone until they came to Cinderella's home."

"Was Cinderella home?"

"Oh yes! But her stepmother locked her up."

"Again?" She flung her little hands in the air. When Nick got a little older he told me Cinderella was stupid. She should have used the window. He is a realist pretty much like Helena. They don't dream. They only work with reality. Fairytales don't make sense to them. I am a dreamer. I still am. I wonder how Maddie will turn out. "Yes! Again! But the Duke heard her singing and he demanded that she comes to try on the shoe. Before Cinderella got to wear the shoe, her step mother tripped the person carrying it and because it's glass..."

"It broke!" She covered her face. "Oh no! But nonna! There are two shoes! We have two feet!" She squealed in excitement. It sounds like something Nick would say. In fact he told me that glass slippers are impractical. Maddie will be a realist.