Twisted Cinderella

Pieces of the puzzle

Thanks to MusicxXxguru for being a darn great editor!

The phone rang. L'Oreal prayed that it was the right number, this time. She'd been up all morning trying to remember the private number to the maid's area in her old house. Her parents had decided that giving the maids a phone of their own would ensure that someone would always be available when needed. The house was huge, after all.

Finally, someone answered. "Service quarters, how may I help you?" a woman’s voice asked.

"Grammy Elizabeth?"

"Lori-baby? Is that you? How are you? I've been so worried!"

Elizabeth was L'Oreal's nanny when she was a baby. She’d practically raised her. She'd been there through every birthday, every tear and every smile. She was almost like a real grandmother to L'Oreal. She hadn't seen her in a while, though, due to Elizabeth's old age. She just couldn't get around like she use to, only coming to the house to help out when she could. The Benoit family would never fire her, even if she never showed up a day for the rest of her life.

"Yes! Oh, you don't know how good it is to hear your voice. I'm really sorry, Grammy, but I'm fine so don't worry about me."

"Child, what happened?" She sounded relieved to be hearing L’Oreal’s voice, but her concern still lingered.

L’Oreal sighed. "It's a long story, Grammy, but to sum it all up, Percy tried to kill me."

There was silence before Grammy gasped, "What?"

L’Oreal closed her eyes, trying to shut out the images that played through her mind. "Yeah, he even told me how he'd hide my body after I was dead."

"What, now, wa-wait a minute. I knew it, I knew it! It wasn't the other way around."

"What? No! What do you mean?"

"Child, Percy dun up and told everybody that you attacked him. Lori-baby, he played it off so well, actin' all pitiful. He even wrote it down instead of saying it, like he couldn't talk or sum. A dirty motha' fucka'!"

"Grammy!" she gasped

"Sorry, baby. Just pissed me off, is all."

"I can't believe him," L'Oreal said, shaking her head. "Then again, this doesn't seem beneath him. That snake! But I'm relieved that he's not dead." Knowing she hadn't killed him lifted a huge weight off L'Oreal's shoulders, but it also brought up the probability that he was going to come after her.

"You sho know what to say, child. Tell me, what can old Grammy do for you?"

Despite everything, L'Oreal found herself laughing gently. "You do know me, don't you Grammy?"

"Sho do. I practically raised ya. You my Lori-baby." Again, L'Oreal laughed. It was always good talking to her Grammy Elizabeth.

"Grammy, I need a few things from the house. Like, some clothes, shoes, my ID and bank card. I know you can't really do as much moving as you use to, but I have nothing. I really need this favor."

"Broke as a joke, eh?"

"You don't even know the half, Grammy," L’Oreal sighed.

"Well, look here, baby, I'll see what I can do. Is this the number I can reach you at?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Okay, then, baby. Grammy gonna see what she can do. Now, you know there some no good hussies working here under Percy so wait for our usual code and then call me back. Okay?"

"Okay, Grammy." L’Oreal felt a swath of relief knowing everything was about to get better.

"Alright, now don't forget."